Just five days into the New Year, Michigan International Speedway President Brett Shelton has already come through on his new year's resolution. He made his resolution way back in August for the 2005 season and can be summed up in two simple words with what fans have been asking for all year, "more racing!"

Shelton announced today an enhancement to the MIS Friday and Saturday schedule for both the June 17-19 and August 19-21 NASCAR/ARCA weekends, giving fans more racing and adding value to each day.

The highlights of the schedule on Fridays include qualifying for the ARCA RE/MAX Series, and two practice sessions for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series in both June and August, as well as two practice sessions for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in June and NASCAR Busch Series in August. The practice sessions will be followed by an ARCA RE/MAX Series event on each weekend that will start at 5:15 p.m.

In June and August, Saturday highlights include qualifying for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Busch Series with afternoon races scheduled for both the Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Series.

The full June and August NASCAR/ARCA race weekends schedules are below:

JUNE

Friday, June 17, 2005

8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
9:30 a.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Qualifying
12:00 noon - 1:10 p.m. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Practice
1:20 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
2:50 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Final Practice
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Final Practice
5:00 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
5:15 p.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Race (100 Laps, 200 Miles)

Saturday, June 18, 2005

8:00 a.m. -   Gates Open to the Public
10:00 a.m. - NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Qualifying
12:05 p.m. - NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying
2:30 p.m. -   Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
3:00 p.m. - Start of NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race

Sunday, June 19, 2005 (Father's Day)

8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
1:40 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
2:10 p.m. - Start of NASCAR NEXTEL Series Cup Race (200 Laps, 400 Miles)

AUGUST

Friday, August 19, 2005

8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
9:30 a.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Qualifying
12:00 noon -1:10 p.m. NASCAR Busch Series Practice
1:20 p.m. - 2:40 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Practice
2:50 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. NASCAR Busch Series Final Practice
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Final Practice
5:00 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
5:15 p.m. - ARCA RE/MAX Series Race (100 Laps, 200 Miles)

Saturday, August 20, 2005

8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
10:00 a.m. - NASCAR Busch Series Qualifying
12:10 p.m. - NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Qualifying
2:30 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
3:00 p.m. - NASCAR Busch Series Race (125 Laps, 250 Miles)

Sunday, August 21, 2005

8:00 a.m. - Gates Open to the Public
1:40 p.m. - Pre-Race Activities & Driver Introductions
2:10 p.m. - GFS Marketplace 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup (200 Laps, 400 Miles)

The changes will give fans more racing than ever before and also provide a great value for fans as well with the Friday ticket only $15, which includes practice sessions for the NEXTEL Cup Series and Craftsman Truck Series/Busch Series, plus an ARCA RE/MAX Series event. Saturday's ticket will also provide a greater value to fans with a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series qualifying session and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series qualifying in June for just $40 and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup qualifying along with NASCAR Busch Series qualifying and race in August for just $50. Also, for the fourth consecutive year, children 12 and under will be free once again on Friday's and Saturday's in 2005.

"With the changes in the NASCAR weekend schedules for 2005, MIS will be able to provide more of what fans ask for all the time, more racing at a great value," said MIS President Brett Shelton. "With NASCAR going with new qualifying procedures, it gave us a great opportunity to have races all three days at an attractive price."

MIS Director of Ticketing John Moreland is also looking forward to the new 2005 schedule at MIS and being able to give customers a greater value on Fridays and Saturdays in June and August, especially to the speedway's large camping contingent.

"Both Fridays and Saturdays in June and August have really turned into an even more attractive ticket and more reason for our large number of onsite campers to come to the grandstands since there's even more on track activity to see," said Moreland. "If fans want to see NEXTEL Cup practice, they want to be here Friday, plus fans get to see more practice and an ARCA RE/MAX Series race for just $15. I'm also looking forward to Saturday as well, where they'll be qualifying sessions for two different series' along with a race for $40 in June and $50 in August, which makes both days very action-packed."

While tickets for both NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events go on sale to the general public on Saturday, February 12, tickets are on-sale now for all other events, including fan favorites such as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, IRL IndyCar Series, ARCA RE/MAX Series and NASCAR Busch Series. Tickets can be purchased in real-time on MIS' newly redesigned official website, www.MISpeedway.com, or by calling the MIS ticket hotline at 1-800-354-1010.