National notebook
Notes: Corum's stint as 411 promoter ends
Promoter Chris Corum's stint at 411 Motor Speedway is over. (mrmracing.net)
Chris Corum's mid-week firing from 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, Tenn., as race director and promoter sent shockwaves of surprise through the east Tennessee racing community.
Corum, praised for his efforts by previous track owner Doug Sopha before the sale of the 3/8-mile track to local businessman Mitch McCarter last summer, was told his services were no longer needed following Tuesday night's practice session.
“I’m really shocked about all of this,” said Corum, who had the Saturday night track sailing along successfully. “We had our practice session Tuesday night and I was doing some work on the track after practice was over. Mitch came over to me and said something he needed to talk to me about. Then he told me I was no longer needed.”
Corum said no specific reason was given for his termination from the track that runs a weekly Limited Late Model division. McCarter declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday afternoon.
Corum, son of the Hall of Fame driver “Lil” Bill Corum, made a name for himself as a successful racer in his own right with numerous wins and championship on dirt and asphalt across the Southeast.
After stepping away from driving, Sopha tapped Corum as 411's race director and promoter in 2008. Corum’s connections and business skills quickly turned the facility from another struggling racetrack to one of the most successful in a region crowded with dirt tracks.
Corum feel that a personality clash led to his dismissal.
“Mitch’s sons racing at the track was always a delicate issue and ultimately caused a strain on our relationship and my ability to effectively run the track,” Corum said in a Wednesday morning interview. “I also think Mitch felt like he wasn’t given enough credit for the success of the track, particularly by me. It was an oversight on my part. Even though I didn’t own it, I thought of the racetrack as mine. If you’re going to pour your heart into something, you need to treat it like it’s yours so you’ll give the best effort possible. I felt like I did that with 411.” — Michael Moats
HALL OF FAME CAR OWNER DIES: Porter Lanigan, a member of the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame, died Saturday. He was 78. The father of former World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Darrell Lanigan of Union, Ky., Porter Lanigan was a long-time team owner and fielded dirt and asphalt cars for standout drivers including Ralph Latham, Ramo Stott, Bruce Gould, Vern LeFever and Chuck McWilliams, beginning in 1964. Latham won the Daytona 250 in a Lanigan-owned car, while Stott also fielded cars for Lanigan at Daytona. Stott was twice a runner-up in IMCA points in 1967 and '68 in Lanigan's equipment. Lanigan is survived by wife Joyce, four children, 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Fourteen brothers and sisters also survive. — From staff reports
TOCCOA SPEEDWAY REOPENING JUNE 4: Toccoa (Ga.) Speedway, which didn't open after promoter David Pritchett died April 11, will reopen under the temporary promotership of Randy McCoy. The 5/16-mile oval plans a practice for Thursday with the first race on June 4. McCoy will oversee operations under new promoters are in place. The track will run Saturday nights with five divisions: Super Late Models, Limited Late Models (under Southeastern Sportsman rules), street stocks, four-cylinders and front-wheel drive. — Richard Pearson
SERIES SCHEDULE CHANGES: Citing several other races in the area, the Carolina Clash Super Late Model Series and Friendship Speedway in Elkin, N.C., postponed an event scheduled for May 28. ... Drew County Speedway in Monticello, Ark., has removed upcoming Comp Cams Super Dirt Series and O'Reilly SUPR events from its schedule. ... Richmond (Ky.) Raceway has rescheduled its $3,000-to-win United Super Dirtcar Series event for June 11.
ODDS AND ENDS: Southern Ohio Speedway, reopening this summer for the first time since 2003, has pushed back its first race to June 17. The Wheelersburg track will pay $2,500 to the night's Late Model winner. ... The Southern All Stars on Saturday make the first series trip to Whynot (Miss.) Motorsports Park since 1985. ... Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway, closed since the track flooded in early May, is pumping water off the facility and working to reopen. The track welcomes anyone who can volunteer time to help with the cleanup. ... Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., has added a $5,000-to-win Late Model race for Thanksgiving weekend on Nov. 25-26. ... Oklahoma Late Model car owner Terry Pannell is fielding a car for Ron Hornaday at Eldora Speedway's June 8 Prelude to the Dream, the NASCAR charity all-star race; Missouri driver Eric Turner will field the car at Dream XVII.
