|
|
Friday, July 28, 2006
|
|
In the beginning, it was Donnybrooke BIR TIMELINE
• In 1968, Donnybrooke Speedway opened north of Brainerd along Highway 371. The track was founded by George Montgomery.
• Previous property owners included a farmer, a paper mill and the owner of a small shopping center.
• The track closed after the 1972 season because of financial problems. And rumors at the time included the potential for other uses than racing for the property's future.
• In 1973, Jerry Hansen, the winningest amateur driver in Sports Car Club of America history, purchased the track. He convinced friend Dick Roe to join the restoration project.
• In 1974, the track was given a new name - Brainerd International Raceway. And a road racing spectator event attracted more than 17,000 people.
• In 1975, the first professional road race since Donneybrooke closed was conducted.
• In 1977, drag racing was added with two events - the Crown Auto Funny Car Championships and the Crown Auto Winston Points Championships. Don Prudhomme won the inaugural funny car championship.
• In 1979, a record 22,000 fans attended that year's NHRA Winston Points championship.
• In 1982, grandstands from the old Met Stadium in Bloomington were purchased for the track's newest drag racing event, which attracted more than 50,000 people, setting a Minnesota motorsports attendance record.
• In 1986, the track went public selling almost 900,000 shares of stock in two months.
• In 1989, BIR had another event record with a four-day crowd of 80,500 people.
• In 1991, a tornado struck the grounds on July 5 during the Champion Auto Stores Show and Go decimating a section of the 500-acre facility, including some race cars.
• In 1994, Don Williamson, owner of Colonel's Inc., a manufacturing business in Michigan operating as a supplier of plastic replacement bumpers and accessories for the automotive aftermarket industry, purchased 72 percent of the outstanding shares (at $2.26 per share) of Brainerd International from Gene Snow and Jim Littlejohn. Twenty-eight percent of BIR stock remained publicly owned and traded on the NASDAQ exchange.
• Texas oilman and former drag racing star Snow and his partner Littlejohn of Dallas, earned an aggregate $1.1 million from the sale of stock that gave Williamson controlling interest in the track. (Williamson is the current mayor of Flint, Mich.)
• In 1998, BIR was the fifth largest spectator event on the 22-race NHRA tour.
- Renee Richardson, staff writer
|
|
|
Thinking about a New Job?
These employers want you!
|
|
Schools has an opening fo...
|
|
not a
9-5 person,
how about
11-2, 4-...
|
|
CASH!!
Independent Carrier need...
|
|
position plans sales trai...
|
|
is hiring for the following
...
|
|
|
|
Bids Being Accepted
call...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Today's Best Classifieds:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Overcast, 61°
