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from the World of Dirt Track Racing

by Terry Whetstone

Tim Bainey finalizes deal to purchase Central PA
Speedway
Saturday, February 23, 2008
By Terry Whetstone Staff Writer - THE PROGRESS
There's a new man at the helm of Central PA Speedway
this week, after previous owner Dan Russell sold the
speedway to longtime Philipsburg businessman and
longtime racer Tim Bainey.
The deal was finalized earlier this week, and Bainey
stressed he has purchased the speedway, not leased it,
such as others have done in the past.

Bainey has been interested in purchasing a speedway
for several years before it finally happened.

"I've looked into buying the place several times over
the last 10 years," Bainey said.

"The timing was right, and we were finally able to put
the right deal together. It's something that I've
always wanted to do, and I plan to have a lot of fun
running this place, as what I think will be one of the
premier tracks in the country."

The fans won't see a great deal of changes this
season. Since the deal was finalized so late there
won't be much that can change, but Bainey is planning
to add additional clay to the surface before the first
race on Memorial Day weekend.

While Bainey's son, Tim Jr. has been focusing on an
asphalt-racing career of late, competing in the USAR
Hooters ProCup Series, there is no threat the track
will return to asphalt.

"My heart's in dirt racing," Bainey said. "I grew up
around dirt racing and started my racing career on
this track in a demolition derby in 1978."

Bainey plans to simply build on the success that
Russell started several years ago.

"I want all the teams, drivers and race fans to know
that they will have a place to enjoy themselves year
after year, long into the future," Bainey said.

"We want our track to be the most fan-, driver-, team-
and sponsor-friendly place in the country ... provide
a venue where everyone can benefit from increasing the
interactions between these groups."

He also wants those who worked at the speedway last
year to realize that he is interested in having them
back, if they want to return.

"There's no way we can reach everyone that was working
there," he said. "We need them to drop us an email and
tell us who they are, what they did and if they want
to come back."

The e-mail address is info@thebigtrack.com .

The owners are Tim and Moe Bainey with son Dan Bainey
the director of operations. Kenny McLaughlin will be
the general manager and director of competition, while
Allen Ralston is the facilities manager.

East Coast Marketing Group with Tim Bainey Jr. will
handle the marketing and advertising. A third son,
Randy Bainey, will also be involved with the
day-to-day operations at the facility.

Other positions will be filled shortly.

The new ownership intends to bring sponsorship into
the speedway to not only support the track but also
help the drivers obtain sponsorship.

There are many other plans in the works for the
speedway, such as getting the fans up close to the
drivers, so they can get to know them better.
Different forms of entertainment are also being
considered, however exactly what hasn't been announced
yet.

There are four major things the family hopes to do.

For the competitors, they want to provide the drivers
and teams with the best place in the country to race,
and they intend to increase the purse payouts; for the
businesses, they want to provide a good venue to the
area, to provide the businesses with a place to
promote their products and services; for the area,
they want to try to increase the tourism in the area;
and for the fans, they want to provide an entertaining
and exciting family night out.

"This is something I've always wanted to do," Bainey
said. "I've grown up around it and I can still hang
out with my kids at the races, and I invite the other
area parents and their children to do the same."

The speedway has been famous for the annual Yankee
Doodle race during the Fourth of July holiday over the
years, and that tradition will continue this season.

A specials-only schedule is being prepared and there
will be several announcements, press releases and
other information coming in the next few weeks.

Bainey is asking that everyone follow things through
the new track website, http://www.thebigtrack.com/ ,
while they go through the process of getting things in
place.

"Right now we are pretty much organizing things,"
Bainey said. "There is a lot to look over, but we are
getting a good game plan together."