SAM’S TOWN SIGNS TO SPONSOR JUNE TRUCK RACE

Boyd Gaming Corporation’s (NYSE: BYD) Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as title sponsor of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event held annually in June at Texas Motor Speedway as part of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet 500k race weekend, speedway president Eddie Gossage announced.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at “The Great American Speedway!” is scheduled for Friday, June 9, and will be titled the Sam’s Town 400. Financial terms of the three-year agreement were not disclosed.

“The Sam’s Town 400 may well be the biggest NASCAR Craftsman Truck race of the season with perhaps the biggest crowd of the truck race season,” Gossage said. “And it is such an important market. Sam’s Town’s sponsorship demonstrates how healthy the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is on the American sports scene.”

Sam’s Town Hotels and Casinos, which are owned and operated by the Boyd Gaming Corporation, have locations in Las Vegas, Shreveport, La. and Tunica, Miss.

This agreement increases Sam’s Town title sponsorship involvement with NASCAR to three races a year. The gaming casino currently serves as the title sponsor for the NASCAR Busch Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March and the Busch event at Memphis Motorsports Park in October.

“We are truly excited to add yet another NASCAR title sponsorship to the two NASCAR races Sam’s Town currently sponsors. We’ve always loved the excitement that NASCAR provides for its audience and our customers. I think you’d be hard pressed to find more fans passionate about the sport than those in the Lone Star state!” said Dan Stark Vice President, Corporate Marketing for Boyd Gaming Corporation. “We look forward to continuing our support of NASCAR and can’t wait to see what happens next in this exciting relationship.”

About Boyd Gaming Corporation: Headquartered in Las Vegas, Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) is a leading diversified owner and operator of 19 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, New Jersey, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana and Louisiana. The Company is also developing Echelon Place, a world-class destination on the Las Vegas Strip, expected to open in early 2010. Additionally, the Company was recently recognized by Forbes Magazine as the best managed company in the category of Hotels, Restaurant and Leisure. Boyd Gaming press releases are available at www.prnewswire.com. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at www.boydgaming.com.

About Texas Motor Speedway: Texas Motor Speedway, with a crowd capacity in excess of 200,000, is among the largest sports stadiums in America and features an array of amenities that make it one of the premier venues in the world of sports. Known as “The Great American Speedway,” the 1.5-mile superspeedway located in Fort Worth plays host to two races in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series as well as one in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series. The attendances for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup events since the facility opened in 1997 annually rank among the largest sporting events in the United States. Texas Motor Speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., a publicly traded company that is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States.

TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY TO AIR BOMBARDIER LEARJET 500K SPOTS DURING INDY 500 TELECAST

TV Ads To Reach 7 Of the Nation's Top 100 Markets, Including 2 Among The Top 10
Texas Motor Speedway will feature the Indy Racing League's female sensation Danica Patrick and America Idol semifinalist Celena Rae in innovative television advertising spots to promote the upcoming Bombardier Learjet 500k IRL event during Sunday's Indianapolis 500 national broadcast on ABC-TV.

The 30-second spots to promote the June 10 Bombardier Learjet 500k, "America's Original Nighttime Indy Car Race", will cover 17 markets in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana during the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500. The campaign will effectively reach seven of the nation's top 100 media markets, including two ranked among the top 10.

"We've long been known as the most aggressive and creative promoters in the sport," Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. "This campaign is the most aggressive we have ever attempted. Both hardcore and casual fans tune in to watch the Indy 500 television broadcast, and we want to capitalize on that opportunity. The telecast is the year's most-watched Indy car race and we're using it to let everyone know that the next superspeedway race for Indy cars is the Bombardier Learjet 500k under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway."

The state of Texas will be the focal point of the campaign, with 13 markets being addressed including two of the nation's top 10 media markets. Dallas/Fort Worth (No. 7) and Houston (No. 10) are joined by San Antonio (No. 37), Waco (No. 94), Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Midland, Odessa, Tyler, Longview, Abilene, Nacogdoches and Lufkin. The campaign also will encompass key markets in Oklahoma and Louisiana, including three that rank among the top 100 media markets. Ad spots are set for Oklahoma City (No. 45), Tulsa (No. 61) and Lawton in Oklahoma, and Shreveport (No. 81) in Louisiana.

The spots will utilize "green-screen" technology to showcase some of the memorable Indy Racing League moments at Texas Motor Speedway while allowing Rae, a Fort Worth native who was a 2005 semifinalist on the hit show American Idol, to be filmed in the middle of the vintage action.

