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September 2, 2010
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Drag strip debate
Published February 7, 2010
ince it was first announced to the public late last year, the proposed motorsports complex in Social Circle has been at the center of a firestorm of controversy.
Almost immediately, the project attracted both supporters and detractors, launching an ongoing public relations war around the issue.
Although project originator Donnie Clack has repeatedly emphasized the large scope of the project - which will include motocross tracks, a campground, public arena for concerts, a possible skatepark and more - one element of the complex has dominated the discussion: a drag strip.
With supporters pushing the entertainment value and economic benefits the project could bring to the area, and opponents decrying the possibilities of noise pollution and dropping property values, the drag strip has become a lightning rod in a fight for essentially the future face of Social Circle.
Yet why has the proposed drag strip attracted equal amounts of passion and animosity?
What is it about a drag strip that has dominated the conversation?
Public Affairs
Since the project was first announced, much of the Social Circle community has been divided down partisan lines.
Almost as soon as the complex was first advertised, nearby residents began to organize against the project, forming the Concerned Citizens of Social Circle to oppose the 1/8-mile drag strip.
“Our homes are our largest investments,” said Jenny Cole, organizer of the opposition group “A residential neighborhood is not the place for a drag strip.”
The motorsports complex, if approved by the Social Circle City Council, would be built by Clack and Little River Ventures along Interstate 20, bordering several individual homes along the northern borders of the property and within a few miles of housing subdivisions.
Opponents have pointed to a variety of factors they fear the complex will bring, including excessive noise, air pollution, a plunge in nearby property values and a threat to future development in Social Circle.
“There needs to be constraints to provide safety for those around there,” Cole said.
In both public hearings and work sessions with Social Circle Planning and Zoning, Clack has fought to defend his project, accusing opponents of spreading “misinformation” and of reactionary dislike of growth.
“You ain’t never going to make everybody happy,” Clack said. “There were probably people milking their cows out here who didn’t want I-20 here, or didn’t want the railroad or didn’t even want Highway 11 paved. But it didn’t ruin anyone’s life.”
Yet while the opposition has worked to find studies supporting their claims of noise pollution and environmental impact — residents brandishing studies on noise levels and dropping property values around airports prompted Clack to quip, “It’s not like an airport. It will not run 24-7,” — surrounding governments have mostly stayed out of the affair.
While the Newton County Board of Commissioners wrote a letter to Social Circle officially opposing the project, claiming the complex’s proximity to the Stanton Springs development could damage the appeal of the technology park with interested investors, and Jasper County officials voiced their concerns, other counties involved in Stanton Springs — as well as the park’s Joint Development Authority — have mostly stayed silent on the matter.
When opponents brought their case before the Walton County Board of Commissioners, the board refused to take sides, despite published reports claiming support.
“The drag strip is not in the legal jurisdiction of Walton County,” said Chairman Kevin Little. “We as a board are concerned but legally the Walton County Board of Commissioners has no jurisdictional rights. Everybody has got their own opinion. We just don’t have any jurisdictional rights.”
Opponents are still scrambling to find official support in their battle against the complex.
“Don’t sacrifice the future on the altar of the immediate,” said Bill Kitchen to the Board. “I would like you to exert your influence.”
Others also pushed for Board support, despite Little’s claims of their lack of authority in the matter.
“Talk is cheap,” said Sue Eleazer. “You are the ones who can control the growth in this community. Please do not be shortsighted.”
Clack said opponents are fighting the wrong fight, as he hopes his complex will spur future growth in the community by bringing in more consumers and development opportunities.
“We don’t want to upset the apple cart,” Clack said. “We don’t plan to disturb downtown Social Circle. All of this will be done in phases, to provide the area youth with something to do and bring people to spend money in this area.”
Cole remains unconvinced.
“We are already here,” Cole said. “There are issues of light pollution, of noise and safety issues, of the impact this might have on residents’ well water. All of these need to be addressed.”
Dragging through History
While noise and pollution have dominated the conversation in opposition to a drag strip, tragedy has also haunted the local discussion.
Clack’s motorsports complex would not be the first drag strip in the area. In the 1960s, people used to come from miles around to view races at the Yellow River Dragstrip outside of Covington. The attraction was a popular way for both teenagers and adults to get together to enjoy racing, and the strip was a successful business.
