SHANE CARSON & RICKY WELD ENTER HOOSIER TIRE MIDWEST MASTERS CLASSIC;
WALLY PANKRATZ LOOKING FOR RIDE

KNOXVILLE, IA (May 24, 2006) - Oklahoman Shane Carson, son of National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (NSCHoF) inductee Bud Carson, and Missourian Ricky Weld, son of incoming NSCHoF inductee “Pappy” Weld, have both entered the 14th annual Hoosier Tire Midwest Masters Classic at Knoxville Raceway on Friday, June 2. Veteran West Coast midget car campaigner Wally Pankratz, son of incoming Hall of Famer Bob Pankratz, is also looking for a ride for the winged 360-cubic-inch sprint car event. Carson and Weld are both former Knoxville Raceway sprint car regulars.

Carson will pilot the Larry Weeks-owned, Brownells-sponsored, Ostrich-powered J&J sprint car number 00, while Weld will be behind the wheel of the Jordan Racing-owned Maxim number 1 sprinter. Pankratz can be reached by calling his business in southern California at 714-974-2228.

According to Knoxville’s director of racing Ralph Capitani, himself a Hall of Famer, “We’re excited to have Shane make the effort to be with us again this year. He finished third last year as a Masters ‘rookie’ to winner Roger Rager and runner-up Jimmy Sills, so I’m sure he feels that has some unfinished business here. But Jimmy Sills should be back racing the Masters, especially since he's going into the Hall of Fame the next day. And Ricky Weld says that we’ll know that he’s here, too, even though it’s his ‘rookie’ year at the Masters Classic. Well, gang, it should be another great race!”

The Hoosier Tire Midwest Masters vs. Young Guns Challenge and the Pepsi/Mt. Dew King Doodlebug Midget Classic kick-off this year’s 17th annual National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Weekend at Knoxville. Joining Jimmy Sills, “Pappy” Weld and Bob Pankratz as inductees at the Saturday afternoon banquet are Lanny Edwards, Johnny Hannon, Rickey Hood, Lee Kunzman, Jud Phillips, Francis Quinn, “Buzz” Rose, Sammy Swindell, “Buster” Warke, and Ted Wilson. Saturday night, June 3, will feature the United States Auto Club (USAC)-sanctioned Pepsi/Mt. Dew Knoxville Midget Nationals and a regular show of winged 410 c.i. sprint cars. Knoxville Raceway will also host an open track practice from 7 until 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 1.

Those seeking more information on the Hoosier Tire Midwest Masters Classic are urged to visit the track’s web site at www.knoxvilleraceway.com . Those wishing to reserve NSCHoF induction banquet tickets should call 1-800-874-4488.