NASCAR One Step Closer to Tulare

Friday, December 08, 2006

Jessica Peres
More: Bio, abc30.com News Team

12/8/2006 (KFSN) -- Officials say they are one step closer to bringing a NASCAR worthy race track right here to Tulare County after the Tulare Agri-center board just approved for the track to be built. Action News took a look at some of the risks of the project and how long it could be until we see NASCAR right here in Tulare.

It's a $250 million dollar project that could bring 3,000 jobs to the south valley. Private developer bud long wants to build a 50,000 seat race track complete with hotels and restaurants.

Paul Saldana, Tulare Economic Development, says, "It brings dollars and visitors into the area. This project isn't going to rely on local people to support it, money from outside of the area to both build it and to support it thru its activities."

But it could be years before the racing association comes to the area, if it comes at all.

Darrell Pyle, Tulare City Manager, says, "Every time you add another business partner to the mix it does add another element of risk in that element of risk is one that is not new to the developer and the developer is very well informed of as to what NASCAR's intents are at this point."

Saldana says, 'It'll be several years even before the major potential you know the Nextel or bush cup series races."

The plans are to hold regional races and other smaller events first. Though the developer insists Tulare and NASCAR are on the same page, other small market race tracks have struggled to bring the biggest NASCAR races to their facilities.

Kentucky speedway has filed a lawsuit against NASCAR claiming the company has violated federal anti-trust laws. Though NASCAR has held several Busch and Craftsman Truck Series races there, Kentucky Speedway says NASCAR refuses to schedule an elite Nextel cup race.

Tulare city officials say they're confident the race track deal will get done.

Darrell Pyle says, "It'll be project specific environmental impact report prepared and that will be commencing at the end of this month."

Pyle says in the last year several property owners have signed an agreement to sell their land to be part of the 723-acre project. They will also be holding several public hearings after the environmental impact report is completed next year.

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