18th NATIONAL SPRINT CAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTION BANQUET NOW HISTORY

KNOXVILLE, IOWA (June 3, 2007) - Drivers Shane Carson of Yukon, Oklahoma, Jerry “Scratch” Daniels of Stillwater, Minnesota, Kenny Jacobs of Holmesville, Ohio, and Hal Minyard of Speedway, Indiana, engine builder Earl Gaerte of Rochester, Indiana, photographer Ken Coles and sanctioning official Emmett Hahn of Tulsa, Oklahoma, took center stage Saturday afternoon, as they were officially inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville. Co-emcees Dave Argabright and Pat Sullivan and a crowd of 265 guests enjoyed the three-hour ceremony, which honored the exceptional careers of twelve inductees. Shane Carson joined his late father Bud Carson in the Hall of Fame.

Also present to accept awards on behalf of their deceased relatives were son John Levrett for driver Bayliss Levrett, grandson Jim Haas for builder/manufacturer Joe Jagersberger, and wife Carolyn Niebel for builder/mechanic Glen Niebel. Additionally, historian Larry Ball, Jr., and past inductee Ralph Capitani accepted on behalf of the families of deceased inductees Rajo Jack (driver), and Bill White (owner/promoter), respectively.

National Sprint Car Hall of Famers who were present were Clarence “Mutt” Anderson, Rollie Beale, Jerry Blundy, Ralph Capitani, Lanny Edwards, Ray Lee Goodwin, Bill Hill, Harold Leep, John Mahoney, Jim McElreath, Lynn Paxton, "Speedy" Bill Smith, Steve Stapp, Bob Trostle, Bill Utz and Gordon Woolley.

John Gerber's son Jim Gerber, Eddie Leavitt's daughter Vickie Agan, Jerry Richert’s daughter Amy Tatnell and son Jerry Richert, Jr., and Jay Woodside’s wife Pat Woodside were also in attendance at the banquet, which was held in the Dyer-Hudson Building on the Marion County Fairgrounds.

National Sprint Car Museum board president Doug Auld of Sprint Car & Midget magazine presented the 2007 President's Award to hard-working volunteer and advisory board member Larry Janicsek of Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Next year's nineteenth induction weekend is tentatively scheduled for May 30-31-June 1, 2008.