Friday, February 7, 2014

Toyota Becomes First Founding Partner of Historic DAYTONA Rising

Toyota Becomes First Founding Partner of Historic DAYTONA Rising Project At Daytona International Speedway 
Extends Multi-Year Partnership At Several International Speedway Corporation Properties
CHICAGO and DAYTONA BEACH International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: ISCA; OTC Bulletin Board: ISCB) ("ISC") today announced a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership with Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc. that will make Toyota the first Founding Partner at Daytona International Speedway as part of its unprecedented $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project.

DAYTONA Rising is ISC’s complete reimagining of the fan and sponsor experience at its iconic Daytona International Speedway, a multi-year project encompassing the Speedway’s nearly one-mile long frontstretch that, upon completion in January 2016, will create a world-class facility with premium amenities unmatched in the industry. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"When we started drafting the designs of DAYTONA Rising, we envisioned partnering with equally forward-thinking organizations like Toyota to bring forth the very best experience for our fans and guests," said ISC Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy. "Toyota has been a great partner for many years and we will continue to work together to enhance the fan experience at many of our facilities across the country."
Beginning in 2015, the 11-year agreement will provide Toyota with naming rights for one of five fan injectors.  The massive, new and redesigned entry statement includes over 20,000 square feet of Toyota engagement and fan experience that vertically spans four concourse levels.

The Toyota brand will also have a presence in the new "World Center of Racing" zone, the central "neighborhood" overlooking Daytona’s famed start/finish line inside the new frontstretch facility. The "World Center of Racing" zone is roughly the area of two football fields where Daytona International Speedway, its partners and race fans will celebrate the history and legacy of racing at the iconic motorsports venue.  Fans will be able to socialize and enjoy themselves in this area prior to, during and after a race.
Ten additional neighborhoods, each the size of a football field, will be located throughout the new frontstretch with custom bar, retail and dining areas, as well as dozens of video screens to provide fans with non-stop views of on-track action while they mingle with friends. Toyota will also have branding rights to a neighborhood near the Toyota injector.

Additionally, Toyota will serve as an official partner of "The Great American Race," the DAYTONA 500®, and will receive official pace car rights in 2015.
"DAYTONA Rising represents our commitment to delivering engaging and innovative ways for our partners to showcase their brand," said Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood III. "We’re proud to integrate Toyota into this historic project. Our fans and guests will now enjoy more exciting, innovative and engaging experiences from the moment they enter the new facility to the time they reach their seats and beyond."
In addition to the Founding Partner status with DAYTONA Rising, Toyota also extended the following sponsorship rights at other ISC venues: 

  • Race entitlement sponsorship of the spring NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series races at Richmond International Raceway® 
  • Pace Car rights at Auto Club Speedway®, Chicagoland Speedway®, Kansas Speedway®, Phoenix International Raceway®, Richmond International Raceway® and Watkins Glen International® for each NASCAR major event weekend, as well as Official Vehicle at Route 66 Raceway®
The partnership was announced today at the Chicago Auto Show, the same location where Toyota initially revealed its plans more than 10 years ago to participate for the first time in NASCAR, as part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

"This is a unique opportunity for Toyota to elevate our brand in the motorsports community, especially through the DAYTONA Rising project," said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. "ISC and Daytona International Speedway will provide strong platforms to interact with our guests and most importantly, our race fans.

About International Speedway Corporation
International Speedway Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities, currently promoting more than 100 racing events annually as well as numerous other motorsports-related activities.  The Company owns and/or operates 13 of the nation's major motorsports entertainment facilities, including Daytona International Speedway® in Florida (home of the DAYTONA 500®); Talladega Superspeedway® in Alabama; Michigan International Speedway® located outside Detroit; Richmond International Raceway® in Virginia; Auto Club Speedway of Southern CaliforniaSM near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway® in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix International Raceway® in Arizona; Chicagoland Speedway® and Route 66 RacewaySM near Chicago, Illinois;  Homestead-Miami SpeedwaySM in Florida; Martinsville Speedway® in Virginia; Darlington Raceway® in South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International® in New York. 

