The Ridge Motorsports Park Receives Its Special Use Permit — Construction Begins!

It is with true excitement that I can publicize to RaceinMason supporters that the Special Use Permit was granted late last night for The Ridge Motorsports.  The Special Use Permit contained no restrictions of importance and should be seen as a huge victory.

To put it in simpler language:  The Ridge Motorsports Park has been green flagged and construction begins immediately!  The race track now has an official website at www.ridgemotorsportspark.com.  This is where you’ll be able to follow the progress and scheduling of initial events.   In a few days, an official announcement will be made by Rod and Joe, but Rod wanted the great news to be communicated to all of the hard-working supporters of RaceinMason before everyone else.

At this point I want to thank each and every one of you for your words of support on www.raceinmason.com, appearances at the hearings, getting the word out on forums and at car events, and your expertise in ensuring that The Ridge Motorsports Park will be a fun and safe track facility for generations to come.   While there are so many people who were indispensable,  personally I wanted to recognize Peggy Zamzow for organizing the drag racers and the Mason County business and residential communities, as well as Don Schmidt, Randy Blaylock, Fred Wright, Bill Bauer and dozens of others who brought their car and motorcycle racers and club enthusiasts out in force.

Most importantly, our thanks need to go to Rod and Karen Powell and Joe Manke. Without their time, money, vision, and unshakable determination, we wouldn’t have this new motorsports park to which we can look forward!

I look forward to seeing you all racing The Ridge in the future!!!

 

Visit The Ridge’s new “official” website: www.ridgemotorsportspark.com

There’s now an official website for the new track facility: http://www.ridgemotorsportspark.com/. See photos and get updates there!!!

 

Come Support The Ridge Motorsports Park At The Special Use Permit Hearing On April 6th!

The time has come to support a new race track facility in Mason County as The Ridge Motorsports Park project faces its last and final step: the special use permit hearing.

The hearing will be at 10AM on April 6th in the Mason County Commissioner’s chambers at 411 North Fifth Street, Shelton WA 98584. The hearing will be in front of an independent Special Hearings Examiner, who will set the conditions under which the track can operate based on the testimony of the public hearing.

We need to have as many people as possible to show support for the benefits of responsible usage of a new road course and drag strip facility. So come in force and let all the clubs and other user groups know. The Special Hearings Examiner has ten days after the hearing to submit a ruling, after which construction can begin immediately!

In the meantime — to provide a better understanding of how it might look to race The Ridge, here’s a simulation of a lap of the road course (the drag strip will run parallel and to the right of the front straight):

Virtual lap from the first-person perspective of Ridge Motorsports Park (track design v3).

 

View Of The Ridge Motorsports Park Site

Here is a panoramic view of the site for The Ridge Motorsports park taken during the site visit after the Mason County Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the proposed rezone. It is actually a 220-degree view bending around the center of the photo in an area that would be on the southern edge of the drag strip. The drag strip will run left to right on the lower flat portion — with the staging close to the edge of the clearing on the bottom left. The front straight for the road course will also run on this lower shelf parallel to the drag strip, then head up the hill and do twists and bends on the upper section (with additional elevation changes that are not visible in the photo) and return down directly to the right of the ridge. To provide some further information on scale, the ridge at the upper left side of the photo is actually 60-feet higher than the point at which the photo is taken!

 

Rezone Of Property Approved — Progress Continues

Today the Mason County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the rezoning of the three parcels of land intended for The Ridge Motorsports Park from Rural Residential 20 to the required RTC designation. An amazing 300 people showed up in support of “Racing In Mason County”, while only two people showed up against rezone. (Both, however, testified that as nearby residential property owners they were very much in favor of a race facility — just not in their backyard. Their testimony was countered by other neighbors in favor of the rezone.)

After the Commissioners meeting, Rod and Joe from The Ridge Motorsports Group gave a tour of the site and hosted a pizza lunch. (Thanks guys!!!)

The next (and final big) step is to apply and set a hearing for the required Special Use Permit, which is decided by an independent Special Hearings Examiner. The date and time of this hearing will be posted when it is determined.

If you haven’t already done so ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF SUPPORTERS
Leave a comment on the Add Your Name To The List Of Supporters detailing why you support the development and ongoing operation of The Ridge Motorsports Park.

 

Come To The Commissioner’s Meeting For Site Rezone On October 12, 2010.

