PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW 8 CAR RACES AT STADIUM

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 8, 1992                   TAG: 9202080363
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW 8 CAR RACES AT STADIUM
Promoter Whitey Taylor will be allowed to use Roanoke's Victory Stadium for stock-car racing on eight dates this year if City Manager Bob Herbert's recommendation is approved.
Herbert will propose that City Council permit the stadium to be used for racing on seven Friday nights and Labor Day.
Taylor wants to use the stadium for racing on 20 Friday nights this spring and summer.
But Herbert said the stadium is available on only nine Fridays because other events are booked. These include Festival in the Park, soccer games and tournaments, the Commonwealth Games, Music for Americans, Gary Clark's sports camp and high school football.
Reacting sharply to Herbert's recommendation, Taylor said Friday that "it shows that he is still against racing in the stadium." He said he will ask council members to reject the city manager's recommendation.
"We want to use it for 20 racing dates, but we will settle for 15," Taylor said. "I don't know whether it will be worthwhile if we can use it only eight times."
Herbert has proposed that races be permitted on May 1; June 12; July 10, 17 and 24; Aug. 7 and 21; and Labor Day.
Taylor said he still was puzzled about why city officials were so reluctant to allow racing in the stadium. "It looks like they would welcome me and they would want the stadium to be used."
Last year, council allowed racing on three dates on a trial basis. The races did not cause noise problems as some South Roanoke residents had feared, but there were complaints about the public address system.
To ease those complaints, Herbert said spectators could be limited to the stadium's west side. Taylor could be required to install temporary speakers on the field and direct them at the west stands.
Several council members have said they are inclined to allow races again this summer, but they are reluctant to allow them weekly.
Taylor said weekly races are needed to attract larger crowds and generate more interest. Paid attendance declined for the three races last summer. On Memorial Day, 3,506 people paid to see the races. On July 5, paid attendance was 1,953, and on Labor Day, it dipped to 1,342.
The first year of racing generated $11,403 for the city, far less than what Taylor predicted. The net to the city was about $7,675 because officials spent $3,728 on overtime for employees to help get the stadium ready, oversee the races and clean up afterwards, and on other related expenses.
Among several requested changes in the safety and security measures that were required last year, Taylor wants to remove most of the concrete barriers around the track. He has asked the city to permit him to use a raised asphalt bump around the inside of the track instead of concrete barriers to prevent cars from spinning onto the football field.
City officials required the barriers as part to prevent cars from damaging the grass field and stadium. Barriers were required on both the inside and outside of the track.
Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB