- Drive for Relief at MIS: After four days of Michigan International Speedway's "Drive for Relief," people have been ecstatic about the opportunity to give a donation to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, as well as taking a few laps around the 2-mile MIS oval.
With hundreds of cars taking part, the event has been a hit with many from all over the region and as far away as Ontario, Canada. People
can still take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on Friday, September 16 from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. On Thursday, school buses from Jackson County Western and Hudson public schools took a few laps around the track. The Hudson School District bus had second grade students from Lincoln Elementary School. Teachers Kathy Smith, Cindy Corner and Beth Reamsnyder brought over 50 second-graders as a reward for their lesson plan of respect, responsibility and safety. All the students saved their loose change and donated it to the Hurricane Relief effort. In addition, seven large trucks from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) took two laps around the track. All seven trucks came from the Lenawee County Garage in Adrian. Donations for the Hurricane Katrina disaster relief efforts can also be made by visiting, www.racefanshelp.com.(MIS PR)(9-15-2005)
- All Spots Filled for MIS's Spirit of America Blood Drive: For the fourth year in-a-row, Michigan International Speedway will put volunteer blood donors on the fast track for the largest single-day blood drive in the State of Michigan. With a record amount of appointments, all spots for the 2005 event have now been filled. The race-themed blood drive features a commemorative event credential,
shirt, hat and pin, lunch, and a tour of the MIS facilities, along with gifts from various sponsors and an opportunity for a discounted
Richard Petty Driving Experience ride-along. In 2004, the blood drive held claim to the largest blood drive in the country on September 11, with a record-shattering 535 units of blood taken during the 2004 event. The event name has been changed for 2005 from the Spirit of America 400 to 500 to note the goal of again collecting over 500 units of blood. The 10-hour blood drive is slated for Sunday, September 11, from 8:30- A.M. to 6:15 P.M., at MIS. Along with the message of remembering and honoring the victims and heroes of September 11, this year's event takes on additional importance in the wake of Hurricane Katrina which ravaged the Gulf Coast of the United States last week. With recent events reminding us of the importance of being prepared, the Spirit of America blood drive will offer the presenting blood
donors and guests an opportunity to learn about disaster preparedness. Michigan International Speedway will also offer donors an opportunity to purchase a commemorative pin for $5.00 with all proceeds going to the Hurricane Katrina Relief effort.
In addition to the opportunity for donors to learn more about disaster preparedness and donate money to the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief fund, donors will also have a chance to take a ride-along at speed in a Richard Petty Driving Experience stock car around the 2-mile MIS oval. The special donor price for the ride will be $80, with $20 going directly to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief effort.(MIS PR)(9-9-2005)
- MIS Announces 2006 Schedule: Building on the success of a record 2005 season, Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton unveiled the track's 2006 schedule, which will be identical to 2005. MIS will once again host the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in June and August with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series appearing with NASCAR's top series in June and the NASCAR Busch Series in August. The ARCA RE/MAX Series will once again make two stops at MIS as a Friday attraction during the June and August weekends. Additionally, the IRL IndyCar Series will return for the July 29-30 weekend.
The summer race season kicks off on June 16-18 with the Friday, June 16 ARCA RE/MAX Series race. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race will take place on Saturday, June 17, and the MIS opener for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will take place on Sunday, June 18. The MIS 2006 summer race season will end much like it started, with three races in three days. The ARCA RE/MAX Series will make its second appearance at MIS on Friday, August 18, and the NASCAR Busch Series scheduled on Saturday, August 19. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will close out the season on Sunday, August 20.(MIS)(8-22-2005)
- 'MIS Fan of the Year' Named: Oscar Ortiz couldn't quite believe that he was named the 2005 MIS Fan of the Year.
"Are you serious. No I mean it! Are you serious," he exclaimed. Ortiz, of Ypsilanti, Mich., was overwhelmed with excitement when he
was selected as the MIS Fan of the Year for 2005, which was announced on Saturday, August 20, in conjunction with the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series GFS Marketplace 400 weekend at MIS on August 19-21. As a part of the MIS Fan of the Year prize package in 2005, Oscar, and the city of Ypsilanti, Michigan, will get a visit from the MIS Mobile Ticket Office and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup showcar, which will be displayed outside of T.C's Speakeasy in downtown Ypsilanti. Apart from the visit by the showcar, Ortiz will have a few other
things to be excited about, as he will also be heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway in November for NASCAR's championship weekend
to enjoy the finales of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series. Ortiz will receive two tickets to the Champions Club at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which features many great amenities for fans to enjoy during the NASCAR championship weekend. The third part of his grand prize package as the 2005 MIS Fan of the Year are two tickets to the MIS event of his choice for the next 10
years. When some of his friends and co-workers at Heritage Appraisal in Ypsilanti found out about the trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway, many of them wanted to make the trip with him. To top it all off, Ortiz and a guest will be able to enjoy the August
21 GFS Marketplace 400 pre-race ceremonies from inside MIS' winners circle. For fans who did not receive Fan of the Month honors in 2005, there will be plenty more chances in 2006 beginning in the month of August '05 by visiting www.MISpeedway.com. Each MIS Fan of the Month receives an MIS hat, shirt, and soft-sided cooler. Every monthly winner will be eligible to become MIS' ultimate fan-- the 2006 Michigan International Speedway Fan of the Year and be eligible to win a trip to NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the New Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2006, have the MIS showcar brought to their house and two-tickets to the race of their choosing for the next 10 years.(MIS)(8-20-2005)
- Reserved Seats Sold Out for Cup race at MIS: Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton announced today that all reserved seats for the GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday, August 21, have been sold. With the sellout, MIS has extended its remarkable streak of sold out NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races to 30 consecutive events dating back to June 1991. For fans that are still looking for a way to see Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 in person, general Admission (infield) tickets for Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 race go on sale Sunday morning August 21 at 6 a.m. at the M-50 crossover, and at 8 a.m. at the tunnel off of Brooklyn Highway and the box office outside of Gate 24.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Domino's Pizza 250 on August 20, which will feature a post-race concert
performed by the country sensations Josh Turner and Sugarland approximately one-hour after the completion of the Domino's Pizza 250.
The concert will be held in the Water Tower Lot across from the Speedway's Administration building outside turn 1 of the track. To purchase tickets for the Domino's Pizza 250 or the ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 on August 19, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS)(8-18-2005)
- Rusty and Martin to be honored at MIS on Sunday: When the green flag drops for the GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, two drivers who have accomplished so much on the 2-mile oval, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin, will be saying their final good-byes and racing in their final NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at MIS [well....maybe not Martin]. Wallace and Martin are no strangers to success at MIS with a combined 15 victories between the two of them. Wallace has seven wins (5 Cup, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) and Martin eight (4 Cup, 2 Busch, 1 IROC, 1 ASA) at MIS, making them two of the most successful drivers in track history. Both
drivers will be looking for one last victory at MIS in Wallace's 'Rusty's Last Call' and Martin's 'Salute To You' campaigns. At approximately 2:00pm/et MIS will honor Wallace and Martin during pre-race ceremonies prior to the GFS Marketplace 400. Both drivers will be presented a framed photo collage of memorable wins at MIS by track President Brett Shelton and have a chance to address the MIS crowd and thank them for all of their support during their two annual stops in the Irish Hills. Both drivers will then ride separate trucks to give an opportunity for one last salute to the great MIS fans. In addition, fans will also get a chance to see Wallace appear in MIS' all-inclusive Victory Lane Club prior to the GFS Marketplace 400 on August 21. Wallace will perform question and answer sessions for fans who have purchased the Fan Hospitality package. Guests who wish to purchase fan hospitality packages or already have tickets and would like to upgrade to a fan hospitality package are encouraged to contact the ticket office at (800) 354-1010.(MIS PR)(8-18-2005)
- National Anthems at Michigan: Julie Roberts, Mercury Nashville recording artist, will sing the National Anthem prior to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday, August 21 at Michigan International Speedway. It will be the third time Roberts has visited MIS in the past year. She sang the National Anthem for the GFS Marketplace 400 in August of 2004 and performed a concert in the MIS Pit Zone during pre-race activities for the Batman Begins 400 in June.
Jennifer Nettles, lead singer of the country band Sugarland, will sing the National Anthem prior to the NASCAR Busch Series Domino's Pizza 250 on Saturday, August 20 at Michigan International Speedway. Sugarland will headline the concert performance at The Tailgate of a Lifetime* after the conclusion of the Domino's Pizza 250. The Tailgate of a Lifetime is being hosted by Lifetime Products, Inc. as a celebration of American tailgating culture.(MIS)(8-16-2005)
- Grand Marshal's and Flyover's at Michigan: Paul Gordon, Chairman of Gordon Food Service, will give the command to start engines for Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 as Grand Marshal. Wendy Dodge, of Culvers Restaurant, a customer of Gordon Food Service will be the Honorary Starter and wave the green flag to start the GFS Marketplace 400. The flyover will be conducted by four F-16's out of the 127th Fighter Wing of the 107th Fighter Squadron of the Michigan Air National Guard from Selfridge Air Force Base.
For the Domino's Pizza 250, David Brandon, President and CEO of the Ann Arbor-based company, will give the command to start the race as Grand Marshal. Ray Sellers, a Domino's Pizza franchisee, will serve as the Honorary Starter and wave the green flag to start the Domino's Pizza 250. The flyover will be conducted by a B-17 out of the Yankee Air Museum in Belleville, Michigan.(MIS)(8-16-2005)
- Tickets for the Michigan races available: For fans that are still looking for a way to see Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 in person, general Admission (infield) tickets for Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 race go on sale Sunday morning August 21 at 6 a.m. at the M-50 crossover, and at 8 a.m. at the tunnel off of Brooklyn Highway and the box office outside of Gate 24.
Tickets are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Domino's Pizza 250 on August 20, which will feature a post-race concert performed by the country sensations Josh Turner and Sugarland approximately one-hour after the completion of the Domino's Pizza 250. The concert will be held in the Water Tower Lot across from the Speedway's Administration building outside turn 1 of the track.
To purchase tickets for the Domino's Pizza 250 or the ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 on August 19, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. The MIS ticket hotline is open from 9:00A.M. - 9:00 P.M., seven days a week throughout the upcoming race weekend.(MIS PR)(8-16-2005)
- MIS Sells out 29th Consecutive Cup race: Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton announced today that all reserved seats for Sunday's Batman Begins 400 have been sold. With the sellout, MIS extends its streak of sold out NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races to 29 consecutive races dating back to June 1991. "We are thrilled to have our 29th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup sellout," said Shelton. "We are blessed to have the support of so many great fans here at MIS. We will continue to work hard and give our fans the greatest NASCAR racing experience for many years to come." Tickets are still available for all July 30-31 and August 19-21 race activities at MIS with children 12 and under admitted free to the IRL IndyCar Series Michigan Indy 400 on July 31, the ARCA RE/MAX Hantz Group 200 on August 19 and the NASCAR Busch Series Domino's Pizza 250 on August 20. In addition, great seats are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup GFS Marketplace 400 on Sunday, August 21. All tickets can be purchased by visiting www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(6-19-2005)
- NASCAR Fan wins "Begin the Batman Begins 400" Contest: Jaylene Leibow has been a fan of NASCAR for many years and watches nearly every race on television with her husband and three kids at their Urbandale, Iowa, home. Unlike all of her previous races watched on television at home, Leibow will get an unbelievable racing experience this weekend at Michigan International Speedway as she was selected the winner of the "Begin the Batman Begins 400" promotion, which will give her the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drop the green flag and start the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 race on Sunday, June 19 at MIS. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I am so excited about attending my first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Michigan International Speedway," said Leibow. "I am thrilled about waving the green flag to start the Batman Begins 400! This was totally unexpected. I didn't believe it at first." Leibow and her husband, Robert, will attend the June 17-19 race weekend festivities at MIS, which will also include the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Paramount Health Insurance 200 on Saturday and the ARCA RE/MAX Hantz Group 200 on Friday. As part of their package, they will stay the weekend in a luxury motorcoach in the Walt Michal's Turn 2 Campground, while also receiving roundtrip airfare from Des Moines to Michigan. "I don't think it will completely hit me until I get to MIS on Friday," she said. "I'm so excited to attend my first race and to have my husband with me. I'm a little nervous to start the race, but also looking forward to it. Like the contest website said * this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I can't believe that I'm the winner." Warner Bros. Consumer Products, DC Comics, and MIS, partnered together for the promotion, which ran from May 23-June 6. The Batman Begins 400 marks the first time a major motion picture has served as the entitlement sponsor of a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event. Batman Begins*, the highly anticipated film from Warner Bros., opened worldwide on Wednesday, June 15. "First off, I want to thank Warner Bros. for allowing race fans all over the country to enter this contest," said MIS President Brett Shelton. "We look forward to hosting Jaylene and her husband for their first NASCAR race at MIS. This experience will be one that they will never forget and I am excited for both of them."(MIS)(6-17-2005)
- MIS Medical Teams Ready for races: For two weekends each summer, the third-largest city in the state of Michigan sits amongst rolling pastures and tracts of hardwoods in the Irish Hills. Michigan International Speedway is the downtown area of that vast, temporary metropolis of parking lots, campgrounds and grandstands. Dr. John Maino, the medical director at MIS since 1985, is charged with developing and instituting a plan to meet the first aid and emergency care needs of that population, both on and off the track.
