MIS E-News
Week of April 21, 2008

Greetings MIS Fans

We are just days away from the first on-track action of the season at MIS. It�s been a long winter and it felt great standing on the track this past Sunday with seventy degree temperatures. Let�s hope the weather will continue to shine upon us.

We�ve made many changes to our weekly racing program and have put together an outstanding schedule.

Five weekly divisions: Weaver Auto Parts Super Late Models, Rockweiler Insulation Limited Late Models, Bryden Motors Area Sportsman, Roto Rooter Bandits, and INEX Legends. The return of the super late models was a major change for us and we are looking forward to seeing them on a weekly basis. We are expecting a very competitive group to be racing with us in all of our weekly divisions with several drivers making the move up.

We also need your help�spread the word about MIS! If every one of you could bring out a first-time fan to MIS in 2008 that would truly be big news. We are all racing fans. Let�s try to get some new fans out to join all of us at the track this season. And always remember to support those who support those who support racing including our MIS E-News sponsors.

Do you know a high school student interested in automotive technology? The ASA Educational Series is offering nearly $400,000 in scholarships to Ohio Technical College. We are looking for students interested in being on a pit crew or driving in 2008. Individual scholarships of $25,000 are available. We have teams looking for high school kids willing to work and learn. Contact Dave Grueneberg at 608.513.2278 if you know of someone who may be interested.

Looking for a place to have a party? MIS is a great place for a corporate gathering. Contact Holly Coley to see just how affordable it can be for a group of any size.

First Practice Session is Saturday

The race season is knocking on the door with our first practice session scheduled for Saturday, April 26 from Noon to 5:00 PM for drivers in any division that will be racing at MIS in 2008. The pit gates will open at 10:00 AM.

Engines may not fire until Noon per agreement with the Town Board. The tech inspection building will be open and drivers wanting to go through safety inspection prior to noon may push their vehicles through tech. All vehicles must go through a safety inspection prior to going on the track for their practice session. Practice sessions will rotate all afternoon long.

There are several forms drivers will need to have completed prior to going on the track. All forms can be downloaded from our website to allow you from having to complete them at the speedway.

All drivers will need to have a driver information sheet completed and turned in to John Wells. This form means your sponsors will be announced and that we can put this information on our website for those who are in our weekly divisions. Fans love to know about you so it�s important that you get us the information. Staff will also be in the pits on race nights throughout the season to get updates from you.

Drivers who will be racing for points and point fund money at MIS will need to fill out an MIS Membership form. A car owner form will also need to be completed for payout. If you wish to get a reserved pit stall this can be taken care of as well.

To save time please get this information filled out ahead of time and to John Wells on practice day.

ASA memberships will also be sold at the track. For more information on the ASA membership program please go to our website.

Wayne Forsythe, one of the biggest supporters of racing at MIS, will be at the track for both practice sessions signing up drivers for his Wayne�s Custom DIECAST Dash and Hard Charger programs.

A second practice session is scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd with the same format and times as the first one. However, any ASA Midwest Tour car that is scheduled to race the opener is not allowed to practice on the 3rd per ASA Midwest Tour rules.

Opening Day Schedule

Saturday, May 3rd
Viking Lanes- Stoughton, WI
Pre-Race Party and Fundraiser for Trackside Charities
Live Band at 8:30pm Raffles! Prizes!
A great way to kick off opening day at MIS

Sunday May 4th (From the ASA Midwest Tour Website)
7:30am- Officials Meeting
8:00am- Pit Window Opens/Driver Registration Trailer Opens
8:30am- Rig Parking Begins (ASAMT Top 20, Big 8 Top 10)
9:00am- ASAMT Practice Tech Line Open
9:15am- Hoosier Tire Sales Open
10:00am- Crew Chief/Spotter Meeting
10:30am- Driver Meeting
11:30am- Big 8 Series Practice 30 mins
12:00pm- ASAMT Practice 60 mins
1:00pm- Big 8 Practice 30 mins
1:30pm- ASAMT Practice 45 mins
2:30pm- ASAMT Qualifying Tech Opens
2:30pm- Big 8 Qualifying (Staged on Quarter Mile)
3:20pm- ASAMT Qualifying
4:15pm- Driver Autograph Session (Main Grandstand both Divisions)
4:45pm- Opening Ceremonies.
5:00pm- ASAMT Odd/Even Qualifying Races- 8 Laps (Top 2)
ASAMT Odd Even Fast Heat (s)- 8 Laps
Big 8 Last Chance Event (2)
ASAMT Last Chance Event (s)- 20 Laps (Top 2 or 4)
Big 8 Feature Event- 38 Laps
ASAMT Cars Grided for Driver Intros
Echo Chain Saw 100 Feature Event
8:00pm- Racing Complete


The Most Important Practice Session of the Season Held on Sunday

The most important practice session of the season took place at Madison International Speedway on Sunday morning (April 20). It took place without a flagman, technical inspections, or any engine noise. This practice session also was without any stock cars on the track. So why was it so important?

