Update On The Hearing.. Banned Drifting In Norcal....

[Al]

www.driftbattle.org


Motorsports in Northern California has been issued a direct and tremendous blow by the Board of Supervisors of Alameda County. At their past meeting, the Board – led by a tyrannical President Scott Haggerty – has banned Sprint Car Racing, Sports Car Racing, Figure 8 Racing, Autocross Events, Midget Racing, Kart Racing, Motorcycle Racing, Supermoto Events, Drifting, Enduro Racing, Driving Schools, Gymkhanas, and Club Rallies at Altamont Motorsports Park.

Why? Because a handful of neighbors living next to the 43-year old race track were able to convince Supervisor Haggerty that any form of motorsports, other than NASCAR, involves drugs, gangs, alcohol and illegal street racing. Who knows, maybe NASCAR is next on the list…

Supervisors Haggerty overstepped his authority and mishandled the decision that was presented to the Board. The fact that the Board was asked to answer the appeal… and ONLY the appeal… and that Haggerty took the discussion to a new level presents an opening for us to have the decision reversed.

The rationale for this heavy-handed decision is based solely on perception, bias and discrimination… and is without fact. So, we need to tell them the facts; the facts about who we are, what our families are like, what jobs and education we have, how much money we spend in Alameda County and throughout the State when we travel for motorsports. Most importantly, we need tell Alameda County that this issue will not rest until every segment of legitimate motorsports is available to all.

Send email, call or fax a letter to the following people. Let them know and be heard that you support DRIFTING in Alameda County.

Simple 1 minute phone call will help or letter will help keep drifting alive in Northern California.

Mr. Chris Bazar, Planning Director, is a GOOD GUY and friends to drifters and Altamont Motorsports Park… so don’t take your frustration out on him! Instead, be supportive and positive.

1. Alameda County Planning Department
Chriz Bazar – Planning Director.
224 W. Winton, Room 111
Hayward, CA 94544
E-Mail: chris.bazar@acgov.org
Fax: 510-785-8793

2. Scott Haggerty - President of Alameda County
Phone: (510) 272-6691 –Leave a message if no one answers
Send him email here
(http://www.acgov.org/jsp_app/feedbac...k.jsp?id=BOSd1)

3. Write a letter to Alameda County or call each person

The Board of Supervisor’s mailing address:
County of Alameda - Administration Building
1221 Oak Street, Suite 536, Oakland, CA 94612

Names of the Current Alameda County Board of Supervisors:

District 1: Scott Haggerty - President
District 2: Gail Steele
District 3: Alice Lai-Bitker - Vice President
District 4: Nate Miley
District 5: Keith Carson

Phone Numbers:

District 1: (510) 272-6691
District 2: (510) 272-6692
District 3: (510) 272-6693
District 4: (510) 272-6694
District 5: (510) 272-6695
www.acgov.org

4. Contact the Governor

Governor’s Office

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633

Email: To send an Email please visit:
http://www.govmail.ca.gov

We appreciate all your help and support.

For any question please contact info@driftbattle.org

[Al]

We need to send letters to Mr. Chris Bazar to petition this...

Mr. Chris Bazar, Planning Director, is a GOOD GUY and friends to drifters and Altamont Motorsports Park… so don’t take your frustration out on him! Instead, be supportive and positive.

1. Alameda County Planning Department
Chriz Bazar – Planning Director.
224 W. Winton, Room 111
Hayward, CA 94544
E-Mail: chris.bazar@acgov.org
Fax: 510-785-8793

[John Yim]

Something to keep in mind when writing your email is to keep the 'gansta' talk out of it. Sound professional, well mannered and composed and you'll get much more positive response from the recipient. Below is the email I just sent to Chris Bazar. Hopefully this will give some idea of the tone to take when writing:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr. Bazar,

No doubt you are being inundated with emails and calls regarding the future of Altamont so I'll keep this brief. My name is John Yim and I am the VP of operations for Daily Drifter, an organization that holds drifting events in Texas, Louisiana and other southern states. I am simply writing to show my support for drifting and other motorsports at Altamont Motorsports Park. I am hopeful that everyone involved will be able to come to an acceptable conclusion to this matter without having to result in the closing of a much loved facility. Thank you for your time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

[greenapple]

*email sent to scott haggerty.

[tyndago]

Its crazy when you look at the pictures of the main complainers compared to how close their place is to Altamont Speedway.

Really makes no sense, they have something like 60 acres of propery, and decide to build within direct sight of the track. Then they think they have the right to complain about the noise. Wonder why the property was so cheap?

Car people vs complaining neighbors. It happens everywhere. Unfortunately most of the time the tracks lose.

I really wish no good, no luck to the people that built their house so close to the track.

[Al]

Hey guys, we just updated our site and hoping someone reads it and helps us with a new venue. We've been trying to contact almost everyone but no luck.

Everyone seems to know us as “Drifters” but we want to change that as a community and an organization. We want to help educate the public of what drifting and drifters are.

Who is Drift Battle; Drift Battle is run by a father, engineer, sales field engineer, student, artist and a hobbyist. We are the same as everyone else but we do this thing called “drifting”. Before we go on to tell you all what drifting is, we would like to continue giving you guys insight of who we really are. We have been profiled as ‘gangster’ and a threat to the community.

The mission of Drift Battle is to grow the drifting scene in Northern California in a positive way. We will strive to work with the public, government, local businesses, and fellow drifters to provide a venue in which drift enthusiasts can practice their passion in a legal environment. Drifting is much more than sliding through turns: it is a lifestyle, a sport, and a show of individualism. Whatever it takes, we will do to further our mission.

read more at www.driftbattle.org

[ChokudoriS13]

Its crazy when you look at the pictures of the main complainers compared to how close their place is to Altamont Speedway.

Really makes no sense, they have something like 60 acres of propery, and decide to build within direct sight of the track. Then they think they have the right to complain about the noise. Wonder why the property was so cheap?

Car people vs complaining neighbors. It happens everywhere. Unfortunately most of the time the tracks lose.

I really wish no good, no luck to the people that built their house so close to the track.

If you do more research on the guy, you'll find out that he's an avid moto-crosser. He bought the property becase there was a moto-cross track next to Alamont, which was open to the public. He bought that, then closed it to the public and rides there with his friends. As far as the Alamont track, rumor has it (according to his buddies posting about it on motorcycle sites) that he was planning to turn it into a private motorcycle road track. In interviews with Bay Area newspapers, he admitted that when he was buying his property, he was planning on buying the track as well. However, that fell through, so now he has a house facing out toward a track that the owner won't sell to him... Hence his efforts to shut it down.

[tyndago]

If you do more research on the guy, you'll find out that he's an avid moto-crosser. He bought the property becase there was a moto-cross track next to Alamont, which was open to the public. He bought that, then closed it to the public and rides there with his friends. However, that fell through, so now he has a house facing out toward a track that the owner won't sell to him... Hence his efforts to shut it down.

Like I said - I WISH - no good luck to that guy.

On their website , they complain about environmental impact , then they do similar stuff themselves. Proabaly running 2 stroke motorcycles.

The homeowners are just using a bully tactic. Nothing less. Eye for an eye. Just remember that. Anything done one way, can be done back the otherway.

[Tracy]

So what's been going on with this? Any luck so far. Any more letters I can write?