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Potential Drag Strip Runs Into Noise Concern From Townsfolk

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  • Potential Drag Strip Runs Into Noise Concern From Townsfolk


  • #2
    Re: Potential Drag Strip Runs Into Noise Concern From Townsfolk

    Just did a search on Social Circle, Ga. .......from the looks of it, sounds like a quiet community that likely won't allow a dragstrip to be constructed in their midst.

    Sucks, but it happens.....I'd suggest looking at other places that really WANT a dragstrip. They do exist.....

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    • #3
      Re: Potential Drag Strip Runs Into Noise Concern From Townsfolk

      About 10 years ago....my patheticly small home town was faced with the exact same opportunity. Surprisingly these were the two main concerns that arose during the town meeting. It seems that this has to do with the ignorace of the public about what occurs and who attends a drag race. The noise is always a main concern, but if it were really an issue Air Force bases, train stations, highways/interstates and airports worldwide would never get built.

      It needs to be related to what people understand. Race cars at WOT generate about 120 db at the average spectator range of 30 feet. A jet creates 160 db of sound at the same safe distance of 30 feet. An increase in decibels by three (120 to 123) is twice the loudness, so there for the jet taking off is significantly louder than a race car at WOT.
      An easy way to put the town at ease is by using an enviromental engineer that specializes in noise pollution. They can explain this measurement and how to control noise polution. Placemeant of advertising billboards and the tower can have serious effects on the propagation of this sound through the air minimizing the effects on the town.

      As for the "drugs and heavy drinking".......has that ever been reality or is it just speculation and perception of a group of ignorant towns folk that have no idea of what happens at a Drag Race.
      The only way to step over this "percieved threat" is to reassure the towns folk that the track will do as much as possible to minimize any such behavior. The actions of any such individuals can be seen everywhere in the world, NFL, NBA, the government. Drag Racing has it's select few like everyone else. Just reassure them that you have a plan in place and will be enforcing strict rules against such behavoir.

      Small Town Illinois never got that Drag Strip and that's too bad. If the people that were willing to build the track would have looked into this before hand and had a plan of action.....maybe we would have a strip today.

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      • #4
        Re: Potential Drag Strip Runs Into Noise Concern From Townsfolk

        The best first defense is to have EVERYBODY in the local race community show up. Put the word in the streets as Scatman would say. The council may (as they did here) ask how many in the room came in support. We had the whiners 20 to 1 in that meeting. And all local people that said "yes we will go and spend money, buy fuel, equipment, trucks, trailers, etc locally." Taxes baby - sales, real property, etc. Get the business owners that feed the racers there too if they can. Get there EARLY, EARLY - BEFORE THE DOORS OPEN and take as many or all the seats. Puts the opposition in the back and the sides. You gotta want it.

        For the "low life drag racer" rebuttal, they can remind the gentle townsfolk that your typical bracket racer shows up with a $35,000 pickup, a $2500~7500 trailer and a $12,000~25,000 bracket car. People with that much money in a hobby typically aren't interested in getting wasted and tear up their junk. Top ET dragsters around here typically show up in $120K+ toter homes and stackers. Yes, there are a few rich guys that are drunk party bastards after the race, but not many ;D The toter home crowd drops $500~1K per weekend since they typically bring multiple cars and people. A footbrake guy is going to drop a couple hundred easy on a weekend, maybe less if they live close and don't have to load up on fuel.

        >The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the project, and have given the council their report on the
        >proposed drag strip.
        This is a BIG deal right there and a big plus. Planning basically says "the spot is OK for this use" If the developer shows concern and has a good showing of local racing support at the meeting, the council will lean towards the P&Z recommendation. In the many meetings I've been to, there is almost ALWAYS somebody there that doesn't want that car port down the street or that radio antenna on that commercial property that is right behind them. If P&Z says it's good, it's usually a go unless there a bus load of affected residents load the chamber. And the flip is true - if you want a car port and P&Z says they don't like it, you better plan on a no.

        The main caveat: If you build too near the people with old money that feed the local political/social machine - sorry, no race track for you. Go elsewhere.

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