It was a training session for those who respond to on-track incidents during the racing season at MIS.

�This is a great opportunity for us to train our personnel for whatever might occur during the racing season,� said Jon Byrd of Oregon Fire and EMS who coordinated the session for fire and emergency medical personnel and the crew from Race Track Safety. �It is very important that everyone who is out on the track working as part of the safety crew is well-trained for whatever might happen.�

Several scenarios were designed including using Jaws of Life tools to cut through a frame, removing drivers from cars, and on-track traffic control. Using personal vehicles to simulate stock cars allowed the crew to rehearse several very realistic situations on both the half-mile and quarter-mile tracks. In this practice no cars were damaged, but everyone knows that things can change very quickly on race night.

�These men and women are the best around and we are very appreciative of their efforts. Like any emergency crew, you hope you�ll never need to use them. But it sure is nice they are so committed to being the best they can be and we are lucky to have them,� said MIS General Manager Dave Grueneberg.

MIS would also like to thank Tom Shaughnessy of Fire Rescue Supply LLC of Belleville. �We appreciate all that Tom has done to make sure these guys are prepared for what they have been training to do,� added Grueneberg.

Ironically the session was cut short when the members of Oregon Fire and EMS received a page to respond to a grass fire.

So the next time you are at MIS remember that the safety personnel on the track are well-trained for whatever might happen when the green flag waves.


Big News for MIS Kids Club
By Chuck West

The MIS Turn 4 Kids Club plans are all coming along very well for the 2008 season. First,we are continuing our association with Rainbow Play Systems. They have agreed to put up a brand new 'Castle Series' playground for us this year. The new playground will be in place and ready for all our Turn 4 Kids by opening day, May 4th. We owe a huge Thank You to a great bunch of people at Rainbow Play Systems.

Again this year, due to the generosity of our sponsors, MIS Turn 4 Kids Club will be able to give away a Bike at every regular scheduled event. That means 17 lucky kids will take home a brand new bike during the 2008 MIS racing season.

We are also piling up lots of great prizes for the MIS Turn 4 Kids. Every regular race event kids can stop by the Turn 4 Kids Clubhouse and sign up for the prize drawing for that night. Kids must be a member of the MIS Turn 4 Kids Club to be eligible for the Prize Drawings.

Last year we had a lot of fun with Recliner Races. This Year we will have one Recliner Race, held on the 4th of July. Be sure to get you name on the competitors list at the "MIS Turn 4 Kids Clubhouse". Lots of FUN and Lots of PRIZES for the winning team.

The Turn 4 Kids have ALWAYS enjoyed the MIS Coin Drops. Last year we poured over $400.00 in coins and Chuck-E-Cheese game tokens onto the front stretch for the kids to scramble for. We also gave a Bike away at each of those Coin Drops. Look for this year to be even bigger and better. Coin Drops will be held on July 11 and again on August 22.

Hey Kids! Get Your BIG WHEEL oiled up and ready!! On June 20th we will hold the "MIS turn 4 Kids Club" Big Wheel Challenge. Big Prizes for the fastest Kid on Three Wheels. Big Wheel Racing will be broken into age groups so every kid can have an equal opportunity.

"MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" Corn Roast has become an MIS tradition. Look for this 'TASTY' event to return for 2 nights this season. Corn roasts have been tentatively scheduled for August 1st and August 8th.

SIX times this season we will be choosing "MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" Families to be the guests of MIS as a "VIP Family, Inside MIS" The lucky families will be escorted on a VIP tour of the MIS racing facility. You will visit the Scoring Tower, The MIS Tech Building, Tour the Pits and be able to see what goes on at the Drivers Meeting. The evening will continue with your family enjoying the evening of races from your own "Reserved Seats", (The Best Seats In The House). We will even buy your first round of "Pepsi" soft drinks for you!

Plans are well underway for a NEW "MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" webpage. Watch our MIS website, www.madisoninternationalspeedway.com for details and our launch date. The entire "MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" event schedule will be on that webpage. The website will also have great links to Game Pages, MIS Turn 4 Kids Club sign-up forms and lots of other cool pages.

To be eligible for all these GREAT Kids Club events, a child must be between the ages of 5 and 15. Sign-up is free at the "MIS Turn 4 Kids Clubhouse" every regular race night from 5:30 until 7:30 pm. Kids will receive a "MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" membership card and can purchase a really cool "MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" shirt for just $3.00. Non-members can purchase the T-Shirt for $6.50. To be eligible for prize drawings or for the weekly bicycle drawing, a child MUST show their "MIS Turn 4 Kids Club" Membership Card. There will only be 500 shirts available this year. When they are gone they are Gone.

We encourage ALL the great "MIS Turn 4 Kids" to get signed up early.

That�s all for this week and we�ll see you at the track. Please stop by and say hello.

John Wells