We're officially condemned!

[Becca]

So my local track went haywire and razed their dirt track and spent tons of money on red clay and rental equipment to make the track and facilities better. I haven't raced since February, but now I have a new job and the time to race again. Last night was my first night at the new track, for Friday night race night. During the VERY FIRST race, the buildings commissioner showed up (at 7:30 on a Friday night no less) to tack up condemned signs all over our DRIVER'S STAND!!! It was so ridiculous. Then uniformed cops showed up to tell everyone that they were going to arrest anyone who even stepped up on the first step to the drivers stand, and to STAY OFF!!! THEN, the commissioner guy started in with the owner for about an hour about their property lines and our track, walls, stand, etc, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Some guy in a starched polo and chinos was there the whole time taking video and audio of everyone at the track and the layout and property lines and all. We still don't know who HE was.

Bottom line is we can't use the driver's stand until the city officially comes and inspects it for safety (whenEVER that will be)! :mad: So last night we had to drive from ground level :rolleyes:

ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

'Becca

P.S. Now that I read this over, it actually sounds comical!

[S15Racer]

God that sucks becca. If its any consolation to you, you drivers stand is prolly bigger than the whole front straitaway of my little carpet track:D :rolleyes: But they just built a bigger paved one outside in the parking lot and its really nice! But you're into the 1/8 scale buggies right? those must be some huge tracks!

Hey you know what you could do, just get everyone that has a pick up truck and line them up and stand in the beds, that'd be better than standing ground level anyways:D

[InspGadgt]

Yeah pickup beds work...one race we even had a trucker come by and setup a flatbed trailer that we all stood on.

[Becca]

Yeah, I race 1/8 scale. The pickup truck idea would be a good one but the track is sandwiched between the hobby shop and railroad tracks!!! (Got to watch ourselves on the back jump lest we end up landing on the tracks :rolleyes: :D ). There really is no room for pickup trucks unfortunately. We all have to park out on the streets, kind of far from the track as it is.

The hobby shop owner also owns the track, and he is going to try and get the city to come out and do their inspection sometime this week. We all help maintain the track so if he needs any help with the driver's stand, he definitely has enough manpower!!!

'Becca

[rccardude04]

See what you do here is run a ladder to the top of the hobby shop. If they show up, you jump off and hide the ladder really fast.
Disclaimer: This didn't come from me ;)
-Eric

[Mark73]

Wow...I've seen some really rickety drivers stands before, but how bad does one have to be to get CONDEMNED? Is is really dangerous, or is the building inspector getting leaned on (angry neighbors complaining about noise, etc)? Good luck, anyway.

[QUAKE&SHAKE]

Originally posted by Becca
ht. During the VERY FIRST race, the buildings commissioner showed up (at 7:30 on a Friday night no less) to tack up condemned signs all over our DRIVER'S STAND!!! It was so ridiculous. Then uniformed cops showed up to tell everyone that they were going to arrest anyone who even stepped up on the first step to the drivers stand, and to STAY OFF!!! THEN,
ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

'Becca

P.S. Now that I read this over, it actually sounds comical!


Maybe the city is just being a bit more cautious after that deck collapse issue in Chicago that killed like (12-15) people a few weeks ago. On the same day here in Rockford not far from Chicago another deck collapsed injuring like 12 people.
So its better to be safe than sorry. Ive raced against a few guys that probably exceeded the PSF load rating of the drivers stand:)

[newracer]

Originally posted by Mark73
Wow...I've seen some really rickety drivers stands before, but how bad does one have to be to get CONDEMNED? Is is really dangerous, or is the building inspector getting leaned on (angry neighbors complaining about noise, etc)? Good luck, anyway.

I am sure it wasn't condemmed because it is built poorly but because it was built without a permit, submitted and reviewed drawings, and inspections. The inspection should be only a days wait the biggest problem would be getting drawings and a permit.