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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Looking back Raceway Park timeline

The Spokesman-Review

Early 1970s – Washington Motorsports Limited Partnership is formed between an estimated 500 limited partners and general partner Spokane Raceway Park Inc. Limited partners buy “A units” for $500, then $1,000 each, or “B units” for $5,000, then $10,000 each, raising an estimated $2.5 million.

Initial principals of SRP Inc. are Orville Moe and his father, Clarence Moe, with 45 percent each, and Spokane tax attorney Robert Kovacevich with 10 percent. After Clarence Moe dies in late 1973, his widow, Georgia, becomes a shareholder. Upon her death in 1991, her other sons, Maynard and Earl Moe, inherit stock and become officers and directors in the mid-1990s.

May 1974 – American Hot Rod Association holds the first drag race.

September 1975 – Track holds its first American Hot Rod Association “World Finals” with dragsters and “nitro funny cars.”

June 1978 – Oval track opens.

August 1978 – Racer Danny Forsyth dies following an accident at the strip. Over the years, one spectator and four other racers die in accidents.

1980 – Go-cart track opens.

Mid-1987 – A small group of limited partners initiates an unsuccessful attempt to get a “partnership register” and financial information about the track.

January 1988 – Orville Moe announces plan to build a “domed arena,” but it goes nowhere.

January 1992 – Airway Heights City Council wants to enact an admission tax at the track.

September 1993 – Kalispel Tribe expresses interest in buying land in Airway Heights for a casino.

Mid-1990s – A 2.5 mile-long “road course” with a 0.9 mile drag strip straightaway opens.

August 1987 – “Big Daddy” Don Garlits escapes serious injury during the AHRA World Finals when his fuel dragster flips while doing 270 mph.

September 1993 – Kalispel Tribe initiates purchase of 40 acres from Washington Motorsports. The property is taken off tax rolls and classified as “Indian trust land” approved for Class 3 Indian gaming and eventually becomes Northern Quest Casino.

September 1998 – Joint venture agreement is signed between SRP and Kalispel Tribe.

April 2002 – Friday Night Street Racing begins.

July 2002 – Dr. Edward and Marlene Torrison again fail to get partnership register of other limited partners. The suit is dismissed in September 2003.

Oct. 20, 2003 –The Torrisons and Donald Materne file a new suit seeking a partnership register.

Oct. 22, 2004 – Joint venture between SRP and Kalispel Tribe is dissolved by court order signed by Judge Robert Austin.

June 22, 2005 – After 14 days of hearings, judge appoints a receiver to take over all financial operations from Orville Moe, who has been track manager. Moe continues to work through the 2005 season.

Dec. 12, 2005 – Receiver Barry Davidson urges court to close the track and fire Moe.

Feb. 9, 2006 – Spokane-based accounting firm LeMaster & Daniels is sued for alleged “negligence and carelessness” in preparing public financial statements about track operations over a 25-year period.

June 1, 2006 – Moe is fired by the judge for hiding financial dealings and disobeying the receiver.

Aug. 25, 2006 – A court hearing where Moe is scheduled to be found in contempt is canceled when he files bankruptcy.

Sept. 20, 2006 – Moe is indicted on federal charges of public corruption for allegedly bribing the mayor of Airway Heights.

Nov. 30, 2006 – Moe is found in contempt of court and threatened with $1,000-a-day fines.

Jan. 12, 2007 – Judge begins hearings to assist the receiver in developing a “partnership register” to establish unit ownership claims.

March 16 – Moe files a civil suit, alleging he is the victim of a “civil conspiracy” to oust him as manager.

April – Spokane County is interested in buying the site as a possible location for a jail and continued operation of the motor sports complex.

Aug. 23 – Former Airway Heights Mayor Dale Perry pleads guilty to accepting bribes from Moe, and later receives a sentence of six months of work release, to be followed by three months of home detention.

Sept. 25 – Two federal bribery charges against Moe are dismissed by U.S. District Court Judge Edward Shea before jury deliberations begin at the end of a four-day trial.

Oct. 2 – U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge finds Moe in civil contempt for filing the suit in March and orders him to pay almost $11,000 in attorney fees to bankruptcy trustee.