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The Lincoln Art & Balloon Festival takes place Friday through Sunday
morning. Moving the races to Sunday evening would eliminate
competition for festival crowds and extend the weekend activities.
Unfortunately the request came too late. The council was in a
committee workshop last week and could not put the request to a vote
until last night. Hammer could not even get an indication of how
they might vote. The aldermen wanted time to think about it and hear
from their constituents.
They did approve the change last night, but Hammer said in an
interview after the meeting that schedulers and drivers needed a
definite decision to work with, and not knowing what the council
would decide, he was forced to make a decision and has kept the
races scheduled for Saturday.
Hammer faced some negative attitudes from aldermen when he spoke
to the council last week. They expressed feeling misled because of
being led to believe that X-Plex would be the new owners and making
modified agreements for the new year with them and then were not
informed of ownership changes.
The owner of X-Plex was unable to follow through with his plans
to purchase the business from the original owners, Gary Baugh and
Norm Horn.
On July 8, Farmer City Speedway promoter Don Hammer began action
to purchase Baugh's portion of the partnership, plus the difference
that X-Plex was to pay. Hammer said the agreement was completed a
week later.
He has been involved with the raceway since that time.
The races had generated considerable opposition this past spring
from residents living near the track for the noise created during
the first year of operation.
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 The new owners lobbied for a change to Saturday evening, when
fewer people would be getting up for work or school the next day,
and even won an extension of hours from 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Hammer understands the issues with running a racetrack and
keeping neighbors and fans satisfied. He starts the races a bit
earlier and then ends them earlier. As a result, nearby residents
are not disturbed into the late hours, and fans and drivers,
especially those driving distances, get home earlier.
A crackdown on mufflers has led to the races not being as loud
this year either.
Mayor Beth Davis said last week that she had been getting
favorable comments since he took over.
Hammer indicated last week that he would be back in the spring to
ask for a return to Sunday evenings next year.
There are five other tracks within an hour's drive in competition
on Saturdays. This is bad for everyone, he said. The only one
anywhere close on Sundays is Tri-City.
Then there are some series, like the World of Outlaws racing,
that you can't get on Sundays, he said. So, he would like to present
for approval a preseason schedule with one day per weekend on it.
Mayor Beth Davis encouraged the aldermen to give Hammer a chance.
"We have a new person in here and he's in for the long haul," she
said.
Saturday's race will feature late models, modified, sportsman and
wild things. The track is closing early this season, and this will
be the last of the races for the season. So, Hammer says to the
fans, "Pack the stands on Saturday." It would be a great way to end
the season.
[Jan
Youngquist] |
