Darlington Raceway President Resigns

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning has resigned and International Speedway Corporation named Chip Wile as replacement at NASCAR's oldest superspeedway.

ISC announced the move Thursday. Browning had headed the track "Too Tough To Tame" since May 2004. He said in a release that he resigned to pursue other careeropportunities. ISC president John Saunders wished Browning well in future endeavors.

During Browning's tenure, Darlington night racing and had its surface repaved. He also helped the track go from two Sprint Cup races each year to find successwith just one on Mother's Day weekend. Matt Kensenth won his first Southern 500 this past May.

Wile had been director of business developmentfor the Motor Racing Network. He was expected at Darlington Raceway on Friday.

ISC track head honchos have fallen like flies in the past several years. Doug Fritz who headed Richmond for ISC (and formerly worked in NASCAR's Marketing Dept.) was turned loose a year or so ago and resurfaced in Iowa.

I first met Chris when he interned for the late Dick Thompson at Martinsville and later moved to Rockingham. Best wishes to Chris in his future endeavors.

I think this statement is a bit of a whitewash...or spin...or whatever you want to call it"He also helped the track go from two Sprint Cup races each year to find successwith just one on Mother's Day weekend"

Jeff explain to me what that statement means,it doesnt read right or either I cannot fathom what two minus one equals

Sounds to me like the writer is trying to make losing a date sound like a positive thing....must be a politician.

Chris was also a strong supporter of vintage racing. I had the pleasure of meeting him in 09 when I ran there with the DAARA group. I wish him well where ever he goes.

Radio news reports cast this story in a slightly different light........with Chris Browning and Darlington general manager had both been relived of duty. Obviously, it's a semantics thing, resigning bieng more genteel than firing, but it sounds like Browning's resignation was non-optional.

Watch it...lol