Speedway granted Friday night racing
The Natural Bridge Speedway can now extend its racing schedule to include Friday nights, following the Board of Supervisors' approval of the speedway's conditional use permit on Monday.
The track's owners petitioned the board in January, but postponed the request so that they could fine-tune some wording. At Monday's meeting, the supervisors agreed to their plans, under the condition that the permit be reviewed annually.
Citizens from all districts in the county spoke on behalf of the speedway, but a few voiced concerns about living in close proximity to the racetrack.
"It would be nice if they granted Friday racing but no Sunday racing, and also that the PA system be set . . . so that people who live less than a mile away don't have to listen to whose birthday it is or what's going on at the track," said one Natural Bridge resident.
Representatives from the Glasgow Ruritan Club and the Glasgow Fire Department praised the speedway as a venue for fundraising. The Ruritan Club raised more than $10,000 last year selling pizza at the track.
"It's one of the only things that people can afford to do without leaving town," said Richard Spangler, of the fire department.
Other residents attested to the positive family atmosphere the speedway provides and the good it does the community.
Supervisor Hunt Riegel, of the Natural Bridge District, said he understood the concerns of those who lived close to the track and was impressed that efforts were being made on both sides to solve the problem.
The speedway is a separate entity from the drag strip, which operates at the same location but has different owners. The conditional use permit affects only the race track.
Produced by
Washington and Lee
journalism students.
Lead Supervisors:
Prof. Brian
Richardson
Prof. Phylissa
Mitchell
Editing supervisor:
Prof. Pamela Luecke
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd