Brill busy racing and operating his own track

By Ray Martin

Published: May 16, 2008

MEEKER — Mark Brill never gets a break.

And that's fine with him.

Brill races in the pro stock division on Friday nights at State Fair Speedway, where he is the four-time defending points champion. On Saturdays, he operates his own dirt track, Brill Motor Speedway in Meeker.

And he also has a regular job running a machine and auto repair shop he's owned for 25 years.

All day, every day. Brill is consumed with cars or racing of some form. The Nicoma Park resident wouldn't have it any other way.

"I guess it is just the thrill of the competition,” Brill said.

It is only fitting that Brill run his own race track — and drive his own race car. He has been connected to motorsports for as long as he can remember.

"I remember I would go to the races at age 2 or 3,” Brill said. "Then, by 5 I was helping out at a drag racing track.”

Brill purchased the race track in the summer of 2005. Once known as County Line Speedway or Meeker Speedway, the future of the financially strapped facility seemed doomed.

But Brill is turning the raceway into a potential boon. The three-eighths-mile track has high banks through the turns, which promotes exciting side-by-side racing. Brill added a paved parking lot. A new concession and restroom building recently opened. Brill Speedway is located in the backwoods off State Highway 18. The foliage that surrounds the track barely gives way to the light towers, which lets fans know they better start watching for the gravel road that leads to the track's parking lot.

Brill said he enjoys the challenge of making the track succeed.

"I am a really competitive person,” he said. "I love the challenge. When we started the track, we had about 19-20 cars each night. Now we run about 65-70.”

Upkeep on a race track and race car — at the same time — is no easy task.

Brill will be lucky if he is home before 1 a.m. Saturday morning, hours after he races tonight at State Fair in Oklahoma City. He will rise early to begin preparations for Saturday night races at Brill Motor Speedway. If everything goes smooth he climbs into bed about 3 a.m. Sunday.

"He seems to be alright with it, but it stresses me out,” said Debbie Brill, Mark's wife. "He just kind of goes with the flow. Whatever happens, happens.”

Mark relies on Debbie's help for many of the behind-the-scenes operations at the family track.

"There is no way I could do it without her,” Mark said. "She handles all the money and is up early on Sunday's updating the Web site and a lot of other things.”

It takes about 40 volunteers on Saturday nights to make the track work.

"We can't really pay people,” Mark Brill said. "We pay them enough for their gas, but that's about it.”

The Brills said the hard work and sleepless nights are worth the payoff.

"It is a lot of work, but we have met a lot of really good people,” Debbie Brill said. "It is challenging, but it really is rewarding. When you finish at night and no one has been hurt and everyone has had a good time, then it is really rewarding and fun.”

Comments