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SUNNY Temp: 70 °F Wind: WNW at 5 mph Wednesday, July 9, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend May 17, 2003 IN THE PITS Cottage Grove Speedway faces appeals board By DON HUNT Mail Tribune The future of the Cottage Grove Speedway continues to be in limbo. Russell and Bob Leach, the owners of the quarter-mile track 150 miles north of Medford, have been haggling with Lane County officials over land use issues since they bought the track in August of 2001. Lane County officials claim the Leaches built bleachers without proper permits or inspections, are using lighting and public address systems that are in violation of allowed uses at the site and are exceeding the allowable number of cars — 40 per race day, 60 on major holiday weekends. The 17-acre speedway just north of Cottage Grove was built in 1956 and has drawn an increasing number of complaints from neighbors. Advertisement On Wednesday, Lane County commissioners sent the controversy to the state Land Use Board of Appeals. "There are a lot of legal and factual issues in this appeal, and it’s apparent that the proponents and opponents are all well represented by lawyers, so no matter what this board did, the decision would be appealed," Chairman Peter Sorenson told the Eugene Register-Guard. Meanwhile, Lane County officials must decide how to keep the owners in compliance of land use laws — or if it’s even worth the time and effort before the state makes its ruling. Rogue Valley racecar drivers journeyed to Cottage Grove by the dozens during the late 1980s and early 90s, before the Southern Oregon Speedway was built. With Cottage Grove boasting a formidable sprint car field, several sprint drivers from this area continue to race there regularly. "It’s a nice track and a nice facility — the guys up there have done a lot of work to fix it up," says Medford’s Todd Zeitler, who raced there last Saturday and took eighth in the sprint car main event. "They put in a bunch of new grandstands and the pit grandstands are awesome. They’re a lot taller than the ones down here." While the Leaches should have known better than to build stands without permits, setting limits on the number of cars they can run and rebuking them for installing new lighting and sound systems seems harsh. After all, the track was there long before most of the residents who live around it. Jeremy Richey continued his early-season success last Saturday in Cottage Grove when he won the modified main event and just missed a clean sweep. Richey, who won the Southern Oregon Speedway season-opener on April 19, registered fast time, won his heat race and finished second in the trophy dash before claiming the main. Barring a freak lightning storm, racing will resume at the Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday night for the first time in a month. Modified, pro stock, mini stock and dwarf cars will compete beginning at 6 p.m. on the one-third mile clay oval. Sprints cars won’t be on the agenda — many of them will return to Cottage Grove. The Northern Sprint Tour, meanwhile, will come to the track a week from Saturday. Reach reporter Don Hunt at 776-4469, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times