The Company also owns and operates Motor Racing Network, the nation's largest independent sports radio network and Americrown Service Corporation
SM, a subsidiary that provides catering services, food and beverage concessions, and produces and markets motorsports-related merchandise.  In addition, the Company has a 50 percent interest in the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.  For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.internationalspeedwaycorporation.com. 
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands.  Over the past 50 years, we’ve built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants and directly employ nearly 40,000 people.  Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.5 million cars and trucks in 2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today. 
Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment.  As part of this commitment, we share the company’s extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.  
About DAYTONA Rising
DAYTONA Rising is a $400 million reimagining of an American icon – Daytona International Speedway. Five expanded and redesigned entrances, or "injectors," will lead fans to a series of escalators and elevators, transporting them to three different concourse levels. Each level features spacious social areas, or "neighborhoods," along the nearly mile-long frontstretch. At the conclusion of the redevelopment, Daytona International Speedway will have approximately 101,000 permanent, wider and more comfortable seats, twice as many restrooms and three times as many concession stands. In addition, the Speedway will feature over 60 luxury suites with track side views and a completely revamped hospitality experience for corporate guests.  DAYTONA Rising: Reimagining an American Icon, expected to create 6,300 jobs, $300 million in labor income and over $80 million in tax revenue, will be completed in time for the 2016 Rolex 24 At Daytona and DAYTONA 500. DAYTONA Rising was recently cited as a key source of expected job growth in Volusia County as part of the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Barton Malow is serving as the design-builder for the project. In addition to DAYTONA Rising, Barton Malow has renovated the University of Michigan "Big House" and the Rose Bowl.
ROSSETTI, an award-winning architectural design and planning firm for the past 40 years, which headed the design for Ford Field NFL Stadium, University of Notre Dame Compton Family Ice Arena and five Major League Soccer Stadiums, is leading the master planning of the DAYTONA Rising site.
Race fans can follow the progress of the DAYTONA Rising project by visiting www.DAYTONARising.com and connecting with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.  Also, fans can see the construction project up close by taking one of the daily tours available at the Speedway on non-event days throughout the year.  Visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/tours or the Speedway Ticket and Tours Building for more information.
For tickets and more information on Daytona International Speedway events, visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.
About Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is the home of "The Great American Race" - the DAYTONA 500. Though the season-opening NASCAR Sprint Cup event garners most of the attention - as well as the largest audience in motorsports - the approximately 500-acre motorsports complex boasts the most diverse schedule of racing on the globe, thus earning it the title of "World Center of Racing." In addition to eight major weekends of racing activity, rarely a week goes by that the Speedway grounds are not used for events that include civic and social gatherings, car shows, photo shoots, production vehicle testing and police motorcycle training.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

2014 Canadian Tire Series Schedule Announced


2014 Canadian Tire Series Schedule Announced
·         Inaugural Dates At Two Ovals
·         Challenging Mix Of Short Tracks And Road Courses Determine Champion
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2014) – The words “NATIONAL CHAMPION” are stamped in big, bold words across the base of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series championship trophy.

And the 2014 schedule will feature Canada’s best stock car drivers banging fenders at 10 venues in five provinces, from Nova Scotia to Alberta. The 11-race slate will start on Victoria Day weekend as part of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park’s popular Speedfest weekend and culminate at its traditional Kawartha Speedway date in September.

The schedule announcement is highlighted by the return of the late summer companion date with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at CTMP, as well as the additions of a pair of short tracks. The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series has added an early June trip to Quebec to take on the quarter-mile track at Autodrome Chaudiére and a mid-July visit to another short track at Alberta’s Edmonton International Raceway.

“The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series’ blend of exciting ovals and top-shelf road courses from Alberta to Nova Scotia with several stops in between continues to provide race fans across the country a high level of competition,” said George Silbermann, NASCAR vice president, regional and touring series. “The two new additions to the calendar along with the extremely successful second date at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park set up another thrilling championship battle.”

TSN, Canada’s sport leader, again will be the television home of the Canadian Tire Series as it has since the series’ inaugural season in 2007. RDS, the French-language sister station to TSN, also will continue to provide coverage through its primary channel along with its secondary outlet at RDS2. Complete programming details will be announced at a later date.

