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Date: 01/31/2007
GRAHAM, Washington --With the ever-increasing pressures from communities surrounding the region’s racetracks, many of the Northwest track owners and operators have jointly agreed to take a proactive position to monitor exhaust noise and strictly enforce posted limits. The ARCA West Late Model Challenge Series and its officials will be working with these tracks to enforce a strict noise restriction policy at all its scheduled events, which should bring a majority of the region’s Late Model cars into an acceptable noise range.
Noise restrictions have been around for many years in the racing industry; but many tracks, racing divisions, and touring series have been somewhat ‘relaxed’ on enforcement. With noise becoming the number one complaint from the public about race tracks today across the country, track owners must continually cooperate with local government and citizen groups to keep harmony in the communities that directly surround a race track. A joint effort between many regional tracks and racing divisions to restrict noise limits will help to keep the tracks welcome in each community.
Several meetings by track owners and series coordinators have been held since the end of the 2006 race season. At this time; officials from Yakima Speedway, Stateline Speedway, South Sound Speedway, Wenatchee Valley Super Oval and the ARCA West LMCS have agreed to monitor and enforce noise restraints. Ted Pollock, owner of Yakima Speedway, was the leading person behind implementing a strict noise policy and asking regional tracks and divisions to cooperate.
“Over the course of time, the exhaust noise has continued to escalate to the point we are receiving more and more complaints from the local community and even spectators. If the spectators are even saying it’s too loud, then we must definitely do something immediately to protect this sport,” stated Ted Pollock. “Yakima Speedway will be enforcing a strict noise policy at all scheduled events, including the Apple Cup, Fall Classic and all touring division races at our venue.”
The industry standard in the Northwest region is 95 decibels at 100 feet. Each track and the LMCS will utilize sound-level meters to monitor each competitor’s noise output under a standardized procedure. Competitors must make their cars compliant or face penalties and/or be disallowed to participate. With the combined cooperation of many tracks and touring divisions, the imposed noise restrictions should effectively quiet down a majority of all cars in the region.
“With the increase in horsepower and speeds in the Late Model division the last several years, we also have had a large jump in exhaust noise levels.” said Jerry Losch, LMCS director. “We have all been more-or-less complacent on enforcement, but the time has come to strictly enforce noise restrictions for betterment of the sport and local communities.” The LMCS will have a designated official to monitor each competitor’s noise level at all scheduled races for both the ARCA West Late Model and Truck divisions. See Also .: News Index | E-mail to a Friend
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