Locals fighting Bruton's Charlotte Dragstrip!

[Toejam]

Looks like the locals don't like the new Dragstrip in Charlotte!

http://www.charlotte.com/112/story/294856.html

 

[HEMI6point1]

I bet the locals didn't fight the NASCRAP track being built.

 

[mick]

the oval was there waaaaay before urban sprawl.
this doesn't surprise me at all. good luck to bruton on this one.

 

[DrRocket]

Is anyone really surprised? I'm not. The NIMBY mindset is stronger than ever these days.

A couple of local guys here tried to build a drag strip named "Minnesota Dragways" in an area south of the cities. They tried twice in two different locations. In both instances, they were met with an absolute storm of opposition from locals. They finally gave up a year or so ago.

 

[Terry]

Is anyone really surprised? I'm not. The NIMBY mindset is stronger than ever these days.

A couple of local guys here tried to build a drag strip named "Minnesota Dragways" in an area south of the cities. They tried twice in two different locations. In both instances, they were met with an absolute storm of opposition from locals. They finally gave up a year or so ago.

I hear ya, David. Same thing just happened to an effort to build a new track north of Lincoln--they tried three different locations and met huge resistance at each location and finally gave up. The biggest opposition came from, get this, a FEEDLOT nearby that was worried about the track affecting the "quality of life" in the area!

 

[82GT]

Well this is a fine how do you do, I'm now set on moving down south cause I'm sick of the NIMBY Northeast and I guess all the Northeasters that all ready moved down there are starting to try to close down the dragstrips.

Long Island use to have all kinds of Motorsports, now we have nothing but a 4 hour tolled ride from hell to NJ to go racing

Were still fighting the fight
Long Island Drag Racing Forums

We had a beautiful track proposal for 755 acres of land turned over to the town from the government, but instead these yahoos think we need a indoor ski slope
Welcome to EPCAL Centre

 

[Bad Rat]

I am really kind of shocked that there is resistance to the track in that area. I mean we sit and Dyno Engines late at night, take a break at 10:00 pm for a little pizza in the parking lot and we can hear the cars testing...making laps.

But they are building a lot of houses in that area now...

I hope it goes through and gets built. The last turn off would be almost at the shops back door...

 

[Todd]

A couple of local guys here tried to build a drag strip named "Minnesota Dragways" in an area south of the cities. They tried twice in two different locations. In both instances, they were met with an absolute storm of opposition from locals. They finally gave up a year or so ago.

I believe the main $$ behind the Minnesota Dragways deal is the same person who purchased BIR.

Pat Herold????? is this correct?

and of the newspaper article that is the most scary is:

"Motorsports activities are allowed on the land where the racing facility would be built under its current zoning. Council members would consider changing the definition of the zoning to specially exclude drag racing facilities, City Manager Brian Hiatt said."

What the F man !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jackass]

I guess Bruton over estimated his pull in the area...

or could it be that the county and area had trouble coming if they allowed the strip but not Rousch's new test track that was tossed out as well...."For NOISE" a while back.... the area has been complaining about the dirt oval since it was built....

or maybe they feel they have enought tax revenue already....lol

Billy

 

[T.Smith]

"Noise and fumes"...sounds like somebody has taken a page out of Windy City politics.

Bruton just needs to grease the right palms...I'm not worried.

 

[merc49]

Bruton just needs to grease the right palms...I'm not worried.

My thoughts exactly!

 

[kingcobrafan]

I believe the main $$ behind the Minnesota Dragways deal is the same person who purchased BIR.

Greg Bednar was the Minn. Dragways guy, different from the BIR buyer.

 

[skidaddy]

its not the locals who are fighting the drag strip. its the people who NOW live there.
i think this is a fight that will be easily won.
looking forward to racing there sept 2008
only 25 percent of n.c. population is native.

 

[rocketman]

Any more they'll fight a church, a store, anything thats progress so no surprise here.

Ya like the simple life? MOVE TO North Korea! I did a google earth over it and it's an Al Gore Paradise....NO CARS! NONE! Just a few shabby buildings! Check it out. They are doing their part for the earth aren't they?

 

[Bad Rat]

I believe the main $$ behind the Minnesota Dragways deal is the same person who purchased BIR.

