Fourth-quarter profits at International Speedway Corp. soared 72 percent, pumped up by two additional Nextel Cup races and the newly acquired Martinsville Speedway. ISC, owner of Daytona International Speedway and 11 other racetracks, reported Thursday it finished the September-November period last year with net income of $54.4 million, or $1.02 a share, up from $31.6 million, or 60 cents per share, the previous fall. The results gave ISC a 48 percent boost in its profit tally for the full year — $156 million, up from $105 million in 2003. Most of the fourth-quarter gain came from schedule changes that resulted in additional fall events at California Speedway and Darlington Raceway. A Nextel Cup race at Martinsville also boosted company revenues, which were $231.3 million for the quarter, a 52 percent increase. For the full year, revenue surged $99 million to hit $647.8 million, an 18 percent gain.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(1-29-2005)
