Osceola Drag Track expansion on hold

Racing in Osceola has hit a roadblock.

The Osceola Drag Track's expansion plan is on hold until a court decides whether or not to uphold the Elkhart County Board of Commissioners' decision to approve the changes

Those changes include eliminating the required notice to residents about events at the track, allowing the track to be more than 900 feet closer to properties and creating a drone school.

Once the Elkhart County Commissioners approved the plan, a group of people protesting the expansion filed a lawsuit to reverse the decision.

People who live near the track said they think the expansion will be bad for the neighborhoods nearby.

"It's not just a few people who want to make a lot of money," said Rita McPhee, an Osceola resident who lives near the track.

"It's people that worked hard all their lives, and they don't have two or three homes. They have one."

Some in the area support the measure, including Thomas Miller who owns a business on property owned by the track's owner said the noise from the races should not bother anyone.

"It doesn't last very long," Miller said. "It's only on a few days a week. I'm looking really forward to having it happen."

However, residents like McPhee said the noise scares pets, shakes houses and keeps people awake.

The Elkhart County Commissioner Mike Yoder said the noise will be monitored.

"There is a noise limit, a decibel limit that would put the noise somewhere around something like a semi truck on the road," Yoder said.

Miller also said the hold up in the expansion plans are preventing a change in ownership, and thus, preventing the current owner from pursuing her retirement plans.

Neither the current owner nor the potential buyer were available for comment.