Lights out for Summit?

[toutembed=c4l73k]NORWALK — A complaint radioed in by a pilot could drive a popular race track completely out of business.Summit Motorsports Park faces a burnout of epic proportions, possibly culminating in the Norwalk-area complex hosting its last pass later this year.The potential shutdown means a major economic engine, generating about $100 million annually in Erie and Huron counties, would sputter out for good.A recent ruling from the Ohio Department of Transportation's aviation division indicates Summit unlawfully installed three light poles toward the track's end point.The perceived problem: Those 60-foot-tall poles are situated too close to a runway operated by the Huron County Airport, posing a severe safety risk for pilots.Despite the ruling coming down in January, no conclusion has been reached regarding what must happen with these poles. When a decision does inevitably occur, track owner Bill Bader Jr. fears the worst: His complex — considered the region's finest establishment for professional auto racing, which hosts dozens of events each year, including a premier NHRA series race — could close for good."If these poles have to come down, there will be a series of events that will see us losing our insurance, lose our sanction with the National Hot Rod Association, lose our national event, lose our division race, lose our naming rights with Summit — and then we'd be out of business," said Bader, who runs the second-generation business in his family's name since opening 54 years ago.It also means his family, 30 full-time workers and 400-plus seasonal employees all must find new jobs.Bader, however, won't stand idly in pit row and do nothing."I'll be damned if I'm not going down without a fight," Bader said. "There was a former president that said, 'When a man has no options, his path becomes very clear.' Well, my path is very clear: Those damn poles need to stay up."The Ohio Department of Transportation recently deemed three light poles (one pictured here) as obstructions, posing safety hazards for pilots landing at the nearby Huron County Airport.Summit's takeIn late 2015, Bader embarked upon a lighting upgrade at Summit totaling just north of $400,000. The work ended in spring 2016.Two new lights, located beyond the finish line near Summit's northernmost point, aim to improve safety for drivers. Better illumination also fulfilled ever-evolving high-definition TV requirements. Fox broadcasts Summit's annual NHRA event.After Musco Lighting, considered an industry leader in designing and manufacturing lighting for sporting events, finished the job, Bader's team issued a press release to tout these enhancements.A small article published in several publications, one of which Dan LeClair discovered and read. He clipped out the piece and informed the Federal Aviation Administration.LeClair serves as president for the Friends of the Huron County Airport. The nonprofit raises awareness for the airport but cannot make administrative or financial decisions on behalf of the organization. LeClair, who's also a pilot, also stores his plane there."He had a concern about general aviation and pilot safety," Bader said.LeClair claims three 60-foot-tall poles, the two newer structures and one in place for roughly 20 years, interfere with pilots safely landing at the airport.Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the Ohio Department of Transportation agreed with LeClair, characterizing these poles as "obstructions."It's not known why either organization didn't previously raise an issue with the existing pole.When recently discussing the issue, Bader appeared astonished how anyone could even possibly believe these poles present safety hazards."The pole closest to the runway is about 300 feet, or the equivalent of the length of a football field, away," Bader said. "Then the two other poles that are in violation are further away, hundreds and hundreds of feet further south."To further strengthen his case, Bader made the following contentions:• No pilot has ever crashed, or come close to accidentally landing, anywhere near Summit Motorsports Park's property, which would include all three light poles.• Huron County Airport workers only allow pilots to land their planes during the daytime so they can easily see where they're going.• Upon arriving at the airport, pilots can't dip below 600 feet until they see the runway "dead in front of them."