Potential NHRA sanctioned Tulare Super Drag Strip gets small set back (1 Viewer)

[The Little Lizard]

The potential NHRA sanctioned Tulare Super Drag Strip gets small set back. Well... it's bound to happen with a huge development project like this one, at the web link provided below

Sierra Club wins round against Tulare Motorsports Complex | visaliatimesdelta.com | Visalia Times-Delta and Tulare Advance-Register

***THE ABOVE WEB-LINKED ARTICLE IS NOW IN THE ARCHIEVES OF THE VISALIA TIMES-DELTA AND TULARE ADVANCE-REGISTER IF ONE DESIRES TO REVIEW IT******

 

[Mr. Fix It]

The attitude of the Sierra Club; It sounds as if they stopped some evil project that would destroy half the world and wish to continue to prevent it from EVER being built.

Hey, I'm all for saving the earth but maybe the Sierra Club should consider the number of trees they are killing for all the paperwork that will be created. Then there is the lawyers who are in this for the blood sucking.

 

[Bob]

The attitude of the Sierra Club; It sounds as if they stopped some evil project that would destroy half the world and wish to continue to prevent it from EVER being built.

Hey, I'm all for saving the earth but maybe the Sierra Club should consider the number of trees they are killing for all the paperwork that will be created. Then there is the lawyers who are in this for the blood sucking.

The same group sued the City of Colorado Springs for pollution being created on the Pikes Peak Highway (a dirt road at the time). Gravel would sometimes get pushed off the road by cars traveling on it. Gravel on the mountain was considered to be pollution by the Sierra Club, and rather than fight a costly legal battle, the city decided to spend many millions of dollars to pave the highway.

 

[Nick Name]

So the Pikes Peak hillclimb is now run on all pavement?

 

[sc7711]

Mark,

I'm surprised, as a California resident, that you are so optimistic about this actually happening. The uphill battle that any group has to climb to do anything in that state is virtually too much to overcome. So long as you have groups like the S.C. going to state and local legislatures it's going to be extremely tough to get this off the ground. Then, of course, there is the astronomical cost of land and taxes in California. It seems that the only land that could be designated suitable for racing is a parcel of land so God-awful that nobody wants it......think Superfund site. I'm absolutely shocked Famoso and Pomona are still operating considering their locations (orchard for crops/residential area, respectively). Especially in California, there will be some group trying to stop things like this. I don't mean to be a negative nelly about it, but I've lived in the state long enough to know how it works. If this track comes to reality bring this post back up and I'll gladly eat crow. I'd love to see more racing options in California, but I wouldn't bet on it happening.

 

[Tim5636sc]

A SMALL set back?????????

Sierra Club NOT a minor glitch in Cali......

 

[The Little Lizard]

I'm not to concerned about the Tulare deal and the EIR (Enviromental Impact Report). This is California, once the EIR is done, some group with a member who is an activist attorney will come out and challange the darn thing. Then the judge tells you what to fix, and you do it (Standard deal). Heck, we're building over a half billion dollar hospital for sick women, children and infants and local activist groups with attorney members went after us and the EIR in the process. We just did what the judge told us to do, and now the Hospital is going up.

Welcome to California

 

[yoda]

Drag the investors down here to Tucson, have them sink the cash into an already constructed dragstrip and NASCAR facility that is need of some First Class amenities, including a hotel, and then get the national event switched down south... You can then wave the middle finger salute to California (like so many others have) and get on with the idea that, if there is a community need for a business, that it gets built, instead of being punched in the wallet buy the elite few with the lawyers....

 

[none]

Drag the investors down here to Tucson, have them sink the cash into an already constructed dragstrip ....

TUCSON.......??
Surely you are joking..........

 

[yoda]

TUCSON.......??
Surely you are joking..........

Smooth, flat, fast, tons of shutoff, a mile off the interstate... All the things you want in a track. all we need is someone to come and build a facility around an great existing racing surface...Give Phoenix a run for its "money"

 

[none]

smooth, flat, fast, tons of shutoff, a mile off the interstate... All the things you want in a track.

except location.... !! Hot,dusty.......etc.....DID I MENTION HOT ?

 

[yoda]

except location.... !! Hot,dusty.......etc.....DID I MENTION HOT ?

On average, 7-10 degrees COOLER than Phoenix....

 

[DragFan2]

except location.... !! Hot,dusty.......etc.....DID I MENTION HOT ?

John, and you think Tulare, CA is any different? That part of California is kinda in the desert too. Well, unless all the land isn't being used to grow crops or whatever. Hot...Yeah...dusty...Yeah. I agree with Martin, Tucson would be a great place to dump some money into an existing 1/4 mile race track.