Some of the moments being featured will be the infamous Victory Lane scuffle between car owner A.J. Foyt and race winner Arie Luyendyk during the inaugural IRL event at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997, and the dramatic three-wide finish with winner Sam Hornish Jr., Scott Sharp and Robbie Buhl, respectively, in October of 2001. The .0468 of a second that separated the three is the third-closest 1-2-3 finish in IRL history.

Patrick, the 2005 IRL IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year who burst onto the national scene with a fourth-place finish in the Indy 500, is featured in the close of the spots as she tells viewers to call and get a free Texas Motor Speedway/Indy Racing League t-shirt with a ticket purchase.

The Texas Motor Speedway ticket office will be fully staffed to accommodate ticket orders throughout the Indianapolis 500 broadcast as well as pre- and post-race. The ticket office will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. CT. Viewers in the Fort Worth/Dallas market can call the ticket office at (817) 215-8500 while viewers in the other markets can call toll-free at 888-816-8671.

FREE OAK CREEK HOMES QUALIFYING DAY TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE

Defending Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon; IndyCar Series sensation Danica Patrick, defending Bombardier Learjet 500k winner Tomas Scheckter; four-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Texas winner Brendan Gaughan – fans can see these racing stars and many more free of charge at Texas Motor Speedway courtesy of new qualifying day title sponsor Oak Creek Homes.

On Thursday, June 8, race fans receive free admission to the Oak Creek Homes Qualifying Day at Texas Motor Speedway that showcases the stars from both the IndyCar Series and Craftsman Truck Series. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams qualify for the June 9 Fort Worth 400k at 6 p.m. CT followed by Indy Racing League IndyCar Series qualifying for the June 10 Bombardier Learjet 500k at 7:30 p.m. CT.

“We are proud to have Oak Creek Homes join us as our qualifying day sponsor for this exciting race weekend,” Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage said. “Once again, Texas Motor Speedway fans are the big winners by having free qualifying day tickets provided.”

The free Oak Creek Homes Qualifying Day tickets are available at participating Oak Creek Homes, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Sleep Experts and Lowe’s Home Improvement locations. No purchase is necessary.

The free admission allows fans to enter the main grandstand when gates open at 11 a.m. on June 8, giving them the opportunity to catch some pre-qualifying practice sessions. The schedule features Craftsman Truck Series practice from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. followed by the IndyCar Series practice sessions from 2:30–5:30 p.m. The activities conclude with qualifying for the truck and IndyCar Series races. All seating during Oak Creek Homes Qualifying Day is general admission.

“Attending the Oak Creek Homes Qualifying Day is a great way for fans to start the race weekend,” Gossage said. “Some of the most exhilarating performances come during qualifying for the races at ‘The Great American Speedway!’.”

Mike Skinner set a Texas Motor Speedway track record for the truck series with his pole-winning speed of 182.902 mph last June during qualifying. Billy Boat owns the IndyCar Series qualifying record at Texas at 225.979 mph set in September 1998. The green flag drops on the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fort Worth 400k on June 9 at 8 p.m. CT. The Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet 500k takes the green flag on June 10 at 8 p.m. CT.

INDYCAR SERIES CHAMP DAN WHELDON SAYS TEXAS IS KEY TO REPEATING

Indy Racing League IndyCar Series champion Dan Wheldon is trying to become just the second driver in history to repeat as series champion. After a record-setting 2005 season, the native of Emberton, England wasted no time chasing his second title by opening this year with a win at Homestead-Miami. And Wheldon believes the Bombardier Learjet 500k at Texas Motor Speedway on June 10 holds the key to repeating as the series champ.

“I think where the race is in the season this year is very important,” Wheldon said. “It is that kind of second half (of the season) where the contenders really separate themselves from the field. By the time we come to Texas, we have established that and it is about those guys making their mark.”

Wheldon and the rest of the IndyCar Series drivers are in Indianapolis preparing for the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28. But two weeks after the 500, the series arrives at “The Great American Speedway!” for “America’s Original Nighttime IndyCar Series race.”

“It is a very, very critical race,” Wheldon said. “And it is our first super speedway type race we will have toward the second half of the season. That is important to us because there are a lot of races like that. Every race is important, but at this stage where Texas comes in, it is going to be a very pivotal point in the season.”

In addition to his goal of joining Sam Hornish Jr. (2001-02) as the series’ only repeat champions, he also is looking to repeat as the Indy 500 champion. Last season he tasted the milk with Andretti Green Racing, but made the move in the off-season to Target Chip Ganassi Racing.

“I think it makes me more motivated to win,” Wheldon said. “It was such a great honor to win and the realization of a dream. Last year I put a ton of pressure on myself to win this event. You want more of it, you really do.”

Wheldon established a series record with his six wins in 2005 with Andretti Gree, but switched to the No. 10 Target car this year. On the strength of his win at Homestead-Miami and a runner-up showing at Motegi, Japan, Wheldon currently sits second in the series title race, 42 points behind leader Helio Castroneves of Marlboro Team Penske.

