Wolfgang, Hodnett, Schmelzle, Hickle, Parsons, Hollamon & Gibson Join “Alphabet Soup” Reception

From Bob Baker, image courtesy of Jim Fisher / FSC Pictoriall

KNOXVILLE, IA – Five-time Knoxville Nationals champion Doug Wolfgang of South Dakota has confirmed that he will be ‘in the house’ at the National Sprint Car Museum on Friday, August 13, at the “Nationals Soup Line-Up: Honoring the Winners of the ‘Alphabet Soup’ Championship Features at the Knoxville Nationals, 1961 – 2009” special reception. ‘Wolfie’ joins 1968 national champion Ray Lee Goodwin of Missouri at the museum-benefit event being held during the 50th Goodyear Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. Joining Doug Wolfgang with recent commitments are Greg Hodnett of Tennessee, Chris Schmelzle of British Columbia, Canada, J.J. Hickle of Washington, Troy Parsons of Iowa, Dave Hollamon of Nebraska, and Marvin Gibson of Missouri.

The two-hour reception, to be held on the museum’s air-conditioned second floor beginning at 12 Noon, is open to the public and will cost just five dollars per person to attend. The reception is just one of many museum-benefit special events being scheduled during the 50th Goodyear Knoxville Nationals, presented by Lucas Oil, on August 11-14. Museum curator Tom Schmeh said today, “This event just continues to grow as more and more drivers throw their helmets into the ring and say that they’ll be here for it. National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees Doug Wolfgang, Ray Lee Goodwin, Kenny Jacobs, Rick Ferkel, Brad Doty, and Shane Carson will be hugely popular with the fans, as will current star and Pennsylvania Posse member Greg Hodnett. In addition, Canadian Chris Schmelzle and Australian Max Dumesny add an international appeal. And we’ll show drivers like Jim Jenkins and Marvin Gibson, who won here in the mid-Sixties, that they haven’t been forgotten in Knoxville, Iowa. I’ve said it before, if you love sprint car racing and its history, this will be the place for you to be on Friday, August 13, at 12 Noon.”

For more information on the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum and its museum-benefit special events, individuals are encouraged to visit the non-profit foundation’s web site at www.sprintcarhof.com. For more information on the 50th Goodyear Knoxville Nationals, presented by Lucas Oil, fans are encouraged to visit www.knoxvilleraceway.com. The list of Knoxville Nationals alphabet-soup feature winners, living and deceased, can be found on the museum’s web site. Those indicating that they plan to attend, as of March 11, are as follows:

Jim Jenkins (1964), Marvin Gibson (1966), Ray Lee Goodwin (1968), Rick Ferkel (1976), Doug Wolfgang (1977, 1978, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990), Jerry Potter (1981), Randy Smith (1983), John Eskuri (1984), Brad Doty (1985), Gary “Gabby” Lusk (1985), Rich Brahmer (1986), Danny Smith (1986, 2005), Shane Carson (1987), Tim Deaver (1988), Kenny Jacobs (1988, 1999, 2001), Marlon Jones (1988), Randi Turner (1989), Dave Hollamon (1990), Johnny Herrera (1994), Troy Parsons (1994), Max Dumesny (1995), Tommie Estes, Jr. (1996), Blake Robertson (1999), Chris Walraven (1999), Greg Hodnett (2001), Brian Paulus (2004), Clint Garner (2005), John Lambertz (2006), Chris Schmelzle (2007), J.J. Hickle (2008), Wayne Johnson (2009).