buckaroo
Here kitty, kitty, kitty
I wouldn't be looking too soon for any racing of any kind at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. The group who was spearheading the Save N. Wilkesboro Track has pretty much run into a brick wall by the name of Bruton Smith. The group has talked to the townsfolk, and both Smith and Bob Bahre who is the co-owner of the facility. Bahre has agreed to do with the track what Smith will do and if that's sell, then he would then sell as well. The group has gotten estimates for renovating the track and surrounded areas as well as lining up sponsors for races etc. The group doesn't have the capital to purchase the track but told the city of North Wilkesboro that if they could buy the track, they would then lease it from the city and do all the improvements. Well, Smitty said that he would sell his half for 12 million dollars. The city cannot and will not purchase the track for that price and says that it's not even anywhere close to being worth that. The tax value for the track is now down to just under 5 million. Smith bought his half of the track for 6 million and with the move of one of the dates to his Texas track, has certainly made that pay off. But it looks as though his insistance that the track "go back to dirt" is just what will probably happen.
I don't know how many of you have traveled along US421 that passes by the track, but it's very visible from the road, being only a few hundred feet back from the highway. Every time I go by it, I wonder what in the world Smith is wanting from the people of Wilkes County. Junior Johnson, who lives down the road not far, has tried to work something out with Smith in the past, but gave up on the idea several years ago. NW would not of course, ever field a race in the Cup series, and probably wouldn't even get a Busch or truck race, but many of the local running series as well as a few other national series are willing to race there. I guess control is something that Smith thrives on. It's a real shame that something can't be worked out with this man. At least the county is still getting the tax revenue from the track via Bruton Smith and Bob Bahre.
I don't know how many of you have traveled along US421 that passes by the track, but it's very visible from the road, being only a few hundred feet back from the highway. Every time I go by it, I wonder what in the world Smith is wanting from the people of Wilkes County. Junior Johnson, who lives down the road not far, has tried to work something out with Smith in the past, but gave up on the idea several years ago. NW would not of course, ever field a race in the Cup series, and probably wouldn't even get a Busch or truck race, but many of the local running series as well as a few other national series are willing to race there. I guess control is something that Smith thrives on. It's a real shame that something can't be worked out with this man. At least the county is still getting the tax revenue from the track via Bruton Smith and Bob Bahre.