NASCAR plans veer off track

Twice rebuffed by Washington counties, NASCAR promoters say they’re not giving up on the Northwest, but the number of places suitable for a major stock car racing track — and willing to build one — is dwindling.The latest to say no was Kitsap County after originally courting the International Speedway Corp., operators of 12 tracks nationwide that host Nextel Cup series events. County leaders backed off when local opposition emerged and the state was unwilling to pay for half the cost of a track.

Now supporters of other locations — including some near Portland — are racing to find a spot for what many see as a lucrative track but others see as an environmental hazard.

 – Excerpt from The Oregonian, April 30, 2007