Sonoma tower

[SoCal Racer]

I just turned on nhra.tv and am wondering, now that the tower is gone from Sonoma, where is the announcer announcing from?

 

[mick]

media center......i'd like to see if the larger electronic message center that was on the top level of old tower,
has been re-installed elsewhere on the property?

 

[LoPony]

media center......i'd like to see if the larger electronic message center that was on the top level of old tower,
has been re-installed elsewhere on the property?

Media center, as in the box that’s on top of the main grandstands? I forget, were they planning to build a new tower at Sonoma? Or is it permanently in the media center now?

It will be interesting to see what they do for Indy this year. I know that’s been covered in other threads, but I don’t think any of us knows what they’re really going to do.

 

[the guy]

I live in the bay area, and have been going to sears point since 1989 or so...the first time I noticed/heard of the tower being torn down was when I turned on NASCAR qualifying back in June...I was like "uh, wheres our tower?"...never saw anything on comp plus, nhra, let alone the local news, which I watch every evening...asked a "reliable source", like wtf, wheres the tower? and they told me that whomever tore the tower down, failed to obtain proper demo permits (yes, thats a thing in commiefornia) and henceforth, the county flipped out and theres a big legal hill to rectify the demo, and a whole bunch of roadblocks to build a new one...also they said the reason the track tore the tower down was it was obsolete, and several sanctioning bodies with more clout than NHRA wanted it down for track reconfiguration and visibility from the new(ish) turn 11 promenade thing they built...as I said, this is based on no facts, just what I was told, anyone here is free to correct me if Im wrong...I also heard the replacement was supposed to be a F1 style bridge span going from the media center all the way across to the far side of the entrance to turn 11...which would be quite the sight, but now, even harder to do with the alleged permitting fiasco

 

[M Jones]

I live in the bay area, and have been going to sears point since 1989 or so...the first time I noticed/heard of the tower being torn down was when I turned on NASCAR qualifying back in June...I was like "uh, wheres our tower?"...never saw anything on comp plus, nhra, let alone the local news, which I watch every evening...asked a "reliable source", like wtf, wheres the tower? and they told me that whomever tore the tower down, failed to obtain proper demo permits (yes, thats a thing in commiefornia) and henceforth, the county flipped out and theres a big legal hill to rectify the demo, and a whole bunch of roadblocks to build a new one...also they said the reason the track tore the tower down was it was obsolete, and several sanctioning bodies with more clout than NHRA wanted it down for track reconfiguration and visibility from the new(ish) turn 11 promenade thing they built...as I said, this is based on no facts, just what I was told, anyone here is free to correct me if Im wrong...I also heard the replacement was supposed to be a F1 style bridge span going from the media center all the way across to the far side of the entrance to turn 11...which would be quite the sight, but now, even harder to do with the alleged permitting fiasco

Pollution is a big factor when tearing down buildings that have asbestos, don’t know if it’s the case here, if it is, the fine dust can travel hundreds of miles on a decent breeze, does bad damage to lungs like copd and cannot be removed from you once inhaled, totally agree that commiefornia Newsom will use that to hurt racing

 

[LoPony]

Pollution is a big factor when tearing down buildings that have asbestos, don’t know if it’s the case here, if it is, the fine dust can travel hundreds of miles on a decent breeze, does bad damage to lungs like copd and cannot be removed from you once inhaled, totally agree that commiefornia Newsom will use that to hurt racing

Oh, come on Mark. Racing has survived in California for so long, it’s not going anywhere. It’s not being pushed out because of environmental laws, but because of skyrocketing real estate prices that are encroaching on existing tracks. I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years, these people recognize the heritage. There are 100+ year-old homes next to Fairplex, and yeah, they complained back in the day, but the track pre-dates the current owners, and they know that, and they know that track is part of their heritage. Lots of environmental laws in California, yes, but not all of them are terrible. Restrictive? Yes. Death of drag racing in California? No.

 

[LoPony]

Oh, come on Mark. Racing has survived in California for so long, it’s not going anywhere. It’s not being pushed out because of environmental laws, but because of skyrocketing real estate prices that are encroaching on existing tracks. I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years, these people recognize the heritage. There are 100+ year-old homes next to Fairplex, and yeah, they complained back in the day, but the track pre-dates the current owners, and they know that, and they know that track is part of their heritage. Lots of environmental laws in California, yes, but not all of them are terrible. Restrictive? Yes. Death of drag racing in California? No.