"The speedway is really a transient city in a tight, confined area, and we try and anticipate what can happen in a city of close to 200,000 people, and be ready in case it happens here. We cover the whole spectrum of the event," Dr. Maino said. "We call it show biz medicine, because what goes on here is on television and highly visible." Dr. Maino, who is employed as the medical director of the emergency department at Foote Hospital in Jackson, also serves as the medical examiner for Jackson County. For the races at MIS, he assembles a team of physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel who work in emergency medicine, or in the critical care wards of area hospitals.
Dr. Maino said his staff will deal with everything from injuries due to falls, bee stings, and dehydration outside the track, and a different class of injuries associated with the actual racing. There are ambulances stationed near each of the four turns, two additional ambulances at the infield medical center where there is also a medivac helicopter, and two mini ambulance units in the pit area.
Dr. Maino is credited with saving the life of NASCAR driver Ernie Irvan back in 1994 when a violent crash in a practice session left Irvan near death as he was pulled from the car. Dr. Maino performed an emergency tracheotomy on Irvan on the track before he was transported via helicopter to the hospital. "I consider myself very fortunate that someone of Dr. Maino's skill and expertise was here at MIS when that happened," Irvan said on a recent visit to the track. "He made all the right decisions in an emergency situation, and that saved my life. I'm eternally grateful for that."(Toledo Blade)(6-17-2005)
- National Anthem, Flyover and Grand Marshal at MIS: the Caped Crusader himself, Batman, will be the Grand Marshal and give the command to start engines and Karen Newman [no relation to Ryan or Newman from Seinfeld], who has done the anthem at the Red Wings games for years will sing the National Anthem for the Batman Begins 400 at Michigan International Speedway Nextel Cup race. And after the National Anthem the 107th Fighter Squadron of the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard will do a miltary flyover with two F16's coming from Turn 3 to Turn 1.(6-15-2005)
- Pre-Race Concert at MIS: Fans who purchase pit passes for this weekend's race activities at Michigan International Speedway will be in for a special treat. MIS has developed a new area for its pit pass customers to enjoy, with Chevrolet bringing in Mercury Nashville recording artist Julie Roberts to perform a concert and add to the excitement for the Batman Begins 400 weekend.
The new Chevy Stage at the MIS Pit Zone will feature the Chevy American Revolution All Access Music Tour and a concert by Roberts on Sunday, June 19, from 11 a.m.-Noon. The MIS Pit Zone is located in the paved area behind the Pit Road/Pit Terrace grandstands.
The Pit Zone will be available to all fans who purchase pre-race pit passes for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 weekend. A limited number of pit passes are still available by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010, or by stopping by the grandstand ticket office in the new AAA Motorsports Fan Plaza area.
The Chevy Stage at the MIS Pit Zone will provide fans with a fun musical experience that will feature the Chevy American Revolution All Access Music Tour along with the Hard Rock Café music memorabilia museum. The Pit Zone will be open all three days during the race weekend from 8 a.m. until the start of the race each day. W4 Country and WTKA 1050 "The Ticket" out of Ann Arbor will be broadcasting live from the MIS Pit Zone throughout the weekend, including the popular "Breakfast with Bubba" morning show.(MIS)(6-15-2005)
- Still Tix available for Michigan race: Tickets are still available for all events at MIS this weekend, with children 12 and under admitted free to Friday's ARCA RE/MAX Hantz Group 200 and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck's Paramount Health Insurance 200 on Saturday. In addition, tickets are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased now by visiting http://www.MISpeedway.com">www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(6-15-2005)
- Countdown:
As we count down the days, here are 10 facts, one for each day, as the beginning of the MIS race season quickly approaches.
10 – Terry Cook, driver of the #10 Power Stroke Diesel Ford, will be making his 200th career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at MIS in the Paramount Health Insurance 200 on June 18. Cook’s best finish at MIS came in 2002, when he placed sixth. He finished seventh in last year’s race at MIS and has five career truck victories in nine years in the series.
9 – MIS has had 10 different winners in its last 11 Cup races, including Greg Biffle’s victory in the GFS Marketplace 400 last August. Dating back to the August Cup race in 1999, nine different drivers have won at MIS with Ryan Newman being the only multiple winner. The winners include: 2004-Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman; 2003-Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch; 2002-Dale Jarrett, Matt Kenseth; 2001-Sterling Marlin, Jeff Gordon; 2000-Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart; 1999-Bobby Labonte in August.
8 – Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet, holds the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series track record at MIS with a qualifying speed of 191.149 mph set back in his rookie year in 2000. Since then, Earnhardt has captured one pole (August 2002) and two top-10 finishes at MIS.
7 – Bill Elliott, who holds the MIS record with seven career Cup victories at the track, will move to third all-time with 53 career starts at MIS when he runs in the Batman Begins 400 on June 19. Elliott is running a partial schedule this season in the #91 McDonald’s Dodge for Evernham Motorsports. Elliott will be returning to MIS for the first time since 2003. Along with his entry in the Batman Begins 400, he is also scheduled to run in the GFS Marketplace 400 at MIS in August.
6 – Mark Martin, driving in the Batman Begins paint scheme car, is competing in his final season on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup circuit. Martin has tallied four NASCAR Cup Series and two NASCAR Busch Series victories at MIS during his successful career. Martin finished second in last year’s GFS Marketplace 400 and the NASCAR Busch Series races in August of 2004. His last victory at MIS came in the June Cup event in 1998.
5 – On Father’s Day, Ricky Rudd, who drives the #21 U.S. Air Force/Motorcraft Ford, will make his 57th career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup start at MIS in the Batman Begins 400, giving him the record for most career starts at the 2-mile MIS oval. Rudd, who has competed on the Cup circuit for 28 years, was tied with Dave Marcis with 56-career Cup starts at MIS prior to the 2005 season. Rudd’s last victory at MIS came in June of 1993.
4 – If you don’t win the pole, you may want to start fourth at MIS. Since NASCAR’s top series began racing at MIS in 1969, 12 drivers have won races starting from the fourth position. Most recently was Ryan Newman in last year’s June NEXTEL Cup event. Fourteen drivers have won from the pole at MIS since 1969, including four by Cale Yarborough. Just eight drivers have won from both the second and third starting positions in MIS history.
3 – Kasey Kahne is making his third career NEXTEL Cup start at MIS in the #9 Evernham Motorsports Dodge. Kahne no longer has to worry about being known as a second-place driver after picking up his first career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in Richmond on May 14. Kahne, who had six second-place finishes in two seasons prior to his victory, also had a second-place showing at MIS during last year’s June NEXTEL Cup race. In that race, Kahne was charging race leader Ryan Newman on the final lap before a caution flag came out, securing the win for Newman.
2 – Ray Evernham development driver Erin Crocker will be making her second career ARCA RE/MAX Series start when the circuit runs at MIS on June 17. Crocker, a former sprint car star, signed with Evernham Motorsports in 2004. She made her ARCA RE/MAX Series debut on March 26, taking the pole and finishing 12th. Crocker, driver of the #98 Dodge, will also run in a number of NASCAR Busch Series races this year. She is the only female to ever win a World of Outlaws Series feature event. If Crocker were to win the Hantz Group 200 on June 17, she would be the first female to win a race at MIS. Shawna Robinson is the first and only female to win a pole at MIS, by capturing the pole for the ARCA RE/MAX Series event in June of 2000.
1 – Travis Kvapil made history at MIS last July by giving Toyota its first ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory. Kvapil had to start toward the rear of the field (30th) after making an engine change the morning of the race after suffering a Happy Hour practice crash the day before. Kvapil now runs on the NEXTEL Cup circuit for Penske Racing South in the #77 Kodak/Jasper Engines Dodge.
Tickets still remain for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Batman Begins 400 on Sunday, June 19. Great seats are also still available for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Paramount Health Insurance 200 on Saturday, June 18 and the ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 on Sunday, June 17. Tickets are available now for the Batman Begins 400 and the GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events, order your tickets online or call 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(6-14-2005)
- Sponsor the the MIS truck race: Paramount Health Care, the largest health provider based in northwest Ohio, will sponsor the Paramount Health Insurance 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway. The Paramount Health Insurance 200 will take place on June 18, a day prior to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 race on June 19. It is the second straight year MIS and Paramount Health Care have partnered to sponsor a race. In 2004, Paramount Health Care sponsored the Paramount Health Insurance 100 IRL Infiniti Pro Series race in August. Two health care facilities that are in close proximity to MIS, Adrian's Bixby Medical Center and Tecumseh's Herrick Memorial Hospital, are both members of ProMedica Health System. For more information, please visit www.paramounthealthcare.com.
Tickets are still available for all June 17-19 activities at MIS, with children 12 and under admitted free to Friday's ARCA RE/MAX Hantz 200 and the Paramount Health Insurance 200 on Saturday. Tickets are $40 for the Paramount Health Insurance 200. In addition, tickets are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 on Sunday, June 19. All tickets can be purchased now by visiting www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(5-24-2005)
- Irvan tours MIS Renovations: Ernie Irvan doesn't remember the practice accident that nearly took his life back in August of 1994 at Michigan International Speedway. In fact, Irvan doesn't remember the 21 days that followed his turn-two practice crash either. But what sticks out most in Irvan's mind was returning to the track that nearly took his life just three years later and winning the June
1997 Miller 400 at MIS in what turned out to be an emotional day for Irvan and the thousands of race fans on hand that day.
"I had no idea I'd be able to race at Michigan again, let along win the race," Irvan said about his emotional June 1997 win. "I had never
won at MIS so that made it very special. It was tough to drive with tears in my eyes and I wasn't crying because I was sad."
Irvan returned to MIS for the first time on Tuesday since 1999 when another crash in a Busch Series car essentially ended his career, as
he announced a new charity event to benefit the Brain Injury Association of Michigan. Irvan was joined by Dr. John Maino (the doctor credited with saving Irvan's life in 1994) and Mike Dabbs, President of the Brain Injury Association of Michigan.
Irvan's visit to MIS on Tuesday brought back a wide range of emotions as he announced that his Race 2 Safety Foundation will partner with the Brain Injury Association of Michigan (BIA) for the first annual walk-a-thon entitled the "L.A.P.S. Walk," which stands for Leadership & Awareness to Promote Safety to be held on August 17 at MIS.
In addition to announcing the charity walk, Irvan also took a tour of the ongoing renovation project at MIS with track president Brett
Shelton to see the progress of the largest renovation project in MIS history. Paving is currently underway in the new AAA Motorsports Fan Plaza, which is a 26-acre area behind the main grandstand that will give MIS a new front door and house a great new area for sponsor displays, merchandise and a great area for fans to relax when they aren't enjoying on-track activity. Progress on the new suite, operations and Champions Club levels are taking shape, with glass currently going up on the new tower structure on all three levels.
"The new construction that is happening at MIS is amazing," said Irvan. "I can't believe how much it's grown even since the last time I
was here in 1999. MIS has always been a great facility and it's only going to get better for the fans after this is done."
