TERRE HAUTE — The Vigo County Fair Board is still considering its options for the next in line to promote racing at the Terre Haute Action Track, said Pete Plant, who has led the search for a new promoter.
A group that includes Mike King, chief announcer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network; Brian Dorsett, local businessman and former Major League Baseball player; and Davey Hamilton, IndyCar driver and announcer; is making its case to become the next in charge of the famed half-mile dirt oval.
Former Action Track promoter Bob Sargent was considered one leading candidate for the job. According to King, that is no longer the case.
“We were informed a few weeks back that our proposal had not been chosen, that Bob Sargent’s proposal had been selected over ours,” said King, who added that things have changed recently. “I received a call from Bob that said he would be unable to fulfill his proposal.”
Sargent confirmed to the Tribune-Star on Wednesday that this is basically true.
“Some things didn’t come together that we had hoped would come together,” Sargent said. “So we wanted to give the fair board enough time to work something out with another promoter.”
Sargent added that he’s part of groups that own two weekly tracks and promote events at several other tracks, so his schedule was already close to full.
“I still think the Terre Haute Action Track is a great facility,” Sargent emphasized. “I still feel like I have a great relationship with the fair board.”
Plant, a member of the Vigo County Fair Board, would not speak about the King or Sargent proposals and did not confirm that Sargent was no longer a candidate to become the track’s promoter.
“We’ve talked to several companies and organizations about the track,” Plant said without mentioning any names. “There’s two that showed the most interest.
After a 2007 season that was one of the most tumultuous ever at the Action Track, the fair board is taking its time to consider its options.
“We’re working toward trying to find the proper person for the best of the community,” Plant said.
No contracts had been written as of this past weekend, Plant said Friday, but he said something should be decided in the near future.
“We hope to have something ironed out within the next week,” Plant said.
King believes his group can best serve Wabash Valley racing fans.
“We have reiterated to Pete Plant, chairman of race committee, that we would very much like to take over promotional rights,” King said.
King said the experience and reputation that he and Hamilton have in racing, combined with Dorsett’s reputation in the Terre Haute business community, is a combination that will succeed.
Hamilton, who finished ninth in the 2007 Indianapolis 500, has been involved with operating Meridian Speedway outside of Boise, Idaho, for the past 20 years. Hamilton also has a home in Avon and the 45-year-old hopes to race in the Indianapolis 500 again in 2008.
Hamilton said in a phone interview that it’s premature to talk in detail about the prospects for the Action Track.
“We hope to get it,” he said Wednesday.
King conceded it might be a challenge to get fans back at the Action Track after a season in which only one race took place. And that race, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned Tony Hulman Classic, was shut down because of curfew restrictions.
Since then, promoter Dave Allison and the fair board have severed ties. It’s been tough for King, who resides in Terre Haute with his family, to watch the Action Track suffer.
“It’s almost like seeing someone in your family held hostage,” King said. “I don’t know what [Allison] was thinking. The only good thing is that part of it’s over.”
Wabash Valley racing fans will come back with the right product.
“Race fans are kind of a unique breed anyway,” King said. “They are resilient, to say the least. But I will say this, we are well aware that race fans in Terre Haute and the surrounding area, when it comes to the Action Track, have been poorly treated in terms of their entertainment dollar for several years. Our goal would be to make events at the track affordable, make them competitive with a great race track and would want to pay special attention for fans to be out of the facility and home before 11:30 [p.m.] or [midnight]. We want shows to be conducted in a real efficient manner.”
King said he, Dorsett and Hamilton can turn things around.
“In my mind, we are running out of chances to turn that place around,” King said, adding that money would be put back into making the track better for the fans. “I know it would take convincing to get some of the fans back. We plan on doing everything we need to do to ensure that their money will be well spent.”
King emphasized that he, Dorsett and Hamilton would bring a group that can be trusted and make the Action Track a special place again.
“Fans need a promotional group that can be trusted,” King said. “They need to know that those people are telling them the truth. We’re bringing our reputations to the table.”
