[Adger Smith]

To give you some background about what I'm going to say: I have successfully owned & operated 3 tracks in my lifetime. 2 in the the Tyler Tx area & built & operated the track in Prescott AR. What I know & comment about track operation I've earned by investing my own time & my money. I am not in the race track business because I had an opprotunity to sell out and make a good profit. I went back to my original Engine Building/Speed Shop business. Some of what I'm going to post may offend, but it is the way I see things.
I guess I should have told a little more background on my post about Red River & it's sale.
When the Wilhites(owners of the track) and Ken & Molly Hall (the last track managers/lease owners) disolved their relationship, were dismissed, tossed or their contract not renuied (or what ever story that you hear), it was announced Red River was For Sale. It is my opinion the last operators wanted the track to fail for some reason.. maybe to get it at fire sale price..The Wilhites have a very successful electrical contracting business in Shreveport. They don't need or want a track. The track was the dream/ Baby of their now deceased father. One nice guy, in my opinion. There has been a steady stream of problems since the track has started operation. Some caused by inexperienced management other problems by managers that made decisions that were not in best interest of the track. I won't go into detail, but it is my opinion the way the track has been run/managed is part of the problem with killing the spectator and racer base. You cannot do some of the things that were done with that track & build for the future. Early in the life of the track I saw some of the mistakes that were going to create problems. Because I wanted to see the track a success, in casual conversation, I offered some of the advice I had leaned about track oprtation & promotion. Greg Wilhite dissmissed me with the comment " Your out of the race track business I don't need to listen to you." So until now I've kept my mouth shut.
The post I made from the Dallas Morning News was about the guy that was first in line to buy the track. He didn't show up for the closing & now we can understand why.
As I've been told by a 3rd party the Wilhites went to the second guy wanting the track & he opted out because of how his finances have been hit in this economy.
Now that leaves the track wide open for someone to buy. It is not a bad deal for anyone wanting to be in the business. If my health was better & I was a little younger I would be a player. Then I would be able to show Mr. Wilhite what "A has been" in the racing industry could do with such a nice track.
As for Bill Deadmans comments, you need to look at a map & research the population of the area before making your comments. It's been a while since I looked at it, but if you draw a circle with a 75 mile radius around the track there is over 1,000,000 in population. Thats a 1 hour drive to the trackfor that population base. It is about 20 miles north of Shreveport & 45 miles south of Texarkana.
Larry, as far as your assessment of the strong experienced managers, look where they were from. One had No experience with local economy or the way things happen in our area. He was a fish out of water here. Things done in Darlington don't work here, its a different place. And just check the track record of how may places the husband and wife team have blown into & out of. I know a lot more about them than I'm willing to post. Remember they bought me out at my I-20 track!
No one ever built a special identity for the track. One of the worst mistakes I saw happening was to advertise a show & not have a show. That happened over & over in the tracks early days. That kills spectator support. Another was the time of year that they tried to have big shows. There were too may other community things they were going up against. The last thing you need is some guy, in an office up north, telling you to have a race while the Lousiana State Fair is in town. The track has alot of good things going for it. It just needs the right owner/manager to operate it. Someone that understands the area & the economics of the residents who is willing to work & promote the track more than on race day.
I didn't post this to get into a pissing contest about the track or be little it or anyone. I can back up my opinions with facts if need be. The track is one fine facility and should be put to use.