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Staff
Report
SPARTA, KY. (November 2002) – The Kentucky
Speedway will bring racing series back to
the 1.5-mile tri-oval track during four
weekends in May, June, July and August 2003.
Track officials announced their 2003 race
schedule in mid-October, and it features
the NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series, Indy Racing
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Sam Hornish
Jr.
2003
IRL Season Champion
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League and ARCA RE/MAX Series, all which
competed at the $152-million speedway this
past summer.
Support series returning to the state-of-the-art
facility include the NASCAR All Pro, NASCAR
Goody’s Dash Series and Indy Racing
League Infiniti Pro Series. The schedule
also includes a May 9 celebrity event that
will showcase NASCAR Winston Cup stars signing
autographs and racing on the quarter-mile
short track.
2003 season tickets went on sale Oct. 14,
and single event ticket sales begin Monday,
Jan. 6, 2003. Season ticket holders will
receive more benefits than ever before,
including parking and pit passes as well
as extra tickets to race events.
Kentucky Speedway Executive Vice President
and General Manager Mark F. Cassis announced
the upcoming ledger, which features a realignment
of the returning series and Kentucky Speedway’s
first all open-wheel weekend. All races
will enjoy national live or tape delay television
exposure.
“I’m very pleased with our new
race schedule for 2003 and that we’ll
continue to showcase our facility and events
through extensive national and local television
coverage,” Cassis said.
“Of course, the race schedule is just
the foundation from which to build upon
as each weekend will include special musical
entertainment and festivities for the whole
family. We’ve developed a reputation
of doing things bigger and better, and we
won’t disappoint in 2003.”
The ARCA RE/MAX Series returns for opening
weekend May 9-10 and “The Channel 5-205.”
WLWT-TV 5, Cincinnati’s NBC affiliate,
returns as the title sponsor and will again
televise the race live to the Greater Cincinnati
market. The race distance increases 50 miles
from the 2002 event and will be the series
only Kentucky performance of 2003. Four-time
series champion and three-time Kentucky
Speedway champion Frank Kimmel is expected
to lead the talented race field.
The NASCAR Busch Series returns to anchor
the June 13-14 weekend and will be joined
by the NASCAR All Pro Series. The event
has attracted back-to-back overflow crowds
of more than 71,000 and 70,000 to set the
standing Greater Cincinnati single sports
event attendance record in both 2002 and
2001.
The speedway’s July 11-12 weekend will
feature the return of the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series and NASCAR Goody’s Dash
Series.
The first all open-wheel race weekend commences
Aug. 16-17 when the Indy Racing League and
Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series return to
close the season at respective speeds of
more than 220 mph and 180 mph. The race
weekend moves to the third week of August
for the first time.(All times EST; some
starting times TBA)
Weekend
#1
Friday, May 9:
ARCA RE/MAX Series Pole Day & Final
Practice
Winston Cup & ARCA Series Driver Autograph
Session
Winston Cup Series Driver Legends Exhibition
(Quarter-mile track)
Saturday, May 10:
ARCA-RE/MAX “The Channel 5-205”
(8 p.m./Ch. 5, Speed Ch.)
Weekend #2
Friday, June 13:
“Lexington Herald-Leader Pole Night”
NASCAR Busch Series
Qualifying
NASCAR All-Pro Series “The Kentucky
150”
Saturday, June 14:
NASCAR Busch Series “The Kentucky 300”
(8 p.m./FOX Network)
Weekend
#3
Friday, July 11:
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying
NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series “The
Kentucky 150”
Saturday, July 12:
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series “The
Kentucky 225”
(8 p.m./Speed Channel)
Weekend
#4
Saturday, Aug. 16:
Indy Racing League Qualifying
Infiniti Pro Series “The Kentucky 100”
(8 p.m./ESPN2 delayed)
Sunday, Aug. 17:
Indy Racing League’s “The Belterra
Casino Indy 300”
(2 p.m./ABC)
Tickets: Season and single event tickets
on sale by calling
1-888-652-RACE (7223); online at www.kentuckyspeedway.com;
or in person at 2216 Dixie Hwy., Suite 200,
Ft. Mitchell, KY or at the Track’s
Fan Center on Hwy. 35, Sparta, KY, off I-71
Exit 57.
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