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More of speedway plans told
by Jule Hubbard
(Photo caption) Jule Hubbard/staff photo-Speedway Associates Inc. President Alton McBride Jr., far left, and NASCAR veterans shout, "North Wilkesboro Speedway, restart your engine" at event Tuesday Left to right, next to McBride, are Waddell Wilson, Bobby Allison, Ned Jarrett, Donny Allison, Junior Johnson and Dean Combs.
Two more races next year and other events at the North Wilkesboro Speedway were announced Tuesday by the president of Speedway Associates Inc., which has a three-year lease and option to purchase the property.
Alton L. McBride Jr. of Lake Norman shared the news with a crowd that included former NASCAR drivers Bobby and Donnie Allison, Junior Johnson, Ned Jarrett and others with longtime ties to the speedway.
Held in an open-sided race car garage on the track infield due to steady rain, comments of speakers and a large turnout despite the weather reflected strong ties to the speedway and what racing used to be. Billed as a press conference but more like a pep rally, it drew about 350 mostly local people.
"Exciting time"
"This is an exciting time," said Zach Henderson, chairman of the Wilkes County commissioners and one of many local elected officials at the event. "It's a time to rekindle memories of racing history and to advance the love of a sport that was truly born here."
Henderson thanked McBride and Terri Parsons of Purlear, widow of Wilkes native and NASCAR celebrity Benny Parsons, for their efforts to return racing to the speedway. The 0.625-mile oval opened in 1946 as a dirt track and closed after its last NASCAR Cup race in 1996.
Speedway Associates, the latest of many to try to return racing to the speedway, was the first to combine "experience in racing with a business plan that can survive in this competitive world. If short track racing can return here, it will be with this plan," he said.
"Alton, in many ways the eyes of the racing world are upon you," said Henderson. Although much has been accomplished, he added, much is left to be done.
Two more races
McBride revealed a little more of what is planned.
He said a contract was in place to have the King's Ransom 300, an ASA Late Model Series stock car race, at the speedway. The King's Ransom 300 was the last event at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tenn., before the facility closed in October when a company that agreed to buy it couldn't secure financing.
"We looked long and hard for relationships that work" at the North Wilkesboro Speedway," said McBride. The ASA Late Model Series and the USARacing Pro Cup Series are compatible and share the commitment of Speedway Associates to short track racing, he said.
USARacing's Oct. 3 race date next year at the North Wilkesboro Speedway was announced Saturday and Larry Camp, USARacing managing partner, spoke Tuesday. Camp said that after losing the Hooters sponsorship and being sold to a group that includes himself last year, USARacing is coming back stronger than ever next year.
USARacing Director Jimmy Wilson also spoke, saying USARacing was similar to NASCAR Winston Cup racing about 15 years ago. "It's very solid racing, very solid competition. They (drivers) go at it and then come out shaking hands." Wilson said he lived in Wilkes and worked for NASCAR, overseeing the speedway's electronic scoring and timing, when the speedway closed.
A story on the ASA Late Model Series website said the King's Ransom 300 at North Wilkesboro Speedway would be televised and draw the country's top short track drivers. Ron Varney, ASA Late Model Series president, said in the story that he and Speedway Associates' owners shared a vision of reviving short track racing.
Announcing the third race planned for the North Wilkesboro Speedway next year, McBride said there was a written agreement in principle for a Pro All Star Series (PASS) competition.
"We won't hand out a date yet. We are trying to work with what is best for all in the community…. They (PASS) officials are looking at a three to five-year plan," he said.
PASS is a Maine-based super late model series divided into two divisions, PASS North and PASS South. Races in the north division are on short tracks in New England and Canada, while the south division races are on short tracks in the southeastern United States.
Other plans for speedway
McBride said Speedway Associates has letters of intent for two major festivals at the speedway. "We are very interested in looking into what it would take to get the fair here," he added. There also is interest in having concerts at the speedway.
McBride said the speedway would have the "best of the best" in high tech motor sports safety, with a safety crew of about 15 people working with existing local emergency medical personnel.
He said Speedway Associates' lease and option to purchase contract allowed Paul Call to stay on as speedway caretaker. Call has worked at the speedway for decades. McBride called Call "a walking encyclopedia" of information about the speedway.
"This deal took three years of very character building time to get to this point…. About six months ago, I reached a point where I had had enough," said McBride. "I had a problem. I couldn't quit but I wanted to quit. When it came to that point, I called Terri Parsons like I had done several times before…. It was agreed that Terri would join Speedway Associates, but her name would not be on paper and there would be no money" from her.
Mrs. Parsons, former director of tourism for the State of Florida and Daytona Beach, Fla., has been credited with utilizing her extensive connections in the racing world to help the speedway effort. She said Tuesday, "All I did was put people together who could make deals happen."
McBride introduced other principals with Speedway Associates, including Alton McBride Sr., John Burwell and Bosco Lowe. Not present was Dave Ehert. He said they all have racing backgrounds.
Comments of other officials
Other local officials thanked McBride, Mrs. Parsons and others involved with the Speedway Associates effort.
Wilkes Economic Development Director Don Alexander recognized Steve Wilson, George Marsden and Robert Marsden and their "Save the Speedway"effort, mostly conducted online. "Their efforts maintained public awareness of the North Wilkesboro Speedway and may have saved the speedway from being torn down," said Alexander.
He said McBride's simultaneous efforts reflected appreciation and deep respect for the speedway's history and heritage. Alexander said Mrs. Parsons has been a tireless and invaluable resource for Wilkes.
North Wilkesboro Mayor George Church said it was exciting to see racing returning to the speedway. "I first came here when I was a little boy and it was a dirt track. I saw racing here until they stopped having it," said Church, adding that the town manager and board are available to help.
Robert Johnson, North Wilkesboro mayor-elect, said he grew up in the speedway area and worked at many races as a volunteer with the Broadway Fire Department. Johnson said he was thrilled about what was happening with the speedway now.
Wilkesboro Mayor Mike Inscore said racing legends and others at the event represented a strong showing of unity for the current effort to reopen the speedway and bring racing back. He pledged his support of the effort and called it a chance to "resurrect this missed sport in our community."
Wilkes Chamber of Commerce President Linda Cheek noted the economic potential in Wilkes from the return of the racing business. Mrs. Cheek also recalled seeing her father, a Wilkes farmer with laying hens, closely listening to races on his transistor radio while he worked on the farm.
After over an hour of speeches, McBride and NASCAR veterans Waddell Wilson, Bobby Allison, Donny Allison, Ned Jarrett, Junior Johnson and Dean Combs lined up in front of the crowd to officially launch the speedway in its new life by shouting, "North Wilkesboro Speedway, restart your engine," an adaptation of one of the most famous commands in sports.
The motor in a nearby race car was revved up as they yelled. Afterward, many people attending the event accepted an invitation to drive their cars around the track. |
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