L to R: Ivan Orisek, Lynnette Allison, Roger Allison, Olga Orisek, Tom Lawless, Donna Hocker, Ray Hocker - USAC Photo

Indianapolis, IN -- The 2005 United States Rally Champions Tom Lawless and Jason Gillespie as well as the organizers of USRC events were honored last night among USAC champions at the USAC Night of Champions and 50th Anniversary Celebration. The celebration was held at the Westin Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Rollie Helmling, President of USAC, and Johnny Capels, Chairman of the Board, praised the past achievements and expressed confidence in the future of the United States Rally Championship in the association with USAC. Emcee Jack Arute, a well-known ABC TV pit lane announcer, introduced a number of special guests including the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford and the 1960 Indianapolis 500 winner Jim Rathmann. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champions, sent videotaped messages of congratulations to all the USAC Champions."

The United States Rally Championship (USRC), America�s premier rally championship, consists of Federation Internationale de L�Automobile (FIA) internationally listed events sanctioned by the United States Auto Club (USAC) and presented by the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). More information on the Championship is available at the series website at www.usrallychampionship.com. More information on USAC is available at www.usacracing.com, on NASA at www.nasarallysport.com and on FIA at www.fia.com.

CONTACT:
Wilson von Kessler
United States Rally Championship Series
(423) 265-2020
[email protected]

John Lindsey
National Auto Sport Association
(510) 232-6272
[email protected]

Dick Jordan
United States Auto Club
(317) 247-5151
[email protected]