Latest news with #racetrack
CBS News
10 hours ago
- CBS News
Stockton 99 Speedway pushing through after $20,000 worth of equipment stolen from track
STOCKTON -- It was another typical Thursday night at Stockton 99 Speedway. Danica Noceti and her team locked up for the day and went home. The next morning, they returned to a track completely ransacked. "Unfortunately, we were vandalized and burglarized," Noceti shared. "They broke into three of our major operational buildings and took about $20,000 worth of equipment." The equipment that was stolen was everything they need to run a racetrack. "Anything for the scoring for the race cars on the track, to the PA systems, to how we run our daily operations, computers, monitors, radios, printers, PA systems, it's all gone," she said. All that's left are busted doors and broken windows. "We're probably here every day, at least three or four times a day, so there's high traffic. For somebody to be so gutsy, to come in and just take whatever they want and to come prepared, that's terrifying," Noceti explained. This couldn't have come at a worse time. Thursday, July 3rd is their biggest event of the year: The Ron Strmiska Firecracker 90, where nearly 7,000 locals gather to watch plenty of racing and a massive fireworks show. "It just makes us sad," she said. "You know, we give so much back to the community and to now have to shift our focus and our income, taking away from other areas to recoup our costs and to get our stuff, is just heartbreaking." But despite this setback, the show must go on. "How do you say to the community, we're safe, but come out to our event?" Noceti said. "It's like the greatest show on asphalt. We're the fastest track quarter mile out here, and honestly, the best fireworks show you'll ever see. It's a night full of food, fun, family, friends, racing, door to door action. You just come out and have a good time." Noceti wants to emphasize that nothing like this has happened during their family-friendly events. In the meantime, they're asking the community for support, whether that be attending Thursday's event or calling them with any information regarding this case. They are offering anyone with information $10,000 as a reward.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brad Pitt admits he needs to 'be calm' while driving
F1 actor Brad Pitt has admitted he feels like he's "always on the racetrack" and needs to learn to slow down.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Oʻahu racetrack gets the green light
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City and County of Honolulu was given the green light for a racetrack in West Oʻahu. Plans in the works for 2 West Oahu racetracks The former Navy land near Kalaeloa Airport has been a discussion since the late 90s, and officials said the track will start small before eventually expanding. 'It feels like a dream, it's been 26 years,' said long-time race track supporter and enthusiast Li Cobian. Cobian said plans to acquire the land go back to Mayor Jeremy Harris back in 1998. 'If it wasn't for Rick Blangiardi and managing director Mike Formby, this would never have happened, I feel like crying,' Cobian added. On Thursday evening, Mayor Blangiardi told a crowd at his last Town Hall of the year that the Parks and Recreation director received an e-mail earlier in the day that said they had approval to use the land. 'This is something we made a commitment to because there is a big, big interest across the island in auto sports,' he told community members at the town hall. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Honolulu is the only county without a race track, which Mayor Blangiardi says results in more drivers speeding on roads and highways. Four-hundred acres were transferred to the city by the National Park Service in June 2024. 'The National Park Service has agreed to let us do an interim use for the 20-acre lot out at Kalaeloa for a motor sports recreation use,' explained Parks Director Laura Thielen. The plan for the track stretches from Coral Sea Road and Independence Road down to Kalaeloa Airport. For now, Thielen says they can build a dirt style track. 'And that can happen concurrent while we go through with a master plan for the overall area,' she explained during the town hall meeting. Cobian says the park service recognizing motor sports as recreation helped move the process along. The city said the racetrack is intended to be an interim facility while it works on developing a master plan for all 400-acres.'Phase 1 is this parcel area which is 22.9 acres,' Cobian showed KHON2 while pointing towards parcels on the Kalaeloa Airport side of the road. 'Phase 2 is this whole area down almost a mile and it's close to 200 acres,' he added while pointing to the opposite side of the road. Nearby residents said they are concerned about noise, traffic and safety as the city says there are many trespassers in the area. Cobian says most are homeless. City crews were seen putting in concrete barriers to block access into parts of the wooded area. 'We got a lot of homeless and they're constantly dumping trash,' Cobian said. 'So the sooner we get out here and break ground and clean everything up, put some fences up, we're going to deter all of that.' Cobian stated it will also prevent fires in the area. The City says it has requested funds in the upcoming fiscal year 2026 budget for the master plan which will include public input. The City and County of Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation said it has allocated $1.8 million in the upcoming budget for consultant services to help develop that Master Plan. DPR said it also appropriated $150,000 for on guard services to reduce illegal activity in the area, and $500,000 in CIP funds to renovate and reopen the bathrooms at the Kalaeloa Campgrounds. Check out more news from around Hawaii This half a million dollars with also assist with shoreline improvements to reduce illegal off-roading on White Sands Beach in collaboration with 808 Cleanups. The city adds the Master Plan will include robust public input, along with environmental and cultural assessments. The permanent racetrack location and layout will be determined through that Master Plan, and may be in another area near this interim location. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Edmunds
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Edmunds
The Lexus Performance Driving School Teaches You to Be Fast With Finesse
Driving a sports car on a great road is bliss. Little compares to the sweet sound of a screaming exhaust bouncing off canyon walls while accelerating out of a curve. But today's vehicles are more powerful and capable than ever, and exploring their limits on public roads often requires extra-legal speeds — and can be downright unsafe. Enter: the racetrack. The Lexus Performance Driving School exists to give owners and enthusiasts a safe, controlled way to really explore these cars' potential. I recently got to experience the full program firsthand at Sonoma Raceway in Northern California — with racing legend Scott Pruett as one of my guides. My program consisted of three modules — track, autocross and drifting — and I'd have the opportunity to go through each twice. In the morning, the experience was geared more toward familiarizing myself with each activity and the associated vehicle, while the afternoon sessions were more about taking what I'd learned and pushing myself harder and harder.