Tickets are still available for all June 17-19 activities at MIS, with children 12 and under admitted free to the Friday June 17 ARCA RE/MAX Hantz 200 and the Paramount Health Insurance 200 on Saturday June 18. Tickets are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Batman Begins 400 on Sunday, June 19. All tickets can be purchased now by visiting www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS)(5-18-2005)
- NASCAR Fan to Win Chance to "Begin the Batman Begins 400 at MIS": Gotham City will meet the Motor City when the Batmobile takes to the track at Michigan International Speedway for the Batman Begins 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race on June 19. Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Comics, and Michigan International Speedway announced that one lucky fan will
win the chance of a lifetime to drop the green flag to start the race by entering the "Begin the Batman Begins 400 at MIS" promotion. The promotion will run from May 23-June 6. The announcement was made today at Richmond International Raceway by NASCAR star Mark Martin, who will pilot a Batman Begins-themed Ford in the Batman Begins 400, and MIS President Brett Shelton. The Batman Begins 400 marks the first time a major motion picture has served as the entitlement sponsor of a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event. Batman Begins, the highly anticipated film from Warner Bros., opens worldwide on June 15.
The "Begin the Batman Begins 400 at MIS" program will offer one fan, chosen at random, the opportunity to not only wave the green flag to start the Batman Begins 400, but also receive a VIP racing experience at MIS. Fans can enter the program online at www.begintherace.com.
Roush Racing legend Mark Martin will get a little extra Batman power to help him get to Victory Lane, as his Ford will feature a special
Batman Begins paint scheme for the race. Martin's fellow Roush Racing driver, Ricky Craven, will also be sporting a Batman Begins scheme during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event on June 18.
Fans can still purchase tickets to the Batman Begins 400 by calling MIS at 1-800-354-1010 or logging on to www.MISpeedway.com.(Alan Taylor Communications)(5-15-2005)
- Batman Returns with Martin, to sponsor MIS Race UPDATE: #6-Mark Martin will run a 'Batman Begins' scheme at the June Michigan race. See the scheme on my #6 Team Schemes page.(4-22-2005)
UPDATE: NASCAR, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and International Speedway Corporation announced that Batman Begins*, the highly anticipated film from Warner Bros. Pictures, will take center stage at Michigan International Speedway on June 19 for the running of the NASCAR Nextel Cup "Batman Begins 400." The film opens worldwide on June 15. Roush Racing legend Mark Martin will get a little extra Batman power to help him get to Victory Lane, as his Ford will feature a special Batman Begins paint scheme for the race. Martin's fellow Roush Racing driver, Ricky Craven, will also be sporting a Batman Begins scheme during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event on June 18. Race fans will have a front-row seat for a one-of-a-kind celebration of the film's launch when the Batmobile from the film leads the pack of 43 race cars off of pit road to start the battle for the checkered flag.
Besides the on-track action that fans will be able to enjoy during the weekend, the newly redesigned fan area behind the main grandstand at Michigan International Speedway will incorporate the Batman Begins Fan Zone, which will feature the Batmobile from the film, Mark Martin's Batman Begins themed car, the Ricky Craven truck, and the fantasy and event cars that are part of the weekend's Batman action. The Batman Begins Fan Zone will also include other activities and exclusive merchandise based on the film and the Batman Begins 400. While this is the first time a major motion picture is serving as the title sponsor of a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race, it is not the first time Warner Bros. Consumer Products has been involved with NASCAR or Michigan International Speedway. Just last August, Warner Bros. Consumer Products and DC Comics partnered with Michigan International Speedway for the highly successful Justice League Racing Weekend Presented by Hot Wheels, as some of NASCAR's top drivers piloted cars emblazoned with the familiar heroes of the Justice League. Fans can still purchase tickets to the Batman Begins 400 by calling MIS at 1-800-354-1010 or logging on to www.MISpeedway.com.(Alan Taylor Communications)(4-28-2005)
- MGR of PR named at MIS: Dennis Worden, who has media relations experience at several colleges and universities, has been named Manager of Public Relations for Michigan International Speedway, Director of Public Relations Bill Janitz announced. Worden, a Concord, Michigan native, who now lives in Hillsdale, Michigan, previously served as the Director of Sports Information for
Hillsdale College the past three years. Prior to Hillsdale, he spent time working in media relations with Wayne State University, Alma
College and the University of Texas. He is a 1999 graduate of Central Michigan University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in
journalism. In addition, Worden also spent three seasons (2002-2004) working on the race weekend media center staff for MIS.(MIS PR)(4-19-2005)
- Bill Janitz named Director of Public Relations of MIS: Bill Janitz has been named Director of Public Relations for Michigan International Speedway, track president Brett Shelton announced today. Janitz, who has been a member of the MIS public relations department since 2001, will assume his new duties immediately. A native of Brooklyn, MI, Janitz is a 2000 graduate of Michigan State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication. Janitz will oversee media and public relations for the state's largest sporting facility after serving as MIS Public Relations Manager from June 2001-November 2002 and Public Relations/News Manager from November 2002- February 2005. In those positions, Janitz handled an array of duties including media relations, writing press releases, pre and post-race activities, maintaining content on the MIS official website and credentialing.
Tickets to all 2005 events at MIS are on sale now, including the season-opening Father's Day weekend, which features exciting enhancements to the weekend schedule, including the ARCA RE/MAX Series Hantz Group 200 on June 17, the MIS June debut of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on June 18 and the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series on June 19. Tickets can be purchased by logging on to www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(3-10-2005)
- Michigan tix go on sale Feb 12th: With the largest renovation in the history of the track underway and exciting enhancements to the race weekend schedule, the 2005 season will be one of the most anticipated seasons in the history of Michigan International Speedway. Fans wanting to be a part of this year's action at MIS will need to mark Saturday, February 12, on their calendars, as tickets to both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events will be available to the general public. Tickets to both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events at Michigan International Speedway, the June 19 Michigan 400 and the August 21 GFS Marketplace 400, will go on sale at 8:00am/et on Saturday, February 12, at MIS' newly redesigned official website, www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. In addition to tickets being available at www.MISpeedway.com 24 hours a day, seven days a week, starting February 12, the MIS ticket hotline will be open from 9:00am until 9:00pm/et seven days a week for fan's convenience. Also, for the fourth consecutive year, children 12 and under will be free once again on Friday's and Saturday's. Also on February 12, along with options to purchase tickets and camping at MIS, Champions Club seats will also be available for purchase. The club seating level will sit high above the existing grandstands at the start/finish line. The amenities of the Champions Club include twenty-inch wide outdoor seats with in-seat waiter
service, and access to an indoor entertainment area. The indoor area includes access to the club via elevator, an air-conditioned dining
area, private restrooms, and lounge area with several food and beverages options.
While tickets go on sale for both NEXTEL Cup Series races on Saturday, February 12, tickets to all other events, which include the IRL IndyCar Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and ARCA/REMAX Series are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased at MIS' newly redesigned website, www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(2-4-2005)
- New Michigan Track? UPDATE: Two business partners who want to build a $25 million to $50 million racetrack in Wayland Township will meet with the township's Planning Commission this week to discuss more details of the proposal. Steve Laham and Brian Silvernail, who own LandInvest Motorsports Inc. of Kent County, want to build an oval-shaped racetrack on 137 acres northeast of U.S. 131 and 130th Avenue. Laham said they hope to have three to six major races at the track each year, including a Nextel Cup truck race [I think the writer means Craftsman Truck Series race since there is NO Nextel Cup Truck Series], which is sanctioned by NASCAR. He and Silvernail announced their plan in 2003 and submitted a preliminary proposal to the Planning Commission on Dec. 28. Bata Design Group of Grand Rapids made a preliminary design of the racetrack. Laham said that if all goes as planned, construction could begin in 2006 or 2007 and take about 18 months to complete. He said the racetrack would be about 0.75 miles and would be built to accommodate car and truck races. In the project's first phase, the facility would be built to seat 20,000 spectators, and in each of the following two phases an additional 10,000 seats would be built.(Michigan Live)(1-23-2005)
UPDATE: Wayland Township [MI] residents will have their say before the township Planning Commission makes a decision on an entertainment venue that would feature auto racing, concerts, tractor pulls and other outdoor events. Partners Brian Silvernail and Tom Laham, of Landinvest Motorsports Inc., have applied for a change in zoning to allow a $16 million-plus facility that would seat 20,000. It would be built on 184 acres of now-agricultural land between 132nd and 130th avenues, between U.S. 131 and the Pennsylvania Railroad tracks. No date has been set for a hearing on the proposal. Because it is expected to draw more than the typical meeting crowd, it will be held in the Wayland Union High School auditorium. Silvernail said he expects to stage several NASCAR events if the project is approved, but can't get a commitment from NASCAR until he has the track. He estimated an annual attendance of 336,000 for races and other events. In an advisory report to the commission, township planning consultant Tim Johnson said the proposed use could be compatible with mixed-use and industrial zoning, and without changes in the township's master plan. He was not concerned about traffic, since shortcomings could be overcome if the developer could fund improvements. But noise could be a problem, he said.(Michigan Live)(2-6-2005)
- MIS to have Cup qualfying on Saturday: Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton announced an enhancement to the MIS Friday and Saturday schedule for both the June 17-19 and August 19-21 NASCAR/ARCA weekends, giving fans more racing and adding value to each day. The highlights of the schedule on Fridays include qualifying for the ARCA RE/MAX Series, and two practice sessions for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in both June and August, as well as two practice sessions for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in June and NASCAR Busch Series in August. The practice sessions will be followed by an ARCA RE/MAX Series event on each weekend that will start at 5:15 p.m. In June and August, Saturday highlights include qualifying for the
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Busch Series with afternoon races scheduled for both the Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series.
The full June and August NASCAR/ARCA race weekends schedules are below:
JUNE
Friday, June 17, 2005
8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
9:30 a.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Qualifying
12:00 noon - 1:10 p.m. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice
1:20 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
2:50 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Final Practice
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Final Practice
5:00 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
5:15 p.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Race (100 Laps, 200 Miles)
Saturday, June 18, 2005
8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
10:00 a.m. - NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying
12:05 p.m. - NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying
2:30 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
3:00 p.m. - Start of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race
Sunday, June 19, 2005 (Father's Day)
8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
1:40 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
2:10 p.m. - Start of NASCAR NEXTEL Series Cup Race (200 Laps, 400 Miles)
AUGUST
Friday, August 19, 2005
8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
9:30 a.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Qualifying
12:00 noon -1:10 p.m. NASCAR Busch Series Practice
1:20 p.m. -2:40 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
2:50 p.m. -3:50 p.m. NASCAR Busch Series Final Practice
4:00 p.m. -5:00 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Final Practice
5:00 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
5:15 p.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Race (100 Laps, 200 Miles)
Saturday, August 20, 2005
8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
10:00 a.m. - NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying
12:10 p.m. - NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying
2:30 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
3:00 p.m. - NASCAR Busch Series Race (125 Laps, 250 Miles)
Sunday, August 21, 2005
8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
1:40 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
2:10 p.m. - GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup (200 Laps, 400 Miles)
The changes will give fans more racing than ever before and also provide a great value for fans as well with the Friday ticket only
$15, which includes practice sessions for the NEXTEL Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series/Busch Series, plus an ARCA RE/MAX Series event. Saturday's ticket will also provide a greater value to fans with a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series qualifying session and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying in June for just $40 and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup qualifying along with NASCAR Busch Series qualifying and race in August for just $50. Also, for the fourth consecutive year, children 12 and under will be free once again on Friday's and Saturday's in 2005.