King said that his and Sargent’s plans for the track are much different. While he said Sargent wanted to run close to a weekly card at the track, King’s group hopes to revive traditional races at the track.
“I don’t think neighbors want to hear race cars on the track every Saturday,” King said.
King said he sought out Don Smith, CEO of Terre Haute First Financial Bank, for advice.
“You need a handful of really good, well-promoted events,” King said. “If you were at Action Track [when Smith promoted races], you knew you were at a big race. The Action Track is a track with a real track with a history. It’s not Lincoln Park and not Paragon.
“It’s a special track and deserves to be treated that way.”
King is under the impression that the facility does not need extreme improvements.
However, rebuilding relationships with organizations such as USAC would be key.
“Before we even submitted a proposal, we met with [USAC officials],” King said. “USAC wants to be at the Action Track as badly as we want them to be there. They want to be there in the right way, in the right situation.”
Tribune-Star sports reporter David Hughes contributed to this report.
Auto Racing
King: Action Track is ‘special track and deserves to be treated that way’
- Auto Racing
-
-
Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat
And the crowd went wild.
Not only did Ed Carpenter win the pole for the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500, he is the hometown son. Carpenter, the stepson of Tony George, completed his rookie orientation in 2004 and has spent the last several years, proving he deserved to be the IZOD IndyCar Series. There is no questioning his credentials now. -
Carpenter wins Indy 500 pole
Ed Carpenter is on the pole for the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500.
The native of Marshall, Ill., earned the No. 1 spot for the May 26 race with a strong run in the Fast Nine competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday. He is the first American driver on the pole since 2006. -
TRACKSIDE: Rain still a pain for Wabash Valley racing organizers
Soggy weather conditions, which have rightfully drawn the ire of Wabash Valley race fans and crews in recent days, continue to plague promoters where it hurts the most — their pocketbooks.
-
TRACKSIDE: Tough to rise from sprint-car racing, especially in challenging financial times
Open-wheel sprint-car racing, whether it be at the national or local level, has earned a reputation over the years of generating its share of thrills and excitement for its fans and a valuable training ground for drivers seeking to hone their skills that someday might elevate them to the “major leagues” of their sport.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: Rose baseball wins another thriller
Rose-Hulman earned its third victory in its last at-bat in the last five days with a 6-5 win over Franklin in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference baseball Tuesday night at Art Nehf Field.
-
East gets jump at SUMAR Classic
In his relatively brief but successful racing career, young Bobby East has at times unfairly been labeled as a driver who could master the pavement ovals but one who was still a work in progress on the dirt.
-
Hurtubise, Sumar races on Action Track slate this weekend
Championship racing is scheduled this weekend at the Terre Haute Action Track with U.S. Auto Club features set for today and Saturday.
One USAC championship will be decided and the spread in the other division could widen or tighten up as a result of the races.
The Jim Hurtubise Classic for sprint cars is today. Only 26 points separate three drivers in the point totals. -
TRACKSIDE: Chase Stockon hopes momentum stays with him in Terre Haute
Momentum, an element that can be as elusive to a race driver as that perfect setup, can spell the difference in winning or running at the rear of the pack.
It’s a force difficult to achieve and maybe even harder to maintain. One learns quickly to make the most of the opportunity when it comes his way.
It’s something Chase Stockon will carry with him coming into today’s Jim Hurtubise Classic at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Only days following the biggest victory of his young and promising career, the $10,000-to-win USAC feature at Lawrenceburg, Stockon followed that up with another rich payday this past weekend at Tri-State Speedway. -
IndyCar celebrates return to Pocono
IndyCar driver Ed Carpenter had the chance to take a drive around Pocono Raceway, and promptly handed the car keys to racing great Mario Andretti.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: Rain forces postponement of Jim Hurtubise Classic
Rain and the chance of inclement weather forced postponement of the Jim Hurtubise Classic scheduled for Saturday evening at the Terre Haute Action Track.
