International Speedway Hosts Successful Speedweeks at Daytona
February 22 2005 - 11:55AM
PR Newswire (US)
International Speedway Hosts Successful Speedweeks at Daytona
Record Revenue for Speedweeks; Most Watched Daytona 500 Ever on FOX
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
International Speedway Corporation (NASDAQ:ISCA) (OTC:ISCB)
(BULLETIN BOARD: ISCB) ("ISC") today announced a successful
Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway from February 5 to
February 20, 2005, highlighted by record revenue for the combined
events. In addition, the sold-out NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Daytona
500 posted strong viewership results, tying the highest television
rating in the history of the event. Speedweeks began with the
premier sports car endurance race, the Grand American Road Racing
Series Rolex 24 At Daytona, and culminated with stock car racing's
most prestigious event, the Daytona 500. Over 35 million viewers
nationwide tuned in to watch "The Great American Race," the largest
audience ever for a FOX broadcast of NASCAR racing. Significant
promotion leading up to the race, excellent flag-to-flag coverage
and exciting on-track competition contributed to the 10.9 fast
national rating and 23 share. Eight of the top ten media markets in
the country posted double-digit increases in ratings compared to
the prior year, including a 17 percent increase in New York City,
the nation's largest media market. "The continually increasing
popularity of motorsports, particularly NASCAR racing, was
evidenced by the success of this year's Speedweeks," said Lesa
France Kennedy, President of ISC. "The events kicked off with
increased attendance for the Rolex 24 At Daytona, which featured a
highly competitive line-up of superstars from around the world. The
momentum continued throughout Speedweeks, with remaining events
posting higher attendance over the prior year, and culminated with
outstanding television viewership for the sold-out Daytona 500."
Speedweeks was also highlighted by the debut of Daytona's newly
renovated infield. Guests enjoyed a more festive and fan-friendly
atmosphere throughout the NEXTEL FANZONE, which features
non-traditional cuisine from the upscale "Bistro," various forms of
entertainment as well as live national television and radio
broadcasts. Thousands of fans were given a firsthand look at the
pre-race preparation process through unique perspectives including
garage windows and rooftop viewing atop the NEXTEL Cup garages.
Guests also enjoyed new waterfront specialty vehicle parking areas
and the facility's signature infield structure, the Daytona 500
Club, which overlooks the new Gatorade Victory Lane. Nextel's
"Tribute to America" Daytona 500 pre-race extravaganza featured
performances by Vanessa Williams, country music superstar Clint
Black, Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson, and Columbia Records
recording sensation John Ondrasik and Five For Fighting. In
addition, other top-name celebrities and guests joined the pre-race
festivities, including Matthew McConaughey who presided as Grand
Marshal, and Ashton Kutcher, Honorary Starter for the event. The
pre-race excitement was only surpassed by the thrilling on-track
competition, which concluded with the first ever overtime
"green-white- checkered" finish for the Daytona 500, and Jeff
Gordon capturing his third victory in "The Great American Race."
Gordon joins Bobby Allison and Dale Jarrett as the only three-time
Daytona 500 Champions. ISC's MRN Radio, "The Voice of NASCAR
Racing" and the nation's largest independent sport radio network,
broadcast their coverage of the Daytona 500 through more than 500
affiliates throughout North America. In addition, the American
Forces Radio Network broadcast the event to one million men and
women in uniform in nearly 180 countries worldwide and to over 180
ships at sea. "Daytona's new infield and NEXTEL FANZONE area was a
home run with our guests throughout Speedweeks," concluded Ms.
France Kennedy. "Speedweeks was also successful for our broadcast
and marketing partners, demonstrated by the outstanding television
results for the Daytona 500 and the significant at- track presence
of many of the country's leading corporate sponsors. We are very
pleased with the outstanding start to the 2005 racing season and
look forward to another record year." International Speedway
Corporation is a leading promoter of motorsports activities in the
United States, currently promoting more than 100 events annually.
The Company owns and/or operates 11 of the nation's major
motorsports 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; California Speedway
near Los Angeles; Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas; Phoenix
International Raceway in Arizona; Homestead-Miami Speedway in
Florida; Martinsville Speedway in Virginia; Darlington Raceway in
South Carolina; and Watkins Glen International in New York. Other
track ownership includes an indirect 37.5% interest in Raceway
Associates, LLC, which owns and operates Chicagoland Speedway and
Route 66 Raceway near Chicago, Illinois. The Company also owns and
operates MRN Radio, the nation's largest independent sports radio
network; DAYTONA USA, the "Ultimate Motorsports Attraction" in
Daytona Beach, Florida, the official attraction of NASCAR; and
subsidiaries which provide catering services, food and beverage
concessions, and produce and market motorsports-related merchandise
under the trade name "Americrown." For more information, visit the
Company's Web site at http://www.iscmotorsports.com/ . Statements
made in this release that express the Company's or management's
beliefs or expectations and which are not historical facts or which
are applied prospectively are forward-looking statements. It is
important to note that the Company's actual results could differ
materially from those contained in or implied by such forward
looking statements. The Company's results could be impacted by risk
factors, including, but not limited to, weather surrounding racing
events, government regulations, economic conditions, consumer and
corporate spending, military actions, air travel and national or
local catastrophic events. Additional information concerning
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward- looking statements is contained from time to
time in the Company's SEC filings including, but not limited to,
the 10-K and subsequent 10-Qs. Copies of those filings are
available from the Company and the SEC. The Company undertakes no
obligation to release publicly any revisions to these
forward-looking statements that may be needed to reflect events or
circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events. The inclusion of any statement in this
release does not constitute an admission by International Speedway
or any other person that the events or circumstances described in
such statement are material. DATASOURCE: International Speedway
Corporation CONTACT: Wes Harris, Senior Director, Investor
Relations, International Speedway Corporation, +1-386-947-6465 Web
site: http://www.iscmotorsports.com/
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