Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

JenningsGP Executive Director Bill Brown said Wednesday that the track near Jennings, Florida is doing everything it can to meet existing county noise restrictions, including installing an additional 150-feet of 14-foot-high berm–making the berm extend along the entire east side of the property–and topping the berm with 180-linear feet of new, 8-foot-tall sound wall.

Brown said that he had mis-stated the sound limit at the property line, and that it is actually 78 dB, not the 87 dB he said it was yesterday, and that he is seeking to have the sound limit raised to 86 dB, not to 94 dB as he said yesterday.

Brown said that the track has only exceeded the existing sound limit twice, with one of those instances being questionable, adding that he is hopeful the new measures will cure the problem.

Brown said the track’s loudest event was a combined AHRMA/WERA Vintage race held in late February.

Brown made his Wednesday comments in reaction to a Tuesday post which accurately quoted his mis-statements.

“I may have said 87 but it actually is 78,” said Brown of the sound limit at the JenningsGP property line, in a Wednesday afternoon phone call to Roadracingworld.com.

A corrected version of the original post follows:

In the face of local government threats to shut the facility down for noise violations, JenningsGP (formerly North Florida Motorsports Complex) Executive Director Bill Brown is asking racers to help keep the racetrack open.

According to Brown, there is pressure from local government officials to close the racetrack due to noise violations. Brown is asking racers to write to Hamilton County in support of keeping the JenningsGP racetrack open.

The problem stems from two alleged violations of the 78 dB noise limit placed on the track, measured at the property line.

The Db measurement of sound levels works on a logarithmic scale, i.e., an increase from 87 to 90 dB indicates twice as much as sound.

For reference, Laguna Seca’s sound limit is 92 dB for motorcycles, while Buttonwillow, Thunderhill and Infineon Raceway have 103 dB motorcycle sound limits. Portland International Raceway has a 105 dB vehicle sound limit. Bridgehampton Raceway on Long Island, which closed in the late 1990s, operated under a 102 dB at-the-motorcycle limit and a 70 dB limit at the property line.

Independent tests of automobiles have shown that the ambient sound level inside a typical sedan traveling at 70 mph is around 70 dB, with the radio off.

Authorities have been taking sound measurements at the JenningsGP fence line during events, and say the 78 dB limit has been exceeded twice, most recently during the February 27-28 (Thursday-Friday) AHRMA/WERA Vintage event at the facility, according to Brown. The county notified the track that any more violations of the sound limit could result in closure of the facility.

Brown said the track is attempting to get the county to either raise the sound limit to 86 dB–more than four times the current sound limit–or grant the track exemptions for events. He is urging all racers who have participated in track days or races at the facility and would like to see the track continue operations to write or e-mail the county.

Brown said that Hamilton County benefits from track operations because Jennings GP attracts many outsiders who spend significant amounts of money on food, fuel and lodging in the county.

Brown is asking all racers to write in, stating, “That’s what’s gonna convince them. Economic impact.” Brown added that angry letters “won’t do any good,” and reminded those who write in to refrain from doing anything that could make the track’s situation more difficult.

Interested racers can e-mail comments to: [email protected], or write to Ronny C. Morgan, County Commissioner, 207 NE First Street, Jasper, FL 32052