-
METRO ROUNDUP: USAC points leader Levi Jones out for season
Levi Jones, the five-time and reigning United States Auto Club (USAC) National Sprint Car champion, will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday to repair two herniated discs in his neck. While a full recovery is expected, the 12-week rehabilitation period will not allow for Jones to finish out the 2012 season, where he has competed in the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car and TRAXXAS Silver Crown divisions for Tony Stewart Racing (TSR).
-
TRACKSIDE: Stockon takes giant step forward in USAC
One of the more impressive and welcomed storylines of the recently completed Indiana Sprint Week was the emergence of area driver Chase Stockon on the national sprint car scene.
-
JJ joins hero Mears among four-time winners of Brickyard
Love him or hate him, there is no denying that Jimmie Johnson is a master at the Brickyard.
-
Hamlin wins Brickyard 400 pole position
Denny Hamlin captured his first ever pole for the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday.
-
Keselowski gives Penske first stock-car win at IMS
Brad Keselowski made history Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as he took the checkered flag at the inaugural Indy 250 NASCAR Nationwide race.
-
Bordais, Popow take checkered flag after downpour
While it never rained a drop during the month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Super Weekend at the Brickyard certainly saw its share Friday as both the inaugural Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge and the Rolex Sports Car Series met with the wet stuff.
-
TRACKSIDE: Indiana Sprint Week rises above heat, rain, poor economy
The 25th annual version of Indiana Sprint Week is now officially in the record books and the latest chapter will go down as one of the most successful in recent years.
-
Red-hot Hunter-Reay goes for fourth straight at Edmonton
Ryan Hunter-Reay goes for his fourth straight victory Sunday in IZOD IndyCar Series action in Canada.
-
Clayton wins at Don Smith Classic
They call Daron Clayton, “The Modern Day Cowboy.”
-
The King of Speed
Born in Terre Haute, Roger Curtis grew up on Franklin Street, moved to Riley with his family when he was in sixth grade and attended Thornton Elementary School and Honey Creek Junior High before graduating from Terre Haute South High School in 1985.
-
Jones occupies driver’s seat: Six-time THAT winner leads Sprint Week series
When you think of USAC’s Indiana Sprint Week, thoughts of Levi Jones shouldn’t be far behind.
-
TRACKSIDE: Late models may have no long-term future in Indiana
Reflecting on what was billed as the biggest week of the summer for dirt-track stock-car racing … while preparing to shift gears for the busiest week of the year for non-wing sprint-car racing in the Wabash Valley.
-
Kenny Wallace realizes Action Track dream
Kenny Wallace won the UMP modified feature, leading flag-to-flag for the victory on Thursday night at the Terre Haute Action Track.
Wallace, a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver from 1990-2008, couldn’t have more thrilled to become part of a racing revival at the venerable dirt oval. -
TRACKSIDE: Summer heat has made this ‘The Hell Tour’
It is fittingly billed as “The Hell Tour” for many of the Midwest’s leading late model stock car drivers and their crews.
-
Franchitti mired in post-Indy 500 slump
Dario Franchitti hopes to get back on track in IndyCar Series action Sunday in Canada.
-
TRACKSIDE: Retired driver LaJoie spreads the word of safety
In his roles as past driving champion and television analyst, Randy LaJoie has rightfully earned the reputation as a major contributor to the sport of auto racing.
-
Trackside: Stanbrough on track at midseason
When veteran driver Jon Stanbrough ushered in a new season in Florida back in February, he found himself facing a pair of unfamiliar challenges.
-
Atchison, Virgilio win weekend races at Crossroads Dragway
Troy Atchison and Tony Virgilio won feature races in weekend racing at Crossroads Dragway.
-
TRACKSIDE: Clauson bucks the IndyCar trend
On the surface, the distance from the dirt oval at Lincoln Park Speedway to the massive, paved Indianapolis Motor Speedway may appear only a few miles apart.
-
Stewart Racing driver hangs on in final laps
Tony Stewart Racing’s Levi Jones passed Robert Ballou with 11 laps to go and held off a charging Jon Stanbrough to take the Hoosier Tire Midwest Sprint Car Series’ 25-lap feature Tuesday at the Terre Haute Action Track.
- More Auto Racing Headlines
-
Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat




