SDGT3 wrote: Where did the SCCA come up with their guideline anyway; at Qualcomm or Kansas? The unique nature of the Qualcomm site is such that we get a lot of "reverb" from the stadium itself, Lowe's, the office tower and the parking structure. If SCCA came up with this in some open field/parking lot in Kansas, the noise disipates at a different level than the Q.
Peter-
The SD Region SCCA clubs (and there are 5 of them making up a coalition to stage events here in town under a Committee structure with a governing Executive Board) came up with their procedures locally, specifically for the situation at the Q when it became an issue many decades ago. Their procedures were not developed in Kansas, or by the National SCCA organization. The sound regs and procedures they developed came out of negotiations and agreements with the Stadium Authority and the surrounding neighbors. They are not from the Solo National rulebook, but from the San Diego Region SCCA Supplemental Regs, specifically for the Qualcomm site. The national body allows the local region to make regulations according to site-specific and regional requirements, and the national Solo Events Board has not yet established any overarching sound policy, although it is under discussion.
As John said, the original complaints about noise at the Q came from people living on the south rim of Mission Valley, long before the current infill of development, and the original complainers have long since moved away. Although the stadium was originally designed as a multipurpose facility that included a motorsports roadcourse back in the '60s, after the first few SCCA regional and IMSA races were held there (with fully uncapped engines screaming all day), there were some unhappy residents who made enough noise to have the racing banned by the city council, to whom the Stadium Authority answers. It's all politics, according to the Golden Rule (you know which one I mean!)
It was only through negotiations with all the car clubs and the resulting compromises on sound issues that any racing events at all are allowed now. The SCCA is very serious about enforcing their regs (I have been bumped twice from their events over the years in different cars for registering merely 94 dB), and they would be outraged to hear that other clubs are not following the agreed-upon guidelines, since they would feel that continuing use of the stadium by all motorsports clubs would be jeopardized. It is not an issue we can "sweep under the rug" or ignore. Yes, background conditions have changed, and measurement of noise levels is an arcane, inexact art--they can deviate according to all sorts of variables, including instrumentation, atmospheric conditions, compounding, reflection, etc. But the risks are real, and there are actually more people living closer to the stadium now who could be offended and make life difficult for us. We can't afford to not make some sort of effort to control it and weed out the worst offenders. I don't think the readings posted earlier in this thread were accurate or representative (how a stock Boxster or Cayman EVER could have registered over 92dB escapes me--they sometimes sneak up on me when I'm cornerworking!) and it would be ridiculous to act on that kind of data, but we really must do something to show that we are serious about conforming or risk losing the venue even earlier than it will be disappearing on its own, which is inevitable when the Chargers leave. I do not think we should be kicking people out on a wholesale basis by any means, and I don't think it is a good idea to raise the issue with the stadium, or make anything but perhaps the most discreet inquiries about whether the restrictions might be eased, but having some kind of policy that we are demonstrably making an attempt to adhere to is essential, IMHO.
It is true that some events make more noise than us, and that racelegal.com is allowed to run after the 5:00PM limit that is applied to us. These events are perceived to have more redeeming social value (or profit margin) than ours, no doubt. This is no different than the sound sanctions being altered or lifted at Laguna Seca for specific events, such as the Indy Car and Grand Am races, the Historics, etc., while the club racers must run at 89 or 92 dB limits.
Anyone who would like to review the SCCA SDR Supplemental Regs, I have uploaded a PDF file of them to one of my websites. You can download it here:
http://plowshare.mobi/SDSCCA2008_Supp_Reg.pdf Look at section 6, beginning on p. 19 to see what they do. Personally, I think they are way too strict, and I am not proposing that we adopt them.
TT
914-4. Way to go Sean and Herb in Team "914". Paul Young educates us on the nuance of the BRI. Nice job, Paul.
