IRWINDALE FAVORITE BAREFOOT BILLY WILL RACE IN INDY FIGURE 8 CHAMPIONSHIPS

"BAREFOOT BILLY" ZIEMANN WILL CARRY IRWINDALE COLORS
INTO FIGURE-8 COMBAT AT INDY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE
3-Hour Endurance Race Scheduled For September 7, at Speedrome


Irwindale, Calif. - - He really only owns two pairs of shoes, one set that he was sort of "forced" to buy at an airport store so he would be allowed to get back on a cross country flight; and the others a pair of bright blue fire-resistant driving shoes which he slips on (no socks, of course) only shortly before blasting out onto the race course to take part in what many people believe to be THE most certifiably-nuts form of motorsports there is:  Figure 8 Racing.

The tough-footed man in question Rialto, California's own "Barefoot Billy" Ziemann, whose no-shoes approach to life netted him his unforgettable (and accurately descriptive) nickname very early-on in his life.  "I never liked to wear anything on my feet, even when I was a baby," said Billy.  "When I started out some of the smaller unsanctioned tracks pretty much didn't care what drivers wore … Yeah, I really raced barefoot many times early in my racing career."  

And now Billy and his team are heading for the big one … Going to Indy … Heading east to compete in the 26th Annual World Figure 8 Championship Three-Hour (!!! - Ed.) Endurance Race at the Speedrome.  

Know far and wide as "The World's Home of Figure 8 Racing", this twisted race meeting will pay out $60,000 in prize money including a eye-popping $10,000 first prize for the team that puts in the most laps on the looping ½-mile course.  

"That's big money for Figure 8 racing," said Ziemann with a smile, "We've always wanted to compete in this one and now Jim Williams (Irwindale's owner) along with a number of other great sponsors have made it possible for us to finally get to 'Indy'."  (Williams has been involved with other racing forays into the Indianapolis area as a co-sponsor and winning car owner at an oval track race that they run over at 16th and Crawfordsville Road on Memorial Day each year.)

Backing up its "World's Home" boast, the Indianapolis Speedrome runs 50-lap Figure 8 contests weekly, these twisting 1-hour affairs get the locals "tuned up" for the annual September 3-hour contest which features pit stops for tires and fuel (!! - Ed.)

Accompanying the shoeless batchelor to the big race is an experienced crew of four Figure 8 aficionados from the southland:  Mike Marks, Scott Burson, Brian Bobrick, and Irwindale regular Dan Burns.  "This will be a great time for all of us, representing west coast Figure 8 racing in the heartland," said Ziemann.

In addition to Irwindale's stepping up to see Billy get to the "Worlds"; Lucas Oil, Orange Race Engines, Schiedecker Racing Fabrication, O&R 4Wheel Drive, GNS Diesel Repair, and Ecology Auto Wrecking are all "on board" with the footloose team as they pursue their national racing destiny.

After two days of time trials, and four twenty-five lap qualifying races, twenty-eight racers will start in the Saturday night, September 7 big show.  Three hours later the maniacal motorized mayhem will cease and a new King of the Figure 8's will be crowned and presented with a (very) large check.  "It's not the money, we want the title, but, if we win I'm going to take the crew to the nearest shoe store and buy all my guys brand new shoes, what ever kind they like, so they'll look really good when we get back to California.  Wish us luck!"


FOR MORE INFORMATION:  	Doug Stokes (626) 358-1100
					Joel Cohen (317) 353-8206