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USAR: IRP 2005 schedule announced

60th Annual Night Before The 500, Kroger Speedfest and Drag Racing Hightlights The 2005 IRP Racing Season INDIANAPOLIS (January 31, 2005) Indianapolis Raceway Park is pleased to announce the racing schedule for the 2005 season. Among the ...

60th Annual Night Before The 500, Kroger Speedfest and Drag Racing Hightlights The 2005 IRP Racing Season

INDIANAPOLIS (January 31, 2005) Indianapolis Raceway Park is pleased to announce the racing schedule for the 2005 season. Among the highlights for the 2005 season are the 24th annual Kroger SpeedFest, 51st annual Mac Tools U. S. Nationals, a special return of USAC Thursday Night Thunder and the 60th annual Night Before the 500, USAC Midget series race on May 28th.

"The Night Before the 500 has long been a crown jewel for IRP," stated Ron Anderson, general manager of Indianapolis Raceway Park. "Racing legends including A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon have all won this event and helped launch their racing careers."

The Night Before the 500 has seen a resurgence in popularity the past three seasons and Anderson believes that will continue for 2005.

"We have been very successful in creating promotions that the race fans have benefited from and we plan on continuing that for this year's race."

Returning to IRP on the oval is a special Thursday Night Thunder event June 9th, featuring the USAC Sprint Car Series. In the early 1990's Thursday Night Thunder was a staple on the IRP schedule and the staff is excited for its return.

"We get calls from the fans almost daily asking if Thunder will ever return," Anderson said. "We extremely pleased Thunder will return this year and are hoping the fans embrace this event as well."

Kroger SpeedFest and the Mac Tools U. S. Nationals are also in their yearly spots on the calendar. Kroger SpeedFest features three exciting nights of racing on the lightning fast IRP oval. During SpeedFest the USAC Silver Crown Series, the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks and the NASCAR Busch series thrill the fans with wheel to wheel and fender to fender racing. In 2005 Kroger SpeedFest will take place on August 4th, 5th and 6th.

The Mac Tools U. S. Nationals is the largest and most prestigious drag race in the world, taking place during Labor Day weekend. This year "The Big Go" returns on August 31st through September 5th.

Many popular events are returning to both the IRP oval and the dragstrip including USAR Hooters Pro Cup, American Speed Association, Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals, Super Chevy Show and Indy Truck Bash.

New for 2005 drag racing schedule are the Steel Horse Stampede, motorcycle drag racing and the Diesel Hot Rod Nationals.

Tickets for the 2005 Kroger SpeedFest are currently in the renewal process and sale to the general public will begin following the renewal process. Tickets for the Mac Tools U. S. Nationals have not started the renewal process.

INDIANAPOLIS RACEWAY PARK 2005 SEASON SCHEDULE

2005 DRAG RACING SCHEDULE

MARCH
26th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Racing Series open test and tune
29th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals

APRIL
2nd VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Racing Series open test and tune
3rd First VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Racing Series points race
5th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
7th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
9th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Racing Series points race
10th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Racing Series points race
12th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
15th -- 17th NHRA Lucas Oil Divisional Drag Race
19th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
21st VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
26th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
28th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune

MAY
1st VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
3rd Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
12th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
13th Traderindiana.com Friday Night Midnight Madness
14th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
15th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
17th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
20th -- 22nd Monster Mopar Event
24th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
26th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
30th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race (National Dragster Challenge)
31st Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals

JUNE
2nd VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
3rd Traderindiana.com Friday Night Midnight Madness
5th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
7th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
10th -- 12th 17th Annual Goodguys Hot Rod Nationals
14th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
16th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
17th -- 18th Steel Horse Stampede Motorcycle Rally
19th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race (Jr. Dragster Challenge)
23rd VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
25th -- 26th Diesel Hot Rod Association (DHRA)
28th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals

JULY
5th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
7th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
8th Traderindiana.com Friday Night Midnight Madness
8th -- 9th J-Body Bash (Drags and car show)
9th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
10th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
12th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
19th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
21st VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
26th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
28th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
30th Buffalo Soldiers
31st VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race

AUGUST
9th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
13th -- 14th AMA Pro Star
16th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
18th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
19th -- 21st Indy Truck Bash
21st VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race (King of the Track)
31st 51st Annual Mac Tools U. S. Nationals

SEPTEMBER
1st -- 5th 51st Annual Mac Tools U. S. Nationals
8th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket racing series test and tune
10th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
11th VP Fuels E. T. Bracket Series points race
13th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
16th -- 18th NHRA Division 3 E. T. Bracket Racing Finals
20th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
27th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals

OCTOBER
1st -- 2nd Drag News Super Bowl of Bracket Racing
4th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
8th -- 9th Chrysler Classic
11th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
14th -- 16th Fall Classic
18th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals
21st -- 23rd BTE/Citgo Bracket Racing Series
25th Traderindiana.com Tuesday Night Street Legals

2005 OVAL RACING SCHEDULE

MAY
15th USAR Hooters Pro Cup
28th 60th Annual Coca-Cola Night Before the 500

JUNE
9th Thursday Night Thunder USAC Sprint Car race

JULY
30TH American Speed Association ASA

AUGUST
4th J. D. Byrider 100 USAC Silver Crown Race (Kroger SpeedFest)
5th Power Stroke Diesel 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race (Kroger SpeedFest)
6th 24th Annual Kroger 200 NASCAR Busch Series Race (Kroger SpeedFest)

One of five drag racing facilities owned and operated by the National Hot Rod Association, IRP was built in 1960 and has presented organized racing events since 1961. From March through October, the facility hosts more than 120 dates of racing on three tracks, a quarter-mile drag strip, a .686-mile paved oval and a 2.5-mile road course. Home to drag racing's biggest event, the NHRA U.S. Nationals over Labor Day weekend, the drag strip runs more than 50 days of point-to-point action, from national events to street legal community programs. The oval track draws racing's biggest events, including annual visits from the NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and three USAC races, including the 60th Annual Night Before the 500. The road course provides a home for several racing sanctions, such as SCCA, while providing an ideal resource for driving schools, corporate outings and open-road tests for professional drivers.

- IRP -

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