¦ September 26, 2006
Sam Schmidt to be Las Vegas "Walk of Stars" Honoree

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ida Cahill – Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation
(609) 882-6718 or (609) 638-2083
[email protected]

SAM SCHMIDT TO BE LAS VEGAS “WALK OF STARS” HONOREE

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (August 30, 2006) – Sam Schmidt, the former IndyCar Series driving star who became paralyzed as a result of an accident while testing for a race in 2000, will be receive a spot in the Las Vegas “Walk of Stars” on October 29.

The founder of the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation, Schmidt will be honored for his years of fund raising and the creation of special events that directly benefit those suffering from spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. He has been cited for his popular “Day at the Races” program that entertains victims of spinal cord injuries and their families at the IndyCar races each year and for several fund-raising activities such as his Indy Jet and annual “Racing to Recovery Gala” projects.

Schmidt, who has made Las Vegas his home for the past 11 years, has also continued his open wheel racing career as a team owner in the Infinity Pro Series, a support circuit to the IndyCar Series, formerly known as the Indy Racing League. Sam’s teams have captured the Series championship in 2004 and 2006.

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars honors people of prominence in the Las Vegas community from a variety of fields including entertainment, sports, literary, humanitarian, civic, military and pioneers. Each honoree receives a 3-foot slab of polished granite weighing 180 pounds that is inlaid with the recipient’s name and specialty. Schmidt is receiving his award as a humanitarian.

The slabs are then laid on a 4-mile sanctioned section of sidewalk located to the East and West of Las Vegas Boulevard South between Sahara and Russell. It is very similar to the world renowned Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles that honors celebrities from the entertainment world. The Las Vegas Walk of Stars honors people of prominence in a variety of fields including entertainment, sports, literary, humanitarian, civic, military and pioneers.

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars has honored celebrities such as Wayne Newton, Liberace, Rich Little and TV gaming legend and best selling author Wayne Allyn Root. Others scheduled to be honored in the near future are the Society of Seven, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Bobby Darin, and with over 700 nominees so far, the list will continue to grow. For more information, visit www.lasvegaswalkofstars.com.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and Susan and Leonard Mardian, well-known Las Vegas land developers and two of the Walk of Stars’ biggest donors, will make the presentation to Schmidt.

The Mardians will host the presentation dinner for Schmidt at the Capital Grille in Las Vegas on October 28.


#######################