While tickets for both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events go on sale to the general public on Saturday, February 12, tickets are on-sale now for all other events, including fan favorites such as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, IRL IndyCar Series, ARCA RE/MAX Series and NASCAR Busch Series. Tickets can be purchased in real-time on MIS' newly redesigned official website, www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(1-7-2005)
- MIS Announces 2005 Renovation Project: In a continuing effort to improve experiences for fans who visit historic Michigan International Speedway each year, MIS President Brett Shelton announced today the largest renovation project in the 37-year history of MIS. The renovation project includes a reconfiguration of the frontstretch area which will include new ticket gates, new vendor and display
areas, several new concession stands, and a new suite/club structure high above the main grandstand near the start/finish line. The suite/club area will hold 16 suites, press box, 870 Champions Club seats, timing & scoring area, television and radio broadcast area, and race control for use by the sanctioning bodies. The announcement of the entire project goes along with the announcement of approximately 870 Club Level seats. The project will be the first seat addition since 10,800 seats were added prior to the 2000 race season to raise the seating capacity at the facility to 137,243 for the 2005 racing season which begins Father's Day weekend June 17-19. The renovation project will allow MIS to keep many parts of its storied tradition, while adding amenities that will enhance the fan
experience. The facility renovation project is scheduled to be completed in time for the season opening Father's Day weekend NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event weekend June 17-19. Along with the debut of the renovation project, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will make its June debut on Saturday, June 18 along with the first of two 2005 ARCA RE/MAX Series events on Friday, June 17. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will make its 2005 MIS debut on Sunday, June 19. The new Club Level "Champions Club" seats are now available to existing MIS customers. For fans who are not current MIS ticket holders, deposits are now being taken by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(more plus images at mispeedway.com)(12-15-2004)
- Michigan adds Club Level seats: Further enhancing its position as the host of Michigan's largest sporting events twice annually in June and August, Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton announced today the addition of a Club Level seating area high above the start finish/line of the facility, which will include 870 new outdoor club grandstand seats as well as an indoor entertainment area called the "Champions Club." "We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce Club Level seating at MIS," said MIS president Brett Shelton. "Even though we are the largest sporting facility in the state, fans have asked for new ways to enjoy the sport of auto racing. The Champions Club certainly does that."B
The project will make the MIS Champions Club one of the finest club seating areas among the region's major sporting facilities. With the
addition of approximately 870 Club Level seats, it will be the first seat addition since 10,800 seats were added prior to the 2000 race
season and raise the seating capacity at the facility to 137,243 for the 2005 racing season which begins Father's Day weekend June 17-19. With the additional seats, MIS becomes the eighth largest motorsports venue on the 2005 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule. The addition of the "Champions Club" seating area is just one part of the largest renovation project in the 37-year history of the track. Further details, including several additional elements of the project, will be announced at a preview at MIS on Tuesday, December 14. The new Club Level seating along with the indoor entertainment area will be the first of its kind at MIS. The area will feature wide seats with cup holders, in-seat service, and an indoor air-conditioned hospitality area with private restrooms. These are just some of the
features that fans will enjoy as a part of their "Champions Club" experience.
The addition of the Champions Club area is scheduled to be completed in time for the season opening NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event on Father's Day weekend. Along with the debut of the renovation project, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will make its June debut on Saturday, June 18 along with the first of two 2005 ARCA RE/MAX Series events on Friday, June 17. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will make its 2005 MIS debut on Sunday, June 19. Maintenance staff workers have already started preparing for the project by removing the old skylounge structure above the MIS grandstands at the start/finish line. The structure that was removed had been in place since the track's opening in 1968. The new "Champions Club" seats are now available to existing MIS customers. For fans who are not current MIS ticket holders, deposits are now being taken by calling the MIS ticket hotline at
1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(12-14-2004)
- 2004 MIS Fan of the Year: When asked about her trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway as part of her grand prize, 2004 MIS Fan of the Year Tammy Kus best described her experience by something her husband Craig said when they returned. "Craig doesn't show a lot of emotion, but he turned to me at one point and said, 'I know I'm a grown man, but this is too much fun for a grown man to have!' " said Kus. Their trip was made possible by being chosen out of the 10 MIS Fans of the Month as the grand prize-winner and the title "2004 MIS Fan of the Year". Tammy and her husband Craig were able to enjoy a trip to Homestead-Miami Speedway for NASCAR's championship weekend and enjoyed the finales of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series. The couple, who drive each year over 11 hours each way from their Lake Linden, Michigan home in the Upper Peninsula to attend races at MIS, not only experienced the championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but were special guests of MIS at the season-ending NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series awards banquet at the Loews Miami Beach during the weekend. It's an experience neither will ever forget. "We don't clean up bad for a couple of Yoopers," quipped Tammy Kus. "Attending the banquet was very overwhelming at first because we've
never been to an event like that before and we had a blast!" Tammy and her husband Craig also had to the opportunity to sit with MIS officials, as well as a few other special guests, which just happened to be Mike Skinner and his wife Angela, who were attending the banquet after Skinner's 11th place points finish in 2004 in his No. 5 Toyota Tundra for Bill Davis Racing. "He sat down next to us and he looked so familiar to us," said Kus. "Then we realized that it was Mike Skinner. We were excited to meet him. They were just really neat people and it really topped off the night." After the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series banquet on Saturday night, it was off the next day to witness one of the closest points battles in the history of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The race certainly didn't disappoint, with Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon battling out in the closing laps of the race to
determine who will take home the Inaugural Nextel Cup. While her trip has come to an end, Kus will still reign as the MIS Fan of the Year until the new recipient will take over the crown when selected this July.
For fans who did not receive Fan of the Month honors in 2004, there will be plenty more chances in 2005. Each MIS Fan of the Month
receives an MIS hat, shirt, and soft-sided cooler along with a Victory Lane Club hospitality package for two at the Sunday race of their
choosing. Every monthly winner will be eligible to become MIS' ultimate fan-- the 2005 Michigan International Speedway Fan of the Year -- and be eligible to win a trip to NASCAR's Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November 2005, a visit from the MIS NASCAR NEXTEL Cup showcar, and tickets to the race of their choosing for the next 10 years just like Tammy Kus and her husband Craig did in 2004.
Since the start of the MIS Fan of the Month contest in December 2002, over 8000 fans have registered for the contest at MIS' official
website. To nominate yourself or someone else for the MIS Fan of the Month, log on to www.MISpeedway.com. Fans will also be asked to submit a photo of the nominee as well as your most memorable moment photo taken at MIS.
MIS Fan of the Month
12626 U.S. Highway 12
Brooklyn, MI 49230
(MIS PR)(12-4-2004)
- Races looking for sponsors: at least four race tracks are looking for a title sponsor for their Nextel Cup races in 2005:
Chicagoland [Tropicana left, will miss the big orange]
Michigan [DHL lasted one year, will they be involved in NASCAR ?}
California [Pop Secret moved from the Rock for a year, General Mills
Talladega [EA Sports gone]
California is looking for $2 million for the labor day prime time race
(NASCAR Scene Print)(11-26-2004)
- More Seats at MIS: Michigan International Speedway is expected to add more than 1,000 luxury seats by replacing 10 suites over the main grandstand and adding "club seats" and luxury boxes. The Cambridge Planning Commission approved the site plan pending the passage of a variance request by the speedway. The three-tier structure is expected to be nearly 150 feet tall. MIS facilities supervisor Dan Salenbien presented the proposed addition at the Wednesday planning commission meeting. He called the suite area on the Brooklyn Road side of the track "old" and in need of renovations. The plan includes 900 club seats on the first level, a layer of corporate suites on the second level, suites for television, media and operations on the third level and an area above that for race spotters and television cameras. The new corporate suites are expected to increase the number of available seats by 135. Three buildings below the proposed site are expected to be torn down to create a base for the new structure. The speedway would also need to add as many as three elevators for the new structure. Salenbien said persons sitting in the new seats would be able to "see the entire track."(The Exponent)(10-18-2004)
- MIS's Spirit of America Blood Drive Shatter's Record: Over the first three years of the Spirit of America blood drive at MIS, the "400" stood for the goal of 400 pints of blood during the September 11 event. For 2005, the event may want to consider a name change. The 2004 event this past Saturday garnered a record-shattering 535 units (pints) of blood during the 10-hour blood drive, while
reclaiming the title of the nation's largest blood drive on 9/11. The 535-unit mark shattered last year's record of 433 units of blood. Also, a record 626 people volunteered to donate blood. The Spirit of America 400 is currently the largest single-day blood drive in Michigan and reclaimed the title of the largest blood drive in the country on 9/11. The Inaugural September 11, 2002 blood drive was also the largest single-day blood drive in the country on 9/11.(MIS PR)(9-15-2004)
- MIS 9/11 Blood Drive Recognized: It would be safe to say that leading into its third year, the Spirit of America 400 blood drive at Michigan International Speedway has been stocked full of pleasant surprises. After the tragic events of September 11 2001, like most Americans, the staff at MIS looked for a way to help those who were affected by the events of that day. But an idea by MIS Guest Services Manager Tim Booth spawned an event that was a unique way to honor the victims of September 11 with a race-themed blood drive at MIS. Booth, a regular blood donor who has given nearly 120 pints of blood over the years, called Red Cross officials and coordinated the drive for 2002. Currently the largest single-day blood drive in Michigan, The Spirit of America 400 also lays claim to the title of being the second largest blood drive in the nation on 9/11. The Inaugural September 11, 2002 blood drive was the largest single-day blood drive on that day in 2002. In its first two years, the Spirit of America 400 collected 808 units of blood enough to help save the lives of more than 2,400 people. With each unit of blood having the potential to be transfused to up to three people, this year's blood drive could benefit 1,350 sick or injured people.
This year's event has already seen a record number of donors sign up, with Red Cross officials expanding the appointments for the blood drive for the third consecutive year. Last year, almost 500 people signed up for appointments for the event. With less than a week
remaining, the event has signed up over 550 people with the goal of around 600 donors signed up for appointments prior to the event. With the success of the event over the first two years have come many accolades, including a visit from national Red Cross officials and a letter of support from President George W. Bush.
Recently the event garnered some support from local U.S. Congressman Nick Smith, who presented MIS President Brett Shelton and the MIS staff with one of a limited number of U.S flags that were flown over the capital on September 11 2002, on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks and the date of the first Spirit of America 400 at MIS. The flag will be proudly displayed at this year's blood drive.
This year, the American Red Cross and MIS have their sites set on collecting 450 units of blood in ten hours, trying to break last
year's record of 433 pints taken. Donations are by appointment only, and will be scheduled between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Less than 40 spots are still available for the upcoming 2004 event set for Saturday, September 11. To set an appointment to donate blood at the Spirit of America 400, call the Great Lakes Region Blood Services of the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE LIFE.
The Spirit of America Blood drive is unique in that blood donors are offered hospitality and special activities at MIS, which may include:
A commemorative event credential and ticket
An event shirt, hat and pin
Hospitality food and beverages by Americrown
Ice cream from Country Fresh
Gifts from Flagstar Bank, Cabela's and the Indy Racing League
A Victory Lane photograph
Track tours
An opportunity to purchase a Track Time Ride-Along with proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross Each donor will be entered to win a deluxe gas grill donated by Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse.
To set an appointment to donate blood at the Spirit of America 400, call the Great Lakes Region Blood Services of the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE LIFE, or register on-line by visiting www.givelife.org and entering sponsor code MIS.(MIS PR)(9-9-2004)
- MIS Fire/Safety Crew Aids Victory Junction Gang Camp With Donation of Nearly $10,000: In a special pre-race ceremony before today's GFS Marketplace 400, the MIS Fire/Safety Crew supplied a special type of aid. Garth Hyliard, head of the MIS Fire, EMS and Recovery Crew for more than 30 years, presented Kyle Petty with a check for $9,758. The check was a donation to The Victory Junction Gang Camp, a charity founded by Petty, his wife Patty and 2002 NEXTEL Cup Champion Tony Stewart and supported by NASCAR and its many participants. The camp, which opened in June, provides an opportunity for children with severe illnesses to enjoy various activities. "This check represents what teamwork means at MIS," Hyliard said. "Our entire collection of track service workers * including fire crews, EMS/Medical staff, Clean-up teams and Wrecker squads * worked extremely hard to raise this money for a very worthy cause. I am overwhelmed at the commitment and support our team has made to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. They've already started making plans for additional fundraisers for 2005."
The fund-raising campaign began after Hyliard received an e-mail from his counterpart at Daytona International Speedway, who proudly
announced that the Fire/Safety crew at the Florida track had raised more than $2,700 during the Pepsi 400 weekend in July. The e-mail also challenged all the other tracks in the ISC family to see if they could surpass the Daytona total.
