MIS Track Drive Collects Thousands Of Toys, Food Items For Charity

BROOKLYN, Dec. 6, 2010: Many local families will benefit from the hundreds of race fans that participated in Michigan International Speedway’s Track Drive for Charity on Saturday.

Speedway staff, along with employees of Competition Tire and Americrown collected thousands of toys and food items that will benefit the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots and the CCIS Brooklyn Food Pantry, respectively, this holiday season.

The track drive gave fans, many of them armed with video cameras, the opportunity to take their personal vehicles for a lap around the track in exchange for a donation of a toy or non-perishable food item. The turnout was exceptional despite the 28-degree weather. Fans came from across Michigan and Ohio. A couple from Canada was in line a half hour before the event even started.

“This is our second consecutive year doing the track drive for the holiday season and we couldn’t be happier with the support. We were able to collect so many toys and food items,” Alisha Cottrell, director of Government and Community Relations for MIS, said. “It’s nice to see so many race fans and area residents take time out of their day to give to charity and support this event. This donation will greatly help the needs of many local families who need some cheer this holiday.”

MIS and Daytona International Speedway are in a friendly contest to see who can collect the most pounds of food. All food items collected during the track drive and donated at the speedway’s Administration Building last week will be weighed. The overall weight of all donations collected for each track will determine the winner. The winner of the competition will receive lunch courtesy of the other track.

Although the overall weight of all food items collected will not be determined until Monday, MIS feels pretty good about their chances to beat Daytona in the competition. The Irish Hills track has already received support from local Brooklyn Elementary School, which donated over 2,100 items for the competition early last week.

Ken Cannon and his daughter Amy Murphy of Tecumseh, Mich. participated in the track drive giving a grocery bag of food items to the cause. Cannon, a longtime race fan and MIS ticketholder enjoyed the experience.

“We are happy to be here and support this event. It’s a great opportunity to take your car out on the track and give a donation to a good cause for the holidays,” Cannon said.

Murphy agreed with her father’s statement.

“This is a nice opportunity for families to come out and participate in this nice event,” she said. “We read about the track drive in the Adrian Daily Telegram and thought it would be nice to come out. This is wonderful and MIS did a nice job putting on a fun event for everyone.”

Competition Tire, the company that handles delivery of Goodyear Racing tires across the country for various motorsports series including NASCAR, is storing the toys and food in a tractor trailer until the speedway staff can deliver the goods on Monday and Tuesday this coming week.

Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike.

The best, guaranteed lowest prices in 2011 will go to customers who make a $30 goodwill deposit. New customers can log onto www.MISpeedway.com or call 800-354-1010 to leave a deposit. That deposit ensures race fans get the best pricing for 2011.

Michigan International Speedway - 2011 Schedule

Saturday, May 21 Great Lakes Wine Fest

Friday, June 17 ARCA Racing Series RainEater Wiper Blades 200

Saturday, June 18 NASCAR Nationwide Series

Sunday, June 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

Friday, Aug. 19 Gatorade Pole Day

Saturday, Aug. 20 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series VFW 200

Sunday, Aug. 21 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series