ABC News
17-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Burswood street motorsport circuit divides opinion as government tries to switch focus
The WA government is ploughing ahead with its controversial $217 million plan to build a street motorsport circuit in Perth's Burswood Park, but don't dare call it a motorplex. That was the sentiment from Thursday's announcement that the consultation process was opening for one of the government's biggest election promises. There are differing opinions about the project, but the state government believes all are crystal clear on one thing. "It's not a motorplex. It's not a motorplex at all," deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said on Thursday. "It's a sports and entertainment precinct that will help drive activity and create new opportunities to host events into the future." Dubbed "Rita's racetrack" by some, the project has drawn the ire of locals worried about noise from the track and the environmental impact of construction. There had initially been strong messaging about the boon the racetrack and motorsport facilities would be for tourism in WA, with Premier Roger Cook arriving at the first media event for the plan in a V8 supercar. But as the project officially enters the community and stakeholder consultation phase, proponents have pivoted to focus on spruiking the facility's multipurpose potential. It's these elements — including a large amphitheatre for live music and a building for other sporting and community events — that locals have no qualms about. Along with the WA Sportscar Club, Mr Cook was flanked by representatives of the WA Association of Musica and West Cycle for this week's update on the project. "When complete, Burswood Park will be host to more major sporting events, more live music, and importantly, more community functions, creating an entertainment hub," Mr Cook said on Thursday. "I think people will say that this is an incredible project for the state," Ms Saffioti said. But frustrated locals aren't buying it, and it's one thing the state opposition and the Greens WA are united on. Opposition leader Basil Zempilas accused the state government of retrofitting its plans "to try and cover up for their own failures" and "save face". "They have not been clean with the public of Western Australia on the issue," he said on Thursday. "It is all spin. They did not announce [the proposal] with microphones singing. They did not announce on push bikes. They announced in a V8 supercar." Greens WA MLC Brad Pettitt said the project would still be "dominated" by the racetrack, and said not acknowledging this was "disingenuous". He said the Greens would consider teaming up with the Liberals and others to push for a select inquiry into the issue. "This one's become a really acute project, one that I think has become symbolic of this government's disregard for the community, disregard for green spaces and their willingness to just concrete over everything," he said. Some residents had threatened to boycott Labor at the March 8 poll in protest at the racetrack, but incumbent Hannah Beazley comfortably retained the seat of Victoria Park, although there was a 10 per cent swing to the Liberals, and an 8 per cent swing to the Greens. This could be seen as a mandate for the state government to charge on with the racetrack. But Town of Victoria Park Mayor Karen Vernon said locals felt robbed of their ability to have their say prior to the racetrack becoming an election issue. She said the community held little hope the consultation now being conducted would be anything other than an "administrative exercise". "I think the fundamental issue that the community has ventilated long and loud, both throughout the election campaign and since then is their concern about the motorsport street circuit," she said. "Now we hear that the community consultation does go to shaping things like what type of trees you want there, what's important to you, is accessibility important to you, is public transport important to you? "We would say our community has said all those things are important to us." Given the lingering community sentiment and appetite for a political stoush, it's unlikely "Rita's racetrack" will fade from the headlines any time soon. Community consultation is due to close next month.