Yet the Yellow River strip is now a byword for the perceived dangers of the sport. On March 2, 1969, an accident occurred at the track that tainted drag strips for years to come.
As fans crowded as close to the track as possible, one man reached onto the track to reach a fallen beer can, just as a car deployed its parachute. The man was swept up by the chute and the car, dealing with the extra weight of the instantly killed spectator, spun out of control into the stands. Eyewitnesses reported people thrown in the air like ragdolls by the out-of-control machine. Twelve people were killed and more than 40 injured in what has been described as the worst racing disaster on U.S. soil.
Yet while the Yellow River accident was tragic, it also spurred the development of strict safety measures, including barriers to prevent fans from reaching the track and wider areas between the track and spectator areas.
Clack said using Yellow River as an argument against a drag strip meant little in the improved safety climate created in the past 40 years.
“They keep bringing up Yellow River,” said Clack about his opponents. “I had a cousin killed in that accident. If they’d been standing where they should, they’d be here with us today. There have been a lot of safety improvements in drag racing since then.”
Good Neighbors
While Yellow River is now defunct, the state still has a few drag strips in other areas, including Atlanta Dragway and Lanier National Speedway.
The Atlanta Dragway in Commerce was built on land originally graded as an airport, and the air traffic control tower was the strip’s first timing tower. Built in 1975, the strip first used only red clay on the dragway, but in the years since it has become a major attraction.
In Commerce, the Atlanta Dragway has been a staple of the city for three decades.
Bonnie Johnson, president of Banks County Convention and Business Bureau, said the drag strip is not a bone of contention for locals and its economic benefits far outweigh its negatives.
“I do not know or heard of many people complaining,” she said. “I have heard people say when the loudspeaker is on people can hear that. It’s a real asset to the county in bringing money.”
Johnson says she can tell its race day because people are shopping at local stores, eating at local restaurants and staying at local hotels in Banks Crossing.
“It’s a plus for us and has been for years and years,” she said. “Our job is to bring as many people in the county as we can and for us it has worked out well.”
Johnson said a drag strip in Social Circle would be a plus economically.
“It seems like (Clack’s) got a lot of things he wants to do that would bring a lot of people in there,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a detriment. If they want to keep their property taxes low (build the drag strip).”
While Lanier, opened in 1982, offers drag racing, it also boasts NASCAR events, street racing and other racing contests.
Bobby Banks has been a Hall County commissioner three years and lives less than three miles from the Lanier National Speedway.
When the speedway was being built he can only remember one member of the community objecting to it.
“There was one that I can remember that was just vehemently opposed to it,” Banks said, adding after it was built “the guy never missed a race.”
Banks said on Saturday afternoons from his yard, located north of the racetrack, he can hear the cars racing. He likens to sound to the buzzing of bees.
Inside his house, he doesn’t hear the cars.
LNS, coupled with Road Atlanta which is just across the road, is a boon to the Hall County economy, Banks said.
“It brings in a lot of economics to the county because of people spending the night,” Banks said. “When Road Atlanta has a big race all the motels are around (are booked). Saturday night at Lanier, I don’t think there’s that much motel business.”
If it was up to Banks, would he vote to have a drag strip put in Hall County again?
“I think I could vote for it — just answering the question and not doing any research on it.”
As for the argument the racetrack brings the wrong element, Banks said, “I cannot remember the last time I’ve gotten a complaint on the Lanier Speedway.”
He said the stands are peppered with bankers, lawyers and doctors.
“There’s no druggies I know of,” he laughed. “I don’t remember the last time we sent the sheriff’s department down there. We don’t have any complaints. They do their thing in Saturday night and go home.”
Looking to the Future
With the proposed drag strip in Social Circle, Clack hopes to attract the crowds that already go to such events elsewhere and bring them — and their pocketbooks — to the local area.
Both opponents and supporters, however, admit the fight could go on for some time, as both sides look at the facts and work to see where the city’s Planning and Zoning members will come down.
Planning and Zoning Chairman Kent Adams said the important thing was simply to take their time and look at all the angles.
“Social Circle is going to grow,” said chairman Kent Adams. “Whether it’s noise or pollution or anything else, though, we need to look at it.”
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