Tracy Press

I am a former Tracy resident of many years. I went to high school in Tracy, left to see the "world" so to speak, but came back in 1986 and stayed until 2000.

Street racing has been an issue in Tracy for as long as I can remember. There were kids that died when I went to high school in the late sixties. Speeding out in the country and around town happened all of the time.

While reading about the tragedy at West High, I thought it might be time to offer an idea to keep these kids off the streets and race somewhere safe.

Where I live now, the local community and the police force joined together and created a wonderful solution. During designated week-ends, our local race track opens up for good old street racing.
The police run this great time, and anyone can bring their vehicle, whatever it may be, and race their hearts out.

Maybe Tracy will get going on something like this out at the Altamont Speedway?

Might there be someone wanting to take on a new project? <br><br>Post edited by: youlou, at: 2007/08/11 16:36

This sounds like a good solution. The problem with this being at Altamont is about 97% of the neighbors are against the track and its limited operation at the present time. I can't see them backing something that to be effective would need to be year round to keep the racers off the streets and roads during the winter time. They kept the drifters out.

That's a good idea, at least in theory. (You don't happen to live near Sears Point Raceway, because they have a program like that out there?).

Like Tumbleweed said, most of the people who live out near the Speedway are against it, and truth be told, with the costs of insurance and general maintenance, I'm sure that the track will one day close, and we'll see the &quot;Altamont Hills&quot; housing development out there. The older tracks in many areas are closing as costs rise and the owners sell the land to developers.

The only other thing I can think of is that Altamont doesn't have a 1/4 mile drag strip (someone correct me if I'm wrong). They only have an oval, which you isn't conducive to street racing (unless these kids have $$$ for replacing tires and suspension components).

rushf1 you are correct. A drag strip was planned but Alameda County said no.

I hope that the track will be there for a long time to come as it is needed for those of us who enjoy watching racing and a place for local and near by drivers to race.

Back in 1967 when the Flynncastle development was just beginning the developer walked a large topo map on my living room floor in Livermore and said that one day Tracy and Livermore would meet at the top of the Altamont. This scarred the Planning Commission so that they started the new larger acreage for building zoning. He never said that it was going to happen in the next 50 or so years just that it would become fact some day. Your comment of &quot;Altamont Hills&quot; reminded me of that.

You know... I have, of course, been out of the loop about many things that have happened with the Altamont and the land around it. You all have certainly given me pause for thinking about things much differently. A bummer that progress and selfishness go hand in hand once again.

I guess I get so frustrated with our society and the complaints about our youth. There is really so much greatness about the young people in our world right now. Not everyone is this day and age wants to play soccer or baseball. Teens, children and parents all have varied interests. I guess there just is not room for everyone.

Maybe something else will develop that will be a fit for those that have other interests?

One thing I have always done with kids I cared about who were heading down a reckless path is I have taken them to the cemetery. There I showed them the headstones of friends I had known. Friends who died drinking &amp; driving, racing and trying to outrun or play chicken with trains. Friends who died too young, who never got graduate from high school, get married, or have children. Friends whose parents had to bury children they deeply loved far too young and who grieve for their children, and all the dreams that were lost with them. I don't know which is harder sometimes, outliving friend who I thought would outlive me by many years, or seeing the grief their parents experience.
As for me I am for denying those teens who want to street race and get involved in other reckless driving activities the privilege to drive until they are 40. Maybe by then they will have enough maturity to be responsible behind the wheel. Maybe if we had done more to stop all of this years ago I wouldn’t be missing so many friends.<br><br>Post edited by: Kathy, at: 2007/08/14 09:18