No joke: More lucky MIS fans receive bus makeover

BROOKLYN, April 3, 2010: There were no Aprils Fools at Michigan International Speedway on Friday as track President Roger Curtis and his staff kept a promise to infield campers Tom Wolfram and Mike Smith. The friends and race fans were the recipients of the track’s second extreme bus makeover.

After six weeks of scraping, refurbishing and painting, the staff at MIS handed the keys over the “Wolfy and The Crew,” as their June and August infield neighbors know them. Curtis drove the bus out of the back of the Maintenance Building for the big and surprising reveal.

“This is so cool! I can’t believe how great it looks. We could have never done this without the help of MIS and Mr. Curtis. It really got us excited for the race coming up this June. Thanks to MIS and their staff for making this possible,” Wolfram said.

Bus co-owners Wolfram of Coloma, Mich., and Smith of Hartford, Mich., have been attending races at MIS with their current bus since 1999. The bus was originally scheduled to be unveiled just prior to the June Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 race weekend during infield camper lineup, however, Wolfram was hoping to get his new infield sleeping quarters back in time for his birthday party on April 15.

“I really wanted to show everyone the finished bus and how excited I was that MIS did this for us. My sister and fellow infield camper Melissa’s birthday is today and mine is coming up on April 15 so we were hoping to get it back before then,” Wolfram said. “I can’t wait until my party so I can show everyone.”

Wolfram also has plans to install hard wood floors in the bus.

This is the second bus makeover the speedway has done in the past year. In August of 2009, another infield camper Maurice “Moe” Clark received a bus makeover courtesy of MIS. Once again, MIS staff members Tim Lamb, Jesus Salvador, Dustin Gilbert and Jamie Nichols turned the old bus into a truly remarkable machine on wheels.

Like Clark’s, Wolfram and Smith’s bus was renamed Promise Keeper II to go along with Curtis’ commitment of painting the bus for them.

“We appreciate everything the fans do for us and are honored to be able to provide these experiences for them,” Curtis said. “Tom, Mike and their group have been loyal fans for many years and their bus was truly in need of a good paint job and some nice decals. We work very hard to deliver on our brand promise. It’s about continuing our mission statement of providing lasting memories for every person, every time. I think we accomplished that for sure today!”

With the 2010 race season quickly approaching, Wolfram and his family and friends can’t wait to be back at MIS and camp at their favorite infield site. It’s been a tradition for many years.

“Infield camping is great at MIS,” Wolfram said. “Our whole group just loves being here on the race weekends and it will be even better this year with a great looking bus that we’ll take great pride in driving here.”

Infield campsites for both the June 11-13 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 and August 13-15 CARFAX 400 race weekends are still available. This offseason, MIS widened all infield campsites for the 2010 season and also installed improved drainage throughout the campground.

These fan enhancements for the infield campground were a direct result of fan feedback.

“We’ve made a lot of improvements to the infield campground in the past year,” Curtis said. “The widening of all sites and better drainage will make the infield camping experience that much better. The race season will be here before we know it!”

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.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tickets for the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 on June 13 and CARFAX 400 on August 15 are as low as $25. Visit MISpeedway.com or call the MIS ticket hotline at 800-354-1010 today to take advantage of great pricing for 2010 events at MIS.

Media Note: A photo of the bus unveiling at Michigan International Speedway is attached to this e-mail for media use. Credit MIS. The bus owners are Tom Wolfram (middle in black shirt) and Mike Smith (gray shirt third from the left).

Michigan International Speedway - 2010 Schedule

Friday, June 11 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards Racing for Wildlife 200

Saturday, June 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series VFW 200

Sunday, June 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

June 26-27 Great Lakes Wine Fest

Friday, Aug. 13 Gatorade Pole Day

Saturday, Aug. 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series CARFAX 250

Sunday, Aug. 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CARFAX 400