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AUTO RACE TRACK COULD BE IN CARDS FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Monday, April 6, 2009 9:55 AM CDT

If County Judge Mike Holcomb has his way, Jefferson County soon could become a mecca for car race fans from throughout Arkansas and beyond.

Billed as an economic development project, the Arkansas Senate on Thursday approved an amended bill to create the tracks, and that bill was sent back to the House of Representatives to vote on the amendment. The state house had already approved the bill, which was introduced by state Rep. Toni Bradford (D-Pine Bluff), and sponsored by every other member of the county’s legislative delegation.

“We couldn’t have done this without the support of our legislative delegation,” Holcomb said. “When I approached them about this, and explained the economic advantages, they were all for it.

“I’m not one of those people who believes in sitting around when it comes to trying to help this county economically,” Holcomb said. “I think the track would not only create some jobs directly, but a lot more indirectly because when people came to see the races, they would have to eat, buy gas, and maybe even spend the night.”

The planned track, actually two tracks, one for dirt racing, the other for mud racing, would be constructed in a 130-acre wooded area along Huntley Trail, which runs between U.S. 79 and Arkansas 54, approximately seven miles south of Pine Bluff.

“The current owner of the property is into mud racing and he had wanted to put a mud track out there for a while but couldn’t get anything going,” Holcomb said. “I’ve wanted the county to have a drag race track so this will be a perfect fit for both of us.”

Holcomb is working with a private group of investors who will buy the land and construct the tracks, and emphasized that it will not be a county project.

“If it goes over, we may do the same thing we’ve done in other parts of the county and that’s chip seal the road leading into the tracks,” he said.

Holcomb noted that there is a precedence for a track in Jefferson County, since one operated on Princeton Pike a number of years ago before shutting down because of complaints about the noise the track generated.

“The spot on Huntley Road is as secluded as we can possibly make it so the noise factor is not going to be a problem,” Holcomb said. “There are only one or two houses and the woods are going to help muffle the noise.”

The proposed legislation had to be amended to change the legal description of the property after an initial plan to locate a track north of the Arkansas River fell through.

“We couldn’t find any land that wasn’t in the flood plain, so we had to go back and look for a place in another part of the county,” Holcomb said.

When the tracks do open, Holcomb said the operation will initially be a small one.

“There may not be bleachers or a concession stand but we’re going to insure that all the safety concerns, like guard rails to separate the cars from spectators are in place,” he said. “There’s also going to be plenty of security so that a man can bring his whole family and feel safe.”

Holcomb estimated that it would take about $150,000 in start-up costs to make the tracks operational.

“There are more than 100 individuals that I know of that are involved in this kind of racing, and once the tracks get started, I expect there will be a lot more,” Holcomb said. “This is not going to be a multi-million project. It’s going to be something for regular guys.

“It’s also going to get some of the people who have been drag racing on the streets and highways off those streets and highways, and that’s something that’s going to make the sheriff happy,” Holcomb said.

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