Michael Grondahl, the potential lessee of Motocross 338, meets with the Southwick Board of Selectmen last night. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
SOUTHWICK – A group of men interested in taking over Motocross 338 met with the Board of Selectmen last night.
Mike Grondahl is leading the group and funding the operation. Gary Yelin, Travis Loucks and Peyton Stevenson also met with the board.
Loucks offered a written history of the track and the group’s vision for the track’s future. The MMX 338 track is on property owned by the American Legion Post 338. Grondahl is the potential lessee of the track. One of the concerns of both Grondahl and the board is the use of property owned by the town.
For many years, MMX has utilized a few acres of land thought to be owned by the Legion for parking. The property is actually owned by the town and is under control of the school department. Grondahl said Superintendent John Barry said the schools would allow motocross to continue to utilize the property as long as it used only the space used in the past.
“I recommended we pay for an easement for that so we can put it on our policy,” said Grondahl.
Board Chairman Russell Fox said that would be an issue for Town Meeting.
Before the meeting, resident Marcus Phelps presented the board with several concerns he had, including who was theapproving authority for the land use and whether or not the new track operators would be a nonprofit or for-profit business.
If it’s a nonprofit, Phelps said the selectmen could approve the permit. If it is a for-profit use, the Planning Board would need to issue a special permit.
When asked, Grondahl said he was not looking to make money.
“I’m doing this out of love of the sport,” said Grondahl. “I don’t want to make a dollar off of this – I’ve been fortunate.”
Grondahl said as long as the track staff can be paid, he was “all for making it a nonprofit.”
Phelps also wondered how many events would take place at the track, what the hours of operation would be, what vehicles would be raced, and what the noise level would be.
Grondahl said he expects to have fewer races of the same type that took place in the past. He also hopes to have more events like the Rugged Maniac. Yelin squashed rumors there would be snowmobile races there and said that because the nationals pulled out, they hoped to have a few other races on a large scale, but not as big as nationals.
The national race pulled out of Southwick, they said, due to parking issues.
“We need to better utilize the land we have,” said Yelin.
“So you’re enhancing the parking and viewing but not going to make it bigger,” said Selectwoman Tracy Cesan.
Yelin said that was true.
Grondahl said there is interest in having European racers come to Southwick, which is known worldwide as a tough track.
“It’s a rough, physical track,” he said of the sand track. “It’s famous worldwide.”
Grondahl said there is only one other track, in Belgium, that rivals Southwick.
“The world is watching what’s going to happen here,” said Yelin, adding the track operators would be “a good neighbor and give back.”
Loucks said the group is very aware of the noise and traffic created by the races and they are “cognizant” of the neighbors and their convenience.
“We have some ideas we’re looking into about reducing noise,” Loucks said.
Selectman Joseph Deedy said the board was supportive.
“I don’t think there’s anything that can’t be worked out,” said Deedy.
Fox said he was happy to meet with the men and expected to have several more meetings, including a public hearing on the topic.
