DENVER -- Residents within fume-sniffing distance of the Shell Grand Prix of Denver will receive a ticket out of town if the auto race offends their sensibilities.

Officials of the 90-resident Auraria Lofts, which are within the 1.65-mile course, are negotiating with Grand Prix officials for getaways for residents who aren't racing fans. The races are Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.

Kerry Koepping, board member of the homeowners' association, said Grand Prix officials have offered to sponsor day trips to Breckenridge or Black Hawk, with a backup suggestion of the Denver Art Museum (with free lunch) for those who don't want to travel far.

The day-trip solution is one that Grand Prix officials in Long Beach have used since 1975 to pacify nonracing fans. About 100 people each year take advantage of the Long Beach "relocation program,'' said spokesman Chris Esslinger.

Esslinger, who also represents the Denver race, said the trip option will be available here, though he didn't know the locations. It's also unknown how many people would be eligible.

During negotiations with Denver city officials in the spring, Grand Prix representatives obtained a waiver to the local noise ordinances. Those rules normally prohibit noise of more than 50 to 80 decibels, depending upon conditions and time of day. The Grand Prix waiver permits the open-wheel cars to rev their engines as high as necessary.

Celia Vanderloop, a program manager for the Denver Environment Health Department, researched decibel levels at the Denver Grand Prix in 1990 and 1991 and discovered that the levels frequently exceeded 100. By comparison, a typical jackhammer produces 100 decibels and an average night club hits 110.

Kevin Magner, a city government liaison to the race, is involved in negotiations to minimize the noise impact upon residents.

"The good thing is, it's all during the daytime,'' he said.

In Long Beach, the association pays for the buses and admission tickets to the zoo or other event, and sometimes allows $5 for lunch, Esslinger said.

None of the Auraria Loft residents has expressed highly vocal opposition to the race, Koepping said.

"The general consensus is, people are looking forward to it,'' he said. "It will cause some change in the normal transition, in terms of security and flow. But we've worked with the Grand Prix to defer any negative that might impact the residents.''

Lofts resident Randy Brodsky said he will take a seat on the building's roof to watch the race. He has no objections to it, assuming he'll have easy access to the building.

Referring to the noise and traffic associated with the race, he said, "That's the trade-off for living downtown.''

Steve Caulk writes for the Rocky Mountain News.