Building a sanctioned drag strip in the 757.
07-07-2003, 11:04 PM
#1
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Building a sanctioned drag strip in the 757.
With the tragic events of this past weekend, I almost feel a heavy burden of responsibility to spearhead this discussion.
Is it realistic to have a 1/8th mile track in this region? 1/4th mile?
I'm almost positive that every one of US will loudly vote yes that we WANT this to happen... but can it be done?
There are lots of dynamics that need to be addressed when bringing up this issue. Things along the lines of, but not limited to:
Insurance
Noise
Safety risks
Location
Staffing
Management
Budgeting
Revenue
I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the way things go within city governments, but there are a couple of different situations that I see this materializing through.
First: A large and rich member of the private sector, say... the CEO of Pepsi Cola Co. says that he will throw down $10 million dollars for the namesake of the track, and he approaches the respective city officials and goes from there. Now that would be the easiest, but at the same time, the hardest to pull off. Where would a sponsor like that come from?
Second: A group of citizens(us) present the facts to some city officials. We say, look, there have been so and so deaths in the past year related to street racing. There are so and so accidents and police reports related to street racing a month. These are the problems, and the only viable solution is that you build us a track.
The only problem with the second solution, is that the CITY is then required to front the money for the track, and hope it goes well enough that they will inturn see revenue one day.
Now i don't know how it is in other cities, but i know the City of Newport News struggles with its budget as it is. Heck, the whole state of virginia is in a budget deficit appropriate enough to be called a crisis.
Third: We leach onto a speedway of sorts that is already in the area, I.E. Langley, and try to get some sort of "drag-strip" type of facility integrated.
Now i've done some research, but i still am not sure of all the details that building a track entails. How much would it actually COST if a drag-strip were to be built? How much revenue could actually be brought in? Although i don't think that the revenue portion will be a problem. What would insurance cost? Where could we put this thing at?
But in the end, i believe that this can be done. Take a look at racelegal.com That site is a testament that with the proper cooperation of many different organizations, a track can be built. There are other groups, such as racersagainststreetracing.org who are examples that things can be done about this situation.
But, we need to start small and work upwords. Everybody throw in your ideas pertaining to this topic. Discussion will be kept intelligent, respectful, and most importantly of all, on-topic. I will be monitoring this thread intently to make sure that happens.
Is it realistic to have a 1/8th mile track in this region? 1/4th mile?
I'm almost positive that every one of US will loudly vote yes that we WANT this to happen... but can it be done?
There are lots of dynamics that need to be addressed when bringing up this issue. Things along the lines of, but not limited to:
Insurance
Noise
Safety risks
Location
Staffing
Management
Budgeting
Revenue
I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the way things go within city governments, but there are a couple of different situations that I see this materializing through.
First: A large and rich member of the private sector, say... the CEO of Pepsi Cola Co. says that he will throw down $10 million dollars for the namesake of the track, and he approaches the respective city officials and goes from there. Now that would be the easiest, but at the same time, the hardest to pull off. Where would a sponsor like that come from?
Second: A group of citizens(us) present the facts to some city officials. We say, look, there have been so and so deaths in the past year related to street racing. There are so and so accidents and police reports related to street racing a month. These are the problems, and the only viable solution is that you build us a track.
The only problem with the second solution, is that the CITY is then required to front the money for the track, and hope it goes well enough that they will inturn see revenue one day.
Now i don't know how it is in other cities, but i know the City of Newport News struggles with its budget as it is. Heck, the whole state of virginia is in a budget deficit appropriate enough to be called a crisis.
Third: We leach onto a speedway of sorts that is already in the area, I.E. Langley, and try to get some sort of "drag-strip" type of facility integrated.
Now i've done some research, but i still am not sure of all the details that building a track entails. How much would it actually COST if a drag-strip were to be built? How much revenue could actually be brought in? Although i don't think that the revenue portion will be a problem. What would insurance cost? Where could we put this thing at?
But in the end, i believe that this can be done. Take a look at racelegal.com That site is a testament that with the proper cooperation of many different organizations, a track can be built. There are other groups, such as racersagainststreetracing.org who are examples that things can be done about this situation.
But, we need to start small and work upwords. Everybody throw in your ideas pertaining to this topic. Discussion will be kept intelligent, respectful, and most importantly of all, on-topic. I will be monitoring this thread intently to make sure that happens.
07-07-2003, 11:09 PM
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So here is what i can offer:
I have connections to political bigwigs in three major cities in this region. I always have the ear of Mayor Joe Frank of Newport News, Mayor Mamie Locke of Hampton, and Vice Mayor Daun Hester of Norfolk. I'm not sure what good that will do in the long run, but political support is always good.
