Letter to the Editor: Dragstrip project moving ahead

By Sun Advocate

Editor:
Not long ago the Kingsmen Drag Strip Association (KDSA) approached the Carbon County Commission concerning the KDSA’s Drag Strip proposal. After one year and two months of hard work, KDSA has found the ultimate location for a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Drag Strip; the West Four Mile Hill area.
West Four Mile Hill, two and one half miles west of Nelco Contractors, is situated in a large block of State Institutional Trust Land Administration (SITLA) land. KDSA has met with Kurt Higgins of SITLA for doing an on site evaluation of our NHRA Drag Strip proposal at this location. SITLA could probably sell this location to KDSA, but it needs to be put up for public auction. However, SITLA reserves the right to sell the land to the bidder that is the most economically beneficial to the local community, and a drag strip would be just the ticket for expanding the local economy. Racers, spectators, and TV camera’s would put the national spotlight on Carbon County and southeastern Utah by bringing more tourists to the area.
KDSA is a self educating association and we understand the economics of all of the proposed Carbon County community projects. Because of this, KDSA has decided to regroup and build the drag strip through federal grants or find an entrepreneur corporation to build it. If built by a private entrepreneur corporation, KDSA will ask for a small portion of the proceeds earned at the strip to be used for the Jalopies For Kids Foundation. If KDSA finds a way to build the strip most of the proceeds will be used for the Jalopies For Kids Foundation, which will be formed in the spring of 2005.
KDSA is extremely serious about building a Carbon County NHRA Drag Strip. We have met with local contractors about construction of the strip and have been drag racing with some training at Rocky Mountain Raceways in West Valley City.
Ron Craft, General Manager of Rocky Mountain Raceways Drag Strip, has been given a questionnaire for a cost/profit analysis that KDSA needs for the KDSA Business Plan that is being drawn up. Ron Craft also helped draft the layout of KDSA’s Drag Strip and will help set up the racing circuit and staff training/certification.
KDSA’s next step is to gather a citizens signature support petition and letters of endorsement from southeastern Utah’s citizens, businesses, local municipalities and governments. The support signatures and letters of endorsements will be incorporated into KDSA’s business plan.
Within the next couple of months, KDSA will compile all the pertinent information. KDSA will then request to be formally listed on the agenda for a regularly scheduled Carbon County Commission meeting for a review of KDSA’s proposal and further explanation about the communities drag strip endeavor.