Sports

<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) New Evergreen Speedway promoters Lex (left) and Danni Johnson, along with two of their three children, arrive at the track on a recent Saturday. (click to enlarge) Lex Johnson, 33, of Monroe, talks on his cell phone at Evergreen Speedway. Johnson and his wife Danni took over as the racetrack's promoters back in March.   ADVERTISEMENT   ADDITIONAL ITEMS • Evergreen Speedway (External Link)   Related Stories • Frogs, M's and other assorted musings 7/9/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Evergreen Speedway: Manual not included It's been a hectic four months for Lex and Danni Johnson as they've immersed themselves in learning how to manage Evergreen Speedway after buying out the track's longtime promoter By Scott Whitmore Herald Writer MONROE -- Halfway through what could be the hardest year of their lives, Lex and Danni Johnson can still laugh at the situation they're in. It may be gallows humor -- 100 hour workweeks tend to do that -- but Evergreen Speedway's new promoters are also confident the hard work of this year will make subsequent racing seasons that much better. "We knew going in it would be chaotic and a lot of work, and it has been," Lex Johnson said. "We've just sorted it out week by week and slowly but surely the light at the end of the tunnel has gotten a little bit bigger." "Really?" asked wife and business partner Danni Johnson with a look of surprise. "For me," her husband replied. "But I'm running the other way." Speaking just a few days before the Midseason Championship races on June 28, the Johnsons took an hour out of their busy schedules to reflect on the first four months of their stewardship at the speedway. In early March -- just weeks before the first race of the season -- the Johnsons agreed to buy out longtime promoter Mickey Beadle, whose father and one uncle helped found International Productions, Inc., in 1978 to manage speedway operations. Since that point, the Johnsons have immersed themselves in learning how to manage the speedway as the owners of the newly renamed Johnson Productions, while at the same time putting on a weekly program of entertainment centered on auto racing. "Before we even made this decision we said this year is going to be the hardest year, probably, of our lives," said Danni Johnson. "There was no 'How to Operate Evergreen' manual that came with the job." The Monroe couple was well known at the speedway before they became the new promoters. Lex Johnson, 33, had been racing at Evergreen Speedway since 1996, and the couple's Concept Racing and Graphics business -- with Danni Johnson, 28, operating the on-site trailer on race days -- was designated in 2003 as the speedway's sole provider of fuel, tires and spare parts. The Johnsons, who will celebrate their seventh anniversary later this year, have three children: sons Case, 5, and Porter, 3; and daughter Adley, 18 months. With their business and personal lives completely entwined, both Danni and Lex Johnson said finding a happy medium has been difficult. "It's a challenge to find that perfect balance between getting things done, moving forward with your business and career, and yet having time for your family," Danni Johnson said. "We haven't found that balance yet. We're working toward it." Helping them to find that balance, and providing important assistance in getting their newest venture off to a good start have been Danni and Lex Johnson's extended families. Lex Johnson's father, Denny Johnson, has provided financial backing and put in countless hours on maintenance and upkeep of the track. JoJean Johnson, Lex Johnson's mother, has helped with the couple's children. Danni Johnson said her mother, Lori Saxion, has been "an infinite source of support in every way measureable." Danni and Lex Johnson said they were also fortunate in the staff they inherited, made up for the most part of part-time employees with many years of experience at the speedway. Yet, even that solid team proved initially to be a challenge for the new promoters, who found no written job descriptions or responsibilities existed for any of their employees. "(The speedway) has run very well for 30 years," Danni Johnson said. "(But) with us coming in brand new, everybody questioned 'Am I still supposed to be doing this?'" Lex Johnson said both sides, staff and promoters, ended up "hovering" at first, with neither side "wanting to step on anybody's toes." The employees were waiting to see what changes their new bosses may want, and the Johnsons were trying to watch and learn what needed to be done. Putting on a weekly racing show forced the organization as a whole to work through the uncertainty, with both employees and the promoters becoming more familiar with each other as the season went on. "We haven't changed the system that wasn't in place," Lex Johnson said, displaying more dry humor. "By next season we'll have a lot of this stuff fixed and in place and everybody's going to know what to expect." As for expectations of the first half of the current season, Lex Johnson said they didn't have any. With so much the couple didn't know about managing the speedway, he said there was no need to add pressure by setting goals. Asked their plans for the remainder of the season, the Johnsons' response was simple: hang on, and keep improving the show for the racers and the fans. A few weeks ago Danni Johnson had the opportunity to get out of the Concept Racing trailer in the pit area and help take tickets at the front gate. The experience was just what she needed to boost her spirits and offset the long hours. "It gave me a sense of pride in ownership," she said. "Standing there and greeting those people, seeing them excited to come in, and you know this is their entertainment … this is what they're here to do on a Saturday night." She added: "Come next March, things are going to be great … we're really looking forward to next year. Next year is going to be fantastic."

1. SPEEA to vote today on Boeing contract 2. Man sold Lowe's gift cards from stolen goods, police allege 3. County budget cuts hit courts, will affect cities 4. Crops attract snow geese; hunts control field-damaging flocks 5. Barry Manilow to play Everett 6. Camano Island pair arrested with list of stolen credit card numbers 7. Gambling's growth prompts casino dealer school in Everett 8. Sultan financial errors detailed 9. Reardon can take days without pay 10. Silvertips take one (or two, or three, or more ...) for the team 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Colleges brace for massive cuts • Was burglary suspect burglarized? • Food banks facing hard times • Council member resigns, heading to D.C. • Edmonds closes aid car loophole • Wildcats head to state semifinals • Thanksgiving served with an outpouring of generosity • King's takes third at 1A state tournament • School closures recommended • Stillaguamish Tribe’s Angel of the Winds Casino opens new addition Dec. ... • Building energy independence from the ground up