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Racing Continues This Saturday as Fate of Mountain View Speedway Still Up in the Air

race-track
Images from a Saturday night of racing in April. Photos by Ken Ketchie

By Jesse Wood

After a week off from racing due to a previously planned music festival at the High Country Fairgrounds, racing will continue this Saturday, June 25, at the Mountain View Speedway.

Half of the proceeds generated from this weekend’s race will go to help pay medical bills of John Rich, who is heading to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to figure out what is causing his seizures. Last year, Rich raced in the UCAR division, and this year he is a track crewmember at the Mountain View Speedway. His mom works in concessions for the Mountain View Speedway as well.

This Saturday’s running order is as follows:

  • Outlaw 4
  • Young Guns
  • CNB Sprints
  • Stock 4
  • UCAR
  • Stock 8
  • Semi Mod 4

The Mountain View Speedway is a family-friendly, alcohol-free event. Ticket prices are as follows: General Admission Adults: $10; Kids 7-10: $2; Under 6: Free; and Skybox Seats: $12. The grandstands generally open at 4 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. sharp.

For more information about the Mountain View Speedway, click to:

https://www.facebook.com/mountainviewspeedway/

http://mountainviewspeedway.webs.com/

The Town v. Raceway

Currently, the legality of the raceway operations is in question.

In 2015, the Mountain View Speedway opened after a 17-year hiatus – after Boone Planning Director Bill Bailey told a raceway promoter that racing was a grandfathered use in the High Country Fairgrounds off of Roby Greene Road in the town’s ETJ.

Soon after racing started up again, a Locust Hill resident, Annette Reeves, complained about the noise of the racetrack to both Watauga County Board of Commissioners and the Boone Town Council. Last summer, the Boone Town Council meetings were regularly attended by raceway supporters, who feel that racing is just harmless, family-friendly fun on a Saturday evening, and residents who feel their quality of life is negatively affected by the action at the nearby raceway.

Two groups – the Watauga Citizens for Local Control (WCLC) and Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL)– then filed an appeal to the Boone Board of Adjustment regarding the legality of the raceway under town code. At a Boone Board of Adjustment hearing earlier this spring, Bailey reversed his interpretation and stated that racing was not allowed under the town’s ordinances.

The town subsequently issued a cease-and-desist order to the raceway operators, Mike and Cyndi Budka, in April, and the appeal by WCLC and BREDL was dismissed.

In May, the Town of Boone filed a complaint regarding the enforcement of the cease-and-desist order in Watauga County Superior Court. (Attorney Nathan Miller, who is representing the raceway, said that motions on this complaint will likely be heard in July.)

The Budkas and the Keller Brothers Inc., which own the property, responded by appealing the cease-and-desist order with the Boone Board of Adjustment, which is expected to meet again for this matter on June 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 1500 Blowing Rock Road.

Racing continues during the Boone Board of Adjustment appeal process.

Read more about the conflict between neighbors and the speedway here.