Just a point added in support, look at the crowd at Sonoma this weekend. I think it’s a winner? It was nearly packed on Friday, more so Saturday, I don’t know. And this is in the San Francisco Bay area, where people hate everything about motorcars.

I was extremely proud of everything I saw at Sonoma. And I am an Alabama native, but I’m more often than not proud of California.

Now Alabama, that’s another story.

 

[M Jones]

Oh, come on Mark. Racing has survived in California for so long, it’s not going anywhere. It’s not being pushed out because of environmental laws, but because of skyrocketing real estate prices that are encroaching on existing tracks. I lived in Los Angeles for 15 years, these people recognize the heritage. There are 100+ year-old homes next to Fairplex, and yeah, they complained back in the day, but the track pre-dates the current owners, and they know that, and they know that track is part of their heritage. Lots of environmental laws in California, yes, but not all of them are terrible. Restrictive? Yes. Death of drag racing in California? No.

I didn’t mean that drag racing is going to die, just not as friendly to racing or gasoline as they used to be

 

[LoPony]

I didn’t mean that drag racing is going to die, just not as friendly to racing or gasoline

No, it’s definitely not, in California. They have reasons for that. The air pollution is choking. Drag racing still lives on, nevertheless. If you visited LA in the 70s or 80s, versus visiting LA now, it is a completely different environment with regards to the air quality. You cannot fault them for that. LA is actually livable now, most days. Some days.

 

[M Jones]

No, it’s definitely not, in California. They have reasons for that. The air pollution is choking. Drag racing still lives on, nevertheless. If you visited LA in the 70s or 80s, versus visiting LA now, it is a completely different environment with regards to the air quality. You cannot fault them for that. LA is actually livable now, most days. Some days.

Haven’t been there in a lot of years

 

[LoPony]

Haven’t been there in a lot of years

Yeah, man, San Diego north, to LA, anywhere in the LA basin, and way north to the bay area: San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, the air is really bad. And it floats east. California has 40 million people, and most of them live in the San Francisco Bay Area, or the LA-San Diego area. The air is bad. I used to walk outside and the air smelled like car exhaust every day. It’s not good, and this is just about five years ago. It’s much better than it used to be though. Imagine that.

They are trying to improve that, but they’re not messing too much with racing, which is just such a tiny fraction of total emissions. Most all come from diesel trucks and passenger cars. Hate to say it, but it’s true. Politicians may give lip service to local tree huggers that complain about racing, but the fact is that racing is more of a boon to the economy than they are.

 

[glofria]

Pollution is a big factor when tearing down buildings that have asbestos, don’t know if it’s the case here, if it is, the fine dust can travel hundreds of miles on a decent breeze, does bad damage to lungs like copd and cannot be removed from you once inhaled, totally agree that commiefornia Newsom will use that to hurt racing

I reject your statement for this situation based upon the size of the tower itself. Don't know when it was built, but I'm certain it was after the banning of asbestos in the 70's. The track has records so they would be aware of it.

With regards to the air quality here in the Los Angeles area (I've lived in the San Fernando Valley all my life) there is a govt. agency that monitors that:

Experience

experience.arcgis.com

 

[M Jones]

I reject your statement for this situation based upon the size of the tower itself. Don't know when it was built, but I'm certain it was after the banning of asbestos in the 70's. The track has records so they would be aware of it.

With regards to the air quality here in the Los Angeles area (I've lived in the San Fernando Valley all my life) there is a govt. agency that monitors that:

Experience

experience.arcgis.com

Did you miss the part were I said I don’t know if this is the case here, just thought I would explain why if it is the problem, that tearing down buildings without permits can be a problem

 

[glofria]

OK, you're right you did. Forgive me as 2nd generation Californian, I get defensive when I feel people knocking on it. Much is valid, but there are a good portion of the population here that don't agree with how the state is governed

FYI, my degree at Cal. State Northridge was BS in Bus, Management with a minor in Environmental Science. Just because it interests me.

 

[M Jones]

OK, you're right you did. Forgive me as 2nd generation Californian, I get defensive when I feel people knocking on it. Much is valid, but there are a good portion of the population here that don't agree with how the state is governed

FYI, my degree at Cal. State Northridge was BS in Bus, Management with a minor in Environmental Science. Just because it interests me.

I was a dust control monitor in vegas 5 years ago, born in Alhambra calf. 1955, love so cal and the tracks there, I am with you on the belief of many good people there