McCorkell named race promoter
After a one-year hiatus, Jon McCorkell has returned as the Jackson County Speedway race promoter, the Jackson County Commissioners announced in a special meeting Friday afternoon.
McCorkell is familiar to many area drivers and fans, having served as promoter from 2001-2005 of the Jackson track.
The commissioners unanimously approved entering into a three-year contract with McCorkell beginning with the upcoming season. The details of the lease will be finalized with Jackson County Attorney Bob O'Connor and Jackson County Coordinator Jan Fransen working with McCorkell.
The agreements ends a long process in which the commissioners dealt with many potential promoters but eventually returned to the one who served the Jackson track up until last year, when J.P. Karpowicz came on board. Karpowicz resigned abruptly near the end of last year's racing season, citing financial reasons, notably that the current system could not keep the track viable financially.
As part of the proposed lease, McCorkell will be given a business subsidy to offset the $15,000 lease the county requires of the track. He will be granted a $12,000 subsidy in the first year of the contract, a $9,000 subsidy in year two and a $5,000 subsidy in year three.
Conditions of the subsidy are that he maintains a certain number of seasonal jobs, likely in the 20-25 range, that he maintains a minimum race schedule, likely 12 events, and that he keeps sprint cars as part of the Jackson program. There are other conditions as well. Should McCorkell walk out of the contract before the three-year term is up or should he not meet any of the provisions, the county could seek part or all of the subsidy back, much like any business subsidy.
"Jon has had a lot of good experience," said Jackson County Commissioner Loren Tusa, who served on the county's race committee, which did the interviewing for the position. "Sometimes you learn a lot from that experience, both good and bad."
McCorkell said he is looking at bringing a minimum of 18 events to the Jackson track. He plans on dropping the A modified class and building around a strong group of sprint cars.
"The Jackson Speedway has many positive things going for it, and we plan to continue to develop these," said McCorkell in a prepared statement. "The track has a great bunch of sprint car teams, and we plan to build the program around them."
Tentatively, McCorkell said he plans on opening either May 5 or May 12 and run a weekly Saturday night program, the same as in past years. The Jackson Nationals will be held Aug. 16-18.
For more on the story, pick up a copy of next week's Jackson County Pilot.
