While at MIS, Kid Rock, Lions Coach Jim Schwartz Express Optimism For Michigan

Mike Pryson
Jackson Citizen Patriot

New Detroit Lions football coach Jim Schwartz was asked Sunday before the LifeLock 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn if he had a favorite Kid Rock song.

With the artist sitting next to him and the pressure on, the coach didn't fumble.
"'Cocky,' " Schwartz said without hesitation.

Then he went the extra mile.

"It ain't bragging if you can back it up," Schwartz said.

Kid Rock was impressed.

"He even knows the lyrics," Kid Rock said. "Best coach we've ever had in Detroit."

Kid Rock was the grand marshal for the LifeLock 400, while Schwartz was at the speedway as the honorary starter in the flag tower.

The prerace meeting between the two quickly turned into a pep talk for the state of Michigan and the economy.

"I see hope every day. I still live in Clarkston," Kid Rock said.

"One thing I know about this town and why I stay here, I could live anywhere I want in the world, is the people and who they are. It's a hard-working town with hard-working people. It's not the first time we've been down. We'll get back up and dust ourselves off."

Schwartz, too, said he sees hope throughout Michigan.

"There's a sign on my refrigerator that says, 'Tough times don't last. Tough people do,' " Schwartz said. "That's what we're all about."

Schwartz also leaked his rooting interest in the race.

"It's hard to root against (Joe Gibbs Racing owner) Joe Gibbs and his affiliation with the NFL and the respect that I have for him," Schwartz said. "But I know where my bread is buttered.

I'm employed by the Ford family, so I'm behind all the Ford drivers today."

Michigan International Speedway test site for 'talking' vehicle technology

Chris Gautz
Jackson Citizen Patriot

This summer, cars speeding around Michigan International Speedway won't just be chasing a checkered flag. They'll be testing connected-vehicle technologies that could lead to the attraction of high-paying jobs and businesses to the area.

In Detroit this morning, officials were expected to announce MIS and the Michigan Department of Transportation have entered into a partnership to use and market the Brooklyn speedway to firms that develop and manufacture connected-vehicle technologies. The technology enables vehicles to "talk" to each other in a way that will prevent collisions and improve fuel efficiency.

MIS President Roger Curtis said the companies involved will be able to take their designs out of the laboratory and test them in real-world settings.

"I'm very excited about what this means. This could be the next Silicon Valley," Curtis said. "We really now have the incubator for this technology to take off here in Michigan."

They will likely test the vehicles on the existing road course at the track and set up temporary traffic lights to mimic the experience of driving, while on a closed, private and neutral environment.

Aside from technology companies testing their products, automotive companies could also test their vehicles alongside their competitors to ensure the vehicles are "talking" to each other correctly.

He sees the track being a neutral, Switzerland-like setting.

"It has to work across all manufacturers," Curtis said.

U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, said using MIS in this way will ultimately strengthen the state's economy.

"To have this kind of test course here is an incredible asset," he said.

Companies make decisions on where to locate based on a number of factors, he said, but having the test course within range of 80 percent of all automotive research and design in the United States, might encourage firms to locate nearby.

The Connected Vehicle Proving Center and the Center for Automotive Research also are involved.

"Research and development is critical to the growth of this technology and its value in lowering the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities, as well as the potential impact on the automotive sector and job creation," David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research, which is the home of the Connected Vehicle Proving Center, said in a statement.