California Speedway Shutdown

[Vettezuki]

No really. It's a court order pending environmental impact study. . .

http://blogs.hotrod.com/fontana-dragstrip-closed-21299.html

[kdracer73]

Sucks. I built my car around the desire to run the 1/4 mile. That is how I got here ! Met Ben and Sean after they filmed My buddy and I match racing each other.
I used to go every two months, but not so much lately.

[xSpeedAddictX]

No bueno. No more LACR, soon Irwindale and now this. :(

[94cobra69ss396]

This sucks! I've been itching to fix the trans in the Chevelle so I could go race it but now I have no where to go. I may have to pull the engine out and drop some new pistons in it so that I can run it on 91. That way I can criuse it around without race fuel.

[Shaolin Crane]

Seems like the kommiefornia government wants us to street race :huh:

[Small White Car]

Whatever happened to Pomona Raceway?



And to chime in on topic, the medical marijuana dispensaries in California have drastically cut street crime in neighborhoods with active establishments and given responsible adults an alternative to get what they want in a safe and organized fashion. However this cuts into the cash flow of local LEO so they push to make it all bad again and drive it back underground, so they can go back to busting responsible adults for doing things in a safe and organized manner.

I can easily see where organized street racing in a safe and prepared environment could really cut into revenue generated by busting street racers and impounding cars and the even far more lucrative market of criminal probation and restitution where you can guarantee income stream long after the crime was committed, you were convicted and supposedly paid your debt to society (however not to the state, with interest...) but I digress.

[Vettezuki]

This sucks! I've been itching to fix the trans in the Chevelle so I could go race it but now I have no where to go. I may have to pull the engine out and drop some new pistons in it so that I can run it on 91. That way I can criuse it around without race fuel.

I think the next closest 1/4 is Bakersfield.:huh: A little bit further from you the California Speedway.

[kdracer73]

Whatever happened to Pomona Raceway?



.

Pomona has been noise restricted for years. They are only allowed so many events a year, and they save them for the big boys.

[Vettezuki]

Whatever happened to Pomona Raceway?



And to chime in on topic, the medical marijuana dispensaries in California have drastically cut street crime in neighborhoods with active establishments and given responsible adults an alternative to get what they want in a safe and organized fashion. However this cuts into the cash flow of local LEO so they push to make it all bad again and drive it back underground, so they can go back to busting responsible adults for doing things in a safe and organized manner.

I can easily see where organized street racing in a safe and prepared environment could really cut into revenue generated by busting street racers and impounding cars and the even far more lucrative market of criminal probation and restitution where you can guarantee income stream long after the crime was committed, you were convicted and supposedly paid your debt to society (however not to the state, with interest...) but I digress.

Could just be a bunch of nannies and/or whining home owners that moved into the area after the fact. But your analysis is very often the correct one.

[Shaolin Crane]

I think the next closest 1/4 is Bakersfield.:huh: A little bit further from you the California Speedway.

Bakersfield is not "a little bit further" then california speedway.

[SkunkLookingCar]

Who the hell needs to do a study to figure out race tracks are loud?:huh:
Government really needs to shrink so that we don't have a bunch of wannabe dictators looking for ways to tell people what to do in the name of moral high ground. Pretty hard to argue against protecting the environment, right? But lets go ahead and push auto manufacturers fill up cars with hundreds of pounds of toxic batteries with little blue logos on them so that everyone else knows how green you are. Wouldn't want to do things to improve the environment if other people can't see you doing them.

That's it, I call shenanigans.

And while we are at it, we really need to stop bailing people out every time they complain about something. What's that, the race track that you moved next to is too loud? Maybe you should have thought about that before you moved in. Life ain't fair. When are we going to stop letting the vocal minority get their way all the time?

[Leedom]

This is total bulllshit. I too can not stand people who move into an area around a race track, sports park, school and then complain about the location they moved by. Their house was probably a little lower in price because of it. Fuck them! Don't like the noise.. don't buy the house. We are running out of places to race. Then same people who complain about the race tracks and get them shut down are probably also the first to bitch about street racing.

[Small White Car]

Maybe we could all chip in...

Your own personal race facility anyone? (http://www.cbre.us/o/southbay/properties/honda-test-track/Pages/overview.aspx)

[Vettezuki]

Maybe we could all chip in...

