Drag Racing ends for Southern California.

[McRat]

Drag racing as a motorsport was born in Santa Ana, California a half century ago.

Today, with the announcement of a court order banning racing at California Speedway, it has died.

OCIR, Irwindale (shut down twice), LACR, Pomona (only open for major events), Carlsbad, Fontana, are now all closed.

Supposedly, there is an 1/8th mile track in Barona on the Indian reservation, and Bakersfield is supposed to operate this year, but everything else is now closed.

We need to move the NHRA headquarters and museum to Texas.  California is a national embarrassment to motorsports.

[Milwaukee Midget]

Got a link to that story?

[McRat]

http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/Auto-Club-Dragway/Auto-Club-Dragway.aspx  It's complete BS.  It was an industrial area, and has heavy locomotive traffic constantly.  Sound of a street car is too loud, but train horns are nearly silent.

Irwindale closed a couple weeks ago.

LACR a couple years ago.

Carlsbad, the year before that.

Pomona is open only for Top Fuel since they are much quieter than the 12 second muffled street cars that used to run there, at least according to the lackeys at La Verne City Hall?

In the case of Pomona and Fontana, it's as much a problem with public image as it is the laughable "sound level" claims.  Drag racing has a terrible image on CNN and USA Today.  Both Pomona and Fontana have louder racing events which are still permitted.  It's just "dem crazy kids in theys hot-rod cars" that are unwanted.

[McRat]

I was supposed to test my transmission there this weekend.   

The National Geographic Channel had a "LA Street Racing" program on last week, which suggested the street racers go to Fontana to race instead.

Ironic.

[1leg]

Barona drag strip in San Diego is alive and well. Come on down, san diego racers have been traveling north for 50+ years time for you LA guys to come this way 

[Milwaukee Midget]

That whole "noise" issue just corks my toucus.  Think about it - When do realtors do open house showings?  Can we all say -

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY?

If the neighbors were there first, I could see it. 

The only thing that's slowed down subdivision encroachment at Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, Wisconsin, has been the slow economy, but they’re still fielding complaints.

[Dean Los Angeles]

When I was a kid I lived 3 miles from San Fernando dragstrip. The noise carried that far. It was music to my ears, but you can see why complaints happen.

If they want to complain about this noise that happens a couple of times a year, how about complaining about all of the uncorked Harleys and rice rockets that you hear 24/7?

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Last fall I was chatting with a Sherriff's deputy here and asked about the loud exhaust noise from so many motorcycles -- especially the v-twin style, be they Harley or H-D clones.  His response was a look of wonder in that the Department hadn't received complaints, and the various deputies hadn't made any traffic stops for excessive noise -- so what the heck did I mean?

The UP of Michigan is a great place for touring motorcyclists to visit, and I expect that if much noise enforcement were to happen - the local tourist merchants (restaurants, motels, and so on for quite a while) would be up in arms lest the bike riders stay away.  Too bad that the locals can't get a good night's sleep, or that ailing grandmothers can't relax without hearing a flock of loud bikes showing off their lack of mufflers - showing it off quite loudly, too.

[McRat]

It's not really about noise.  "Environmental Impact" is just a tool to stop it.  EPA and State laws override any local laws.  A representative of Hawaii has more to say concerning California land use than any middle class Californian.

Saturday was "Street Legal Day", you must run mufflers and be a street legal car (+ NHRA safety equip) with insurance and registration, and are limited to 10.00 ET.  It is legal to drive your car with it's engine rev'g at 8000 rpm directly in front of the plaintiff's house, but not legal to do it a 1/2 away from their house separated by train tracks and a block wall.



The County of San Berdo is good with the track running.  But it seems if you buy enough lawyers and judges, you can make pigs appear to fly, in a legal sense.  

It has more to do with perceived property values, and keeping young adults out of their neighborhood than noise, just like the City of La Verne.

If the SCTA has to deal with a small group that wants them to shut down operations, Western LSR might end based on today's legal climate.  It took many years for the Fontana plaintiff to win, but with enough money, you hassle somebody until you win.

[Stan Back]

So why can the adjacent raceway continue to operate -- or can it?

[Moxnix]

Ah, the rebirth of the street racing that begat drag racing in the first place.  Full circle. 

[RichFox]

Some years ago I attended a noise/sound test at Half Moon Bay airport, with a goal of resuming drag racing there. It was well reported that the cars would start running at 9am. At the gate we were advised to not fire any race car until 9:30. Complaints of excessive noise began at 9 sharp. No cars running. County noise measuring devices around the airport never did exceed local limits except for one jet car. Deal was still turned down by supervisors who said "It sends youth the wrong message. Public transportation is a better goal." I vote. Doesn't help

[Captthundarr]

Man, If they want to complain about noise they need to come live with us for a week, I my bass guitar don't get'em them, then Marine Corps Base Camp Lejuene (5mi. away) firing thier 155mm Howitzers at 10:30pm might give'm something to complain about.

[Tman]

Got ya all beat. Come sit in my office next to Black Hills Harley during the Rally (Sturgis). I don't mind it at all.

[Captthundarr]

Got ya all beat. Come sit in my office next to Black Hills Harley during the Rally (Sturgis). I don't mind it at all.

Musak to da earas