CARA Charities Hosts "Track Walk with the Drivers" at Grand Prix of Cleveland

CARA Charities Hosts "Track Walk with the Drivers" on Saturday Night at the 25th Grand Prix of Cleveland Racing fans get to raise money for needy causes, walk Burke Lakefront racetrack

CLEVELAND, May 31, 2006 - Racing fans will have the opportunity for a unique experience at this year's Silver Anniversary Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by U.S. Bank on the Burke Lakefront Airport racing surface.

For 25 years, the tarmac of the airport next to Lake Erie has always been one of the most interesting and exciting racing facilities with its uniquely wide straight-aways and legendary turns. The first turn at the Grand Prix of Cleveland now is one of racing's most famed corners and has produced some of the wildest action in all of auto racing in North America.

As part of the 25th annual Grand Prix of Cleveland, the fans will have the opportunity to gain a "close-up view" of the legendary temporary circuit when CARA Charities presents the "Track Walk with the Drivers" on Saturday evening, June 24. The "Track Walk" event will have several Champ Car drivers and other series competitors on the Burke Lakefront Airport track describing how the lines are taken with their racecars.

"Track Walk" participants may purchase tickets through the CARA Charities office at (317) 299-2277 or at the Grand Prix main ticket office. This year's "Track Walk" will begin at 6:15 p.m. and tickets are $10 per person.

All of the proceeds are to CARA Charities, one of auto racing's leading charitable organization that donates thousands of dollars to needy causes annually.

"Last year's walk was a new experience for the fans," said Rena Shanaman, Managing Director of the Grand Prix of Cleveland. "It is a great chance for our racing fans to examine the track and see the nuances of the famed Cleveland circuit. The interesting aspect is that the rest of the year the facility is an airport. No one is allowed to walk on the runaways and taxiways except during this CARA Charities event. It is truly a unique opportunity for the fans. It will give them a new perspective of the track."

Other than the three days of the Grand Prix of Cleveland, the Burke Lakefront Airport is strictly utilized for aircraft transportation throughout the year.

"Walking a track like Cleveland gives the racing fan a new perspective on how the drivers see the racing surface," said Mary Lou Bogner, executive director for CARA Charities. "I can't think of a more interesting way for the fans to get the driver's view from where they travel at close to 200 m.p.h."

For more information on tickets and activities for the "Track Walk with the Drivers," contact the CARA Charities headquarters at (317) 299-2277 or the Grand Prix of Cleveland offices at (216) 619-RACE (7223).

Tickets for the Grand Prix of Cleveland are available by phone at 216-241-5555; online at www.grandprixofcleveland.com or in person at Ticketmaster locations including all Kaufmann's and select Giant Eagle stores. Corporate sponsorship, hospitality or group sales are available by calling the Grand Prix of Cleveland office at 216.619.RACE (7223) or toll-free 888.817.RACE.

For more information on the Grand Prix of Cleveland Presented by U.S. Bank contact the event's downtown business office at (216) 619-RACE (7223). www.grandprixofcleveland.com www.grandprixofhouston.com