While his focus is on Indy during May, he still is looking forward to the ambiance of Texas Motor Speedway, where he has three top-six finishes, including a pair of thirds, in his last four starts there.

“We draw very big crowds at that race. And, not just for the race day – every day at the race track is busy,” said Wheldon, who finished sixth at TMS last season. “I like the competition at Texas. It is very fast and a tight field. You see some very fast racing where we are going in excess of 210 mph and near 220. You can comfortably run three wide and it is basically that for the whole race. It is a race where the adrenaline is constantly pumping. It is great for the fans. The fans at Texas deserve that because they have been very loyal to the IndyCar Series.”

LUXURIOUS CONDOS AND CUISINE

Fans have a special opportunity to tour the luxury condominium homes at Lone Star Tower at Texas Motor Speedway. Life in The Fast Lane Presented by The Speedway Club is Thursday, June 8 and benefits Speedway Children’s Charities.

Restaurants from the Fort Worth-Dallas area will serve up some of their finest offerings for guests as they enjoy a spectacular view of the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series qualifying down on the speedway. Special cuisine will be featured from Del Frisco’s, Sambuca’s, Levy Restaurants at The Speedway Club, and The Classic Café.

Speedway Motorsports, Inc. chairman O. Bruton Smith will have his penthouse condominium overlooking Turn 2 of Texas Motor Speedway as one of the featured residences on the tour. This is the fourth annual event, which raises more than $15,000 for Speedway Children’s Charities Texas Chapter each year. The tour begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 8 at the Lone Star Tower Clubhouse.

Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Speedway Children’s Charities Texas Chapter office at (817) 215-8421 or by email at sccreservations@texasmotorspeedway.com. Tickets are $250 per couple or $150 for individuals.

SAM HORNISH JR. HEADED TO INDY BUT EYING TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Marlboro Team Penske Sam Hornish Jr. is packing his bags for Indianapolis this week, but he already is thinking about the Bombardier Learjet 500k at Texas Motor Speedway on June 10. The Indy Racing League drivers arrive in Indy next week to spend the rest of the month preparing for the Indianapolis 500 on May 28. But Texas Motor Speedway isn’t far from Hornish Jr.’s thoughts.

“We are looking forward to Indianapolis, and after that we get real close to going to Texas which is one of my favorite race tracks,” Hornish Jr. said. “Having never won the June race, I’m looking forward to breaking that streak this year and going to Victory Lane.”

Hornish Jr. won the fall IndyCar Series races at Texas Motor Speedway in 2001 and ‘02 on his way to capturing the series championship in each of those years.

“I celebrated both of my championships in Texas and couldn’t think of a better place to do it. One year we had it wrapped up going into the race, but we wanted to go out with a win since we hadn’t won since the first two races of the year,” Hornish said. “And the next year, we had that great battle with Helio. Two different circumstances going into those races, but both ended up the same way with a win and getting to celebrate in Victory Lane and the championship. I really look forward to going back there because it holds a special place in my heart. It has been the site of a lot of good moments for me.”

Both of Hornish Jr.’s wins at Texas have come in photo finishes. His win by just 0.0188 of a second over Scott Sharp in October 2001 ranks as the third-closest finish in TMS history and ninth closest all-time in the series. He edged Castroneves by just 0.0096 of a second in September 2002 to win the closest IndyCar Series finish at Texas Motor Speedway and third closest in series history. Last year, the tables were turned as he was edged by Tomas Scheckter by just 0.0534 of a second, the fourth-closest finish in TMS history and 12th closest in the IndyCar Series.

“A lot of people think the Texas track is a track where you just get there and put it flat to the floor and see how fast you can go,” Hornish Jr. said. “It is that, but one of the big things about the track is it is a lot of a mental game and positioning yourself for the end of the race. At Texas, you wait and put yourself in the right position for the last lap of the race instead of worrying about taking the chance when you can.”

The Bombardier Learjet 500k is “America’s Original Nighttime IndyCar Series Race.” Hornish Jr. says that is one of the big attractions to the annual stop in Texas.

“I like racing at night under the lights,” he said. “I am kind of a night person and not much of a morning person. The fans seem to really enjoy the night races as well. I finished fourth there two years ago and second last year, so I just need to move up one more position this year.”

SAM HORNISH JR. LOOKS TO DEFEND TITLE

The second annual Sam Hornish Jr. Celebrity Bowling Tournament is set for Wednesday evening, June 7 at the AMF Showplace Lanes in Euless. Hornish Jr. and his team of bowlers claimed victory a year ago, but the big winner was Speedway Children’s Charities. Hornish Jr. is looking forward to this year’s tournament.

