Business could lose out if Speedway closes

Luladey B. Tadesse

COSTA MESA -- Dave Brant may have to shut down his Speedway motorcycle

repair business and move elsewhere if a deal isn’t struck between the

Orange County fairgrounds and a race promoter.

Brant, who has been involved in the motorcycle business since 1971, came

to Costa Mesa from Reno, Nev., 16 years ago because of the Speedway track

at the fairgrounds. But like many other businesses in the county that

depend on the Speedway -- the only motorcycle races in Southern

California -- his future is uncertain.

The fate of the 32-year-old motorcycle Speedway remains in the air,

despite months of negotiations between San Clemente-based International

Speedway Inc. and officials at the fairgrounds, where races are held each

Saturday.

Brad Oxley, International Speedway race promoter and son of company’s

founders, Harry and Marilynn Oxley, has tried to negotiate his

fairgrounds rental contract since November.

But he said his company can’t afford to keep up with the site’s

increasing costs, with raised 27% since 1997. He also has had continued

increases because of costs for fairgrounds personnel -- parking, restroom

and security employees. In addition, he pays 10% of ticket prices to the

fairgrounds.

But fairground officials said the Speedway doesn’t necessarily need to

leave Costa Mesa.

“The Orange County Fair never indicated that Speedway needs to go away,”

said Becky Bailey-Findley, the fairgrounds general manager.

She said Speedway officials agreed five years ago to have a reduced

rental plan, but they would have to steadily begin paying more personnel

costs.

“Speedway is having financial difficulties,” Bailey-Findley said, but

“the fair can’t subsidize it.”

If Oxley and the fairgrounds officials can’t work out a deal, the U.S.

National Speedway Championships scheduled Oct. 14 may be the last

motorcycle race in the county.

Meanwhile, 40 people -- mainly, like Brant, those who have businesses

catering to the motorcycle riders -- have been writing to fair officials

expressing their concerns about how the possible closure of the Speedway

would effect them.

“It’s pretty much my business, my livelihood,” Brant said. “It will be a

great loss to the area if the Speedway was no longer there. It’s been a

mainstay to the sport.”

Another business owner, Bill Cody of Cody Racing Products in Garden

Grove, said he would most likely lose his second-biggest market if the

Costa Mesa Speedway is no more.

Between 20% to 25% of Cody’s clientele races at the fairgrounds.

Both Cody and Brant said their customers aren’t sure what is going on

between International Speedway and the fairgrounds, but that they are

also concerned.

“Of course, our negotiations are ongoing, it’s not over till it’s over,”

said Oxley.

But he said that he is worried that the fairgrounds’ master plan doesn’t

include the arena where the races are held.

Bailey-Findley said the master plan is in preliminary stages and that the

future of the racetrack has not yet been decided.

Business owners don’t know yet how the deal will be resolved, but they

hope the motorcycle Speedway tradition will not end.

“It is too soon to say,” Cody said. “It is pretty sad that something that

has lasted 32 years is going to go away because of a rental dispute.”