Your own personal race facility anyone? (http://www.cbre.us/o/southbay/properties/honda-test-track/Pages/overview.aspx)

Maybe Motorgen should buy it and make it a home track? Who's in. I figure we'll need about $25 million rough guess.

[Shaolin Crane]

Maybe Motorgen should buy it and make it a home track? Who's in. I figure we'll need about $25 million rough guess.

Shit, i'd blow 25 million on that if i won the lotto. I'd even live there.

[Vettezuki]

Shit, i'd blow 25 million on that if i won the lotto. I'd even live there.

There's plenty of land there to develop. It could even be a part time version of one of those spa retreat race tracks like they have in Europe for the uber rich.

That is a big chunk, several square miles.

[Vettezuki]

. . . What's that, the race track that you moved next to is too loud? Maybe you should have thought about that before you moved in. Life ain't fair. . . .

It's wonderfully fair. You can trade a little cheaper place to live in exchange for something that's a bit louder. It preceded you and has the noise rights. Or it should in a just world.

[kdracer73]

Petition to keep it open.

http://www.change.org/petitions/county-of-san-bernardino-and-state-of-california-we-need-legal-drag-strips-to-provide-safe-and-organized-racing-for-all#

[94cobra69ss396]

Petition to keep it open.

http://www.change.org/petitions/county-of-san-bernardino-and-state-of-california-we-need-legal-drag-strips-to-provide-safe-and-organized-racing-for-all#

Signed.

[Chuck]

Signed and I want that track holly shit I want it. I am buying a lotto ticket today.

[jedhead]

Oops someone forgot to pay their protection money, err campaign contributions to the right people. I wish they would open a strip at El Toro or Tustin.

Bob

[BADDASSC6]

I predict that in less than a year a couple of racers are going to go wheels up into a five year old or school bus and then the tracks will open again.

[Shaolin Crane]

Good thing my car is built for the road course. Still though, its nice having a spot close to blow off steam or test out the car. The nights of cherry ave are about to return.

[injdinjn]

Maybe we could all chip in...

Your own personal race facility anyone? (http://www.cbre.us/o/southbay/properties/honda-test-track/Pages/overview.aspx)

That would be nice to own.

Pomona - the city to the north sued due to the noise, the final settlement was no more street legals but one more top fuel weekend. That made sense.

Funtucky - I read, on turbobuick I think, that the suit was started by some guy that has a nearby upholstery shop and lives there too, of course numerous others have joined the suit probably all those new home buyer just east of the track. I don't think there was a problem when the track was on the south side of the complex.

I watched the first 15min of a documentary on street racing in Kent, WA. 15 min of the BS was all I could take. The money and manpower and special cars they use to catch racers could support a nice 1/4 mile track with weekly racing.

Correct there is more money in arresting racers than in safety by supplying them with a track.


DEFUND GOVT

[Leedom]

The company I work for runs and organizes NMRA and NMCA events and we have a couple at Fontana. As soon as I know something I will let you guys know.

[blackax]

The company I work for runs and organizes NMRA and NMCA events and we have a couple at Fontana. As soon as I know something I will let you guys know.

New job...That sounds good!

[Ryridesmotox]

Well that is what happens when communists run our government. I singed the petition, posted it on my facebook, I don't want people to die but sweet justice would be watching a riced out civic t bone the people who complain about the tracks. Carlsbad raceway was about 5 minutes from my house... Literally right below where aircraft flew overhead to land. Closed for noise...:bang:

Makes me want to go club a baby seal to death to leave on an environmentalist's porch who wants to close the track.

[Damian]

People and their mindset boggles me. I moved close to a train station and there is another train rail that is used quite often and I can hear their horns all the time. Does that give me the right to petition to have them both closed? I just dont see how people knowingly move close to something that they know is associated with loud noises and then complain about it after the fact.

On top of that, people also complain about street racing and how its out of control and then close down the tracks that are also being used for racers to race there so they dont do it on the street. How does this make sense??

[Shaolin Crane]

Its like the people who bitch about working out and not losing weight when they have mcdonalds for lunch every day. :huh:

[enkeivette]

Gay

[kdracer73]

Here is a council meeting with the group trying to shut down the Dragway. This meeting was in 2010.
http://sanbernardino.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=13&clip_id=1822&meta_id=144206

They residents are blaming ear infections, strokes and other ailments on the dragway. It has nothing to do with living next to train tracks and a recycling center in a industrial park. The main guy behind this can barely read his own statement.

