Washington politician mocks NASCAR fans

Rep. Larry Seaquist said he has no problem with NASCAR fans, despite having been quoted earlier as saying: "These people are not the kind of people you would want living next door to you. They'd be the ones with the junky cars in the front yard and would try to slip around the law."

Seaquist, interviewed on the Sirius Satellite Radio show "The Morning Drive" on Monday, said he "never said a word against NASCAR fans" in his opposition to a proposed deal to build a 1.2-mile, 80,000-seat race track in his district near Bremerton, about 50 miles west of Seattle.

"I was going after the International Speedway Corporation," the Democrat said. "That's who I had in mind. It's my own fault I wasn't clear enough what I was saying and I apologize to anybody who did take offense. But my concerns are solely about the track corporation, and that's because they're trying to come out here, build a track, make a lot of money and leave the taxpayers in the dirt."

ISC wants to use about $180 million of its money and about $160 million from the state to build the track. The public money would be repaid through tax revenues collected through activities at the track over the course of a 25-year lease ISC would get to operate the facility, said Grant Lynch, the vice president of ISC who is leading the effort to get the deal done. ThatsRacin.com