Many people who volunteer for their local community are rewarded by the hard work and tremendous effort they give to that specific community event or cause. For Michigan International Speedway’s Director of Guest Services Tim Booth, he enjoys every minute of it.

For his tireless efforts to the Brooklyn community, Booth was named the 2008 Citizen of the Year by the Brooklyn-Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce. Booth was presented the award at the 28th annual Business After Hours-Annual Meeting Awards Dinner on Thursday, March 27 at MIS.

“We’re very pleased to honor Tim with this award,” Michelle Reed, vice president of the Chamber board of directors said. “Tim’s constant heartfelt support and hard work for our community is very special. From the Spirit of America blood drive to his work with the local Kiwanis Club chapter, he is a model citizen for our community.”

Booth has spent the last nine years as head of the guest services department at MIS. He has also spent the last eight years serving as a member of the Brooklyn Kiwanis Club and is currently the president.

Booth is the creator of the Spirit of America Blood Drive, held at MIS each year on September 11. In the past six years, the race-themed blood drive has grown into one of the largest of its kind in the region and in the country on 9-11. Since 2002, over 3,700 units of blood have been donated, enough to potentially save the lives of over 11,000 people. He has also donated his time to various charity functions for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, raising over $12,000 for the organization.

Booth is a resident of Jackson, where he lives with his wife Debbie and their two sons Caleb and Kyle.

“I can’t be happier for Tim and what he has accomplished for this community and at MIS,” track president Roger Curtis said. “Tim is a model of professionalism and his dedication and willingness to go above and beyond what is asked of him is what makes him so deserving of this honor.”

Michigan International Speedway tickets can fit anyone’s budget. For its 40th anniversary in 2008, MIS is hosting the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock 400 on June 15 and the 3M Performance 400 on August 17. Other events include the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Cool City Customs 200 on June 14, the NASCAR Nationwide Series CARFAX 250 August 16 and the ARCA RE/MAX Series Michigan 200 June 13. Tickets are available for all events, including qualifying days.

To order tickets, pit passes, camping or hospitality packages, call the MIS Ticket Hotline at 800-354-1010 or visit MISpeedway.com.