Hyliard and his crew developed some creative fund-raising activities. In addition to just reaching into their own pockets, they raised more than $1,100 selling Victory Junction Gang pins, and gained additional donations from raffles for a poster autographed by Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon and another for an MIS Fire Crew T-shirt autographed by Richard and Kyle Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"This is a friendly rivalry where the Victory Junction Gang Camp is the big winner," Hyliard said. "The other ISC tracks now have an
bigger number to shoot for. If they beat our total, that's great because everything raised goes to help some kids who could use some help. But we're planning to top our own total next year, so the other tracks better raise a lot. We're proud of what we've done and we
expect to do even better in 2005." Kyle Petty, driver of the #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge in today's GFS Marketplace 400, was honored by the donation by the MIS Safety Crew. "This is just an amazing donation," Petty said. "It just goes to show how everyone in the NASCAR family can rally to help some people in need. On behalf of the Victory Junction Gang Camp, I am honored to accept this donation." For more information, visit www.victoryjunction.org.(MIS PR)(8/22/2004)
- Countdown To GFS Marketplace 400 - 1 Days: Starting up front could be important if drivers want to visit Gatorade Victory Lane after the GFS Marketplace 400. There have been 14 winners from the pole in 70 events at MIS, the most out of any starting position. Additionally, a staggering 59 of 70 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at MIS have been won by drivers starting in the top-10. The last driver to start outside the top-10 and win at MIS was Matt Kenseth in June of 2002.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 on August 21. Eleven NEXTEL Cup drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.(MIS Site)(8-21-2004)
- Countdown To GFS Marketplace 400 - 2 Days: While Rusty Wallace will be participating in his first ever NASCAR Busch Series race at MIS on August 21, he's no stranger to the two-mile oval. Wallace leads all active drivers with five victories at MIS as well as a record 15 top-five finishes at MIS. Most of Wallace's success came in a stretch from June 1993 to June 1996, where he finished sixth or better, including two victories, during the seven-race stretch. But, in the 16 races since then, he has only three top-10 finishes. He'll look to put his No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge back in Gatorade Victory Lane in the GFS Marketplace 400.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 on August 21. Eleven NEXTEL Cup drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.(MIS Site)(8-20-2004)
- MIS Grand Prize Winner: The only way Julie Mandeville could calculate how many times she played the MIS 'Race-to-Win' game at www.MISpeedway.com, basically came down to two simple words, "A lot". However many times Mandeville played the MIS 'Race-to-Win' game, it turned out to be the right combination, as she has won the Grand Prize of $10,000 cash and a $10,000 Garage Makeover from Gladiator GarageWorks.
Although the $10,000 Grand Prize may be exciting, her husband may be even more excited about the $10,000 Garage Makeover courtesy of Gladiator GarageWorks. "My husband is a mechanic, so he's really excited about it," added Mandeville. "He can't wait to get it because he can think of a lot a great ways to use it."
The Grand Prize also includes a VIP day during next weekend's GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at MIS where she will be able to attend a Question and Answer session with her favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in MIS' Victory Lane Club hospitality area. Mandeville, from Perrysburg, Ohio, has become a regular visitor to MIS' website over the past six months, which has now paid off in a big way.
"We visit the MIS website all the time and usually purchase our tickets there," said Mandeville. "I was going to the website two or
three times a day. I was trying to find the right tickets for my husband and myself, and I'd play the game every time I was eligible."
The MIS "Race-to-Win" game, which began in March and ended on August 1, allowed fans to visit www.MISpeedway.com each day and enter into a drawing for daily prizes, as well as a daily entry into the Grand Prize drawing by using an eDecoder game piece picked up at various events throughout the spring and summer. The eDecoder game piece was used by holding it up to the screen to see if they were an instant-winner. Fans could also answer MIS related trivia questions that would give them additional chances to win daily prizes. "I would play it each time I was eligible and see if I could answer the question correctly," added Mandeville. "It was about 50/50 on getting the trivia questions right, but I had a lot of fun."
With thousands of fans playing the game over a five-month stretch, the game proved to be popular with fans all over the country, but ended up with a Grand-Prize winner who's an MIS regular and lives within a short drive of the track.
"We'd like to congratulate Julie and all the race fans who won prizes during the whole time of the Race-to-Win game contest," said MIS
President Brett Shelton. "When we started the game, we knew we had many loyal fans who visited our website regularly, but we never
expected such an overwhelming response from our fans. The Race-to-Win game and prizes are just another way we can thank our fans for making the MIS events successful."
Eprize, the company that put together the MIS Race-to-Win promotion, was also impressed with not only the response for the game, but how many times people came back to play. "The average person came back to the Race-to-Win game 10 times," said Bob Marsh, VP of Business Development for Michigan-based Eprize. "What's also exciting is how much even the fans who didn't win prizes enjoyed the MIS Race-to-Win experience as well."(MIS PR)(8-18-2004)
- Countdown To GFS Marketplace 400 - 3 Days: Ryan Newman will be going for three-in-a-row at MIS in the GFS Marketplace 400. Only two drivers in MIS history have won at least three-in-a-row NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at MIS. David Pearson won three-in-a-row in 1972 and 1973 and Bill Elliott won four-in-a-row as he swept the 1985 and 1986 seasons at MIS.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 on August 21. Eleven NEXTEL Cup drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.(MIS Site)(8-19-2004)
- August 20th Declared NASCAR Day in Michigan:
Rick Johnson, the Speaker of the State House of
Representatives, helped push thru House Resolution No. 299 was recently passed making Friday, August 20, "NASCAR Day" in
the State of Michigan. "August 20th has been proclaimed NASCAR Day in Michigan as a way to recognize the increasing popularity of the sport and support a worthwhile cause," said Michigan House Speaker Rick Johnson. "Our state has always had a love affair with cars, and it's no surprise Michigan loves its racing, which is celebrated each summer at Michigan International Speedway and at tracks throughout the state." Fans seeking additional information, or to sign up for NASCAR Day, should visit www.nascar.com/nascarday or call 866-305-4703. Any corporation or organization interested in implementing a company-wide NASCAR Day program can still do so by calling 704-348-9640.(MIS PR)(8-18-2004)
- Countdown To GFS Marketplace 400 - 4 Days: The GFS Marketplace 400 will be the fourth race before the start of the 2004 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup and a critical race for drivers that are currently outside the top-10 in point standings. Evernham Motorsports teammates Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield, along with Dale Jarrett, Jamie McMurray and Mark Martin will look to have strong performances in the GFS Marketplace 400 to vault them into the top-10 in points. If past records hold true, the GFS Marketplace 400 should bode well for Jarrett's and Martin's chances as both drivers have four wins at MIS in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup competition, while the rest of the drivers outside the top-10 have no wins at MIS.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 on August 21. Eleven NEXTEL Cup drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.(MIS Site)(8-18-2004)
- National Anthem at MIS: Julie Roberts, Mercury Nashville recording artist, will sing the National Anthem prior to Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400.Roberts from Lancaster, South Carolina, whose hit single "Break Down Here" is currently climbing the country music charts, recently released her debut self-titled album.(MIS PR)(8-17-2004)
- Countdown To GFS Marketplace 400 - 5 Days: Ricky Rudd, who will be sporting a Wonder Woman paint scheme in the GFS Marketplace 400, will make his 56th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start at MIS. By starting the GFS Marketplace 400, Rudd will tie Dave Marcis for the record number of starts at MIS.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 on August 21. Eleven NEXTEL Cup drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.(MIS Site)(8-17-2004)
- MIS Announces 28th Straight NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Sellout: Michigan International Speedway President Brett
Shelton announced today that all reserved seats for Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 have been sold. The only tickets remaining are for
infield General Admission. With the sellout, MIS extends its streak of sold out NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races to 28 consecutive races dating back to June 1991.
"We are certainly blessed with great fans and we would like to thank them yet again for our 28th consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup sellout," said MIS President Brett Shelton. "It speaks volumes about the passion of MIS race fans."
Great seats are still available for Saturday's NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250, featuring the AOL for Broadband post-race concert
featuring Cledus T. Judd, as well as Friday's AAA Pole Day. Eleven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace's first Busch Series race since 1997, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.
The AOL for Broadband post-race concert featuring Cledus T. Judd, Driving Sideways and The Hype will follow approximately one-hour after the completion of the Cabela's 250 in the Water Tower Lot across from the Speedway's Administration building outside turn 1 of the track.
To purchase tickets for the Cabela's 250, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. The MIS ticket hotline is open from 9:00A.M. * 9 P.M., seven days a week throughout the upcoming race weekend.
For fans that are still looking for a way to see Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 in person, general Admission (infield) tickets for
Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 race go on sale Sunday morning August 22 at 6 a.m. at the M-50 crossover, and at 8 a.m. at the tunnel off of Brooklyn Highway and the box office outside of Gate 24.(MIS PR)(8-16-2004)
- Countdown To GFS Marketplace 400 - 6 Days: Sixty-six is the number Rusty Wallace will be sporting during the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 at MIS. Wallace will be making his first NASCAR Busch Series start since 1997 and his first ever Busch Series start at MIS. Wallace will share the driving duties of the car for the rest of the year with fellow NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Jamie McMurray in th No. 66 Duraflame Dodge that Wallace also owns.
