May 14, 2003

BREWERTON/FULTON PROMOTER HARVEY FINK NAMED 
REGIONAL AUTO RACING PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - In the Top of the Surf Ballroom at the Daytona Beach Resort, February 12, LANNY EDWARDS, promoter of Devil's Bowl (TX)  Speedway, the midwinter
Chilibowl Midget Nationals and Lawton and State Fair Speedways in Oklahoma, was named the 27th Auto Racing Promoter of the Year.  Edwards received the industry's most prestigious award as a seven-time nominee.  The 18th Daytona Awards Dinner, at which the award was conferred, was the concluding event of the 30th Annual RPM Promoters Work-shops.  The Workshop tallied attendance of 702, the second largest count ever recorded at Daytona Beach.  The Auto Racing Promoter of the Year is selected in early winter balloting conducted
by this newsletter.

Honored as Regional Auto Racing Promoters of the Year were HARVEY FINK, Brewerton (NY) Speedway (second nomination); FRANK PLESSINGER, Hagerstown
(MD) Speedway (third nomination); JOHNNIE & DALE PINILIS, Bowman-Gray (NC) Stadium (second nomination); The NUCKLES family, Columbus (OH) Speedway (second nomination);  BOB SARGENT, Farmer City, Vermilion County, DuQuoin, and State Fair (IL) Speedways and Terre Haute (IN) Action Track (third nomination); GREG & STEVE RUBIN, Huset's (SD) Speedway (sixth nomination); and MARION COLLINS, Mesa Marin (CA) Raceway (third nomination).

Four other awards were presented during the ceremonies.  ALLAN BROWN, publisher of the National Speedway Directory, The National Sprint Car Annual, and The History of the American Speedway, received the fourth annual Stew Reamer Service Award, recognizing lifetime service to the weekly auto racing industry.  National Speed Sport News presented the 14th annual National Speed Sport News Award for outstanding annual short track event to
RICK DAWSON of Anderson (IN) Speedway for the annual Little 500 sprint car event.  Speedway Illustrated Magazine presented EMMETT HAHN and LANNYEDWARDS with the Speedway Illustrated Award for outstanding achievement in promotion for the annual Chilibowl Midget Nationals held each winter at the Tulsa (OK) Expo Center.  Much to our astonishment, DON GAMBLE, on behalf of HELEN and PATTY MARTIN, the Martin Family and employees of Lernerville (PA) Speedway, presented your editor with the 10th annual Don Martin Memorial
Award for enhancing the image of auto racing.

This February¹s Workshop happened during a Speedweek that began with not entirely unexpected news that the Winston brand might forsake NASCAR¹s cup, but then became what is among lowest key Speedweeks we have seen.  Promoters were upbeat as they were at Reno.

New Yorker HARVEY FINK is optimistic about 2003 at his 1/3 & 3/8-mile dirt tracks, but he sees the year as a continuation of his recommitment to the basics of weekly track operation, concentrating on his weekly show.  And like many other promoters in New York and elsewhere, he faces a fan base troubled by layoffs.  Over the last several seasons he reduced special events, trimming his schedule to 24 races at each track.  Former-ly, he presented more special events but he believes his area hosts too many special events, reducing revenue potential.  Instead of boosting income with special races, he is trying to boost weekly attendance by giving fans a value-added event experience with no increase in ticket prices.  Local taxes in his area have increased by more than one-third, his insurance has increased 40 %, and he expects his fuel costs to increase 15 % this season. But he will maintain his $10 front gate ticket price, however. Like any businessman, he would like to see increased revenue this year, but Fink understands he will be working this season to stem attendance erosion and maintain revenues comparable to previous seasons.

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