[Shaolin Crane]

It's official, i'm going to blame all my broken bones and injuries on tree huggers

[Ryridesmotox]

It never fails to amaze me, how many people KNOWINGLY buy houses next to loud areas like airports or racetracks and then complain about them. If they didnt do their research and didnt know about the loud noise from the track or whatever then its their bad and they should move. Not make tens of thousands of people move their favorite sport even further away. Grrrr some people should be run over by a Peterbuilt.

[94cobra69ss396]

Salvador Lopez lived there before California Speedway was built. Of the 10 houses in his area only one was purchased after the track was built.

[kdracer73]

Salvador Lopez lived there before California Speedway was built. Of the 10 houses in his area only one was purchased after the track was built.

His biggest problem with it started after CSW moved the dragstrip to it's current location. It used to be on the other side of the oval.

[Shaolin Crane]

Seems like it would be cheaper to offer them a settlement to move rather then roll over and shut down. Win win for both sides, new owners cant bitch and the old ones can move to a better area.

[Chuck]

Grrrr some people should be run over by a Peterbuilt.

:iagree: Strongly.

[Leedom]

It's official, i'm going to blame all my broken bones and injuries on tree huggers

On today's logic I think that would fly, wait... we live in a state run by hypocritical tree huggers so that would not work in our case.

[Shaolin Crane]

I'll blame it on them and bitch slap the ones who refuse, usually works for me. I think those people are in for a rude awakening, just wait until people are fed up with them, my crystal ball forsee many tire marks in front of their homes.

[Damian]

It never fails to amaze me, how many people KNOWINGLY buy houses next to loud areas like airports or racetracks and then complain about them. If they didnt do their research and didnt know about the loud noise from the track or whatever then its their bad and they should move. Not make tens of thousands of people move their favorite sport even further away. Grrrr some people should be run over by a Peterbuilt.

It's easier to blame others than take responsibility for your own actions.

[kdracer73]

Good news !!!

"The Auto Club Speedway has reached a settlement with a local group of concerned citizens in the San Bernardino County area known as CCoMPRESS, represented by Chatten-Brown & Carstens related to the operation of the Auto Club Dragway. As a result, the Auto Club Speedway may resume operations at the Auto Club Dragway if it first complies with a series of requirements intended to mitigate the environmental impacts to the surrounding community, including construction of a soundwall.”

[Ryridesmotox]

Thank god.

[94cobra69ss396]

Great news. Maybe I'll have the Chevelle running again by the time they open back up.

[Vettezuki]

If they build the sound wall on the rail side it might have the extra benefit of keeping sand off the track. Flip the track around while they're at it . . . and put some real lights up. ;)

[enkeivette]

Very cool, 14 second quarter mile at 135 mph here I come. Haha

[Damian]

Thats still stupid IMO. I dont see how people who move in knowing that there is a race track across the street have the right to be able to bitch about the race track THEY moved in next to.

I am excited to hear that they will be opening it back up, I just dont see myself waiting for hours on end to make 3 passes in a day.

[94cobra69ss396]

I am excited to hear that they will be opening it back up, I just dont see myself waiting for hours on end to make 3 passes in a day.

It's a lot better than not being able to race.

[kdracer73]

Thats still stupid IMO. I dont see how people who move in knowing that there is a race track across the street have the right to be able to bitch about the race track THEY moved in next to.

I am excited to hear that they will be opening it back up, I just dont see myself waiting for hours on end to make 3 passes in a day.

The main group had lived there before the track. They did not have a problem when the strip was on the other side of the oval. It was after they moved it the "problem" started.....And last time I went I got 4 runs in before noon...NOT the norm though:p

[Shaolin Crane]

Vanessa once got 20 runs in at Fontana, still hate her for that.

[kdracer73]

Maybe now that The Fast and Furious crap is over, all the Civics will stay away !!:suicide:

[Damian]

They won't, they are all over the place at Irwindale.

[94cobra69ss396]

I don't mind them as long as they don't blow up on the track. A lot of them sound like they are going to blow up their engines in the pits though when they bounce off the rev limiters. Besides it's so much fun when they rev at me in the Chevelle on the way to the track. My favorite one was actually a guy in a fox body. We pulled up to a stop sign and he was just a little bit ahead of me when he stopped. He waited for me then reved at me and dropped the clutch. I just laughed at him and drove easy. I saw him make a pass later that day and he ran somewhere in the mid to high 14 range.