 

[sc7711]

I'm not to concerned about the Tulare deal and the EIR (Enviromental Impact Report). This is California, once the EIR is done, some group with a member who is an activist attorney will come out and challange the darn thing. Then the judge tells you what to fix, and you do it (Standard deal). Heck, we're building over a half billion dollar hospital for sick women, children and infants and local activist groups with attorney members went after us and the EIR in the process. We just did what the judge told us to do, and now the Hospital is going up.

Welcome to California

I'm not sure if you've not lived in the state long enough or are just the most optimistic person I've ever seen. These "clubs"....especially Sierra Club carry a LOT of clout in the state and local legislatures. I mean we're going back to the days of John Muir and Hetch Hetchy Reservior. And I'm guessing they run circles around the track developers when it comes to money and resources. I don't have hard numbers in front of me, but based on the history and size of the organization I'm GUESSING that to be the case.

1. It didn't sound like the judge was overly impressed with the city's attempt at an EIR. "Abuse of discretion" was the quote. Strong words.

2. The S.C.'s issue with the facility is loss of farmland, water supply, and air quality. Well I find the air quality issue comical, but unless you put this whole facility on stilts I don't see how you get around the loss of farmland and water supply issue.

3. It doesn't sound like S.C. is looking to "work" with the track/city to resolve some minor issues. The article stated "The Sierra Club hopes to put a halt to the 700-acre-plus project." That doesn't sound like some minor issues that need to be cleared up before bringing in the Caterpillars.

I can't stand the S.C.'s mission as much as anyone, but as you said earlier "Welcome to California." Unfortunately it's just part of the territory.

California is a great drag racing state. The sport originated there, there is a tremendous number of great racers in the state, and drag racing should maintain a presence there, but the trend is not favorable.

 

[The Little Lizard]

I've lived in California all my life, and that's along time and more decades then I really want to think about. The judge will tell them what to do, they either do it or they don't. Just another hiccup at this point, but none the less a hiccup. I'm more concerned about the money end of it then the EIR. If their's money, theirs rac'n.

 

[Kenny B.]

I now live in Fresno just north of Tulare and a top notch facility in this area would be great on so many levels for this state and the Sport. I feel the track would flourish due to its central location of the racers. Give California Drag Racing (the birthplace) a rebound from the steady decline of tracks and bring opportunities of potential market increases to this area of the state. Businesses and money will flock to a creation of such and legislation could find it very hard to turn away good money in times like these...Especially in CA!
We had similar plans in Marysville, Northern California about 10-15 years ago. They wanted to do the same thing and we actually prevailed against the S.C. and built the entertainment portion of the entire project before stumbling on an issue with the railroad companies and road construction. I agree with Mark that funding should be the biggest concern at this point.

I would love to see this deal work out! Fingers are crossed!

Ohhhh and I think I read somewhere that nirtomethane fumes eat away the gases that cause global warming Might want to try and throw that at the S.C. lol

 

[rocketman]

This is what these A-holes do as its really a racket they have going at everyone else's expense. Anyone that listens to Bill Watenburg knows their MO. They pick a project to stop and then they bring in their lawyers and settle for big money out of court to drop it, and then they also sue for lawyer fees. They sue the US Tax payer all the time. Its all about the money these paracites are interested in.

 

[glofria]

This is not the only drag racing project that is making headway here in California. Kenny, I just heard of another one that is being worked on that will be even closer to you than Tulare. I think that they have an event coming up at an old Air Force Training facility. You should look into it. And Santa Maria coming together too.

Many different types of projects have had to go through issues like this before and I think that developers have figured out how to deal with them. You know like writing a check. I call it learning from others experiences.

Here something else to chew on, I believe if not mistaken, the Sierra Club is a non-profit organization that get federal grants each year. I also believe that they go through a program to get government money to retain attourneys. It's all a scam.

 

[The Little Lizard]

Tulare board member cleared of wrong doing/conflict of interest related to Tulare Motorsports Complex Super Drag Strip voting, at the web link provided below:

Valley Voice Newspaper

 

[glofria]

I don't understand this quote: Lampe said he does not think the FPPC had all the facts when it made its ruling regarding Ortega and the Political Reform Act.

“We think if they had the facts, they would have ruled differently,” he said.

Isn't it Lampe's (the attourney) job to present the facts to the FPPC?

BTW, I heard the other day of yet another drag strip proposal here in California. This one is being backed by a renound automotive racing product manufacturer. I'm sure like some of the others, their trying to keep it on the QT.