A few months ago I brought up the need here for NHRA to take the lead on developing noise barriers and was basicly booed off the stage. Once again I see the need for some progress in this area as Fontana is having noise issues. Lets make it happen before it's too late. Advertising space on such barriers could help offset the cost.

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"The Doctor"
www.wannaberacing.com

20 ft. Billboards do wonders for Dirt-tracks Noise-wise. For Blown cars on a Dragstrip I couldn't tell you if that would work or not.

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Shift for Brains!!!!

Years ago Englishtown faced the noise issue head-on. One of the first things that took place was an agreement among real estate agents that before they would complete any sale the prospective buyers had to visit the property to hear how loud the track was for themselves. That helped stop the practice of buyers reneging on sales after moving in and hearing that noise.

The track then built massive sound walls, something along the lines of $600,000, and this was easily more than a decade ago and possibly even two. Regardless, such walls would probably cost a couple of million now.

Regardless of the cost of those walls, homeowners took the track back to court with noise complaints, but the judge threw out their suit, reportedly stating that the track had done enough to curtail the problem.

The "Who-was-here-first" argument/rule used to be effective, but no longer.

Pomona is an example of a community working together with a track to keep everyone satisfied. I may be slightly off on this and admit it now, so don't flame me later, but I think the arrangement calls for something like no more than 11 days of racing per year. That's four for each of the national events plus a few more for other races/rain dates.

As I said, I could be off on the actual number of race dates permitted.

Fontana will probably have to enter into the same type of arrangement, but as to other facilities, each case is completely different.

The deciding factor will be, of course, how hard the suit is pressed and/or how willing or able the track is to provide sound walls.

Jon Asher

No booing from me sir. Noise is a real problem for drag racing. The rumor mill has even started about the new track in Fontana having neighbors that complain about noise. Fontana might become a Street Legal track only if the rumors I've heard are founded on anything! It IS a problem!

Thank God for that...I couldn`t imagine Pomona Raceway ever going away.

How can the Dragstrip be a problem and the Speedway isn't?

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Shift for Brains!!!!

I've got a better question, how do you move to an industrialized area that's being gentrified because of the speedway and complain about the noise? I think men with cattle prods should be the answer for the stupid.

D

Darryl, here's the straight scoop from Mike Yurich at California Speedway FONTANA STRIP NOT CLOSING!

And John, there is NO "suit" pending. The Speedway has retained Santa Ana-based Gordon Bricken & Associates to work on acoustics and noise control for the facility, that is their specialty.

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Drag Racing Online

I live about 4-5 straight line miles from a local oval track, with a few mountains in between us and I can easily hear them from my backyard on a Saturday night.

The shame is that there's an old dragstrip pretty close to it that I'd love to buy and resurrect someday (formerly Tennessee Valley Dragway), but I'm sure you can't bring em back after they're gone. You'd think that you could use the fact that the one track is already there making music...ahem...."noise"....as a supporting reason, but we all know that stuff only goes one way. In favor of the people who move in next to race tracks and airports, then complain about the "noise."

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I'm an optimist. My glass is 1/4 full, not 3/4 empty!

Well, I think the sport needs to be more pro-active on environmental issues. Because if we're not our sport is not going to be around in ten years. I'm no greenie (far from it) but I can see which direction the winds or change are coming.

I had an idea of finding a way to preserve the straw in hay bails and encasing the the bales with a fire resistant material. Those bales are so thick they would soak in the sound. Just a thought.

I also think we need go to unleaded fuel like NASCAR is doing and maybe going to methanol all together for sportsman racing. I can hear it now BOOOO BOOOO!

Someday drag racers and fans may have to try buying up the properties around tracks to protect them. I've floated that idea before. Many ethnic groups have long done the same thing. Makes you wonder if that could be an evolution someday? People with common interests moving into the same areas. LOL, wouldn't it be strange to live on a street where everyone did what you do for a living?

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I'm an optimist. My glass is 1/4 full, not 3/4 empty!

that would be cool , everyone would be working on there cars in the driveways and everyone would be walking between eachothers houses helping eachother and bench racing.

moving between houses bench racing... all the wifes would love it!

You say that like wives don't race.... don't get all greasy working on the car, are all "June Cleaver"... I think not...

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Not So Comfortably Numb- Fly Navy, Build SEABEES
A friend helps you move, A Real Friend helps you Move Bodies