RACING ICON GREG WELD DIES AT 64

Greg Weld, the creative pioneer behind racing and custom wheels, has died from undisclosed complications. He was 64.

"Greg Weld was a visionary in the motorsports industry," said Bob Baker, president of the Sprint Car Hall of Fame. "He raced his way into the record books and into the hearts of many, but more than anything else, Greg Weld was a great friend and will be missed by everyone."

Weld won more than 100 sprint car races, including the 1963 Knoxville Nationals, the premier event in sprint car racing, and won the USAC National Sprint Car Championship at age 23. Weld raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1965–1972 seasons, with 36 career starts, including the 1970 Indianapolis 500 and qualified as the fastest rookie qualifier. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 4th position in 1970 at Sacramento. He was also the 1967 USAC Sprint Car Series champion.

In 1970, Weld retired as a professional racer and founded Weld Wheel Industries with $2,300 that he'd saved from racing on the simple idea of making Sprint Car wheels that performed better. Weld manufactured forged alloy wheels for various vehicles, including racecars, and was an active sponsor of the United States Auto Club series, NHRA and IHRA. In January 2007, Weld started Greg Weld Competition Wheels.

He was inducted into numerous Halls of Fame, including the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1998.

Services will be held August 8 at 10:00 a.m. at the Kansas City Baptist Temple, Raytown, Missouri.

For additional information, contact Greg Weld Competition Wheels at 816/472-4734 or visit the company's website: www.gregweld.com.