Commission Nixes 100 Acre Wood Rally in Crawford County

Citing numerous complaints, potential liabilities, miscommunication and roads that cost more than $5,000 to repair, commissioners on April 20 ended 100 Acre Wood Rally competition in Crawford County.

The most recent event was March 19-20.

The decision was swift.

“There will be no more racing in Crawford County,” Presiding Commissioner Leo Sanders said to Curt Faigle, chairman of the rally.

District 1 Foreman Danny Brown passed a check for more than $5,000 to Faigle for repairs.

“This is what I need to do for the taxpayers,” Brown said. “This was uncalled for.”

He added that he had felt neutral towards the event, but is now firmly against it continuing in the county.

The 100 Acre Wood Rally is held across three counties — Washington, Crawford and Dent. It is a part of the American Rally Association.

Cars race through closed back roads over a two-day event.

There are more than 100 competition miles and 200 transit miles.

The race has been staged in Crawford County for more than 30 years, but a growing list of complaints and a testing day that caused a headache for residents proved to be the final straw.

Commissioners were asked if they had any intentions to fix the issues that occurred, but Sanders cited the liability.

“I talked to (Prosecuting Attorney) Dave Smith,” Sanders said. “His suggestion was that we stop it. The liability has always been there. If someone gets hit, who gets blamed? It’s not just the racers.”

Commissioners and County Clerk John Martin discussed possible ways of continuing the racing in the future.

Sanders said any decision would hinge on an “ironclad contract” that removes the county “from any and all liability.”

Testing Day

The catalyst for the commission’s decision seemed to be a testing day gone awry.

Drivers used Cherry Valley Road for testing. In years past, they used Westover and Hobo Roads.

There are 32 houses on Cherry Valley Road and they were never notified that drivers would be out that day.

Faigle took responsibility for the miscommunication, but said they did not want crowds showing up.

Mike Pendleton, a former sheriff’s deputy, lives on Cherry Valley Road.

Pendleton worked the event as a deputy and said he used to enjoy it, even as the complaints grew.

On Wednesday, March 18, Pendleton said he started receiving calls at 6:30 a.m.

Drivers were on the streets and residents were confused.

When Pendleton called Crawford County 911, he said none of the dispatchers were aware of what was going on.

“This is Crawford County 911, right?” Pendleton recalled asking.

Two dogs were hit in the process of the testing and both survived. Several people had their driveways blocked. One woman needed to go to the doctor and she couldn’t back out.

“The security measures weren’t there,” Pendleton said.

Faigle said that teams wanted to test on Wednesday, but the deputy in charge failed to inform Cherry Valley Road residents of what was happening.

When commissioners learned what was transpiring, they shut it down.

District 1 Commissioner Rob Cummings was in Sullivan when the calls came in.

He ordered the racing to stop.

Pendleton described the scene as chaotic. Faigle said they were trying something different and did not have enough marshals on hand.

“When we heard there was racing, it was a shock to us,” Sanders said.

No Benefit To County

While discussing their decision to end racing in Crawford County, commissioners said they see no benefit in the form of tax revenues.

“Most of the tax money goes to Potosi and Salem because of lodging,” Sanders said.