Great seats are still available for the NASCAR Busch Series Cabela's 250 on August 21. Eleven NEXTEL Cup drivers are expected to compete, including Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Jamie McMurray.(MIS Site)(8-16-2004)
- Trackside Live information: The popular Speed Channel show Trackside Live will be open for the public to attend once again on Friday night August 20. The popular weekly live racing show features hosts Steve Byrnes, Larry McReynolds, Michael Waltrip and Jeff Hammond and will run from 7:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. on Friday night August 20. The Speed Channel stage will be located outside Gate 23 near Lot B behind the main grandstand of MIS.(MIS Site)(8-15-2004)
- Ticket's getting scarce for Michigan: Only a few tickets remain for the GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on August 22. Great seats still remain for the Cabela's 250 NASCAR Busch Series race on August 21 and AAA Pole Day
qualifying on August 20. As many as 11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series drivers are expected to compete in the Cabela's 250. Rusty Wallace's is expected to make his first Busch Series race since 1997.. To purchase tickets, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call
the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(8-4-2004)
- Reserved Seats SOLD OUT, some infield tix remain Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton announced today that all 136,373 reserved seats for Sunday's DHL 400 have been sold. The only tickets remaining are for infield General Admission. With the sellout, MIS extends its streak of sold out NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races to 27 consecutive races dating back to June 1991. General Admission (infield) tickets for the DHL 400 go on sale Sunday morning at the tunnel entrance and at 6:00am/et at Speedway ticket offices. Tickets are still available for both remaining weekends at MIS in 2004. The IRL IndyCar Series returns July 30-August 1 for the Michigan Indy 400, along with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Line-X Spray-On Bedliners 200 and the IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series Paramount Insurance 100. The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series returns August 20-22 along with the NASCAR Busch Series for the GFS Marketplace 400 and the Cabela's 250. To purchase tickets, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(6-19-2004)
- Only 1000 seats left for Sunday's race: Fewer than 1,000 tickets remain for the DHL 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. MIS officials remain confident that the race will become the 27th consecutive sellout for NASCAR's top series at MIS dating back to 1990. "We're kind of a victim of our own success," MIS spokesman Bill Janitz said. "People think that they can't get tickets, so they don't bother to call." Janitz said that the number of available tickets heading into race weekend is about the same as it has been for the past few June NASCAR race weekends at the speedway. "August has been an easier sell," Janitz said. "The June event garners a lot of interest for August." The seating capacity of MIS is 136,373.(Michigan Live) Fans can purchase tickets by logging on to www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. The MIS ticket hotline is open from 9:00am - 9:00pm/et seven days a week.(6-19-2004)
- X Days to Go until race at MIS: There are only X days remaining until the opening day of the 2004 race season at Michigan International Speedway. Tickets are still available for the DHL 400, along with all events at MIS during Father's Day weekend. Fans can purchase tickets by logging on to www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. The MIS ticket hotline is open from 9:00am - 9:00pm/et seven days a week. As we count down the days, here are 10 facts, one for each day, as the beginning of the MIS race season quickly approaches:
- 1 Day to Go at MIS: 1 * The last driver to win from the first starting position was also Bobby Labonte in August of 1995. Labonte won the pole for both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at MIS, but finished second to Kurt Busch by .774 seconds in June and finished 37th in August after losing a engine on lap 140.(MIS PR)(6-18-2004)
- 2 Days to Go until race at MIS: 2 * Bobby Labonte captured both Bud Poles at MIS in 2003, becoming the first driver to sweep the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series poles at MIS since Bill Elliott accomplished the feat back in 1988. Over the 36-year history of MIS, a driver has swept both NEXTEL Cup poles at MIS eight different times, among only four different drivers. David Pearson swept both NEXTEL Cup poles in 1974,1977,1978 and Bill Elliott swept both poles in 1984, 1985 and 1988. Bobby's brother Terry Labonte is the only other driver to sweep poles at MIS as he did so in 1983.(MIS PR)(6-17-2004)
- 3 Days to Go until race at MIS: 3 * How close has the June race been over the past three years? The margin of victory in those three races combined amounted to just a mere 0.33 seconds.(MIS PR)(6-16-2004)
- 4 Days to Go until race at MIS: 4 * Veteran Mark Martin has four career victories at MIS in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series competition. Martin, driver for Livonia, MI based owner Jack Roush, posted NEXTEL Cup wins in 1990,1993,1997 and 1998 Martin recently broke a winless streak of over two years by winning in Dover and could be a factor in the Father's Day running of the DHL 400.(MIS PR)(6-15-2004)
- 5 Days to Go until race at MIS: 5 *Since 1969, Dodge has captured five wins and five poles at MIS, with the most recent being last August's GFS Marketplace 400. Dodge also won its first race since rejoining the NEXTEL Cup circuit when Sterling Marlin won the rain-shortened race in August of 2001.(MIS PR)(6-14-2004)
- 6 Days to Go until race at MIS: 6 * Livonia, Michigan resident Jack Roush has won six NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at MIS as an owner, including the last two June races, both of which were emotional wins for Roush. In 2003, Matt Kenseth captured the win in what is now the DHL 400 and brought Roush back to victory lane after surviving a life-threatening plane crash that April. Last June, Roush driver Kurt Busch took an emotional win for Ford during the same weekend the carmaker was celebrating its 100th anniversary in nearby Dearborn, Michigan. Mark Martin captured Roush's other four NEXTEL Cup wins at MIS.(MIS PR)(6-13-2004)
- 7 Days to Go until race at MIS: 7 * It's seven and holding for Bill Elliott. Elliott has won an impressive seven NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at MIS but won't find victory lane in the DHL 400 as he is not scheduled to run. Since June of 1976, Elliott has started 52 NEXTEL Cup races and is the all-time leader in miles completed with 18,834. Although he plans to attend the DHL 400 and continue his job as mentor and driving coach for impressive young rookie Kasey Kahne, Elliott hopes to return to MIS for the August 22 GFS Marketplace 400.(MIS PR)(6-12-2004)
- 8 Days to Go until race at MIS: 8 * Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet and current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series points-leader, holds the one-lap NASCAR qualifying record at MIS. Earnhardt Jr., turned a fast lap of 191.149 mph on his way to the record-setting run in August of 2000.(MIS PR)(6-11-2004)
- 9 Days to Go until race at MIS: 9 * Over the past nine NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series races at MIS, there have been nine different winners. The impressive MIS streak dates back to August of 1999, when Bobby Labonte took the checkered flag and thus, the last repeat winner. Will there be a 10th different winner in the DHL 400 on June 20? Along with Labonte, other winners a part of the streak, in order, include: Tony Stewart, Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon, Sterling Marlin, Matt Kenseth, Dale Jarrett, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman.(MIS PR)(6-10-2004)
- 10 Days to Go until race at MIS: 10 * Roush Racing Driver Jeff Burton is the only active driver with 10 or more starts at MIS who has not posted a DNF. Burton has also posted eight top-10 finishes in his 20 starts at MIS, with last year finishing just outside the top-10 in 11th place for the both the June and August race. Burton has plenty of momentum recently as he finished fourth in Sunday's race from Dover despite the team's lack of a primary sponsor for much of the season. Burton is also looking for his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series win at MIS in the DHL 400, although he's won a IROC race and a NASCAR Busch Series event.(MIS PR)(6-9-2004)
- Pit Pass at MIS: The Saturday afternoon, June 19 ARCA RE/MAX Series Flagstar 200 at Michigan International Speedway is turning out to be much more than a superspeedway stock car race, especially for race fans. Fans who purchase tickets for the race will also be provided access to pit road and the ARCA RE/MAX Series garage area for the opportunity to get up close and personal with series teams and drivers. Following the race, fans will be allowed to cross onto the frontstretch and make their way across the track en route to pit road and the garage. While garage/pit access may be commonplace in the short-track world, the same is not necessarily true on superspeedways. ARCA RE/MAX Series racing at MIS is a tradition spanning three decades dating back to 1980 when veteran Joe Ruttman won the inaugural race. The track, located just an hour away from ARCA's Temperance, Michigan-based home office, is considered by many to be the sanctioning body's hometown superspeedway. And this year's event marks the 225th overall superspeedway appearance of the RE/MAX Series since the inaugural superspeedway run at Daytona in 1964. Tickets are still available for the June 19, Flagstar 200 ARCA RE/MAX Series race at Michigan International Speedway. To purchase tickets, log on to www.MISpeedway.com,, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or call the MIS Ticket Hotline at 1-800-354-1010. The MIS ticket hotline is open from 9 A.M. through 9 P.M. seven days a week.(Michigan International Speedway PR)(6-17-2004)
- The King named Grand Marshal at MIS: Seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty, one of racing's most famous fathers, will be Grand Marshal and give the command to fire up the engine of son Kyle, and 42 other competitors prior to Sunday's Father's Day DHL 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at MIS. Additionally, Ray Donahue, Vice President of Sales for DHL will be Honorary Starter and wave the green flag to start the DHL 400. Petty returns as Grand Marshal to a track that he captured four of his 200 career victories, but more importantly two significant milestones during his illustrious career. Michigan International Speedway played host to Petty's 500th consecutive NASCAR start on August 21, 1988. Also, MIS was the site of Petty's 1000th overall NASCAR start on August 16, 1992. Richard isn't the first Petty to act as Grand Marshal for a NASCAR race at MIS, in fact, he's the fourth, as his three daughters Sharon, Lisa and Rebecca gave the command 'Daddy, start your engine' prior to his 1000th start in 1992. Prior to arriving at MIS, Petty will be one of five fathers who will be honored as national father of the year at the National Father's Day Committee's 63rd annual awards on Thursday in New York City.(MIS Site)(6-15-2004)
- June 9th Declared Jeff Gordon Day: Jeff Gordon has had his share of success at the Michigan International Speedway during his illustrious racing career, including two wins, three poles, and 14 top-five finishes in 22 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series starts. But on Wednesday June 9, Gordon will visit Gatorade Victory Lane at MIS once again, but this time he'll receive a declaration by Governor Jennifer Granholm making June 9 "Jeff Gordon Day" in the State of Michigan. The Michigan House of Representatives "Jeff Gordon Day"
resolution was sponsored by Rep. Clark Bisbee of Jackson. Gordon and Governor Granholm will visit MIS on Wednesday, June 9 as a
part of its Media Day previewing the DHL 400 race weekend. Gordon is also scheduled to take Governor Granholm on a high-speed ride around the two-mile MIS oval in a two-seat Dupont Chevrolet prepared by the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
Tickets are still available for all Michigan International Speedway events this Father's Day weekend, which includes the ARCA RE/MAX Series Flagstar 200 on Saturday, June 19, and the June 20, DHL 400 featuring Gordon and the stars of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. To purchase tickets or for more information, log on to www.MISpeedway.com as tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fans can also call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. The MIS ticket hotline is open from 9 A.M. through 9 P.M. seven days a week. To see the full PR and House Resolution, see the MIS Site - click here(Michigan International Speedway PR)(6-8-2004)
- May 2004 MIS Fan of the Month: Greg Beachey: Greg Beachey from New Paris, Indiana is the April 2004 MIS Fan of the Month. Beachey will receive an MIS hospitality package for two people to the MIS Sunday race of his choosing in 2004, in addition to the MIS hat, shirt and soft-sided cooler prizes. The MIS Fan of the Year will be chosen from the 2004 MIS Fans of the Month and be eligible to win a trip for two to Homestead, Florida to witness NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. As if that weren't enough, MIS has added new prizes for the MIS Fan of the Year in 2004! The new prizes include the use of the MIS Jeff Gordon showcar to display outside his/her home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar date is subject to availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of choice for the next 10 years. Beachey is the sixth MIS Fan of the Month eligible for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year.
How long have you been attending races at MIS and who comes with you?
"First race was in June 2000 and we've made it a yearly tradition. We've come to every June race since. It's only about an hour and a half drive. We drive up very early in the morning. We've sat in the same seats in Turn Three since we've been coming there. My son really likes those seats because he likes to see the cars come right down the backstretch and turn right in front of us. We have five tickets with myself and my son and then three other people, which changes every year. Last year we took two people that have never been to a race before. They were amazed and had a great time.
What's the view like from the Turn Three side of the track?
"We're probably in the lower third of the stands, and we can see just about everything all around the track. We can see all the way to Turn One and coming out of Turn Two and straight at us coming down the backstretch. It doesn't look like they're coming down the backstretch
that fast. Suddenly they turn and they're already in Turn Four. Where are seats are at, the banking is just perfect that we can see through
the window of the car on the outside and into the car on the inside. When they are racing two-wide and three-wide coming into Turn Three
it's pretty amazing. We've got all of our plans made and are good to go. We have one ticket left and five people are fighting over it.
We're going to have to decide who gets it. As soon as the ticket renewal comes in November, we are ready to go for the next year.
What's your favorite part about coming to MIS?
"It's just the whole day. We just have fun from the time we get there until the time we leave the track. The folks that we sit by are the
same group that has sat in the seats around us for the last several years so we get to know them. It's just a really good time. We're in the parking lot and grill hamburgers before and after the race and with the people around us, it's just like a big family.
Is there anything else that you enjoyed about the event at MIS last year?
I'm in food service, so one of my favorite suppliers is GFS Marketplace. I was so happy to see GFS sponsor the fall race for three more years (GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race on August 22). It's a great company and it's still family owned and it's still run that way. I own a restaurant called Bread and Chocolate in Goshen."
Why is it more exciting to attend a race at MIS rather than watching it on television?
"One of the guys that came with us last year that had never been to a race before but had watched it on television commented on the pace lap that he couldn't believe the noise and the speed, and that was only the pace lap. They hadn't even started the race yet and he had chills
and started to sweat. The pace lap is enough to get your blood going. When the race starts it's just amazing."
How would you describe the experience of attending a race at MIS to someone who had never been here before?
"It's an adrenaline rush from the time you arrive until the time you leave. There is just a lot to see and do. Every year we have gotten
the wristband for my son from the Guest Services tent. I've never been afraid if he's been separated. Between the track workers and the
friendly fans there, I always feel safe."
What is a typical race day for you and your group?
"We cook ourselves some breakfast. It's always hash browns and eggs for the race morning breakfast. We try to get to the souvenir trailers
early before anyone else is there. Then we walk around the track a bit to see what's going on. We watch some of the pre-race activities and
we usually go back to the car and make lunch and wander over to our seats. Our race morning is usually very relaxed. We just kind of take
our time. After the race we just hang out, grill some steaks and relax."
What's the most memorable race that you attended at MIS?
"It was June 2001 with Ricky Rudd and Jeff Gordon at the end. That one was amazing. The last few laps we were on our feet screaming the whole time. The whole race was back and forth. I will always remember Ryan Newman blowing up right in front of us in June of last year. We saw him smoking a little down the backstretch and all of the sudden he was right in front of us, and it blew up.
Who is your favorite driver(s)?
"I was a Dave Marcis fan for years. I started following NASCAR in the late 60's or early 70's when Dave was competitive. When he retired I
followed Johnny Benson for a while. He's not in NEXTEL Cup anymore, so I'm a man without a driver right now. My son is a big Jeff Gordon fan. It seems that most of the people we come with either root for Jeff Gordon or Bobby Labonte. One of the guys is a big fan of Bobby because he's just such a nice guy.
