15th Annual Memorial Race Honoring Earl and Ethel Kouba Set for July 7, 2007
FOR RELEASE JULY 5. 2007 15th Annual Memorial Race Honoring Earl and Ethel Kouba Set for July 7, 2007 at North Central Speedway Family Continues Tribute to Parents That Built Sprint Car Racing Tradition Brainerd, MN - The 15th annual Earl and Ethel Kouba Memorial Race will be held Saturday, July 7, 2007 at North Central Speedway. The annual event pays tribute to the couple that spent a lifetime supporting sprint car racing in Minnesota and the upper Midwest. Justice Brothers and Gillund Enterprises, the original supporter of the event, will continue as the title sponsor of the night's racing card at the Brainerd, MN track. An impressive list of great sprint car drivers have taken the top-prize in the Kouba Memorial race including Donny Schatz (1996), Jimmy Kouba (2000, 2001), Roger Rager (2002), Jake Peters (2003) and Chuck Swenson (2006). First organized in 1993 by Ethel and the family in memory of Earl who passed away March 29, 1992, the Earl Kouba Memorial Race continued uninterrupted for 13 years. Each year the name of the winner has been added to plaques especially designed for the tribute. Following the engraving of the newest winner, the awards are displayed in a place of honor at the Sprint Car Hall of Fame at Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville Iowa. As a result of Ethel's passing on December 19, 2005, the 2006 event was changed to the Earl and Ethel Kouba Memorial Race to honor to the couple whose love, passion and support of sprint car racing has been a part of the family fabric for over 65 years. Every member of the Kouba family will be in attendance for the celebration of the lives and legacy of Earl and Ethel. Along with children Judy Kouba Dominick, Joe and Kathy Kouba and Jimmy and Jamie Kouba, grandchildren and great-grandchildren Michelle (Kouba) and Bill Hallbeck with children Chelsey and Luke; Joseph and Jill Kouba with daughter Hailey; Mindy (Kouba) and Frank Larsen with children Maria and Megan; Elicia (Kouba) and Paul Buzinec; Jacob Kouba; Kaitie Kouba and Anna Kouba will be present to greet friends and fans at the track. North Country Builders and JKD Communications will provide cash prizes and special awards for the 25-lap feature. Diversified Machine, Inc. will sponsor the sprint car heat races. The Sandberg Family in honor of the late Raleigh Sandberg will sponsor the dash. Flawd.net, Frank Larsen Web Design, will sponsor The Hard-Charger award for the feature. Rosy's Raceland will sponsor The Hard Luck award. Additional sponsorship awards will be presented by Jerry Richert, Jr./Bevlor Utilities and Northstar Abstract and Title Co. The family would like to extend special thanks to all the teams, drivers, friends and businesses that have supported this event over the years. Contact: Judy Kouba Dominick (317) 408-1049 _jkdracer@aol.com_ (mailto:jkdracer@aol.com) ____________________________________ See what's free at _AOL.com_ (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503) . ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.