Possible Bay area drifting ban in the news

[Gunny's GXP]

Last nights bay area news did a story announcing that the Alameda county council will be meeting today to discuss a possible ban on the Drift racing that is currently authorized at the Altamont motorsports raceway in Tracy California. From what I have heard it is the only place (in Northern California at least) that has the approval to hold legal drift events.

The main complaint I got from the interview they did was that "the smoke from the burning tires was bad for the environment". They don't mention the NASCAR and other race events that go on there also but have specificly put a hit out on drifting.

There was also talk of individuals drifting the local streets before, during, after and between events which I am sure is playing a large part in the possible ban as well. SO KNOCK IT OFF AND PLAY IT SMART. It's a great sport and a thrill but I wouldn't want someone drifting past the front door of my home either. I guess at this point all we can do is wait and see the results of todays meeting of the county councel.

Let's hope they are open minded enough to understand that banning it will only stop the legal drifting activities and increase the illegal ones by taking away the only place to rightfully go. Not to mention that there is actually less of an environmental hazard than most the other racing there as most of the drifters are only slightly modified if at all engine and emissions wise compared to the other NASCAR and such types there.

In my eyes it is still just a new sport that most don't understand and are resistant to accept.

[Gunny's GXP]

Well that was fun...NOT. 5 hours and 45 minutes later the Alameda county chamber has made it's decision. Until further notice, Drift competitions at the Altamont Motorsports Raceway has been banned.

Now for the interesting part. Prior to the drifting events was brought to the table there was also an appeals by a resident neighbor to the track appealing a permit request by the Altamont staff to approve overnight RV parking on site for no more than 30 RV's. Alot of the complaints were the same but it was decided and finally approved by the chamber (with restrictions) for no more than 7 event's on the schedule.

That being said there was an already aggitated room on both sides of the table. The appealing party showed a well edited clip of the drifting event that was held at the raceway which showed absolutely NO good examples of what proper drifting is. It was simply clips of cars loosing control, spinning around in excessive smoke, and running off the course.

Now, before this gets out of the right visual relm I want all reading this to know that this ban was primarily NOT placed based on Drifting itself as a sport. The two main reasons the ban was placed was the following:

1. In the currently operating permit (established in 1996) all types of racing was authorized minus drag racing and mud bog type events. As Drifting was not a well known racing style in the US in 96 it was determined today that the similarity of the smoke and noise of the tires produced by drifting are some of the same factors that caused drag racing to be excluded.

2. This I feel was the primary decider in todays decision. There has apparently been a poor track record (no pun intended) with the current owners of the Altamont Raceway of misleading and repeated infractions to current permit authorizations such as concerts and other unapproved scheduled events. I firmly believe that had the past history of the owners been a more professional and traight forward one the appeal to ban would not have been successful.

These two reasons were even more impacting than the many complaints about the noise, smoke and high speed traffic on a very narrow road.

And finaly the kicker. The head chair in todays events in not only the representative for this very district the track resides in but was also the very individual who back in 1996 was the primary supporter of bringing the Altamont raceway into a new life when it was previously slated to be closed all together. He was adimate about retaining the history of the track and was even furthermore adimate to address specificly the drifters who were in the room today that he was very torn that this decision would have the restricting ramifications of taking away basicaly the only current available location to drift legaly in northern California and that a location that could give this ability for an affordable cost to the individual (unlike it would be at Infineans $20,000.00 track rental) needs to be established to continue efforts to reduce the ongoing illegal activities by younger enthusiests.

All hope is not lost. The door was left open for the Altamont staff for future possabilities. They have been working since late 2005 to aquire new permits, environmental surveys, etc... for the raceway and if an agreement and dare I say a revival of truce between the track, the surrounding residents, and the council members then the option for coming to agreed factors in regards to holding drift events in the proper safe and acceptable manor it could be reinitiated into the approval of the new permits above the now current restriction to only NASCAR style oval track racing events.

I think I've hit it all so for now keep driving and keep drifting and by all means to those that do keep and show it as the professional style event it is meant to be. We'll see what the future holds.

Reporting live from the chamber room (no actually I am home now) this is the "Gunny's note". Now back to you Forum.