Full throttle for Masterton drag track

A $100,000 cash injection for the new Masterton Motorplex drag strip means an international standard drag racing track could be up and running by April next year, despite ongoing concerns from neighbours.

Bill Taylor, a resident concerned with the construction, said the 2006 plan showed the proposed drag strip running west to east which put the burn-out pad and start line about 2km from his property and exhaust from the dragsters not being directed towards them.

He said this was the only stage residents were consulted on, which they were not objecting to, although they did also expect further consultation from the council when and if the proposal went ahead.

"The next thing we knew is work had started and then we found out the drag strip was running east to west with the start and burn-out pad about 850m from our place, and the dragsters exhaust pointing straight at us," he said.

This is the main point of opposition from Mr Taylor and his neighbours who are concerned with air and noise pollution.

The $100,000 cash injection for the drag strip project has come from the Eastern and Central Community Trust and Motorplex chairman Bob Wilton said it would provide Masterton with the best track in the country.

"We really appreciate the Eastern and Central Community Trust is showing belief in our project and providing funding as it is a struggle to raise money and attract sponsorship, " Mr Wilton said.

Work started on the $3 million project, at the southern edge of Hood Aerodrome, in September, with the first stage creating an 800m by 20m drag strip and run-off area of another 800m and 10-metres wide. Work is under way to cut out the strip, digging out material to achieve the required level finish.

Trust donation manager Bev Watkins said the track was an exciting project for Masterton and would provide benefits for the wider region.

Mr Wilton said research shows that four meetings a year will generate $1.6 million for the region, and five meetings could generate almost $2.2 million. Masterton Motorplex has approval for five meetings a season and Mr Wilton said almost 70 per cent of those who attended the meetings would be from out-of-town and around 57 per cent would stay in the area overnight.

Mr Taylor said the affected residents had a meeting with Mr Wilton and Bob Francis, who is driving most of the fundraising. He said the meeting made it very clear everything happening with the construction of the drag strip had been council-approved.

District planner Sue Southey has maintained the council did not have to notify anybody of the project changes, which means the drag strip and the burn-out pad start at the end closest to houses.

She said the council had done everything it was required to do, and the residents' concerns - which were raised last month - were answered in a letter she sent in response to an Official Information Act request.