MIS, Kansas increasing capacity.

With the fight for dates on the Nextel Cup tour showing no signs of easing up, two current venues are doing their best to ensure that their dates remain in concrete by adding further seating in preparation for the 2005 season.

Both the two-mile Michigan International Speedway and the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway will have more tickets to sell next year with the former venue adding nearly 1000 luxury suites and the latter adding 1500 new seating positions.

Michigan president Brett Shelton announced the addition of a Club Level seating area high above the start finish/line of the facility, which will include 870 new outdoor club grandstand seats as well as an indoor entertainment area called the "Champions Club."

"We are excited to have this opportunity to introduce Club Level seating at MIS," said Shelton, whose track hosts two 400-mile Nextel Cup races every year. "Even though we are the largest sporting facility in the state, fans have asked for new ways to enjoy the sport of auto racing. The Champions Club certainly does that."

The project will make the MIS Champions Club one of the finest club seating areas among the region's major sporting facilities. With the addition of approximately 870 Club Level seats, it will be the first seat addition since 10,800 seats were added prior to the 2000 race season and raise the seating capacity at the facility to 137,243 for the 2005 racing season.

With the additional seats, MIS becomes the eighth largest venue on the 2005 Nextel Cup Series schedule.

Maintenance staff workers have already started preparing for the project by removing the old skylounge structure above the MIS grandstands at the start/finish line. The structure that was removed had been in place since the track's opening in 1968

While the current Kansas Speedway was still more than 30 years away from becoming a reality in 1968, its owners aren't resting on their laurels with Kansas Speedway President Jeff Boerger also announcing that construction has begun to add 1,500 seats to the four-year-old venue.

Three new sections of permanent grandstand seats are being added to the on grade front stretch near Turn 1. Because of Kansas Speedway's bowl-shaped design, the new seats will continue to provide some of the best views of the racetrack, Pit Road and all the exciting track action, from start to finish.

With the addition of the seats, total capacity of Kansas Speedway's grandstand will be nearly 82,000. The new seats are bench-style seats with backs in varying shades of green - depicting Kansas' waving fields of wheat.

Permanent concession stands and restroom facilities are also being added during this construction phase.

"It's important to us to continue the growth of Kansas Speedway in all aspects," Boerger said. "As we add seats, we will continue to add amenities like concession stands and bathrooms for our fans. Keeping up with a fan comfort ratio is what makes Kansas Speedway unique and a true fan-favourite."

Kansas Speedway hosts a single Nextel Cup event per year.