2003 MID-OHIO SCHEDULE FEATURES SIX WORLD CLASS MOTORSPORTS EVENTS
DUBLIN, Ohio (November 12, 2002) - TrueSports, Inc., parent company of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, announced today that Mid-Ohio will provide road racing fans six world-class motorsports events in 2003. Sports car racing's past and present will be featured in June, with July giving way to two-wheeled action for the 21st consecutive year. The world's best professional drivers converge on the track in August and set the stage for the top amateur drivers in the country competing for twenty-four national championships in late September. The green flag waves on the 2003 season with the Sprint Vintage Grand Prix, June 20-22. The Sportscar Vintage Racing Association will turn the racetrack into a live action museum with ten classes of racing. This year's featured marque of the event will be Corvette, commemorating its 50th anniversary of production. Two Corvette-only races will be run on the weekend, assuring fans of the muscle car will see plenty of action on and off the track during its golden anniversary. The 5th annual British Car Showdown will bring automotive history from across the Atlantic to Mid-Ohio on Saturday. "Daytona comes to Mid-Ohio" one week later as modern sports cars rumble onto the track for the Mid-Ohio Road Racing Classic, led by the Rolex Sports Car Series, June 27-29. The series will feature the new Daytona Prototypes, making their debut in February at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. These two seat, closed-cockpit cars will be powered by many of the world's major car manufacturers, including Ford, Toyota, Porsche, and BMW. The Mid-Ohio Road Racing Classic will provide a unique twist for fans. The Rolex Series race will be held on Saturday evening for the 400 kilometer (110 lap) endurance race. Also participating during the weekend is the Grand-Am Cup Street Stock Series, featuring actual production sports cars with only minimal racing modifications. The Grand-Am Cup will treat fans to twin 200 mile races, with two Grand Sport classes in one race, and two Touring classes in the second. Harley-Davidson is currently enjoying the year-long celebration of its 100th anniversary, and will serve as the focal point of the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 18-20. While the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association's (AHRMA) road racing would provide a full day of activity alone, enthusiasts should also make time to visit the many off-track activities. Mid-Ohio's natural terrain provides course for vintage motocross time trials. The annual Will Stoner Swap Meet provides an opportunity to find that rare part to finish rebuilding a bike, or the opportunity to begin a new project. Many other activities and seminars will also be occurring simultaneously around the track's facilities. The sounds of history will have barely cleared the air around Lexington when the modern machines begin to rev their engines for the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire, July 25-27. Annually one of Mid-Ohio's largest crowds and most exciting race weekends, 2003 will once again feature two Wiseco Superbike 100 races. Miguel Duhamel, the winningest rider in AMA Superbike history, returns with teammate Kurtis Roberts on the HRC Honda Team. 2002 series champion Nicky Hayden has taken his skills to the MotoGP circuits, so Honda has signed former rider Ben Bostrom as their third factory rider. Bostrom, who captured the AMA title in 1998 before testing his skills in Europe, has a built-in rival on the circuit already in younger brother Eric, who captured the Saturday event at Mid-Ohio on his way to a runner-up finish in the 2002 standings on the Kawasaki factory team. Also returning is three-time champion Mat Mladin and Suzuki teammate Aaron Yates. Yates swept both Wiseco Superbike 100 races in 2000 at Mid-Ohio. Mid-Ohio's 13th annual dealer ride will once again provide spectators a chance to parade around Mid-Ohio's 15-turn, 2.4 mile circuit just like their favorite riders. One of the most popular events during the season, the track fills with motorcycles during the lunch break on Sunday. Defending race champion Patrick Carpentier will lead Bruno Junqueira, Paul Tracy and the rest of the Championship Auto Racing Teams participants to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the 22nd time for the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, August 14-17. Wins have historically come in pairs at Mid-Ohio, as Carpentier will attempt to add his name to a list of back-to-back champions that include Bobby Rahal (1985 & 1986), Michael Andretti (1990 & 1991), Emerson Fittipaldi (1992 & 1993), Al Unser, Jr (1994 & 1995), Alex Zanardi (1996 & 1997) and Helio Castroneves (2000 & 2001). The 40th edition of the Valvoline Runoffs® will celebrate 10 years at Mid-Ohio by crowning this year's SCCA National Champions September 15-21. Amateur racers from all over the United States will compete throughout the summer to be invited to the "Olympics of Motorsports", where the qualifiers of each of the twenty-four classes will race for 20 laps for the right to be called National Champion. Among the former Valvoline Runoffs® champions are Bobby Rahal, Jimmy Vasser, Skip Barber, Elliot Forbes-Robinson, Roger Penske and Jim Trueman. Fans wishing to make Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course their motorsports destination this summer should act soon to take advantage of Mid-Ohio's All Access Pass. An All Access Pass is available for $200 if purchased before February 14, 2003 and still a tremendous deal for motorsports enthusiasts at $250 after that date. Each pass holder will receive admission, reserve grandstand seating, and paddock pass to each of the events, and a pit pass to the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. Pass holders will also receive infield parking during the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire and the CART Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. As an added bonus, each pass will include admission to two Dart Kart and all SCCA Regional and National Club events not open to the general public. All Access Pass holders wishing to test their skills behind the wheel will also receive a $50 gift certificate to any driving course offered by The Mid-Ohio School, including the popular Acura High Performance Course. To gather more information or purchase an All Access Pass, call 1-800-MID-OHIO or visit www.midohio.com. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is located approximately halfway between Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio off of Interstate 71. Commonly referred to as the "Most Competitive in the U.S.", Mid-Ohio hosts six motorsports events throughout the summer, beginning with the Sprint Vintage Grand Prix and including the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire July 25-27. For event information or tickets, call 1-800-MID-OHIO or visit us on the web at www.midohio.com.