"Racefest 2006"

Full Throttle Productions, producer of last year's sell-out "Allstate Texas Thunder 200," announced plans for an expanded 2006 event featuring a NASCAR Grand National Division race, 2 United States Auto Club (USAC) National Midget Series races, concerts & a full line-up of family activities. Billed as the "Allstate Thunder & Lightning Racefest," the multi-weekend event will be the only place in Texas that fans can see both a NASCAR race & USAC races as part of the same event.

This year's "Allstate Texas Thunder 200," a NASCAR Grand National Division Series race, features cars nearly identical to those that are raced in the Nextel Cup Series, with only very minor modifications. Thirty of the top drivers from around the country will race to win on Sat., Sept. 30th, at Thunder Hill Raceway.

Fans are invited to experience racing 1st-hand when Team Texas of Texas Motor Speedway offers rides around the track in real NASCAR stock cars on Sun., Oct. 8th. After being fitted for a helmet, drivers will be buckled into the passenger seat of an actual NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car for a 5 lap ride reaching blinding speeds. Drivers under age 18 have the opportunity to drive go-carts around the oval track.

The "Allstate Texas Lightning 100" races, held Sat., Oct. 14th, & Sun.,Oct. 15th, will showcase the lightning fast speeds of USAC National Midget Series racing. The premise of USAC Midget racing is simple: squeeze as much horsepower as you can into a compact engine & bolt it onto an open-wheel, open cockpit lightweight chassis. The result is an intensely fast, pure racing machine built for heart-stopping, wheel-to-wheel action. Legendary drivers A.J. Foyt & Mario Andretti, as well as current superstars Jeff Gordon & Tony Stewart, consider their achievements racing USAC Midgets as some of the most difficult & rewarding accomplishments of their careers. Tony Stewart continues to compete when his Nextel Cup schedule permits.

Junior race fans can play in the Kid Zone where they can have their picture taken in an actual NASCAR Grand National Division race car, experience interactive fun from Radio Disney, shake hands with the Texas Motor Speedway mascot, Sparky, scale a rock climbing wall & much more. Other Race fest events include autograph sessions with drivers, pit tours & concerts. All Racefest activities will be held at Thunder Hill Raceway, just off I-35 between Austin & San Antonio in Kyle, Texas. Racefest 2006 advanced tickets went on sale yessterday, & are available at texasracefest.com, StarTicketsPlus.com, as well as all Star Tickets locations. Fans who purchase a Racefest Pass will receive a free official Racefest 2006 t-shirt.

Racefest 2006 is an event you won't want to miss. The fast speeds & close racing of 700 horsepower engines, coupled with the Kid Zone, make it an affordable event that's fun for adults & kids alike.