• Many other obstructions, including those taller and closer to the runway, represent a larger risk than his poles."For a pilot to be in jeopardy, (that person) would have to drop 540 feet below that 600-foot mark and miss the runway by the length of a football field," Bader said. "The irony is, directly east of the runway, are trees that are 100 feet tall. These are obstructions to the east on the approach. There are obstructions on the south side. There are obstructions on the north side. If we are concerned about pilot safety, we should remove all that stuff, not just the poles."Bader stressed his beefs reside with LeClair along with both government agencies. He has no problem with the airport or its board members.Summit, for example, mows the airport lawn at no cost. It's a trade off for when the airport helps ease congestion when traffic leaves Summit after popular events end. The airport allows cars to exit the park by accessing its runway."They have been a very pleasant neighbor," Bader said. "The current airport board, we have great cooperation with them. I need help, they help me. They need help, I help them. I do not have an issue with the airport board."Bader also underscored the vital role an airport plays for the community."I see the importance of anything that can improve the commerce with people moving in and out of the county," Bader said. "What is personal is ODOT aviation threatening my livelihood."The state's decision leaves Bader with really no options to address the violation and keep Summit viable:• Upgrading the poles, by either wrapping reflective tape around or installing a red flashing light atop them, doesn't satisfy the court's decision.• Taking the poles down, and relocating them elsewhere in time for the upcoming racing season, is neither logistically nor financially possible.• Substituting the bulbs with a different source, such as a telescopic pole or portable lights, won't be strong enough to comply with national racing standards."I don't have any options," Bader said. "If I had an unlimited checkbook and wanted to throw millions of dollars at the problem I could, but nothing is designed, nothing is engineered and nothing has been constructed. There is no ready-made solution."A recent ruling from the Ohio Department of Transportation's aviation division indicates Summit Motorsports Park unlawfully installed three light poles toward the track's end point.The fed's takeThe Register asked the Federal Aviation Administration several questions pertaining to Summit's light pole issues.Among them, with answers provided by spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory:Q: Why are these poles a danger to pilots?A: The light poles are in the approach path. This means they have the potential of impacting planes arriving and departing from the airport.Q: Why weren't these issues brought up by the administration, before or during the planning process, to avoid such a situation?A: The FAA was not informed during the planning process. We found out about the lights after they were mentioned in a newspaper article. The lights are located within the approach path of the runway, creating a hazard to planes coming to and departing from the airport. The FAA conducted an airspace study and found a presumed hazard. The state of Ohio then ordered the poles be removed.Q: Will the administration work with Summit and the Huron County Airport in hopes of coming to a compromise all parties could be satisfied with?A: The FAA met with the parties on Feb. 28 and suggested Summit work with an aviation consultant to determine if there's a better lighting system, including one that could be raised and lowered as needed. We are waiting to hear back from Summit.The state's takeThe Register also asked the Ohio Department of Transportation several questions pertaining to Summit's light pole issues.Spokeswoman Erica Hawkins didn't provide answers to specific questions. Instead she offered a brief statement:"ODOT has had extensive conversations with the owners of Summit Motorsports Park since last summer. The department has been very clear from the beginning about what the state and federal requirements are. The department has a statutory responsibility to ensure the safety of the airspace around airports. ODOT remains committed to continuing conversations with Summit to identify a solution."When the Register sought additional clarity on how these poles present a safety hazard, Hawkins responded by indicating: "We are still in conversation with the company and are committed to working towards a solution to this dispute. We will respectfully refrain from further comment until we have had the opportunity to further that conversation with Summit and share the proposal we are discussing with them."Summit Motorsports Park owner Bill Bader Jr., left, talks with Register sports editor Mark Hazelwood about the possible consequences of his race track possibly shutting down after the Ohio Department of Transportation ruled he unlawfully installed three light poles, creating a safety hazard for pilots landing at the nearby Huron County Airport.The Friends' takeA request to interview LeClair went unreturned. Instead a different Friends member, the nonprofit's secretary Dennis Sokol, agreed to speak on the issue. He founded the Friends group with LeClair about seven years ago.Up to a certain point, Bader and Sokol agreed on many points in relation to the issue.For starters, Sokol confirmed Bader's claims on how no plane has crashed or come anywhere close to inadvertently landing near Summit Motorsports Park. Additionally, Sokol doubled down on Bader's stance, noting the important role Summit plays for local economics.Yet when it came to the actual complaint and its validity, the two starkly differ.When asked "What's more important for Huron County: The airport or Summit?" Sokol called it an unfair comparison."That is like saying, 'Which store in Norwalk is more important? Wal-mart or Walgreens?'" Sokol said. "They are all important. If you lose any business in town, it hurts."Despite LeClair informing authorities about Summit's light poles, Sokol distanced his organization from playing any role in the state government's ruling, which negatively impacts the track."There is a falsehood going around," Sokol said. "The Friends group is not pursuing this. We are not involved in this other than to educate the community what the truth is. Mr. LeClair notified the FAA of obstructions and was doing that as a private citizen. This is matter of federal policy."LeClair then bashed Bader for not performing any due diligence prior to constructing the poles."I can't believe he didn't check on that or consult with anyone," Sokol said. "Coming out of the clouds, it's very easy for a pilot to be 330 feet away from the runway and hit those poles. It's a safety hazard. He put those poles up in violation."Sokol then argued Bader's exaggerating his point to gain sympathy from the general populous."If he takes down two of the three poles (the ones recently installed), he will not lose his insurance or his license," Sokol said. "He's building up a theory saying he'll be driven out of business because of this."Sokol then offered his own theory on Bader."He has bigger goals," Sokol said. "He wants the airport property. He has wanted it for years. Drag racing is dying, and I've read many articles how drivers are aging. Young kids aren't interested. He is in the entertainment business."Sokol refuted any suggestion about relocating the airport to any other location, including in Willard.For a new airport, "it would take 10 to 15 years to develop it," he said. "Willard is not possible. That airport is landlocked, and the runway is narrow."Brittany Force warms up the tires of her Top Fuel dragster during the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk on June 25. Because of legal action from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Summit Motorsports Park faces the real possibility of shutting down, which means events such as the Top Fuel series wouldn't happen at Summit. The board's takeThe Huron County Airport board, which oversees aviation operations and remains a separate organization from the Friends group, hasn't declared a definitive position on the matter.Though one board member described Summit's potential closure as disastrous for the community."I can't even tell you how devastating that would be," airport board member Melissa James said. "So many businesses, even mom-and-pop shops, would be negatively affected."James credited Bader for raising some good points in his arguments against the state transportation department."While safety is a great concern, there are many other obstructions that appear to be more egregious than these light poles," James said.Because of legal action from the Ohio Department of Transportation, Summit Motorsports Park faces the real possibility of shutting down, which means events such as the annual Night Under Fire would cease to exist. The fans' takeLast week, Summit Motorsports Park's official Facebook page shared the initial Register news article previewing this issue. The post was shared more than 450 times and liked by 300-plus people.Of the 70 or so comments, almost each one was positive in nature. Among a few:• Joe McGlothen: You're telling me they would shut down a track that generates jobs, tourism, business and tax money for a run-down airport that nobody uses? If anything, the airport is in the way of the drag strip.• Greg Fox: This is what happens when a government department gets involved. Stupidity at its finest. People in the area should petition and get the airport shutdown. It's not doing anything for the economy anyways.• Jeff Britton: I sit on a board of directors for a airport authority in eastern Ohio and am very familiar with FAA guidelines and runway protection zones. If the FAA is OK with the plan that the Huron County Airport authority developed with the assistance of their engineering firm, then ODOT aviation should not have an issue. I believe someone is out to cause hardship for the track.• Blaine Ferianc: I travel 185 miles twice a summer to go to your track Bill Bader Jr. Stand-up kind of guy. I spend a lot of money at your track and in the local neighborhood. Fight these idiots all the way.• Tom Whaley: A very classy operation and family. This track is so important to our economy. I will be calling my local representatives. Good luck Bill.ContactSummit Motorsports Park executives encourage those in support of the race track to contact both Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Ohio Department of Transportation director Jerry Wray. Kasich:— Mail: Riffe Center, 30th Floor; 77 South High St., Columbus, OH, 43215-6117— Phone: 614-466-3555— Email: http://governor.ohio.gov/contact/contactthegovernor.aspxWray:— Mail: 1980 West Broad St., Columbus, OH 43223— Phone: 614-466-7170— Email: Terri.Barnhart@dot.ohio.govReach reporter Andy Ouriel at ouriel@sanduskyregister.com and follow him on Twitter @AndyOuriel.