Goodnight Star Speedway?
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Manchestah NH
Goodnight Star Speedway?
This is for all you Enduro peeps....
EXETER NH NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL MAY 10,05
Time to shut down Star Speedway
To write a letter to the editor please email opinion@seacoastonline.com
For four years, the town of Epping and the state of New Hampshire have been citing Star Speedway and owner Robert Webber Sr. for a wide range of serious safety infractions. For four predictable years, Webber has promised this and promised that, only to have completed some of the work, placating the town and state so that he could open for yet another season. Now he’s back at it again, and to add to this particular season’s drama, town officials say he withheld from the town an engineering report detailing serious infractions.
Enough is enough. It is time for the town of Epping and the state of New Hampshire to shut down the Star Speedway - permanently if need be, or until everything on every list that has ever been compiled against the aging racing track is completely fixed to everyone’s satisfaction - once and for all. For too long, officials have been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with Webber, and it’s time it stopped - for the town’s sake, for the fans’ sake, and even for Webber’s sake.
Let us refresh your memories. Back in November 2001, the state fire marshal’s office submitted a fire and life safety inspection report on the speedway, citing 40 violations and requiring that a plan to resolve them be submitted the following month.
Fast forward to 2002, when by March, the violations remained unresolved and no plan had been filed. That July, the fire marshal inspected the race track and found few changes had been made.
Fast forward to 2003, when in March Epping code enforcement officer Kevin Kelley issued a cease-and-desist order, shutting down the speedway until it was in compliance. In May of that year, the Epping Board of Selectmen unanimously denied Star Speedway an operating permit, saying it violated National Fire Protection Association requirements for lighting, electrical wiring (including unprotected electrical conductors that could electrocute someone who touched them), plumbing problems, a rotting barn and an unsafe grandstand. Then and only then did Webber begin to address these major life-safety issues. He replaced rotting grandstand wood and the fence, and seemed to begin to address the plumbing issues. Kelley declared he was pleased with the progress and let it open.
Fast forward to 2004, when the track was red flagged yet again because Kelley, and the state plumbing inspector this time, said Webber really hadn’t done much at all to deal with plumbing deficiencies although he promised he would. Selectmen once again denied a license. Although Webber had taken care of many of the major fire safety problems, then-Fire Chief Hank Letourneau said he wanted an engineer hired at Webber’s expense to conduct a thorough inspection and submit a report. Webber said he had been singled out by the town, and indicated that if he were shut down he would take the town to court. By early June, he once again was allowed to open.
Fast forward to 2005, and guess what? He’s been barred from opening the track yet again. The list of deficiencies this time around include rusting grandstand supports, as well as extensive frame rotting and split support beams. Sounds as if the race track’s come full circle and some of those "major life-safety issues" are back again. More telling, we learned Friday that he purposely withheld from the town a three-page report written by his engineering consultant detailing numerous deficiencies.
Enough is enough. This insane dance among Webber, the town and the state has gone on too long, and one of these days, it could be a spectator stepping on that too-rotted plank who will pay the ultimate price. Then a smart lawyer will be looking beyond just the pockets of Robert Webber for redress.
Shut down the speedway. It’s the only solution.
- The Exeter News-Letter
Well, this sucks. It's been fun watchin' you nuts, jumpin cars over dirt piles and clashing with the locals, Bwahhhhaahhhaa. :YEAH Hopefully old Bobby W. coughs up the loot and fixes the place. But it doesn't look good.
EXETER NH NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL MAY 10,05
Time to shut down Star Speedway
To write a letter to the editor please email opinion@seacoastonline.com
For four years, the town of Epping and the state of New Hampshire have been citing Star Speedway and owner Robert Webber Sr. for a wide range of serious safety infractions. For four predictable years, Webber has promised this and promised that, only to have completed some of the work, placating the town and state so that he could open for yet another season. Now he’s back at it again, and to add to this particular season’s drama, town officials say he withheld from the town an engineering report detailing serious infractions.
Enough is enough. It is time for the town of Epping and the state of New Hampshire to shut down the Star Speedway - permanently if need be, or until everything on every list that has ever been compiled against the aging racing track is completely fixed to everyone’s satisfaction - once and for all. For too long, officials have been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with Webber, and it’s time it stopped - for the town’s sake, for the fans’ sake, and even for Webber’s sake.
Let us refresh your memories. Back in November 2001, the state fire marshal’s office submitted a fire and life safety inspection report on the speedway, citing 40 violations and requiring that a plan to resolve them be submitted the following month.
Fast forward to 2002, when by March, the violations remained unresolved and no plan had been filed. That July, the fire marshal inspected the race track and found few changes had been made.
Fast forward to 2003, when in March Epping code enforcement officer Kevin Kelley issued a cease-and-desist order, shutting down the speedway until it was in compliance. In May of that year, the Epping Board of Selectmen unanimously denied Star Speedway an operating permit, saying it violated National Fire Protection Association requirements for lighting, electrical wiring (including unprotected electrical conductors that could electrocute someone who touched them), plumbing problems, a rotting barn and an unsafe grandstand. Then and only then did Webber begin to address these major life-safety issues. He replaced rotting grandstand wood and the fence, and seemed to begin to address the plumbing issues. Kelley declared he was pleased with the progress and let it open.
Fast forward to 2004, when the track was red flagged yet again because Kelley, and the state plumbing inspector this time, said Webber really hadn’t done much at all to deal with plumbing deficiencies although he promised he would. Selectmen once again denied a license. Although Webber had taken care of many of the major fire safety problems, then-Fire Chief Hank Letourneau said he wanted an engineer hired at Webber’s expense to conduct a thorough inspection and submit a report. Webber said he had been singled out by the town, and indicated that if he were shut down he would take the town to court. By early June, he once again was allowed to open.
Fast forward to 2005, and guess what? He’s been barred from opening the track yet again. The list of deficiencies this time around include rusting grandstand supports, as well as extensive frame rotting and split support beams. Sounds as if the race track’s come full circle and some of those "major life-safety issues" are back again. More telling, we learned Friday that he purposely withheld from the town a three-page report written by his engineering consultant detailing numerous deficiencies.
Enough is enough. This insane dance among Webber, the town and the state has gone on too long, and one of these days, it could be a spectator stepping on that too-rotted plank who will pay the ultimate price. Then a smart lawyer will be looking beyond just the pockets of Robert Webber for redress.
Shut down the speedway. It’s the only solution.
- The Exeter News-Letter
Well, this sucks. It's been fun watchin' you nuts, jumpin cars over dirt piles and clashing with the locals, Bwahhhhaahhhaa. :YEAH Hopefully old Bobby W. coughs up the loot and fixes the place. But it doesn't look good.
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