OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

ROCKFORD SPEEDWAY

Contact: Kevin Ramsell (kmrpr17@charter.net)

GREAT MEMORIES OF NSTC

By: Kevin Ramsell

Thursday, October 27, 2005 (Loves Park, IL) - The "Who's Who" list of the National Short Track Championship continues to grow year after year. The 40 year history of the event has been a stepping stone for some of the most popular drivers in the sport today.

"I won the deal there back in 1977. I was just 18-years-old, a kid out of Arkansas; it was my first time there, just overwhelming." The 18-year-old back in 1977 was Mark Martin, the driver of the #6 Roush Racing Ford on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit. Martin along with his fellow Roush Racing drivers Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Todd Kluever have competed in the historic event that will conclude this Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. at the Rockford Speedway.

Kluever is the most recent to have competed at the event and has some great memories. "All of my memories of Rockford are great. Personally that was always one track that I looked forward to every year." Kluever stated. "I always loved that place, as a driver it is such a fun place to race at. I would say that my best memory though would be the NSTC in 2001 where I won the Midwest All Star Racing series Championship in my rookie season."

Even the winner of the first event, Dick Trickle, remembers his victory as if it happened yesterday. "It was the very first time that I ran out of the state of Wisconsin." Trickle stated. "It was the most money I made at that time. I won $1,755 and the reason I remember is because they paid me in $5 bills. I will never forget that." This year's CRA Super Series feature winner will take home $6,000 at NSTC.

The 40th Annual National Short Track Championships presented by Chicago International Truck concludes on Saturday, October 29th at 12:30 p.m. at the Rockford Speedway. The CRA Super Series 250-lap feature, ASA Late Model Series 100-lap feature, Mid-American Series 75-lap feature and the Mid-American Truck 30-lap feature will be on the schedule for an afternoon of racing. It will be the last big racing event of 2005.