What driver's talent did you admire but didn't necessarily root for?
"Dale Earnhardt was never one of my favorites, but he was probably one of the best drivers out there. The Baker family was always the
nemesis, but did very well on the track. Currently, someone like Tony Stewart who is very talented but he isn't one of my favorites. We're also so close to South Bend that Ryan Newman is sort of a default favorite. We are close to the track in New Paris where David Stremme
used to run, so I keep my eye on him too. But, since I've been watching it for so long I tend to root for the older guys."
Sounds like you've been a fan for quite awhile. What other drivers have you enjoyed watching?
"A.J Foyt, because he could get in anything and drive it. The same goes for Mario Andretti. I also liked David Pearson and Tim Richmond
because they were just nice guys. Davey Allison is another person that if he were still around, he could still be out there doing well. As
those guys have left, I've kind of followed the same themes. I still like the guys that are all around nice guys and do their best like
Terry Labonte and Ken Schrader who are out there giving it their all.
By winning the MIS Fan of the Month contest, Beachey will receive an MIS hat, shirt, and soft-sided cooler. Beachey, along with every
monthly winner, will be eligible to become MIS' ultimate fan-- the 2004 Michigan International Speedway Fan of the Year-- and be eligible to win a trip to NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. New prizes included in the 2004 contest include use of the MIS Jeff Gordon showcar to display outside your home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar date is subject to
availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of their choice for the next 10
years.(MIS Speedway PR)(6-3-2004)
- SAFER being installed at MIS: Michigan International Speedway officials announced that the installation of the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) wall system is currently under way at the two-mile oval. The project began on Monday, May 17, and is scheduled to be completed in time for the June 18-20 DHL 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race weekend at MIS. The SAFER walls will run continuously for 2,738 feet from the entrance to turn one through the exit of turn two and 2,822 feet from the entrance to turn three through the exit of turn four. Additional SAFER walls with a length of 2,424 feet will run along the inside backstretch wall, as well as a 300 ft section along the wall on the inside of turn four near the entrance of pit road. From start to finish, it will take approximately three to four weeks to install the system at MIS. Reserved seats are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series DHL 400 on Father's Day, June 20, along with the June 19 ARCA RE/MAX Series Flagstar 200. For tickets and information regarding the DHL 400 weekend, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the Michigan International Speedway Ticket Hotline at 1-800-354-1010.
The barriers will run continuously for 2,738 feet from the entrance to turn one through the exit of turn two and 2,822 feet from the entrance
to turn three through the exit of turn four. Additional barriers with a length of 2,424 feet will run along the inside backstretch wall, as well as a 300 ft section along the wall on the inside of turn four near the entrance of pit road. SAFER wall specifics at the Michigan International Speedway:
Total length * 8,284 total feet (2738 feet through Turns One and Two, 2,822 through Turns Three & Four, Inside Turn Four 400 feet, Inside
wall of backstretch 2,424 ft)
Height * 40 ½ inches
Tubes * 5 - 8" x 8" tubes per section.
Sections * Each SAFER wall section is 28 feet long. Some sections are shorter at the end of the turns.
Steel * 3/16" guage. 41,409 linear feet of steel tubing (Approximately eight miles). Weight of the steel tubing is approximately 500 tons.
Styrofoam * 22" * 22 ¼" thick and 40 ½" high. 1,480 pieces of Styrofoam total.
40,265 sq ft of 2" thick Styrofoam
The SAFER walls extend 30" from the old wall.(Michigan International Speedway PR)(5-19-2004)
- New Sponsor for Michigan June Race? UPDATE: hearing Sirius Satellite radio will not be the sponsor of the June Cup race at Michian International Speedway with DHL (Worldwidee Shipping) [www.dhl.com] taking over the sponsorship of the Cup race. No word on if Sirius will still sponsor the August Watkins Glen Cup race. Sirius Satellite radio was the sponsor of the #7 Ultra Motorsports team and left after the 2003 season.(4-29-2004)
UPDATE: Michigan International Speedway (MIS) and DHL company officials jointly announced today that DHL, the world's leading express and logistics company, will make its first venture into NASCAR by title sponsoring the DHL 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at MIS on Sunday, June 20, 2004. In a defining moment for the U.S. express delivery market, DHL completed its acquisition of Airborne Express in August 2003, bringing much-needed competition to the US market. Long a market leader in international express delivery and logistics, the company is now focusing on expanding awareness of its services in the United States through a comprehensive brand building and awareness campaign.
"Sponsoring the DHL 400 affords us the opportunity to build brand awareness of our flexible, innovative and service-oriented products
here in the U.S.," said Karen Jones, vice president of brand management for DHL-Americas. "This partnership fits well within our overall campaign to establish DHL as a strong, third competitor in the domestic express and logistics market." As an official sponsor, DHL will have an extensive presence at the Michigan International Speedway in advertising, branding and corporate hospitality. Specifically, the company will have signage throughout the track and advertising space in the official souvenir program, in-field Jumbotron, public address
announcements, and customer video e-mail. The agreement also calls for corporate hospitality events at MIS in June and August. "Any time you can bring in a new sponsor to the sport it's certainly a privilege," said MIS President Brett Shelton. "We would like to
welcome DHL and its highly-respected world-wide brand to MIS and to the great state of Michigan. It speaks volumes about the reach and the influence of MIS and the NASCAR brand."
The DHL 400 will be the first of two stops for the premier NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series at MIS in 2004, with defending race champion Kurt
Busch looking to repeat as DHL 400 champion on June 20. Reserved seats are still available for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series DHL 400 on Father's Day, June 20. For tickets and information regarding the DHL 400, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the Michigan International Speedway Ticket Hotline at 1-800-354-1010. For more information about DHL, please visit their Web site at www.dhl-usa.com.(MIS PR)(5-15-2004)
- April 2004 MIS Fan of the Month: Debbie Morin from Windsor, Ontario is the April 2004 MIS Fan of the Month. Morin will receive an MIS hospitality package for two people to the MIS Sunday race of her choosing in 2004, in addition to the MIS hat, shirt and soft-sided cooler prizes. The MIS Fan of the Year will be chosen from the 2004 MIS Fans of the Month and be eligible to win a trip for two to Homestead, Florida to witness NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
As if that weren't enough, MIS has added new prizes for the MIS Fan of the Year in 2004! The new prizes include the use of the MIS Jeff
Gordon showcar to display outside his/her home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar date is subject to availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of choice for the next 10 years. Morin is the
sixth MIS Fan of the Month eligible for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year.
How long have you been attending races at MIS and what's your favorite thing about coming to MIS?
"I've been attending the races for about the last three years. My husband attended races there for many years before I started going. I
started getting into NASCAR and IRL racing at about that time. My favorite part is meeting up with some friends that I have met there
and through fan clubs. The track is great.
Who comes to the race with you and do you camp or drive back and forth?
"It's usually my husband and I, along with my son. The last couple of years we've been driving back and forth. We've been thinking about
doing some camping in the future. We used to camp in years past. It can be a long day driving back and forth, but it's certainly worth it
and a lot of fun.
Why is it more exciting to attend a race at MIS rather than watching it on television?
"It's just the whole experience. You can watch it on TV, but when you're at the track it's nice to be there and watch it all happening. When you go to a race, you can actually experience what they talk about on TV. When Fox does their 'Crank it Up', you can get a great
surround sound at home, but when you're actually at MIS you can feel the breeze as the cars go around and feel the actual noise. When they start approaching turn three, you can feel the thunder coming right at you. It's just a really neat experience to be there in person."
What else do you enjoy doing when attending a race weekend at MIS?
"People are really friendly. The staff is wonderful and made sure I was taken care of. I ran into a few problems over the years and
they've always helped me out. Michigan is great because you can see all the way around from just about every seat. I love the water
sprinklers running behind the grandstands when it's hot out too. It's just a great experience. It's just so interactive and you can meet
some of the drivers and the other fans are great. You can cheer for your favorite drivers and people don't get upset. It's a friendly
rivalry with other fans."
What is a typical race weekend for you and your group?
"I try to come for qualifying each race. On Sunday we get to the track early so we can get in line at the souvenir trailers to get pictures
and hopefully see our drivers and get an autograph. Last year we went to pit road and did a tour. We talked about doing a hospitality
package with some of our friends. They did a hospitality package last year and loved it. We really would like to do that this year."
What's the most memorable race that you attended at MIS?
"Last August because we did a pit tour and took some pictures and had a great time on pit road. We also got photos with a number of the pit crews. We joke about it now, because we got some pictures from some of the guys on Sterling's pit crew and Jimmy Spencer's pit crew. Since August I've been calling them my bodyguards. It was my first time seeing and enjoying the pits.
Who is your favorite driver(s)?
"Sterling Marlin. When I first started to get into racing my husband wanted me to pick a car to root for during the Daytona 500. I picked
the Coors Light car because I just thought it was a cool car. I just liked the fact that Sterling has that Southern accent and is one of
the veteran drivers left out there that was around my age. The newer drivers are great, but I really root for some of the veterans. I do
like some of the new ones coming up like Jamie McMurray and Kasey Kahne. I went to the Hope House charity event that Sterling had in
Tennessee. The first place that I saw Sterling race was at Cuyahoga when he was racing in a special race on Canada Day and I really
enjoyed that. I actually have a Sterling tattoo on my ankle and had Sterling sign it. On Monday I got the signature permanently done on my ankle."
What other races have you attended at MIS and what other series do you like?
"We came for the Inaugural IRL race in 2002 because we wanted to see what that was all about. We enjoyed it. We also went to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race that year. We've really been getting into the Craftsman Truck Series races. It's my husband's favorite and I really enjoy the trucks. Since they now come to Michigan, it's awesome that we get to experience that race as well. Our favorite drivers are Ted Musgrave and Bobby Hamilton, some of the veteran drivers, along with Brendan Gaughan, who is now in NEXTEL Cup. We also like Carl Edwards as well, but we tend to be Dodge fans as you can tell.
How did you become such fans of the Dodge drivers?
"It's just because we have driven Dodges and different Chrysler products so we are Mopar people. I was always a Dodge person and my
husband always liked Bill Elliott and the Pettys before Dodge came back into NASCAR. My husband was always a fan and I couldn't figure out whey, but when he got me out to the track, I found out why he liked the sport so much."
By winning the MIS Fan of the Month contest, Morin will receive an MIS hat, shirt, and soft-sided cooler. Morin, along with every monthly winner, will be eligible to become MIS' ultimate fan-- the 2004 Michigan International Speedway Fan of the Year-- and be eligible to win a trip to NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. New prizes included in the 2004 contest include use of the MIS Jeff Gordon showcar to display outside your home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar date is subject to
availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of their choice for the next 10 years. Since the start of the MIS Fan of the Month contest in December 2002, over 5,900 fans have registered for the contest at MIS' official website. To nominate yourself or someone else for the MIS Fan of the Month, log on to the MIS Site.(4-16-2004)
- MIS Prize Winners Announced: David Richmond is one of 28 winners so far in the MIS "Race to Win" contest currently running at www.MISpeedway.com. A pair of tickets to NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience at The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre in Dearborn are given away each day, along with one other daily prize, such as the SIRIUS 400 tickets and pit passes won by Richmond. Richmond, from nearby Onsted, Michigan, has since come back to play nearly every day, which has not only netted him some great prizes, but has become a lot of fun to play. An instant trivia game, along with referring friends, gives fans even more chances to win. MIS "Race to Win" daily prize winner Chuck Churches won two tickets to NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience at The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre in Dearborn.