[Vettezuki]

Like anything, there are a couple pretty fast civics.

[Shaolin Crane]

I've seen one fast honda, one.

[Vettezuki]

Technically, while a hardcore race car, the fastest slip on Motorgen is still a Civic.

[kdracer73]

California Speedway has purchased the property of the complainer , and is moving forward with the sound wall.:farley1:

[Shaolin Crane]

Technically, while a hardcore race car, the fastest slip on Motorgen is still a Civic.

I'm out to change that.

[94cobra69ss396]

Really, with what? I think I have the honor of the second quickest time slip and the quickest for active users.

[Shaolin Crane]

The gray car. In all honesty I was just being brazen. I don't think I've even seen the time slip.

[94cobra69ss396]

He's talking about quarter mile not the road course. I think the civic was a 9.8 or something like that but it was a trailered drag car.

[Vettezuki]

Ron is correct.

For reference.

9.7@155 (http://motorgen.com/garage/timeslip.php?SlipID=138)

I was there and saw it with my own eyes. From memory it was a 1.8L pushing about 50lbs of boost, something like 850FWHP.

[C5Natie]

Just wanted to mention, I emailed the track the other day and they still have no date for when the strip will be back open. Bummer

[kdracer73]

They are starting testing for the sound wall next week.

[Damian]

http://bangshift.com/blog/out-of-court-and-onto-the-quarter-mile-the-dragstrip-at-fontana-is-moving-forward-and-we-have-the-scoop.html

[94cobra69ss396]

This is great news. Now I just have to get the Chevelle running again.

[Damian]

Being that they are investing $1.5 million into it, they need to open it up more than once every couple months. Once a week like Irwindale would be great!

[Vettezuki]

Night races please.

[94cobra69ss396]

They've already stated that there are no plans right now to add permanent lights or bleachers.

[Damian]

Las Vegas Motor Speedway had Saturday night drags, that was great.

[BADDASSC6]

firebird had friday night test and tunes with grudge racing and some minor pots. Made it a lot of fun. It was the only place to be in high school outside of football season.

[Vettezuki]

I gues Irwindale is going 1/4 mile too. That's cool because it is a better location (atmospherically and proximity to me), the peopel who show up on TnT are pretty serious and they are open on Thursday nights, so it's not an all day affair, just an after work thing every once in a while. I've had more fun there than at Fontana for the most part, and that was 1/8th vs. 1/4.

[94cobra69ss396]

I've never been to Irwindale. If they go full 1/4 I might though. I use to go to LACR every Friday night for their grudge races back before they closed and I ran in a series there that was on Saturday. That was fun. It was a 12 second bracket so I would pull the pin for the secondaries and run off just the primaries. The Chevelle would still go under 12 seconds on just the primaries so I had to back off a little to keep from braking out.

[Damian]

I gues Irwindale is going 1/4 mile too. That's cool because it is a better location (atmospherically and proximity to me), the peopel who show up on TnT are pretty serious and they are open on Thursday nights, so it's not an all day affair, just an after work thing every once in a while. I've had more fun there than at Fontana for the most part, and that was 1/8th vs. 1/4.

I have to agree, Irwindale is more fun. It's at night when it's much cooler than Fontana, and you don't wait forever.

It would be awesome if Irwindale goes full 1/4 mile.

[Shaolin Crane]

I have to agree, Irwindale is more fun. It's at night when it's much cooler than Fontana, and you don't wait forever.

It would be awesome if Irwindale goes full 1/4 mile.

Agree, less wait, better track, funnel cakes and its alot closer.

[kdracer73]

New 2014 schedule up!

http://www.autoclubspeedway.com/Tickets-Events/Events/Auto-Club-Dragway/Auto-Club-Dragway.aspx

[BADDASSC6]

That's awesome news about AAA and Irwindale!

[94cobra69ss396]

This is awesome, they've added TNT to Sundays following the Street Legals! Plus they're running them twice in some months. That should mean more runs on a given day. Too bad I probably won't have the Chevelle ready by the February dates but I'll do my best.

[injdinjn]

Including T&T a decent number of days, better than the old 7 or 9 days a year. I hate their tech, everything but a anal probe and still more track shutdowns then I ever experienced at Carlsbad, Brotherhood or LACR.
Never ran at Irwindale.

