National Sprint Car HoF inductees announced

13 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED AS "CLASS OF '09" FOR NATIONAL SPRINT CAR HALL OF FAME

KNOXVILLE, IOWA (January 14, 2009) - The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the names of its thirteen inductees for 2009. The individuals will be inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame on Saturday afternoon, May 30, during the twentieth annual ceremonies on the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Iowa. The inductees for 2009 are:

Drivers: Jac Haudenschild, Jackie Holmes, Lee Osborne, Cavino M. "Kelly" Petillo, Roger Rager, Fred Rahmer, Rip Williams.

Owners-Mechanics-Builders-Manufacturers-Car Sponsors:  Jack Elam,  Lee
Elkins,  Louis Senter.

Promoters-Officials-Media Members-Event/Series Sponsors:  Allan Brown,
Jim Chini,  Tommy Nicholson.

According to National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation executive director Bob Baker, "Nine of the thirteen inductees are living, which presents us with another great opportunity to honor people within their lifetime. The 72-member National Induction Committee has done another outstanding job of nominating and electing some of the greatest achievers in our sport. The induction banquet will be a great time to reflect back on the accomplishments of those veterans that have gone before us like American Automobile Association (AAA) drivers Jackie Holmes and Cavino "Kelly" Petillo, McNamara Motor Freight sprint car owner Lee Elkins, and United States Auto Club (USAC) sanctioning official Tommy Nicholson."

Baker, in making the announcement during the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, continued, "And then we'll have the opportunity to honor modern era achievers such as champion drivers Jac Haudenschild (Eldora Kings Royal, Historical Big One, Mopar Million), Roger Rager (Knoxville Raceway), Fred Rahmer (Lincoln, Selinsgrove, Susquehanna & Williams Grove Speedways), Rip Williams (United States Auto Club/California Racing Association) and driver/builder Lee Osborne (All Star Circuit of Champions, OzCar chassis), builder Jack Elam (J&J chassis), manufacturer Louis Senter (Ansen Automotive wheels), media member Allan Brown (National Sprint Car Annual, National Speedway Directory, History of America's Speedways) and photographer/historian Jim Chini. The induction banquet on Saturday, May 30, will be a very special event for many people!"

Those seeking more information on the 2009 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (NSCHoF) induction weekend, May 29-30-31, are encouraged to visit the museum's web site at www.sprintcarhof.com. Those seeking more information on the May 29-30 midget and sprint car races at the Knoxville Raceway should go to the half-mile dirt track's web site at www.knoxvilleraceway.com.

-credit: nschof