Fans can come back to www.MISpeedway.com each day to win additional prizes, but each daily entry also adds an additional entry for the Grand Prize drawing of $10,000 cash, $10,000 Garage Makeover provided by Gladiator GarageWorks and a VIP day for the GFS Marketplace 400 at on August 22 at MIS. The "Race to Win" contest at www.MISpeedway.com will give MIS fans a chance to instantly win daily prizes along with a daily entry towards the Grand Prize drawing with estimated winnings of over $21,000. The Grand Prize package includes $10,000 cash, a $10,000 garage makeover courtesy of Gladiator GarageWorks and a VIP day at MIS for the GFS Marketplace 400 on August 22. MIS "Race To Win" daily prizes include NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA RE/MAX Series and IRL IndyCar Series tickets to MIS. Fans can win other prizes such as tickets to see NASCAR 3D: The IMAX experience at The Henry Ford, hats, t-shirts, merchandise and unique gifts, in addition to the Grand Prize. The MIS 'Race to Win' contest ends Sunday, August 1. For tickets and information regarding events at MIS, log on to
www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(3-23-2004)
- March 2004 MIS Fan of the Month: Cori Hilliard: Cori Hilliard from Byron, Illinois is the March 2004 MIS Fan of the Month. Hilliard will receive an MIS hospitality package for two people to the MIS Sunday race of her choosing in 2004, in addition to the MIS hat, shirt and soft-sided cooler prizes. The MIS Fan of the Year will be chosen from the 2004 MIS Fans of the Month and be eligible to win a trip for two to Homestead, Florida to witness NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. As if that wasn't enough, MIS has added new prizes for the MIS Fan of the Year in 2004! The new prizes include the use of the MIS Jeff Gordon showcar to display outside your home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar date is subject to availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of their choice for the next 10 years. Hilliard is the fifth MIS Fan of the Month Eligible for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year.
How long have you been attending races at MIS and what's your favorite thing about coming to MIS?
"This will be my third year but I've been a NASCAR fan for over five years. My favorite part about going to MIS is definitely the people.
You have all types of people and everyone gets along. This is one sport that I can honestly say that people of all type get together. The first year I went up there I was just amazed at how nice people are and how everybody gets along. The staff and fans are friendly and everything is so convenient. If you ever have a question, the staff can always answer it for you."
Who comes to the race with you and where do you camp?
"We camp and usually arrive on Thursday or Friday and stay the whole weekend in the campground. I visit MIS with my husband and a couple of our friends. We always end up meeting people or run into people that we already know."
Why is it more exciting to attend a race at MIS rather than watching it on television?
"The noise is the biggest thing. The first time I heard a race car live, it was a huge adrenaline rush. It is different seeing it in person because on TV you just don't get to hear and see as much as you do when you watching it live at MIS.
What else do you enjoy doing when attending a race weekend at MIS?
"One of the best things I do is get pit passes. I start going down in the pits during qualifying. It's great to get up close to the cars and
drivers. People that don't get pit passes are really missing out. You do get to see how friendly the drivers are. It's very exciting."
What is a typical race weekend for you and your group?
"We usually get up to the track on Friday morning and setup camp. We'll then go into the track for qualifying. Last year we watched
qualifying in the stands but this year we already bought pit passes and we plan to watch qualifying from the pits. We always come back each year and see some friends and meet new people. It's exciting because you don't see them for a whole year. Then Saturday morning we check out the driver souvenir trailers and the displays outside the track. We usually go to the ARCA RE/MAX Series race on Saturday, which is very exciting. Saturday night we go back to camp and hang out. On Sunday morning, as soon as you see all those helicopters, you're awake and even wave to them as they fly over. It's like a big friendly party and it's this city where people setup and tear down all in a matter of a few days. Later Sunday morning we usually go back down into the pits prior to the (NASCAR NEXTEL) Cup race. This past year I got my picture taken on the start/finish line, which was neat."
What's the most memorable race that you attended at MIS?
"Last year's June race. The reason I do remember it was the Junior was doing well. Also, Ryan Newman's car caught on fire right in front of our seats since we sit between turns three and four. There was a lot of action and the race was very entertaining."
Who is your favorite driver(s)?
"Dale Earnhardt Jr. is my favorite driver. I was a fan of his father and picked up on Junior more recently. I also like Steve Park even
though he's no longer in the NEXTEL Cup Series, but he's still in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series."
Who's a driver that may not necessarily be your favorite, but one whom you admire?
"Tony Stewart hasn't always been one of my favorites, but in the last couple of years I've started to like him a lot more. Tony is a very good driver. This year, I've been following the rookie Kasey Kahne who has been impressive. You always need a backup driver."
By winning the MIS Fan of the Month contest, Hilliard will receive an MIS hat, shirt, and soft-sided cooler. Hilliard, along with every
monthly winner, will be eligible to become MIS' ultimate fan-- the 2004 Michigan International Speedway Fan of the Year-- and be eligible
to win a trip to NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. New prizes included in the 2004 contest include use of the MIS Jeff Gordon showcar to display outside your home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar date is subject to availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of their choice for the next 10
years.(Michigan International Speedway PR)(3-16-2004)
- MIS Contest: Michigan International Speedway recently announced the launch of the MIS ‘Race to Win’ contest, at www.MISpeedway.com. ‘Race to Win’ will give MIS fans a chance to instantly win daily prizes along with a daily entry towards the Grand Prize drawing with estimated winnings of over $21,000. The Grand Prize package includes $10,000 cash, a $10,000 garage makeover courtesy of Gladiator GarageWorks and VIP treatment during the GFS Marketplace 400 August 20-22 at MIS. Fans can log on to www.MISpeedway.com and play Michigan International Speedway’s ‘Race To Win’ every day to instantly win prizes such as tickets to all 2004 events at MIS, including NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, Busch Series, ARCA RE/MAX Series, Craftsman Truck Series and IRL IndyCar Series. Additional prizes include tickets to see NASCAR 3D: The IMAX experience at The Henry Ford, hats, t-shirts, merchandise and unique gifts, in addition to the Grand Prize. Racing returns to the high banks of Michigan International Speedway this Father’s Day weekend with the ARCA RE/MAX Series Flagstar 200 on Saturday, June 19, and the June 20, SIRIUS 400 featuring the stars of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. For tickets and information regarding events at MIS, log on to www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(3-8-2004)
- August MIS Race gets a sponsor: Gordon Food Service (GFS) Marketplace, a premier foodservice distributor with 100 retail stores in the Midwest, will sponsor the August NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway, officials at both companies announced recently. Gordon Food Service sponsored the August 2003 GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event won by Ryan Newman. With over 3,000 of the most widely used foodservice items in stock, the stores are a primary supplier to many smaller operators including: restaurants, churches, day care providers, service clubs, caterers, adult foster care facilities, convenience stores and concessionaires. Marketplace stores also service the emergency needs of GFS truck delivery customers. The stores are open to the public and require no membership fee. GFS Marketplace is dedicated to providing superior customer service and restaurant quality foodservice products. For more information on the GFS Marketplace, visit their website at www.gfsmarketplace.com. For more information about MIS, or to purchase tickets, visit MIS' official website at www.MISpeedway.com, or call the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(3-4-2004)
- Tix Still Available for first winter event at MIS: Fans that attend the first winter event in the history of Michigan International Speedway this weekend may not believe its actually winter, as mild temperatures have been forecasted for Saturday and Sunday. But World Snowmobile Association officials aren’t concerned about the forecast, as there’s plenty of snow to build the course. Michigan International Speedway maintenance workers have been hard at work since Monday transporting snow from all around the facility to the tri-oval area in order to build the course for this weekend’s Inaugural Arctic Cat Snocross at the Speedway. Workers have been stockpiling large snow piles, some as high as 20 feet, over the past month and a half from all over the 1300 + acre MIS facility in order to build the course. Starting this afternoon and continuing through Friday, WSA course building workers will groom the course with high-tech grooming machines, similar to what is used to groom hills at a ski resort. Along with the arrival of several WSA officials, many of the large 52-foot rigs from the top manufacturer teams such as Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo and Polaris, began arriving today at MIS. The paddock area is already busy with teams preparing their sleds for this weekend’s races. Along with the arrival of the large rigs, a few drivers have also started to trickle into the MIS paddock. Count Olah Racing Arctic Cat Rider Robbie Malinoski into the group of drivers that feel the milder temperatures for this weekend’s events will benefit the drivers and fans alike.
Tickets are currently on sale for the Inaugural Arctic Cat Snocross at the Speedway February 28 and 29 at MIS. The Inaugural Arctic Cat Snocross at the Speedway will mark the first winter racing event in the 35-year history of MIS. Admission is $20 for Saturday, February 28 and $25 for Sunday, February 29. Fans can also purchase a general admission combination ticket for both days for only $40. Pit Passes will be available to purchase at MIS for $10 on both race days. Pit passes will be sold at the entrance to the garage area at Gate 55. Fans can also purchase camping space, which will be made available in the driver motorcoach lot and cost $50 for the whole weekend. VIP hospitality packages are also available for the event. Fans can purchase advance tickets, pit passes, camping, or VIP packages by visiting www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket office at 1-800-354-1010.(MIS PR)(2-27-2004)
- Michigan Tix on Sale Saturday: Tickets to both NASCAR Nextel Cup Series events at Michigan International Speedway, the June 20 SIRIUS 400 and the August 22 Michigan 400, will go on sale at 9:00 AM EST this Saturday, February 7 in real-time at MIS’ official website, www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010. Over the past two years, fans have become accustomed to purchasing tickets in real-time and using the 3D seating maps at MIS’ official website. MIS race fans can log on to www.MISpeedway.com and check out the view from their seat and then purchase seats, all with a few clicks of the mouse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tickets to all other events, which include the IRL IndyCar Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, ARCA/REMAX Series, IRL Menard’s Infiniti Pro Series, and the Inaugural Arctic Cat Snocross at the Speedway, are on sale now. The Inaugural Arctic Cat Snocross at the Speedway will mark the first winter racing event in the 35-year history of MIS. Admission is $20 for Saturday, February 28 and $25 for Sunday, February 29. Fans can also purchase a general admission combination ticket for both days for only $40. Pit Passes will be available to purchase at MIS on both race days.(MIS PR)(2-5-2004)
- MIS Fan of the Month - Becky Hilley: Becky Hilley from Marquette, Michigan is the January 2004 MIS Fan of the Month. Hilley will receive an MIS Victory Lane Club hospitality package to the MIS Sunday race of her choosing in 2004, in addition to the MIS hat, shirt and soft-sided cooler prizes. The MIS Fan of the Year will be chosen from the 2004 MIS Fans of the Month and be eligible to win a trip for two to Miami, Florida to witness NASCAR's Championship Weekend at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
As if that wasn't enough, MIS has added new prizes for the MIS Fan of the Year in 2004! The new prizes include the use of the MIS Jeff Gordon showcar to display outside your home for a day (much like the Stanley Cup tour). The showcar day is subject to availability. The other new prize for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year includes two tickets to the MIS event of their choice for the next 10 years. Hilley is the third MIS Fan of the Month Eligible for the 2004 MIS Fan of the Year.
Who comes to the race with you and where do you camp?
"The first year I only had a week to prepare because we decided to come at the last minute, so we ended up at a campground that was not on the MIS property. Last year we were at Brookfest and really enjoyed being close to the track. It's nice that you have camping that is so close. The last couple of years we've had our season tickets with a couple of friends. This year I'm hoping to have our friends come along who couldn't make it last year. I'm hoping that now we're going to be able to camp together. "
When do you usually arrive at MIS?
"Last year we came down and got setup on Wednesday. This year we are planning on coming down on Tuesday and setting up camp a little bit earlier. We love being there early because it gives us time to get settled and see the town. I grew up in a small town a lot like Brooklyn, so I love to see the town and look around the area. Hopefully we can see a little bit more this year."
Why is it more exciting to attend a race at MIS rather than watching it on television?
"It's totally different than watching it on television. It's exciting to see it live. A lot of friends wonder why I watch NASCAR. You have to see it to appreciate it. It's so much more than cars just going around in circles. We've been able to meet several of the drivers like Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, and Kurt Busch at some of the autograph signings. Sometimes you don't realize how hectic the drivers' schedules are, especially on Sunday morning. It's just a treat to get an autograph and to meet them because you see how hectic everything is. I didn't realize how nervous I would be since they are literally two feet away from you. I've always had great experiences at MIS. Friends of mine go other places and their experience just isn't the same. During the rain delay in qualifying last year, a lot of drivers took time to sign for the fans and that was very nice. All of the sudden I turned around and Bill Elliott and several other drivers are just