Your support is needed at the rezone hearing in front of the Mason County Commissioners at 9:30AM on Tuesday October 12th, 2010. The meeting will be in the Commissioner’s Hearing Room at 411 N. 5th St, Shelton WA 98584. We expect it to be standing-room-only, so we are excited that there will be a strong show of support for club racing in Mason County. Olsen’s Furniture has also graciously offered to allow supporters of The Ridge Motorsports Park to park at their store one block from the Commissioner’s Office at 4th & Franklin.

After the meeting, everyone is invited to a guided tour of the proposed site of The Ridge Motorsports Park and a group lunch at Godfather’s Pizza on Wallace Kneeland Blvd.

Looking forward to seeing you all there on Tuesday at 9:30!

If you haven’t already done so ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF SUPPORTERS
Leave a comment on the Add Your Name To The List Of Supporters detailing why you support the development and ongoing operation of The Ridge Motorsports Park.

 

Timber Land Building Moratorium Lifted — Rezone Hearing Now Set For October 12th, 2010

Supporters of The Ridge Motorsports Park earned a major win today when the Special Hearings Examiner announced the lifting of the building moratorium preventing any development on a number of parcels required for the track facility. The Ridge Motorsports Group can move directly into the rezoning process.

Your support is needed at the rezone hearing in front of the Mason County Commissioners on October 12th, 2010. (Time is TBD, but should be around 9AM in the Commissioner’s Hearing Room at 411 N. 5th St, Shelton WA 98584). A strong show of support for club racing in Mason County will ensure continued progress.

If you haven’t already done so ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF SUPPORTERS
Leave a comment on the Add Your Name To The List Of Supporters detailing why you support the development and ongoing operation of The Ridge Motorsports Park.

 

Commissioners Approve Changes To Noise Ordinance

Today the Mason County Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve a change to the County’s noise ordinance that will allow progress on The Ridge Motorsports Park to continue. The Commissioners’ vote makes Mason the first in Washington to make a change to the standardized noise language adopted by counties state-wide. So many Ridge Motorsports Park supporters showed up (somewhere north of 100), there was not enough room in the chambers nor the halls to hold everyone.

After the meeting supporters were led on a tour of the section of the 170-acre site property. With it’s level front leading to elevation changes, as well as the naturally beautiful surroundings, there is no doubt that The Ridge Motorsports Park will be the envy of road and drag racing enthusiasts throughout the country.

Don’t forget to send a note to the Mason County Commissioners to thank them for their vote and continued support of The Ridge Motorsports Park.

ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST OF SUPPORTERS
Leave a comment on the Add Your Name To The List Of Supporters detailing why you support the development and ongoing operation of The Ridge Motorsports Park.

 

Welcome to the Club Motorsports Park / Help Bring Club Racing Back To Mason County Site

Welcome to the Club Motorsports Park / Help Bring Club Automotive And Motorcycle Racing Back To Mason County official blog!  This area will be used for project updates and to communicate when public meetings will be held. 

Please feel free to visit the “Who Supports Club Racing” page where you can add your name and reasons for supporting The Ridge Motorsports Park by using the comment form.

For more information on exactly what The Ridge Motorsports Park will be, visit the RaceInMason Frequently Asked Questions Page.

Update 1/27/10:
We have obtained a site illustration courtesy of the Ridge Motorsports Group!

The best way to help ensure The Ridge Motorsports Park is completed is to contact the Mason County Commissioners, Planning Office and the Mason County Journal directly to let them know that you support the project. A good old-fashioned letter on business letterhead gets the most attention, especially if you live and work in Mason County, but calling or emailing is also important.

Mason County Commissioners’ Office
411 North 5th Street, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone: (360) 427-9670 Ext. 419
Fax: (360) 427-8437

Your Mason County Commissioners are:
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 1: Lynda Ring Erickson — email: lyndare@co.mason.wa.us
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2: Tim Sheldon– email: tims@co.mason.wa.us
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3: Ross Gallagher– email: rossg@co.mason.wa.us

Mason County Planning Office
(The County Office Responsible For Zoning, Permits, Reports, Analysis)
(360) 427-9670

Mason County Journal (our local newspaper)
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 430,Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone: (360) 426-4412
Dan Mancuso: Publisher — email: dan@masoncounty.com
Greg Skinner: Managing editor — email: greg@masoncounty.com

Thank you for taking the time add you name and story to this site, as well as to communicate you support for The Ridge Motorsports Park and quality-of-life future of Mason County to those who have the power to promote positive change.