Monday, September 15, 2003 Charlotte County Speedway Reaches Agreement With Airport Authority By Jack Smith Davidson lowers ticket prices and pit entry fees Punta Gorda (Sept 15, 2003) — The Charlotte County Airport Authority reached an agreement with LeRoy Davidson and Charlotte County Speedway, Inc. today in an emergency session at CCAA chambers. The Airport Authority held the emergency meeting at 5 PM today in an effort to end the five month old impasse over the amount of the current five year lease with Charlotte County Speedway, Inc. After a brief wrangle over the payment of back rents and citizen input, the board voted 5-0 in favor of the new agreement. The attorney for former majority share holder Glen VanHorn was on hand to give his approval, which was really just a formality and had no real bearing on the outcome. The meeting resulted from events that unfolded at last Thursday's regular monthly session. The CCAA directed their manager to work out a compromise with Davidson or else the current ownership would have to face a vote at the October meeting which would in all likelihood have resulted in a cancellation of the lease. Several members of the board indicated at Thursday's meeting that they would like to see a deal struck so that Davidson would continue to operate the track. After the meeting several meetings were held in the afternoon as Gary Quill (the airport manager) and LeRoy Davidson wrestled with the issues. By late Thursday Quill and Davidson had their agreement and public notices appeared in the local papers on Saturday announcing the emergency session for today. The current five year lease the speedway has with the airport began in April of this year and runs through 2008. Davidson has announced this coming Saturday, September 20, a drop in ticket prices for the weekend racing schedule. The adult tickets will be $9.00 with children five and under free and 6 through 12 years of age $5.00. Pit entry for drivers will be $18.00 for the Saturday night show with 30 laps of Late Model action, a Sportsman 50 lap race (rainout make-up race), 30 laps Open Wheel Modifieds,Road Warriors, Superstocks and the new 4 cylinder class. Davidson said now that the business with the lease is behind him he "wants to promote family affordable racing". He also indicated that now more of the planned improvements to the track can take place such as finishing the infield and adding a figure eight track. "I want to people to know that just because we are lowering our prices we are not having less of a show. We just want to make racing affordable again, for the racers and the fans." Davidson said after the airport meeting. Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board! <news@karnac.org>or send a letter to the editor!