Kentucky parking firm disputes Speedway’s numbers

Last year's traffic snarls

The company hired to direct parking at Kentucky Speedway’s inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race last summer disputes track owner Bruton Smith’s recent assertion that hundreds of attendants failed to show up for work on race day.

The head of Brantley Security Services’ event management division claims the company had more attendants on the speedway grounds July 9 than it was obligated to provide.

Smith and Kentucky Speedway general manager Mark Simendinger gave a presentation during last week’s NASCAR media tour in North Carolina detailing steps being taken to expand parking and improve infrastructure around the Sparta, Ky., track before this year’s Quaker State 400.

The effort aims to avoid a repeat of July 9. Gridlock on Interstate 71 and other roads leading to Kentucky Speedway, compounded by parking problems at the track, kept many fans from seeing the race.

“The company that Mark had dealt with as far as the number of parkers, we contracted for 300. Eighty-four showed up," Smith said during his opening remarks Jan. 25.

A Nashville lawyer whose firm represents Brantley Security challenged those figures in a letter sent to The Enquirer.

Jeremy Curran, president of Brantley Security’s event management division, supported attorney David L. Johnson’s claim that Brantley contracted with the speedway to provide 96 attendants for the Quaker State 400 and, in fact, had 112 show up on race day.

“The biggest thing for an event management company’s reputation is making sure that they fill their calls," Curran said. “To me, that was (a) complete lie that I think was made up the three seconds before (Smith) went on stage.

“And I just don’t understand the purpose of it, other than … to deflect blame of the situation that they caused partially. So all we want is that corrected."

A copy of a signed contract between Brantley Services and Kentucky Speedway does not specify the number of attendants Brantley was requested to provide on July 9. Curran provided a spreadsheet detailing Brantley’s parking plan for the day that shows 10 supervisors, 30 directors and 56 parkers.

Simendinger said Thursday he had no comment on the matter.

Speedway officials have been careful not to mention Brantley by name. Like Smith last week, attorney Mark Guilfoyle stopped short of identifying the company when he provided a statement Thursday on behalf of Kentucky Speedway.

“Obviously, we are in a legal dispute with this company," Guilfoyle said. “My client’s entire focus is on this year’s race. A brand new team is in place, and there won’t be any parking problems this year."

According to Johnson, Brantley has not taken any legal action against the speedway. More at Cincinnati.com