Two Cent Tuesdays – This Week, Tri City Raceway

It's anything goes with Two Cent Tuesdays!  And this week's rant is 'retro' about racing in the Tri-Cities.

Jake sent in this rant about the now-defunct Tri-City Raceway.   (A little backround about the track.  Built in 1968, 'officially' opened in 1969, the track was promoted and operated for years by the Walden Family, and saw many famous drivers regularly participate.  Davey Hamilton,  Mike Bliss (former track speed record holder)  Derrick Cope (1991 Daytona winner) and current NASCAR Sprint Cup star Greg Biffle (1995-96 TCR Late Model Champion) raced on a regular basis over the years.  

 The track was purchased in 1998 by Paul Alderman, former Ellensburg car dealer, who unfortunately failed to keep it afloat.  After hosting it's last race in 2004, the track was sold to the Port of Kennewick around 2008.  Alderman turned down an offer from Biffle to buy the track and keep it in operation. )

 "I want the old tri city gateway brought up. How Paul aldermen ruined the track before selling it. How he wouldn't sell to biffle for1.6 million but the port of Kennewick for 1.75. Now It's just sitting there going to waste cause the port way over- paid. They could sub divide the property and just sell  the track with five or six acres or lease that much so they can start making some sort of money. It was the fastest track in the west. And I think it would be nice to have are old track back and something to do with the wine industry. The more and more people I talk to would go out and race or watch every Saturday night. So the worst they could do is spend some of our money to make it back plus some of that wasted 1.75 million that been sitting for over 4 years with nothing done besides autocross and Im not a fan of that."

(Note: a grass-roots effort to revive stock-car racing failed less than two years ago when a well-designed and financed proposal was rejected by the Port).

You too can send in your thoughts, comments, gripes, or positives.  Just click here to submit "your two cents," then be watching to see if we use your entry each week.  Two Cent Tuesdays--your opinion, with Newstalk 870 KFLD.