NEWS

Heath plans cruise changes; track expects Mopar return

Kent Mallett
Reporter
  • Mopar Nationals scheduled for Aug. 14-16, 2015, at National Trail Raceway, track manager said.
  • The city spent more than $8,000 in police and street overtime for the Super Cruise last weekend.
  • Police handed out 17 citations, five on Friday and 12 on Saturday.
  • A routine traffic violation costs $128, but only $9 goes to the city of Heath.

HEATH – National Trail Raceway expects Mopar Nationals to return next year, despite concerns about the Super Cruise on Hebron Road in Heath.

Heath Mayor Mark Johns said he plans to work with police and representatives from the track, Mopar and the Licking County Convention and Visitors Bureau to improve on the event next year.

The 35th annual Mopar Nationals has been scheduled for Aug. 14 to 16, 2015, National Trail Raceway manager Mike Fornataro said.

Attempts to reach Mopar officials for comment or confirmation were unsuccessful.

The return of the popular event, which brings in more than $7 million to Licking County, had been uncertain because Mopar drivers were disenchanted with the evolution of the Super Cruise.

Heath city officials closed the right lane of Hebron Road, from Hopewell to Andover, to create a buffer zone between spectators and drivers attempting burnouts.

The change calmed the crowd, Mayor Mark Johns said, but some spectators said the single lane of congested traffic ruined the event.

"Nobody was hurt, that I'm aware of," Johns said. "There were no accidents I'm aware of. The number of excessive burnouts in that area greatly decreased from previous years."

The mayor said he is aware the traffic congestion has reached a point that Mopar participants avoid the area and that further changes are needed in 2015.

"Everybody in the area wants to see Mopar Nationals stay here, including me," Johns said. "These cars are pretty awesome to look at, and we need to make it a more enjoyable atmosphere for everyone."

Police Chief John Mason reported the city spent more than $8,000 in overtime; $6,000 and $2,000 in the police and street departments, respectively; another $1,000 to rent message boards and traffic cones; and an unknown amount on fuel during the six-hour, two-day event.

Police handed out 17 citations — five on Friday and 12 on Saturday.

"I think we achieved a good deal of voluntary compliance in the area we had it down to one lane," Mason said. "South of that area, there were pockets of quite a bit of burnouts, particularly in front of the Holiday Inn Express."

Ron Cook, a West Salem resident who comes here annually for Mopar Nationals, said the Super Cruise was disappointing this year.

"The participants weren't happy and the crowd wasn't happy, I don't think," Cook said. "It wasn't a good time for anybody."

Cook, who stayed at the Econo Lodge, said police told spectators to leave about 10:15 p.m. Friday and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, compared with midnight or later in previous years.

"Police were trying to get all the people to go home," Cook said. "We're staying in the hotel. Where are we going to go? We were standing in the grass (in front of the hotel), and police told us we have to get in the parking lot."

Cook said the Mopar Nationals information packet he received also encouraged participants to check out North 21st Street, near the Roosters restaurant, in Newark, but the addition came too late to have a big effect.

Newark Police Chief Steve Sarver said he had not heard of any cruise-related activity in Newark last weekend.

Eric Mason, owner of Pappy's Grill on Hebron Road, said the weekend was great for business.

"It's the best weekend of the year for us," Mason said. "The people are great and appreciative. They're coming back year after year. Hopefully, they can find a compromise to keep it coming back."

The mayor said the cruise is not the windfall for the city that people envision. A routine traffic violation costs the driver $128, but only $9 goes to the city and the rest pays for court costs and fees.

"There's a misperception out there that the city if Heath gets a lot of money from writing tickets," Johns said. "That's totally inaccurate."

Hotels and some restaurants do very well, but some other businesses do not, the mayor said.

"There are some businesses who suffer on the evenings of the Super Cruise because local people don't want to go anywhere near that area."

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8545

Twitter: @kmallett1958