HEARTLAND PARK TOPEKA ANNOUNCES “BEST EVER” SEASON SCHEDULE * AMA Pro Racing joins NHRA drag racing as a nationally prominent event * New Super Saturday Showdown Series to begin in April on the dirt oval * Diverse schedule attractive to sponsors, partners and fans Topeka, Kansas, March 10, 2008″”Heartland Park Topeka owner Raymond Irwin today announced the 2009 season schedule that he describes at the “best ever” in the facility’s 20-plus-years history. The 2009 schedule, unveiled at the Briggs Auto showroom of Heartland Park Topeka’s latest major partner, includes the motorsports facility’s traditional main attraction, the NHRA O’Reilly Summer Nationals to be held May 29-31, as well as the newest premier event in the lineup, the AMA Pro Racing motorcycle series to be held July 31-August 2. The 2009 Heartland Park Topeka season will kick off April 18 with the new Super Saturday Showdown Series on the dirt track. “It’s been my goal since coming to Topeka to turn Heartland Park Topeka into a truly unique motorsports entertainment facility,” said Irwin. “I believe with the help of a new executive team, new events and new partners, we can now say that we’re on our way. I’m certain our fans will embrace our new schedule and approach to customer service.” AMA Pro Racing comes to Topeka for the first-time ever after the 2008 acquisition, realignment and relocation of the organization by the Daytona Motorsports Group (DMG), which is owned and operated by many of the lead principles behind NASCAR, including Jim France, Vice Chairman and Executive VP of NASCAR, and AMA Pro Racing President Roger Edmondson, who launched the Grand-Am Sports Car Series now owned by NASCAR a decade ago. “Given our goal to guide the sport of AMA Pro Racing into the mainstream of American culture, we couldn’t be more thrilled to showcase the extraordinary abilities of our competitors at Heartland Park Topeka this season,” said Edmondson. “Heartland Park Topeka has evolved into one of the premier, multi-faceted motorsports entertainment facilities in the country, and I’m certain that motorsports fans in Topeka and throughout Kansas will embrace our unique brand of racing.” The AMA event, which will be Round Ten in the series’ 13-event 2009 lineup, will feature the American SuperBike and Daytona Sportbike classes on Heartland Park Topeka’s challenging road course. “The AMA series is televised worldwide, and will attract tens of thousands of spectators holding their collective breaths as these motorcycle athletes race inches apart at nearly 200 miles per hour,” said Heartland Park Topeka Chairman Steve Johnson, who has held leadership positions in several prominent motorsports organizations. “We anticipate the economic impact on the city of Topeka and surrounding area to rival that of the NHRA O’Reilly Summer Nationals. Believe me, it will be quite a show.” Ticket sales for the NHRA O’Reilly Summer Nationals, available now at www.HPT.com, have been brisk, reported Johnson. The drag racing event once again will feature 8,000-horsepower Funny Cars and Top Fuel Dragsters topping speeds of more than 300 miles an hour in less than four seconds. Johnson said the event will feature a “Heroes Day,” a theme that will be maintained across the board at Heartland Park Topeka activities in 2009. Heartland Park Topeka’s drag racing entertainment in 2009 also will feature the Lucas Oil Division 5 Championship, NHRA ET drag racing series, junior drag race series, street legal series and new to the Heartland Park Topeka lineup, the Armdrop Live drag racing extravaganza on Oct. 9-10. The dirt track oval not only will host an exciting new Saturday night format, it also will host two demolition derbies on July 3 and September 18. The full 2009 Heartland Park Topeka season is available at www.HPT.com. About Heartland Park Topeka Heartland Park Topeka is a unique, multi-faceted motorsports facility that offers an array of experiences for fans of all ages, tastes and backgrounds, from Saturday night dirt track racing to world-class, nationally prominent drag racing and motorcycle race events. It is the mission of owner Ray Irwin and his team “to be a leader in the world of motorsports entertainment, and to build a community-based spirit throughout Topeka and the region.” For more information on all Heartland Park Topeka activities, please go to www.HPT.com. 2009 Heartland Park Topeka Race Schedule APRIL 2 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 4 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #1 – Morning 4 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #1 – Afternoon 16 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 18 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series – Opening Night 25-26 ROAD Championship Cup Series presented by Motosport.com/ASRA 25 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #2 30 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style MAY 1 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #2 2 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #2 2 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #3 8 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #3 8 DRIFTING – KCDA Drift 9 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #3 9 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #4 – Hobby Stock Special 14 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 15 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #4 16 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #5 23 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #6 23-24 ROAD Championship Cup Series presented by Motosport.com 29-31 DRAG – 21st Annual O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals JUNE 4 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 5 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #5 5 DRIFTING – KCDA Drift 6 DRAG -E.T. Drag Series Race #4 6 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #7 w/ Midwest Outlaw Lightning Sprints 13 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #8 18 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 20 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #5 20 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #9 – Factory Stock Special 21 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #6 25 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 26 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #6 27 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series #7 – National Dragster Challenge 27 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #10 JULY 3 DIRT – Demolition Derby 11 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #11 10-12 ROAD Championship Cup Series presented by Motosport.com/ASRA/USGPRU 16 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 17 DRAG – Junior Drag Series Race #7 17 DRIFTING – KCDA Drift 18 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #8 18 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #12 – Champ Mod Special 23 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 25 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #9 25 DIRT- HPT Dirt Series #13 30-31 ROAD – AMA Superbike/Topeka Festival of Speed AUGUST 1-2 ROAD – AMA Superbike/Topeka Festival of Speed 1 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #14 8 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #15 – Chris Murray Memorial 13 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 14 DRAG – Junior Drag Racing League Challenge 14 DRIFTING – KCDA Drift 15 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #10 15 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #16 – Oren Covert Memorial w/ USMTS Mods 22 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #17 28-29 DRAG – Lucas Oil NHRA Div. V Heartland Championships 30 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #18 SEPTEMBER 5 DIRT – MLRA & NCRA Late Models 12 DIRT – HPT Dirt Series #19 – Points Championship 12-13 ROAD Championship Cup Series Double Regional 17 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 18 DIRT – Demolition Derby 18-20 DRAG – Div. V Summit E.T. Finals 25 DIRT – Special Hob, FS, Champ Mod, Mod 25 DRIFTING – KCDA Drift 26 DIRT – Special Hob, FS, Champ Mod, Mod OCTOBER 1 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 3 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #11 8 DRAG – Arm Drop TNT 9-10 DRAG – Arm Drop Live 15 DRAG – NHRA Drags Street Legal Style 17 DRAG – E.T. Drag Series Race #12 – King of Track Finals