September 21 marks the end of an era at Skagit Speedway.After 20 years at the helm, Hall of Fame promoter Steve Beitler will be handing the reins to a new ownership group.
September 21 marks the end of an era at Skagit Speedway.
After 20 years at the helm, Hall of Fame promoter Steve Beitler will be handing the reins to a new ownership group. Kevin Rudeen, Peter Murphy, and Mike Anderson have purchased the track through a group known as Fifty Five Promotions and will assume control with the 2022 racing season.
It is a watershed moment for Beitler, who grew up at the track. As a small boy he sold programs and did various work around the speedway, where he was mentored by his father Harold and legendary Skagit promoter Jim Raper.
After a long stint as an owner/driver with the World of Outlaws, Beitler transitioned to promotional work and various entrepreneurial enterprises 20-plus years ago. A tireless worker, he eventually became a major player in the northwest, promoting three tracks and a couple of traveling series.
“Skagit has been a huge part of my life,” he admitted after the sale was announced. “It‘s going to be a big transition not being there, not running the show. But these guys are going to do a great job; they‘re the best group for the track. Good things are going to happen there, and that was important to me.”
Beitler‘s decision to step away comes on the heels of his father‘s passing this past November. Beitler‘s significant workload was beginning to affect his health, and his father noticed the stress and worry in his son‘s face.
“My dad told me he wanted me to sell the track, because he was worried about me,” he said. “He could see the toll it was taking on me. I had already started to pare down my workload a little bit, but running the track was still a ton of work.
“My dad kept telling me that life is precious, and you can‘t waste it. He convinced me that it‘s important to sell the track now and slow down and enjoy life, to enjoy the fruits of what we had worked for all these years. Just a few days before he passed, I promised him that I would sell the track, and I‘m sure it‘s the right thing for me and the right thing for the track.”
Beitler has grown to become an important voice in the promotional industry over the past two decades, and he hopes to provide guidance and help to young promoters. He also hopes to relax and travel.
“People don‘t realize how much stress is involved in running a race track — or any business, really — and how harmful stress is to our health. I just mainly want to slow
down my lifestyle…it‘s been rush-rush-rush for a very long time. I‘m looking forward to relaxing and getting healthier…mentally, physically,
and spiritually.”
Skagit has long been known for great racing and a strong base of loyal, passionate fans. The track, a genuine gem located a few miles north of Burlington, Washington, has hosted the prestigious Dirt Cup for decades, and fans flock into the stands and onto the hillside outside turns three and four.
Beitler has long felt an allegiance with those fans; first as a boy, then as a driver, and eventually as the track owner. It was important, he insisted, that the track be positioned to be successful for coming generations.
“Over the past couple of years several groups had approached me about buying the track,” he explained. “But this group (Fifty Five Promotions) is the best group. I turned down an offer about four months ago from a group that wanted to develop the property as an auto auction, but there was no way. I would have made more money but it would be terrible to lose Skagit Speedway.
“I couldn‘t let that happen, and when this group (Fifty Five Promotions) approached me I knew it was the right setup. They are all good businessmen and this is a good opportunity for them, and for the track. It will be good to have new ideas and energy there, and I‘m excited about the future of the track.
“Honestly, part of my motivation was that I wanted to go out on top, and on my terms. Skagit is doing incredibly well right now, and that‘s something I wanted. The timing was perfect all-around.”
Beitler, who sold Grays Harbor Speedway two years ago, is looking forward to his final event at Skagit.
“We‘ll have the World of Outlaws here over Labor Day weekend for the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals, and a couple of weeks later we have Championship Night on September 18,” he said. “It‘s gonna be a big party and one helluva fireworks show.”