msrpk.com blog

Is North Carolina selling its soul to the racing industry?

Here for the Bank of America 500 in Cabarrus County and Concord, NC, you doubtless know about a flap concerning Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and the Concord City Council about rezoning part of the Lowe's Motor Speedway property so a drag strip cannot be built. Our host, Google, can help you get background.

In Mooresville, Iredell County, Penske Racing's plans to build a short oval/road course test track near its mega-headquarters have hit a snag--residents have raised serious and reasonable concerns about noise, and balanced growth. So much so, that the Iredell County Commissioners will decide its fate on November 6. Google can help with the general background; the specific concerns of the residents can be found at http://iredellpain.blogspot.com/ .

There are two different issues here: if you build near a race track--and if that race track has been in existence for 40 years--you should realize that noise is going to happen. Business and good manners on both sides of the issue will keep the conflicts to a minimum.

If a facility comes to a residential area that has been a residential area for about the same length of time, or longer, then the needs and concerns of the residents must be paramount.

Penske Racing has a reputation for dotting i's and crossing t's that is unparalleled in the business--from what we see, there are a few that need dotting and crossing in Mooresville. The facility houses all of the Captain's racing teams--which need to test. Creative architecture and the placement of baffles would reduce most of the noise to Interstate traffic levels. If there is any organization that can come up with a solution that will satisfy the needs and concerns of the residents, while allowing the ability to test for limited time, it is Penske Racing. Once the Captain decides to do something, it is done right--these plans need to be redone.

UPDATE as of 11/6/2007

Penske Realty has, for the moment, taken their proposal off the table with the Iredell County (NC) County Commissioners. The plans may be resubmitted in six months. What's likely to happen, is that the Captain's men will retool their plans--as if they didn't have enough on the plate with trying to get Sam Hornish into Nextel Cup Races.