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Click Here 45 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, February 6, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend February 5, 2004 Skinner makes speedway offer By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune The operator of Southern Oregon Speedway has offered an olive branch to drag-strip enthusiasts, saying they can take over the track if they pay him $1 a race. "I told them I would give it to them for $1 a day plus any expenses I might incur," said John Skinner, who operates both the circle course and drag strip in White City. Skinner has come under pressure from drag-strip supporters to reopen negotiations so that track operations can be subleased to the Hot Rod Gassers Association, which is more interested in that kind of racing. Central Point resident Dave Hix and other local residents urged county commissioners Wednesday to cancel the Speedway contract they have with Skinner and turn the drag strip over to another promoter. "We’ll be here every Wednesday until this is resolved," Hix said. Advertisement Skinner said he’s surprised, pointing out he’s invested $263,000 over the past five years into the quarter-mile track that has a half-mile slow-down area. Volunteers have also helped maintain the strip, with Bill’s Backhoe Service donating time and equipment to widen a road for vehicles returning from the track. Skinner admits the bleachers, which have planks that are noticeably rotting, need help, but said he will pay whatever it takes to make them safe. Claims that the toilets are in bad shape are not true, said Skinner. He said the toilets were "sabotaged," which caused them to overflow on one occasion. Rumors that the National Hot Rod Association could pull the Division 6 races from Medford are also unfounded, said Skinner, although the NHRA has expressed concern about dust in the pit area. "There’s no possibility of losing the division race," he said. "Hell, I’m the one who got it back here." Skinner admits he doesn’t care for a drag competition known as "bracket racing," where cars are handicapped according to their qualifying runs. However, he does like top-fuel dragster racing. Skinner said he would allow the Southern Oregon Drag Racing Club to take over the bracket races as long as they take care of the insurance and workmen’s compensation and satisfy any requirements imposed by the county. Medford resident Ronnie Mankins, a licensed National Hot Road Association competitor, discounted the $1 a race offer to the club, saying it would still require considerable organization and financial backing to mount that kind of an effort. He hopes that Skinner and the Hot Rod Gassers Association can still work out a deal. "These guys are very willing to take the track," he said. Jim Taylor, one of the owners of the association, said the deal fell apart because Skinner wanted too much control over event times at the drag strip. Skinner said the only restriction he placed was over a Fourth of July celebration, which would require access to the drag- strip property. Mankins disputes Skinner’s claims that he has spent $263,000 on the track. "I don’t believe that," he said. "You’d see it if that happened. We’ve had a lot of donated time and effort into it." Medford resident Brian Kolkemo said he generally had been happy with the way Skinner operated the track until he heard the rumors that the NHRA was thinking of canceling the Division 6 races. Comparing it to quarter-mile tracks, Kolkemo said, "It’s a top-notch track." Commissioner Jack Walker said that Skinner has the financial wherewithal to sustain both the circle track and drag strip. Walker said he would like both sides to quit squabbling and help devise a master plan for the Speedway area. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times