Pat Herold????? is this correct?

and of the newspaper article that is the most scary is:

"Motorsports activities are allowed on the land where the racing facility would be built under its current zoning. Council members would consider changing the definition of the zoning to specially exclude drag racing facilities, City Manager Brian Hiatt said."

What the F man !!!!!!!!!!!!

Jed and Kristi Copham purchased Brainerd. They tried to start a track north of the Twin Cities in Pine River, MN but after pressure of the residents in the area decided Brainerd was a better target as a take over/buyout. Jed and Kristi as far as I know had no ties to the gentlemen trying to put Minnesota Dragways back on the map north or south of the Twin Cities.

I indirectly heard they (the guys putting Minnesota Dragways together) were looking for investors and I was approached for an equity injection however I was very reluctant, as they had no idea how to get the deal done. I have invested in deals before but nothing as shaky as a Drag Strip in an unwelcoming state like Minnesota who frowns on one of the biggest spectator draws in the state, the Nationals at BIR.

I am truly embarrassed to admit I live here at times. Our tax dollars are focused on building an infrastructure to support Domed Stadiums for everything revolving around a ball. Our schools are a mess and our youth are a byproduct of that mess. Employing 120 people in a growing Fabrication business has its issues but when we have to look at Robotics and Automation to pick up the slack of a dwindling work force as far as a work ethic and educational background goes it is truly pathetic.

We have gone as far as having the Governor here to express our concerns. And mention was made of putting a Dome over BIR supported by Taxpayers...just for me!! I won't hold my breath.

Hope that answers the question...and I feel better now...well at least for the next 5 minutes.

 

[.]

I hear ya, David. Same thing just happened to an effort to build a new track north of Lincoln--they tried three different locations and met huge resistance at each location and finally gave up. The biggest opposition came from, get this, a FEEDLOT nearby that was worried about the track affecting the "quality of life" in the area!

Well, I dont know about the feedlot issue, but that isnt quite the whole story in Lincoln.
A track was proposed, there was a primary name, with silent, racing, but non-drag racing backers. Those in the area will figure that one out.

They were willing to go the extra mile with financing, but the original proposer could never come up with the funds to acquire the land, and tried to buy some key (read Expensive) sites. They sold the idea without having key pieces of the plan in place.

Scribner was for sale, but its location has always been an issue, Omaha has Glenwood, (1/8mile) where short sightedness prevailed, and Lincoln seemed like an ideal location.

But word around O is that land was never seriously negotiated for, and the break even based on car count would limit what would ever get built.

Dont shoot the messenger, that is what I heard from some Omaha based racers this summer that had driven back from KCIR.

 

[murdock]

We had a guy around here a few years ago propose a drag strip that was so far out in the country they had to pipe sunshine in there, but the farmers in the area fought it so hard that he finally gave up. Decided that he could make more money hauling cocaine up the east coast. Probably did work out until he got caught.

Murdock.

 

[None]

the oval was there waaaaay before urban sprawl.
this doesn't surprise me at all. good luck to bruton on this one.

It was a couple of years ago that the Daytona Beach newspaper was reporting that the powers that be were questioning the need for the Daytona track to continue operation. With the new demographics of older wealthier people moving in and the rising cost of real estate in the city and county, that revenues could compensate for getting rid of the track. There were lots of complaints of the rowdiness, drunks and overall mayhem that takes place during the race events and Bike Week. The costs to city services during the Daytona 500 race week was larger than the income derived from the event. Don't know what ever became of that movement, but Nascar in Daytona Beach was not Lord and God anymore at that time.
So one can see that not even Bruton wields the almighty power to get a new drag strip built.

 

[ProStockJunkie]

And then there's THIS.....

Charlotte Observer | 09/28/2007 | Fast track to court for drag strip?

 

[Todd]

Jed and Kristi Copham purchased Brainerd. They tried to start a track north of the Twin Cities in Pine River, MN but after pressure of the residents in the area decided Brainerd was a better target as a take over/buyout. Jed and Kristi as far as I know had no ties to the gentlemen trying to put Minnesota Dragways back on the map north or south of the Twin Cities.

OK I knew it was one of the proposed tracks in Minnesota.

It seems very hard to "get things done" in this state. I can agree with that.