Optimism and excitement were the order of the day in the local auto racing community on Friday.
One day after Evergreen Speedway promoter Mickey Beadle announced he’s selling the motorsports operations contract to Monroe racer and businessman Lex Johnson, the reaction from drivers, car owners and promoters was upbeat.
“Lex will do fine, he’s a smart businessman with a real passion for the sport,” said Ron Bennett, the promoter at Yakima Speedway and director of the ASA Northwest Tour. “He’ll look at racing with a new perspective, a younger perspective.”
At 33, Johnson’s relatively young age and ownership of Concept Racing &Graphics were seen by many as positive factors in the upcoming transition.
“I think (the track) needs some fresh blood and Lex is a good pick,” car owner and longtime Evergreen racer Ron Fritzley said. “He’s young enough and he’s a racer, so he knows what racers want, but he’s also learned how to run his own business.
“You have to mix the two together to make it work. Lex can do that.”
Beadle announced Thursday that he and Johnson had reached an agreement on the sale of International Productions, Inc., the company Beadle’s father and uncle helped found in 1978 to oversee track operations.
The sale evoked little surprise in the close-knit racing community.
“Mickey (had) been there a long, long time, and he was ready to get out,” Fritzley said. “I’ve known of three or four others who’ve tried to purchase it, although I don’t know what happened in those negotiations.”
Bennett said he “heard Mickey was looking to shop his lease … but I didn’t think it would happen this quickly.”
Even if the speed of the deal was unexpected, Bennett, whose Northwest Tour opens Evergreen’s racing season on March 29, had no concerns about the timing of the sale.
“I have no fears whatsoever — I’d rather (the sale) happen now than the middle of the season,” Bennett said. “The long-time employees are staying on and Mickey is going to help with the opener, so it should be a seamless transition.”
Beadle started out as an employee of IPI, became a partner in 1980 and gradually assumed increased responsibilities in the management of the track. His 30 years of support for local auto racing were also topics of discussion on Friday.
“The Beadles did a lot for racing in the Northwest,” Bennett said. “We owe them a huge debt of gratitude. We’ll miss Mickey and we all wish him well.”
“Mickey has been a staple, an icon in racing for so many years,” said Jeff Knight, who is entering his second full year racing in the super-stock division “I can remember going to the track as a kid with my father … I don’t know racing at Evergreen without Mickey.”
The speedway, as part of the Evergreen State Fairgrounds, is owned by Snohomish County. The county’s current contract with IPI runs through 2010. Once the sale of IPI has been finalized, county approval will be required for the assignment of the contract to Johnson as the new owner.
Neither party to the transaction expects obtaining county approval to be a problem.
“It’s a great thing for the community. (Johnson) has a home in Monroe, an established business in Monroe,” said John Zaretzke, a three-time super-stock division champion at Evergreen. “And now he’s starting something new in Monroe. I’m all for that.”
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