Miffed by the Races 

Editor:

Where did Jason Cole ("On Conviviality," Sept. 3) get the idea that the noise from Redwood Acres Raceway is "one or two days a month during the day?" The schedule posted on the Raceway's website lists 12 stock car races that start at 6:30 p.m. (and sometimes don't end until after 10 p.m.) between April 25th and the end of September. This year, three motorcycle races and a monster truck event were also held (and these may be not all that were added). This means that approximately three weekend events per month were dedicated to racing, nearly all of them on Saturdays. (Mr. Cole lives in Fieldbrook, so isn't among the thousands of residents that have to put up with the noise at the time of year and day of the week they'd like to be outside enjoying their yards.)

And the above-mentioned bouts of concentrated vrooming don't take into account the practicing, which occurs for hours on the day of the race and often the day before. This year, practicing has been happening other days of the week as well. According to raceway management, drivers can pay to reserve the track to practice at any time, so one vehicle roaring around can be heard by a wide circle of city and county residents. The raceway seems to care little about impacting the quality of life of the much-larger non-racing community.

I was dismayed to learn from the Humboldt County Planning Department that, because the facility is owned and regulated by the state of California, the county has no say about the level of noise!

Sue Leskiw, Eureka