USAC Release - MARTZ OPENS MIDWEST PAVEMENT FOCUS SEASON WITH WIN, DIRT RACE POSTPONED; ANDERSON THIS WEDNESDAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE														MAY 22, 2006
Contact: MICHAEL HARKER/DICK JORDAN													06-110


MARTZ OPENS MIDWEST PAVEMENT FOCUS SEASON WITH WIN, DIRT RACE POSTPONED;
ANDERSON THIS WEDNESDAY

SPARTA, Ky. – Tate Martz of Rushville, Ind. collected the season opener
Saturday for the USAC Midwest Ford Focus Pavement Midget Car Series, and
will look to win round two Wednesday when series competitors face off at
Anderson (Ind.) Speedway.

Martz, the only driver in Ford Focus history to win a feature event in four
straight seasons, claimed the checkered flag in a hard-fought battle
Saturday at Columbus Motor Speedway in Ohio, holding off Tennessee native
Craig Haack by only .067 seconds.

Also trailing Martz and Haack – by less than a second – were Ricky Ehrgott
and Chett Gehrke. Mario Clouser claimed fifth place.

Martz, who drives the No. 1 Lucas Oil/Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises Beast,
leads Haack by one point heading into Anderson. Andy Baber II won an Indiana
Ford Focus Midget Car Series race there May 3, and will be one of Martz’s
toughest opponents.

USAC’s Midwest Ford Focus Dirt Midget Car Series season opener Friday at
Limaland Motorsports Park was postponed due to wet grounds. USAC and track
officials are looking at an alternative date in which to reschedule. The
next race is scheduled for June 9 at Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway.

- USAC -