Back in May, you may have heard, the Skip Barber Racing School filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing at least $10 million in debt and millions owed in rent to various U.S. tracks. That’s Skip Barber Racing School, not Skip Barber, a distinction that apparently went over the heads of many people, because the, uh, actual Skip Barber wants you to know: he hasn’t personally filed for bankruptcy. The racing school, however, is definitely broke.
There’s apparently a big day in court for the racing school tomorrow, according to a statement from “Skip Barber (the person)”—which is how the press release actually puts it. With that in mind, Skip had this to say:
It has come to my attention that there are some people both inside and outside the motorsport industry who erroneously concluded that the bankruptcy filing of the Skip Barber Racing School is somehow connected to me. I’ve even heard reports that ‘Skip Barber,’ referring to me, is bankrupt.
I sold the school in its entirety nearly two decades ago (1999).
To be clear, Skip emphasized the line in bold, not us. Barber said he’s “pretty sure” why this misconception is being shared: Skip Barber universally has come to mean “Skip Barber Racing School.”
“So when a headline reads, ‘Skip Barber Files for Bankruptcy,’ there are people wrongly concluding it means me,” Barber, the person, said.
Person Barber goes on:
To be clear: I have not filed for bankruptcy. Lime Rock Park is in fine financial shape. There is nothing connected to the Skip Barber Racing School’s attempt to re-organize its business under bankruptcy law that’s connected to Lime Rock aside from its outstanding debt to the track.
Lastly, I want to thank the local, national and international news outlets who, in their very first reporting of the school’s bankruptcy filing, made it clear that I have no connection to the Skip Barber Racing School.
My astute, wonderful blogging colleague Justin Westbrook wrote about the bankruptcy filing in May, and said: “Despite Skip Barber owning Lime Rock Park, Barber divested himself from the racing school of his name back in 1999.”
Way to go, Justin, you made Skip proud.