The 2014 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule rundown:

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park – The Canadian Tire Series’ eighth season kicks off at the Victoria Day SpeedFest on May 18 and joins the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series on an Aug. 31 return to the legendary Ontario road course.

Autodrome Chaudiére – The series makes it inaugural visit to the high-banked asphalt oval situated just south of Quebec City on June 14 in the first of four Quebec dates this year. The track opened in 1992 as a dirt track and was paved in 2005.

Circuit ICAR – A July 16 date at the challenging 2.113-mile road course in Mirabel, Que., is in store as the series make its fourth appearance at the airport circuit. The tight turns and concrete surface provides plenty of excitement for the drivers and fans.

Edmonton International Raceway – The annual Western Canadian swing gets underway with the inaugural visit on July 11 to the Alberta quarter-mile that has been a long-standing member of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

Auto Clearing Speedway – The western swing concludes on July 16 at the fast .333-mile Saskatchewan oval. Capacity crowds have been on hand in each of the series’ five visits to the track.

Autodrome St. Eustache – After a successful return in 2013 to the .4-mile flat oval located just minutes from Montreal, a July 26 date is on the books in front of the passionate Quebec fans.

Circuit de Trois-Rivieres – The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres is one of the highlights of every Canadian Tire Series season. This year a longer 200-kilometer race is scheduled for Aug. 10.

Riverside International Speedway – Series competitors always circle the annual visit – slated for Aug. 16 – to the Canadian Maritimes to battle on the high-banked oval located in Antigonish, N.S.

Barrie Speedway – The .333-mile tri-oval never fails to provide excitement. This season’s trip to the cozy Ontario oval is scheduled for Sept. 6.

Kawartha Speedway – The traditional crowning of the new NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion at the .375-mile track in Ontario is on tap for Sept. 20.

2014 NASCAR CANADIAN TIRE SERIES SCHEDULE

Date                             Track (Length)                                                                                    Location
Sun., May 18                 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile road course)           Bowmanville, Ont.
Sat., June 14                 Autodrome Chaudiére (.25-mile)                                          Vallée-Jonction, Que.
Sun., July 6                   Circuit ICAR (2.113-mile road course)                                              Mirabel, Que.
Fri., July 11                   Edmonton International Raceway (.25-mile)                                Wetaskiwin, Alta.
Wed., July 16                Auto Clearing Motor Speedway (.333-mile)                               Saskatoon, Sask.
Sat., July 26                  Autodrome St. Eustache (.4-mile)                                           St. Eustache, Que.
Sun., Aug. 10                Circuit de Trois-Rivieres (1.53-mile road course)                     Trois-Rivieres, Que.
Sat., Aug, 16                 Riverside International Speedway (.333-mile)                               Antigonish, N.S.
Sun., Aug. 31                Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (2.459-mile road course)           Bowmanville, Ont.
Sat., Sept 6                  Barrie Speedway (.333-mile)                                                              Barrie, Ont.
Sat., Sept. 20                Kawartha Speedway (.375-mile)                                             Peterborough, Ont.

Subject to change

SPEEDWAY TO HOST MIAMI HISTORICS EVENT

SPEEDWAY TO HOST MIAMI HISTORICS EVENT MARCH 7-9

An array of classic and contemporary autos will race on road course

MIAMI – Homestead-Miami Speedway today announced that it will host The Miami Historics -- a full slate of vintage car races --during the weekend of March 7-9, 2014.  Track President Matthew Becherer made the announcement.
 
The event will feature 17 different races over two days on the track’s infield road course – a 15 turn 2.2 mile traditional layout – by both the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) and the Trans Am Race Series.  It will include a full complement of SVRA Sprint and Hawk Performance Endurance races that are part of the East Coast championships. 
 
“While it will be fantastic racing, the stars of this event will be the cars, “said Becherer.  “Every ticket includes full access to the paddock where fans can get right up to the cars and drivers.  Anyone with even slight interest in fine automobiles should plan to attend.  You’ll see everything from Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes racing against Ferraris, BMWs and PorschesThe cars competing throughout the weekend will include legendary classic makes to well known contemporary brands.”
 