[Damian]

Their inspections are pretty anal. I understand the need to be safe, but a rectal exam isn't the only way to prove who I am!

[SkunkLookingCar]

So what is the difference between Street Legal and Test & Tune? Is T&T open to any car and street legal open to only street legal cars?

[94cobra69ss396]

Correct. They check for registration and insurance on Street Legal days. They also have an ET limit of 10.00. If you run faster than that you're done (my goal!). TNT is open to race cars and there is no ET limit. You won't see any ricers out there on a TNT day, only fast cars. On a Street Legal day my Chevelle will be one of the fastest cars there but on a TNT day I'll be slow.

[Vettezuki]

Correct. They check for registration and insurance on Street Legal days. They also have an ET limit of 10.00. If you run faster than that you're done (my goal!). TNT is open to race cars and there is no ET limit. You won't see any ricers out there on a TNT day, only fast cars. On a Street Legal day my Chevelle will be one of the fastest cars there but on a TNT day I'll be slow.

My understanding is that faster than 11. 5 requires a certified cage (or the OEM car has to run faster than 11.5 stock, which is not unheard of now). Faster than 10 requires a beefier cage and other safety equipment and an NHRA license.

[94cobra69ss396]

At 11.49 you have to have a 5pt roll bar. You don't have to have a front support on the passenger side, only the driver's. It's good to 10.00. I have a 6pt roll bar in the Chevelle. There are other things that are required for going under 10.99 like an SFI balancer, SFI flex plate, etc. Once you go 9.99 you have to have an NHRA certified roll cage and a lot of other stuff.

[Shaolin Crane]

Correct. They check for registration and insurance on Street Legal days. They also have an ET limit of 10.00. If you run faster than that you're done (my goal!). TNT is open to race cars and there is no ET limit. You won't see any ricers out there on a TNT day, only fast cars. On a Street Legal day my Chevelle will be one of the fastest cars there but on a TNT day I'll be slow.

Word on the street is that cars running faster than 10.0 were also reported to the DMV. Not sure of the validity, don't know anyone who had it happen but I would not be surprised. :boggled:

[94cobra69ss396]

Word on the street is that cars running faster than 10.0 were also reported to the DMV. Not sure of the validity, don't know anyone who had it happen but I would not be surprised. :boggled:

Reported to the DMV for what, being fast? The only thing the DMV could do is require a smog cert on the next registration renewal and that would only affect cars that require one. They wouldn't be able to do anything for my Chevelle and I'm sure there a some GT500's out there running 9's with 50 state smog legal parts on them that pass smog.

[Shaolin Crane]

Reported to the DMV for what, being fast? The only thing the DMV could do is require a smog cert on the next registration renewal and that would only affect cars that require one. They wouldn't be able to do anything for my Chevelle and I'm sure there a some GT500's out there running 9's with 50 state smog legal parts on them that pass smog.

Like I said, I'm not sure, some people were saying they received ref cert requirements, though no one I know has had it happen to them personally, its always a "friend of a friend" sort of thing. I won't believe it until I see it personally, but I wouldn't be shocked either.

[Vettezuki]

Not that you'll ever see them at the strip but there are couple cars in the world now faster than 10s from the factory. There are definitely a couple motorcycles that don't even cost that much that run faster than 10 from the factory.

[kdracer73]

And just because it is exempt from bi-annual inspections, does not mean it can be modified. I have 2 customers that got popped for smog equipment mods, on pre 75 cars

[Vettezuki]

And just because it is exempt from bi-annual inspections, does not mean it can be modified. I have 2 customers that got popped for smog equipment mods, on pre 75 cars

I know that's the law, but how were their mods discovered?

[94cobra69ss396]

The only thing that my Chevelle had was PCV.

[enkeivette]

Id like to get a court order keeping it open pending a 'teen death while street racing because the only track within 100 miles has been shut down' study.

[injdinjn]

I ALWAYS had a battle with smog techs on my 73 F250. It was made in Oct 72 and thus did not have the smog equipt mandated to go into effect Jan 1, 1973. I don't know the exact year they made it a model year thing.

[injdinjn]

If these safety inspectors at the tracks become trained monkeys for CARB then fk the tracks. That's like Nazi Germany and Stalin's Russia where neighbor ratted on neighbor.