Evergreen Speedway shows county it has funding for race season

Published 11:01 pm Friday, March 13, 2009

The company that holds the motor sports operation contract at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe made good on its promise to provide proof of funding to Snohomish County on Friday.

Johnson Productions LLC, which owes Snohomish County about $32,000 from the 2008 racing season, met its self-imposed deadline by delivering a letter of credit, county spokesman Christopher Schwarzen said.

“The letter of credit allows us to move forward with the beginning of the (2009 racing) season,” Schwarzen said. “And to assure racers that the season will happen.”

The first practice session of the season is scheduled for 1 p.m. today, weather permitting.

Johnson Productions also presented the county with an updated insurance certificate covering motor sports operations at the speedway, Schwarzen said. The coverage goes into effect today.

Of the money owed to the county by Lex and Danni Johnson, the husband-and-wife owners of Johnson Productions, $28,000 is from a missed lease payment in October 2008 and the remainder is for back rent on office space leased from the county.

Schwarzen did not have a set date when that debt would be settled, but said, “The county is in conversations with Mr. Johnson on back money owed.”

The letter of credit was for $50,000. Schwarzen said the contract only required Johnson Productions to show that it has funding for a portion of the season.

“We are looking forward to (today’s) practice and opening the season on March 28,” said Ron Bennett, a spokesman for Johnson Productions. “We’re looking for the 2009 racing season to be the best on record at Evergreen Speedway.”

Two touring series, the ASA Northwest Late Model Tour and the Northwest Legends, are scheduled to open their seasons on March 28. The Western Washington Racing Association opens its season April 3, followed by a demolition derby and fireworks show the next day. The speedway’s local racing divisions begin April 11.

In addition to the county, Johnson Productions owes money to some local small businesses that supported the speedway in 2008, including Foster Press of Lake Stevens and Northwest Trophy of Seattle. Also, the state’s Employment Security Department filed a lien against the company on Feb. 5.

Johnson Productions assumed the speedway management contract from longtime speedway promoter Mickey Beadle’s International Productions, Inc. last spring.