Individual daily tickets are $20 while three-day passes that include Friday (March 7) practices and qualifying are $30. Tickets for the event are on sale now here.  They are also available by phone at 305.230.5255. 
Saturday (March 8) activities will begin with practice for the various race groups at 8:00 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying and 10 different group races.  Sunday (March 9) activities will include four more SVRA races and the Trans Am Series race to at 3:00 p.m. to conclude the weekend. 
 
Practice and qualifying on Friday (March 7) will run from 8:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.
 
"We're excited to be visiting Homestead Miami Speedway for the first time in 2014,” said SVRA President and CEO Tony Parella. “I’m sure the South Florida race fans will enjoy the three days of action packed racing featuring cars from the 1950s to the present, as well as the chance to get up close and personal with the cars and drivers."
SVRA racing features classic MGs, Triumphs, BMWs, Allards, Jaguars and Lotuses, in addition to contemporary Camaros, Audis, Porches and Corvettes. 
“Trans Am is excited to return to Homestead-Miami and even more excited to re-introduce Trans Am to fans of the Series who call the Miami area home,” said Trans Am Race Company President John Clagett. “We’ll have a full complement of contemporary motorsport on display for them, from the iconic ‘TA’ cars they know and love, to the ongoing pony wars between the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang in TA2 and the performance sports cars of TA3 —between Trans Am’s offering, SVRA and the track, I’m confident we’ll put on a must-see event over the course of the weekend.”
The Trans Am Series has gone through several evolutions since it debuted in March 1966 at Sebring International Raceway in Central Florida.

About SVRA
The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association is one of the oldest and largest of the Vintage racing organizations in the United States. Originally called the Southeast Vintage Racing Association, it was founded in 1981 by Ford Heacock III. With an initial membership of 25 drivers and supporters, the organization has become the premier vintage racing organization in the United States with more than 1,500 members. Over the years SVRA has conducted Vintage events at legendary race tracks throughout the country including Willow Springs, Road America, Watkins Glen International, Virginia International Raceway, California Speedway and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course , to name but a few.

During 2013 the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association embarked on an aggressive expansion program designed to bring the sport of Vintage Racing to a new level of professionalism and prominence.  Among the highlights were: the acquisition of HSR-West, making SVRA the first truly national Vintage Racing organization, the  implementation of a set of simplified set of rules & enforcement procedures, the launch of a dramatically upgraded,  more user friendly, website, as well as conducting the first ever U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX .
The 2014 season features a schedule bolstered by the addition of the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway (another SVRA first in Vintage Racing), Pocono Raceway and the Homestead Miami Speedway. Additionally, the U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships will again be conducted at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin Texas.

Further information on SVRA can be found on our website, now averaging over 22000 “hits”/month, on Facebook  with over 8300 followers and on YouTube , with over 50 action packed videos available. As a point of interest, the overview video from the 2013 U.S. Vintage Racing National Championships has been viewed by more than 101,000 people. 

About the Trans Am Series
The Trans Am Series dates back to 1966. Throughout the years, some of the greatest names in motorsports have participated in the Trans Am Series. Past Trans Am Champions include Paul Gentilozzi, Tommy Kendall, Mark Donohue, Scott Pruett, Wally Dallenback Jr, George Follmer, Scott Sharp, Bob Tullius, Tony Ave, Bob Stretch, Simon Gregg, Doug Peterson, Cameron Lawrence and Chuck Cassaro.

The iconic Trans Am Series – America’s Road Racing Series–is operated by the Trans Am Race Company, LLC. Through a five-year agreement, the Trans Am Race Company manages the marketing rights to the series and is responsible for Trans Am Series public relations and promotions. SCCA Pro Racing sanctions Trans Am events and provides event operations services to the series.  
 
About Homestead-Miami Speedway
The Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.  The 650-acre facility is active more than 280 days per year and will host NASCAR’s championship races during Ford Championship Weekend (November 14-16, 2014) for the 13th consecutive year.  The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship Ford EcoBoost 400 is broadcast live on TV and radio to 200 countries in 24 languages.  Homestead-Miami Speedway, featuring a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course, generates more than $250 million annually for the region.