"Rich S." wrote in message
...
"Ron Natalie" wrote:

What was the airport impact?

A NASCAR track with that many seats gives rise to a TFR (stadium rule)
restricting aircraft traffic unless they are in contact with ATC.
Arlington,
being an uncontrolled field except once a year during the EAA fly-in,
would
be effectively shut down.

Someone with the text of the appropriate regulations is welcome to correct
and or refine this, but AFAIK, that is the gist of the impact.

There is nothing in the stadium TFR that closes down untowered airfields. Of
course, the knotheads at Arlington never could understand that, would not
listen to reason, and continued to squawk like a bunch of wet hens while
making no sense at all. The text of the actual TFR is:

Actual TFR
FDC 3/1862 FDC PART 1 OF 2 SPECIAL NOTICE. THIS NOTICE MODIFIES FLIGHT
RESTRICTIONS PREVIOUSLY ISSUED IN FDC NOTAM 2/0199 TO COMPLY WITH STATUTORY
MANDATES DETAILED IN SECTION 352 OF PUBLIC LAW 108-7. EFFECTIVE 0303061100
UTC (0600 LOCAL 03/06/03) UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PURSUANT TO 14 CFR SECTION
99.7, SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS, COMMENCING ONE HOUR BEFORE THE
SCHEDULED TIME OF THE EVENT UNTIL ONE HOUR AFTER THE END OF THE EVENT, ALL
AIRCRAFT AND PARACHUTE OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED AT AND BELOW 3,000 FEET AGL
WITHIN A THREE NAUTICAL MILE RADIUS OF ANY STADIUM HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY
OF 30,000 OR MORE PEOPLE IN WHICH A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE, NCAA DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL, OR MAJOR MOTOR SPEEDWAY EVENT IS
OCCURING. ALL PREVIOUSLY ISSUED WAIVERS TO FDC NOTAM 2/0199 ARE RESCINDED.
THOSE WHO MEET ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA MAY REAPPLY FOR A WAIVER TO
THESE RESTRICTIONS: (A) FOR OPERATIONAL PURPOSES OF AN EVENT, STADIUM, OR
OTHER VENUE, INCLUDING (IN THE CASE OF A SPORTING EVENT) THE TRANSPORT OF
EQUIPMENT OR PARTS, TEAM MEMBERS, OFFICIALS OF THE GOVERNING BODY, THE
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS AND GUESTS OF SUCH TEAMS, AND OFFICIALS TO AND FROM
THE EVENT, STADIUM, OR OTHER VENUE, END PART 1 OF 2
FDC 3/1862 FDC PART 2 OF 2 SPECIAL NOTICE. (B) FOR BROADCAST COVERAGE
FOR ANY BROADCAST RIGHTS HOLDER, (C) FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY PURPOSES OF THE
EVENT, STADIUM, OR OTHER VENUE. THIS RESTRICTION DOES NOT APPLY TO; (A)
THOSE AIRCRAFT AUTHORIZED BY ATC FOR OPERATIONAL OR SAFETY PURPOSES
INCLUDING AIRCRAFT ARRIVING OR DEPARTING FROM AN AIRPORT USING STANDARD AIR
TRAFFIC PROCEDURES; (B) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR
AEROMEDICAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS THAT ARE IN CONTACT WITH ATC. STADIUM SITE
LOCATIONS AND INFORMATION REGARDING WAIVER APPLICATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 352 OF PUBLIC LAW 108-7 CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE FAA WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.FAA.GOV/ATS/ATA/WAIVER OR BY CALLING 571-227-1322. PART 2 OF 2

As you can see, aircraft may continue to arrive at and depart from an
airport using standard air traffic procedures. Far from "effectively
shutting down" Arlington during a race, it specifically says that Arlington
would have to be kept open.