Int’l Speedway Corp. this afternoon announced that Michigan Int’l Speedway President Roger Curtis is leaving the role, effective immediately, a few days after the track finished out its second and final NASCAR Sprint Cup event for the year. Curtis, who has been at MIS for a decade, will see his duties replaced in the interim by ISC COO Joie Chitwood III as the corporation finds his replacement. No mention was made of whether ISC would seek internal or external candidates, or whether it would use a search firm. Curtis “is leaving to pursue new opportunities,” a press release stated.
Curtis’ departure comes after ISC President John Saunders during an earnings call in January said of the FY ’16 outlook, “We have our challenges in Michigan and also in Richmond, and those are probably going to be the laggers.” Attendance for the track is unknown due to the sport’s policy of not releasing figures. During Curtis’ time at MIS, the track has moved to diversify itself with events like the successful Faster Horses country music festival and its recent attempt to hold a millennial-focused festival, Keelorah, during race weekends.
