A bump in the road is no big deal when you’re driving 30 mph, but at 200 mph, it’s a different story.
In fact it can be a matter of life and death or of being open or closed for a raceway that is building a national following and reputation.
So it’s a crucial step forward that the city of Great Bend and the SRCAGB are going to cooperate to bring in two expert firms to resurface the local drag strip.
Now that the site is getting more national attention and bringing in national races, it’s more important than ever for the strip to be professionally smooth, the Great Bend City Council was told Monday night.
The council approved a package of financing to make a $90,000 resurfacing project possible.
And the firms that will carry out the specialty smoothing and surfacing will be able to get the work done this spring, in time for this year’s racing season, the council was told.
Sunflower Rod and Custom Association Great Bend will work with Freeburn Track Repair, of Fremont, Ind. and with Southeast Grinding and Grooving, from Marietta, Ga.
City Administrator Howard Partington noted that the city has been accumulating funding for improvements to this area, including work to the concrete in the “commons area” near the Expo Area, and the council had approved a half mill levy for the improvements. The city has $60,000 of the funding needed for this improvement from this with the other $30,000 coming from the funds that are generally set back from the race receipts.
The city will provide a six year, no interest loan of the $60,000 for the project so that it can be accomplished this season.