Kansas Speedway Signs Multi-Year Deals with Ameristar Casino, O'Reilly Auto Parts

    KANSAS CITY, Kan.--June 20, 2001--Kansas Speedway, Ameristar Casino and O'Reilly Auto Parts are three nationally recognized forces in business and will now be three forces in motorsports for years to come. Speedway and company officials on Wednesday unveiled multi-year plans for sponsorships for two of the track's major races.
    Ameristar Casino Hotel will sponsor the speedway's inaugural Indy Racing Northern Light Series race July 8. The Ameristar Casino Indy 200 is a 200-lap event that will showcase the superstars of the Indy Racing League in exciting open-wheel racing action at Kansas Speedway, "The Track That Will Blow You Away!"
    O'Reilly Auto Parts will sponsor Kansas Speedway's 250-mile NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race July 7. The O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 will run as a support event to the IRL that weekend.
    "O'Reilly Auto Parts, Kansas Speedway and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series - it is the ultimate combination of three motorsports leaders in the Midwest," Kevin Greven, retail marketing manager for O'Reilly Auto Parts, said of the sponsorship.
    O'Reilly Auto Parts signed on for three years as sponsor of Kansas Speedway's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Ameristar Casino has committed to sponsoring the IRL races at the speedway for two years.
    "Ameristar Casinos is proud to sponsor the Ameristar 200 at Kansas Speedway," Thomas P. Burke, senior vice president and general manager of Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City, said. "We're extremely excited to partner with the speedway in support of the community and tourism in the Kansas City metro area."
    Ameristar Casinos, Inc. is a Las Vegas-based entertainment company. The publicly held company operates six properties across the United States, including a gaming/entertainment complex in Kansas City, Mo.
    O'Reilly Auto Parts is a nationally recognized, specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories to do-it-yourself customers, professional mechanics and service technicians.
    "The multi-year partnerships we have formed with Ameristar Casino Hotel and O'Reilly Auto Parts have demonstrated the great demand for motorsports in the Midwest," speedway Vice President and General Manager Jeff Boerger said. "We are looking forward to a long relationship with the two companies and looking forward to seeing some exciting racing during our inaugural 2001 season and for years to come."
    The O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 will be broadcast live on ESPN at noon CST July 7. The Ameristar Casino Indy 200 will air live on ABC at noon CST July 8. The two races are part of the track's sold-out inaugural season which includes the Dayton Indy Lights Championship on July 8, NASCAR Busch Series on Sept. 29 and NASCAR Winston Cup Series on Sept. 30.
    Kansas Speedway Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Speedway Corporation ("ISC") , a leading promoter of motorsports activities in the United States. Including Kansas Speedway, ISC owns, operates and/or has interest in 13 major motorsports facilities that promote more than 100 events annually.