I also have a good relationship with Police Chief Dennis Mook of the City of Newport News. I've worked with him and plenty of other officers in my city on various things in the past, and I know he would be willing to be offer any support need be.
If needed, i believe that forming a formal Commission of sorts would be appropriate in conveying information and a strong message. I've lobbied legislation in the city, state, and national levels, and I can tell you that a strong unified message will be taken more seriously than a weak, spread out one. Doesn't take a genius to understand that.
Petitions are usually weak, but we can try something like that and present it in person.
If we come up with a formal name for this movement, I can easily have a website built for it and that will be taken care of.
I have connections to political bigwigs in three major cities in this region. I always have the ear of Mayor Joe Frank of Newport News, Mayor Mamie Locke of Hampton, and Vice Mayor Daun Hester of Norfolk. I'm not sure what good that will do in the long run, but political support is always good.
I also have a good relationship with Police Chief Dennis Mook of the City of Newport News. I've worked with him and plenty of other officers in my city on various things in the past, and I know he would be willing to be offer any support need be.
If needed, i believe that forming a formal Commission of sorts would be appropriate in conveying information and a strong message. I've lobbied legislation in the city, state, and national levels, and I can tell you that a strong unified message will be taken more seriously than a weak, spread out one. Doesn't take a genius to understand that.
Petitions are usually weak, but we can try something like that and present it in person.
If we come up with a formal name for this movement, I can easily have a website built for it and that will be taken care of.
07-07-2003, 11:13 PM
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Another note: Having the media on our side will also be a good thing. I've been dissapointed with the way that the TV media has portrayed the whole "illegal street racing" scene thing, but I have yet to try and contact them. I think that if some respectable members of the community contact them, they can see a lot of positives in what we're doing.
Janie Bryant, the Virginian Pilot reporter who contacted me this week seems to be a good one. She wrote a good article and didn't try to push too much media bias into it. I think that if I were to approach any one of the local newspapers around here, they'd jump all over it.
I'm spreading out my posts so people will read them.
Janie Bryant, the Virginian Pilot reporter who contacted me this week seems to be a good one. She wrote a good article and didn't try to push too much media bias into it. I think that if I were to approach any one of the local newspapers around here, they'd jump all over it.
I'm spreading out my posts so people will read them.
07-07-2003, 11:24 PM
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This is in by no means an "import only" initiative or a "domestic only" initiative. I am deciding on posting it here and not on tidewaterracing.com because i believe too much dialogue will get lost if the idea is spread out among two sites. But i fully invite any non-registered members from TWR to post their ideas into this thread. If this thing is to really happen, it's going to be a joint initiative by EVERYBODY who enjoys their cars and wants to see a safe environment for ALL involved.
07-08-2003, 12:10 AM
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Sung, you know you have the support of every member of this forum. I will start making calls and writing out letters to a few people I know in the morning. I'm sure there are many others who can offer valuable assistance. btw, check your pm's.
Last edited by lolololol; 07-08-2003 at 12:23 AM.
07-08-2003, 01:14 AM
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If you're interested in helping i think the best thing to do at this point is some good research.
Call VMP, Richmond Dragway, Elizabeth city dragway and see if you can get info on history, cost to build, blah blah blah.
Call some Police departments, find out how many accidents have been related to street racing in the past year.
Call VDOT and see how much it costs to actually pave a 1/4 mile stretch of road.
Those are the types of questions we need answered, firmly.
Call VMP, Richmond Dragway, Elizabeth city dragway and see if you can get info on history, cost to build, blah blah blah.
Call some Police departments, find out how many accidents have been related to street racing in the past year.
Call VDOT and see how much it costs to actually pave a 1/4 mile stretch of road.
Those are the types of questions we need answered, firmly.
07-08-2003, 02:26 AM
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Venuto Ottenga Alcun
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I can find out the cost for paving since I know people in VDOT...
I also know a high ranking person that works for Pepsi, and I think they will like the idea of having there name on something like this.
I also know a high ranking person that works for Pepsi, and I think they will like the idea of having there name on something like this.
07-08-2003, 02:38 AM
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Makin Moves
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Is there anything the "racing community" can do en mass? Like a huge get-together to push this "campaign" a bit further and get more media attention. I guess to show the media that we are serious and we don't condone what happened in anyway. And give us a chance, after a bit of research, to show them we're not a bunch of half-wits who are "protesting"; but in fact have done our homework.