Q: What is NER Investments LLC? Whom does this group represent?

A: NER Investments LLC is a limited liability corporation formed by the New England Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). It was formed specifically to build and operate a club-based motorsports facility.

Q: What is the SCCA?

A: The Sports Car Club of America is one of the oldest organizations of its type in the U.S. As a club with 60,000 members, it sanctions a variety of different motorsports events across the country. SCCA is also the premier U.S. group for safety, innovation, and the operation of automotive events. To learn more about Topeka, Kansas-headquartered SCCA, visit www.scca.org.

Q: What would go on at the proposed motorsports facility?

A: It would be rented to businesses and clubs for driver education, motor vehicle testing and demonstration, and competition. Only automobiles and go-carts would run here; the facility would not be used for oval-track stock car racing, drag racing, or motorcycles. Renters would include groups like the following:

• Businesses that provide driver training to teenagers, corporate clients, emergency services, and law enforcement.

• Driving clubs that offer performance driver education and competition to their members.

• Automotive manufacturers for demonstrations to dealers and prospective customers.

• Automotive businesses and product manufacturers for the testing of such products as shock absorbers and tires.

Q: What physical changes are proposed in the development of the land?

A: The facility would include a road course (a paved surface simulating a winding road) approximately 2 miles in length and 40 feet in width, with large grassy aprons for safety.

For driver education, motor vehicle testing, and low-speed contests called “autocrosses,” there would also be an asphalt pad approximately 500 feet by 1,000 feet.
Additionally, support vehicles and cars that are not competing would park in a paddock area approximately 600 feet by 1,300 feet. The paddock area would be grass with paved access roads and some minor support buildings, and would be securely fenced. The road course and asphalt pad would be fenced, except where natural topography already limits access.
Less than 4% of the 658-acre site would be paved, and buildings would cover less than 0.25% of the site. In all, any paving, buildings, and grass areas would cover about 15% of the site; the balance would remain natural and wooded.
Except for the driveway, none of the facility would be visible from neighboring properties. The entire track would be hidden by the natural topography of the site, and the size of the parcel would allow the entire track to be at least half a mile from the nearest road. Not only would the vast majority of the site remain undeveloped – it could still be used for hiking, hunting, and other outdoor recreation.

Q: Why do you want to build a race track in Palmer? Aren’t there plenty of tracks around?

A: Today, there are only two road course facilities for car clubs in New England: Lime Rock Park in Connecticut and the road course configuration at New Hampshire International Speedway. Both facilities rely heavily on professional racing series, making it difficult for member-based organizations like the SCCA to schedule their events – which have a much lower profile than NASCAR and Indycar-type races. Our goal is to create a facility with these low-profile club based events in mind.

Q: Would it be open year-round?

A: Generally speaking, no. The facility would operate approximately 32 weeks a year – from April through November, weather permitting. There would be no activity on the road course during the winter months. It is possible that during a relatively snow-free winter, the lowest impact activities (law enforcement training, for example, or new car demonstrations) could be held on the asphalt pad. And any winter activities would be run with the lowest allowed sound levels. 

Q: Sound levels are a good idea! Just how loud would this track be on its loudest day?

A: Facilities like this have grown accustomed to operating within strict sound limits, and they scrupulously police these limits; all SCCA Club Racing events feature sound meters, and violators are quickly sent home if they fail to meet requirements. For most activities at the facility, vehicles would have to produce fewer than 89 decibels, as measured per SCCA sound control regulations. On a maximum of 10 weekends per year and an average of 1 weekday per week, a limit of 100 dB would be allowed.

Q: The traffic jams for those New Hampshire NASCAR races are legendary. What would the traffic impact be on Palmer?

A: The impact would be much lower than most people realize. Comparing club racing competitions to the NASCAR races in New Hampshire is like comparing a town Little League game to the World Series. One study for a similar proposed site found that a country club would actually have a greater weekend traffic effect than a motorsports facility! Also, programs would take place during the daytime only; proposed operating hours would be 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
It’s important to note that NO spectators would be invited, or even permitted, at events. This is a key stipulation for insurance purposes. In general, only participants, guests, and support people would attend. The number of participants coming to the site would vary from a few dozen to a maximum of 1,000 (including participants, family, and friends). And that’s a high estimate; the largest event held by SCCA’s New England Region in 2005 drew about 750 people. 

Q: What would Palmer get out of this?

A: Anticipated property tax income to the town would exceed $50,000 annually (based on the local tax rate of $13.95 per thousand). Moreover, the town would be assured that the parcel would not be developed for residential use. That’s a strong trade-off for Palmer because unlike residential construction, the facility would be self-sufficient, providing its own water, septic, medical, and accident-response resources 
Naturally, there would also be benefits for some local businesses; event participants make extensive use of local gas, lodging, dining, and retail establishments. Moreover, the track would provide some seasonal employment opportunities in the areas of grounds-keeping, maintenance, security, medical personnel, and office staff. 
Finally, club tracks pride themselves on being good neighbors and members of the community. At other New England tracks, firefighters and law-enforcement agencies are invited to take part in training exercises. And NER SCCA’s annual Racing Against Leukemia is a major fund-raising event for area hospitals.

Q: What safety measures would be in place for cars on track?

A: Vehicles on the course would be directly monitored at all times. Response vehicles with firefighting, extrication, medical, and spill-cleanup capabilities would be present at all events in case of any incident. Private ambulances would be on site for all but the lowest level events. All users of the facility must be insured.