“I love coming to Texas. First of all, it is a great race and the fans are great. And, to be able to do the first annual tournament last year and do it again this year is great,” Hornish Jr. said. “We are going to raise a lot more money than we did last year. I look forward to going out and having a good time with all the people coming out to support the charity. I have not been bowling enough lately. I have to practice up a little bit so I don’t look bad in front of everyone.”

More than 100 charitable bowlers participated in the inaugural event last year with their contributions totaling $47,000. Following the event, Hornish Jr. contributed an additional $5,000 and his parents matched that to bring the total to $57,000. Marlboro Team Penske owner Roger Penske wanted to make the donation a nice round number so he added an additional $13,000 to bring the total for the event to $70,000. Lanes are available for teams and can be reserved by calling Speedway Children’s Charities at 817-215-8564.

MAYORAL RACES

Sixteen local mayors are campaigning during the month of May to win a race that doesn’t involve the ballot box. Instead, the city leaders are climbing in Legends cars at Texas Motor Speedway to compete in the annual Mayor Challenge Series Cup during the weekly Saturday night Legends races. The winner from each week advances to the championship race on Saturday, May 27.

Residents of the cities being represented receive free admission to the races that night.

Mayors scheduled to compete are: May 6 (Harry Jeffries-Watauga; Scooter Gierisch-Roanoke; Jody Smith-Flower Mound; Nelda Stroder-Richland Hills); May 13 (Richard Tucker-Argyle; Mark Lorance-Rhome; Herman Earwood-River Oaks; Julie Tandy-Keller); May 20 (Bret Baldwin-Murphy; Gary Slagel-Richardson; Ed Trietsch-Justin; Gary Carey-Lewisville); May 27 (Oscar Trevino-North Richland Hills; Mike Moncrief-Fort Worth; Gary Hulsey-Haslet; Richard Ward-Hurst).

Schedule is subject to change. Gates open each Saturday at 6 p.m. with racing starting at 7:30 p.m. For information, contact the Texas Motor Speedway ticket office at (817) 215-8500.

NOVEMBER DICKIES 500 RACE WEEKEND INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Got Tickets? Race fans attending the November 2-5 Dickies 500 race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway can answer that question affirmatively. Individual tickets for the second NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race week in 2006 at “The Great American Speedway!” are now on sale.

Fans can purchase tickets in person at Gates 4 and 5 on the frontstretch, online at www.texasmotorspeedway.com, or by calling 817-215-8500. Previously, only season ticket holders could access seat locations for the Dickies 500 weekend.

The November race weekend is a tripleheader featuring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Silverado 350k (Nov. 3), NASCAR Busch Series O’Reilly Challenge (Nov. 4), and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Dickies 500 (Nov. 5). Qualifying for the Craftsman Trucks Series is Thursday, Nov. 2, while the NASCAR Busch Series and NEXTEL Cup Series teams will qualify on Friday, Nov. 3. The Dickies 500 is the eighth race in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

“We have just concluded one of the most successful events ever at Texas Motor Speedway with the Samsung/RadioShack 500 race weekend,” speedway president Eddie Gossage said. “With the season championships on the line in all three major NASCAR series in November, the Dickies 500 weekend is a perfect way for fans to complete our 10 Years Strong anniversary season.”

Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Office Depot Ford, returns to defend his win in the inaugural Dickies 500. A year ago, Edwards outdueled Roush Racing teammate Mark Martin in the closing laps. Edwards’ average race speed of 155.055 mph is the fastest Cup race in Texas Motor Speedway history.

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series regular Kevin Harvick won the inaugural NASCAR Busch Series O’Reilly Challenge last November. He joined Martin as the only multiple Busch Series winner at Texas Motor Speedway. Todd Bodine opened the tripleheader weekend a year ago by capturing his second consecutive NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Silverado 350k.

SUPER LATE MODEL STOCK CARS JOIN IRL AND CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES AT TMS

The 400-horse power Super Late Model Stock Cars of the United States Racing
Association return to Texas Motor Speedway in June. The USRA race is part of the June 8-10 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series Bombardier Learjet 500k weekend at "The Great American Speedway!"

Houston's T. Wade Welch picked up the third win of his career and his first at Texas Motor Speedway with his victory in the June 2005 event at Texas as he won from the pole. Wade posted the top qualifying speed of 144.177 mph in the 2005 event.

The United States Racing Association features a Texas-based schedule from March through October. Texas Motor Speedway is the only super speedway (1.5-mile) the series competes on.

Qualifying for the USRA race at Texas Motor Speedway is Friday, June 9 at 5:30 p.m. The green flag falls on the race at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 10.