Racetrack name to be BIR again

Bill Singleterry and the Colonel's Brainerd International Raceway, just gave Brainerd some additional prominence in the racetrack's name.

As of today, the Colonel's Brainerd International Raceway will be named Brainerd International Raceway and Resort.

"As I print something tomorrow, it has BIR on it," said Singleterry in a phone interview Tuesday.

He noted that anything with the Colonel's name on it will be changed.

Reference to the colonel originally came from the company's chief executive officer Donald J. Williamson.

The more than 600-acre facility was named BIR in 1974. It became the Colonel's Brainerd International Raceway in 1999.

When asked what Williamson thought of the name change, Singleterry replied that the CEO had no problem with it.

"He's still alive and well and doing good," Singleterry commented. "He's just staying busy with his (auto dealerships)."

Along with the speedway's name change, the right lane on the quarter mile dragstrip will be permanently named the BIR lane instead of the Winston lane. Instead of the Colonel's lane, the left lane will be named the same as a particular race's sponsor such as this weekend's Lucas Oils event.

The National Hot Rod Association national event this August also will be the Rugged Liner NHRA Nationals instead of the Colonel's Truck Accessories NHRA Nationals as it was last year.

Singleterry said by next year, he hopes to have a title sponsor or sponsors for the event.

He said he has talked to Valvoline and Snap On Tools about the possibility of sponsoring the event. Each company told him that they would like to wait and see if he follows through on the proposed changes that he has promised for this season.

He noted that he would be fair with a possible title sponsor.

"I don't want nobody signing on unless its good for them," he said.

Singleterry is also president of Sports International and Rugged Liner.