IHRA TO BE SOLD!
Now
that the Agent has your attention, here's the deal. Clear
Channel
Communications, Inc. recently announced that the communications,
advertising and entertainment giant would be spinning off
their live-entertainment division whose revenues for the
first quarter dropped 59 percent from $116 million in 2004
to less than $47.9 million in 2005. Clear Channel's entertainment
division includes concerts, indoor motocross, monster truck
and the International Hot Rod Association.
So, the main question for drag racing is who will be the
next owner of Clear Channel Entertainment (and thus the
International Hot Rod Association). It's a buyers market
and the Agent wonders, based on the recent statements from
Speedway Motors Incorporated about that company's need to
expand to other motorsports events, wouldn't the purchase
of Clear Channel Entertainment by Bruton Smith's company
be a logical idea. Besides, if the Agent is to believe the
NHRA party line that the sanctioning body isn't for sale,
then wouldn't it make sense for Mr. Smith to take a look
at IHRA which is absolutely for sale? Then there would be
the possibility of Bristol returning to its IHRA roots as
well as Bruton's tracks at Las Vegas and Sonoma.
[5-2-2005]
THE LAST RACE AT BRAINERD?
ADVERTISEMENT
 |
|
According to the Agent's sources the future of Brainerd
International Raceway as an NHRA national event track is
at least shaky. Reports have the current owner of the Minnesota
track going through a nasty divorce which will give the
wife the dragstrip property as part of the settlement. The
Agent's operative reports that local racers have been told
that the track will open and run in 2005 as it always has
with the NHRA national event going on as scheduled, but
after this season the fate of the track is unknown. Supposedly,
the resort that borders the track covets the property for
expansion and no one knows how the wife of the current owner
feels about drag racing. Sports Resorts International, owner
of the facility, announced last year that the track was
for sale. All of this should make for an interesting year
for new general manager, Rod Wolter.
[5-2-2005]
MORE BRUTON SMITH/NHRA RUMORS
The latest rumor that the Agent hears is that Bruton Smith
and NHRA are having conversations about the possibility
of Smith's SMI company purchasing the assets of NHRA properties
which reportedly includes tracks and properties at Columbus,
OH; Gainesville, FL; Atlanta GA, and Indianapolis, IN. What
is not clear is whether the leases that NHRA has at Pomona
and Bakersfield would be included. The Agent would like
to personally thank NHRA and Mr. Smith for the seemingly
never-ending entertainment for our readers regarding the
"sale" of NHRA. [5-2-2005]
THROW THE RACE? THROW THE RACE!
The Agent was watching the recent telecast from Bristol
when ESPN analyst and former Top Fuel driver Mike Dunn uttered
the words "throw the race" and "team orders"
in the same sentence when talking about a match-up between
a couple of Kalitta cars.
C'mon guys, the Agent wonders, when no one can prove that
anyone is cheating or prove there are any "team orders,"
why the subject keeps getting brought up in the booth. Then
Dave Grubnic left just after the second stage bulb came
on and Dunn made it clear that he thought someone "took
a dive." The Agent and everyone else gets it, OK! The
Agent believes it proves once and for all that Dunn is his
own man and doesn't take "team orders" from NHRA
in the announce booth. [5-2-2005]
