By John Sleeper
Herald Writer
Skagit Speedway is not for sale, despite rampant internet rumors and talk on the street, speedway owner Jim Burrow said.
“No,” said Burrow, who purchased the track in 1997. “It’s not for sale.”
The rumors have Burrow selling, perhaps as soon as next week’s Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup, to either Tim Hanson or Fred Brownfield.
Hanson, the track’s promoter, owns a series of auto dealerships in Skagit County. Brownfield, who won four points championships at Skagit as a driver, operates the Northern Sprint Tour and opened State Fair Raceway last year in Yakima. He also owns a metal-fabrication company in Snohomish.
Brownfield ran Skagit Speedway in 1994 and 1995 on a trial basis while the former ownership group mulled over his offer to buy. The group later rejected Brownfield’s bid.
Brownfield said he hasn’t been contacted by Skagit officials about a possible deal. A longstanding tiff between him and Burrow would make such a deal unlikely, even if the track were on the block.
“No one’s approached me,” Brownfield said, “and the likelihood is that no one will. I know Jim won’t. That’s pretty much a given.”
Burrow did allow that he might take on Hanson as a partner.
“I don’t know for sure yet,” Burrow said. “It’ll be a month or two down the road before we find out for sure. We’re working on things right now and waiting to see what happens.”
Burrow said he wants a partner who has promotional skills, and that Hanson would fill the position well. Presumably, Hanson’s current duties as promoter would expand should be buy in with Burrow.
Hanson did not return phone messages from The Herald.
Brownfield has the reputation as a mover and shaker in Northwest auto racing. As acting head of Skagit Speedway, he brought the World of Outlaws tour to the track for the first time in 15 years.
“We had a good time when we were there,” Brownfield said. “I felt like we were trying to make the place prosper and felt like it was growing.”
Brownfield’s name is mentioned annually as a possible buyer of Skagit Speedway, but he says his hands already are full. Still, he wouldn’t completely shut down the possibility.
“Never say never,” he said. “I don’t know that I’ve said ‘for good’ on any of that. But it’s certainly not on the top of my list. I’ve got a lot of things on my plate, a lot of things happening. I’m not absolutely certain what all I want to do.
“It’s hard to say what will happen. It depends on what happens in my business in the next couple, three years and what happens up there in the next couple, three years. I don’t know. I don’t want to speculate. I don’t have a clue.”
Evergreen Speedway: Freddie’s Club Casino in Everett is putting on Ladies Night at Evergreen Saturday. Women who present a coupon from Freddie’s will be admitted free with a full-price adult purchase.
Super stocks, bombers, mini-stocks, Figure Eights, Extreme Contact Figure Eights and more are scheduled Saturday night.
Northwest Series: Tacoma driver Ron Eaton will try to notch his third win in five races Saturday when the Northwest Series hits Tri-City Speedway in West Richland for the Oasis Waterworks 125.
Eaton, 57, leads the points chase with 685, followed by Bothell’s Kevin Hamlin (642) and Monroe rookie John Bender (602).
Gaughan to drive trucks: Brendan Gaughan, the 2000 Winston West points champion, signed a deal to run four upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck races.
Gaughan will race Saturday in the O’Reilly 400 at Texas Motor Speedway; the Kansas 300 at Kansas Speedway July 7; the Chicago 175 at Chicago Motor Speedway Aug. 18; and the Fort Worth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway Sept. 15.
The schedule allows Gaughan to defend his Winston West title without missing races.
The Winston West series comes to Evergreen Speedway June 30.
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