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Banker Makes
Annauncemenl
By JIM BLJTLER
Eagle Sports Editor
A $6 million auto racing facility, which will rival the Indian•
apolis Speedway, will be built south of College Station, Dennis
Goehring, president of Bank of A&1VI, announced today. will be
The Texas International Speedway, as it will be named,
part of the championship race car circuit that includes Indianapolis,
Milwaukee, Phoenix, Birmingham and Daytona.
Construction of a two-mile oval track, which will be located
three miles south of College Station, A 1 detailed hannouncement of
the plan will be made Tuesday
in Dallas.
Attending the m~i mbe alBill
with Goehring
France, president of NASCAR;
Henry Banks, director of racing
for the United States Auto Club;
James Kaser, director of
professional activities fot the
Sports Car Club of America;
and J. H. Passino, special
vehicles manager for Ford
Motor Ca.
The group of business leaders
representing B-CS and A&M at
the meeting is expected to in-
clude J. D. (Jack) Coneee,
Bryan mayor; D. A. (Andy)
Anderson , College Station
mayor; Ridley Briggs, Bryan-
College Station Chamber of
.Commerce president; Pat
Mann, chamber a Joe tivBuser,
president;
representing A&M; Thomas F.
Vetters, publisher of The Bryan
Daily Eagle; and Lloyd and
Enid Smith, local realtors who
worked with the Bank of A&M
to,procure the land.
A. J. Foyt, along with other
top racing drivers, will also be,
present for the announcement.
"I can't begin to say what
this will mean to Bryan-College
Station and Texas A&M,"
Goehring said. "The total in-
vestment will be between $5-6
million. It will be a tremendous
(See RACING Page 5)
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pacing
(Continued From Pale 1)
asset to the area.
"The Bank of A&M put a
tremendous amount of time and
effort into making the plans a
reality," Goehring added.
Goehring.said that, in addition
to the track, a grandstand will
be built with an approximate
seating capacity of 30,000 with
accommodations for 10,000
persons along the Iength of the.
track.
Earl Rudder, president of
Texas A&M, said of the ven-
ture: "I'm very pleased to see
a new industry located in this
community. There is no
question but what it will be of
value to A&M and both com-
munities."
The multi-million dollar track
will be among the finest in the
nation, according to the
owners who will be announced
at the Tuesday meeting.
The track will be built by a
Michigan syndicate headed by
Detroit developer Lawrence
.Lopatin. The group recently
ened a track in Michigan and
ontrols others in Canada and
`Georgia.
~; The facilities will be suitable
for Indianapolis-type cars, stock
bars and sports cars.
~;~ The site was chosen for its
i#tentral location to the major
,p~o~~pulation centers in Texas.
IThe owners hope to draw at-
'tendance from Dallas, Fort
Worth, San Antonio, .Austin,
Waco and Houston.
Goehring said the Tuesday
samiouncement would include
;specific details as to the size
f the plant, the facilities, and
umber and dates of races.