Local drag racing will be on solid financial ground as it goes full-throttle into the future.

Local businessman Brent Marshall has purchased the city's quarter-mile drag strip from previous owner Shane Lodjn. The Chief Lake Road property, 138 acres in size, was appraised at $550,000.

Lodjn, who owned the drag strip for two years, had been seeking a buyer and contacted Marshall to see if he was interested. Marshall was, and the deal was finalized last month.

Marshall owns Northland Dodge Auto Group and has changed the name of the facility from Prince George Motorsports Park to Northland Dodge Motorsports Park.

Marshall is a drag racing enthusiast and had been interested in buying the property when Lodjn made his successful bid for it. Marshall is happy Lodjn decided that keeping the track operational and in local hands was important.

"When he needed to sell, he approached me, as opposed to selling it and having it subdivided or pieced out or shut down," Marshall said. "He was great in working with me to make it work so I could buy it and keep it for the people of the north."

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