FE Power Forums

FE Power Forums => Non-FE Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Val406 on April 17, 2020, 03:18:14 PM

Title: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Val406 on April 17, 2020, 03:18:14 PM
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/us/coronavirus-ohio-racetrack-trnd/index.html

Certainly not intending for this post to devolve into political nonsense... for information only.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Drew Pojedinec on April 17, 2020, 03:34:42 PM
Dudes gotta do what a dudes gotta do.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: chris401 on April 17, 2020, 04:55:58 PM
That is a tough one. I was part of a business seinse about 10 myself that went under and I have had the hardest loss to a flu strain. Personally I'd sink a dozen of my own businesses before I took a role in the death of someone else's child. It depends on your experiences and losses.



EDIT: If he opens they way he claims it could be a good model to follow. Getting a bunch of half drunk spectators to go along is another thing.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: BattlestarGalactic on April 17, 2020, 06:09:09 PM
I know Bill Jr.  I've raced there many, many times over the years.  I don't think he thought that his little talk on Wed night would go viral.  He has been interviewed by all the local news now.  He is not back tracking, but clarified his intentions.

Instead of 80 some races that were scheduled, he is working on maybe 20 with very special circumstances.  He will do what is right and control it but you can't just sit there as your business collapses.  Norwalk is by far one of the nicest facilities in the area.  Period.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: C8OZ on April 17, 2020, 07:32:31 PM
One group did a little pay-per-view race a few days ago with just a minimal safety and support crew. It's certainly not a full solution or long-term fix, but I hope fans will step up and support whatever stop-gap ideas their local small businesses can put together. I don't want to see anyone go up against their town/state/whatever and lose, either.

It's not very exciting to watch your local track on a monitor, but I sure don't want to see them go under.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: TomP on April 18, 2020, 03:12:59 AM
If people can go grocery shopping why not drag racing? Outdoors you aren't as susceptible to a virus as you are indoors. This nonsense has been disruptive enough already. There was a pretty flimsy reason to shut everything down for some flu bug.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: cjshaker on April 18, 2020, 09:34:17 AM
I know Bill Jr.  I've raced there many, many times over the years.  I don't think he thought that his little talk on Wed night would go viral.  He has been interviewed by all the local news now.  He is not back tracking, but clarified his intentions.

Instead of 80 some races that were scheduled, he is working on maybe 20 with very special circumstances.  He will do what is right and control it but you can't just sit there as your business collapses.  Norwalk is by far one of the nicest facilities in the area.  Period.

x2 What Larry said.
The track has a HUGE grandstands and pit area. Keeping a distance on anything less than a NHRA Top Fuel event should not be an issue. People have to work, or people starve.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Stangman on April 18, 2020, 07:29:22 PM
I agree with the Ohioans if that’s a word. Sounds like as long as we can social distance and if you even wear a mask in the pits. I go shopping with the wife and we are pretty close to people and I’ve been to the track there’s definetly more separation at the track. And speaking of the track it would of been the reunion next weekend.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: BattlestarGalactic on April 19, 2020, 12:47:02 PM
Luckily it's not next weekend.  My junk is still all piled up at the machine shop!!   :o
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Stangman on April 19, 2020, 05:08:44 PM
Ha true I got 2 new tires and the one bent rim waiting for wheel alignment. I might have to drive all the way to Ohio to go to this track.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: TomP on April 20, 2020, 11:59:03 AM
Is it too late to move the FE Reunion to Norwalk next weekend?
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: cjshaker on April 20, 2020, 12:11:13 PM
Weather in Ohio AND Pennsylvania later this week is looking like the typically crappy weather that always happens on the Reunion dates, so I don't feel so bad about it being moved. I just wish they could have picked a time other than the days immediately before Drag Week.

The Dragway 42 event sounds interesting, but it's not strictly FE, and I doubt a lot of the regulars that come to the Reunion will make it.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: BattlestarGalactic on April 20, 2020, 02:14:24 PM
I just hope by then the tracks are opened!

My Ashland truck show that weekend, I was working on not going so I could come to DW42, I found out last night that if there is any "crowd restrictions in place" during the event that the insurance coverage is void.  Oops.  Meaning the show can't go on. 

I hope race tracks don't see the same problem?
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Falcon67 on April 21, 2020, 04:34:22 PM
We are under limied shelter until 4/30.  After that,unsure.  If we stick to the phases as offered by the Executive branch, then there'll be some interesting arrangements to run a race.  Keeping races apart in staging isn't too much of a problem.  Except Friday TnT - I'd bet the kids have to be reminded every 5 minutes to separate.  They're invincible you know.  This Covid thing happens to old people.  Oh my, look at the local stats where 24% of reported cases are in the 20-29 age range and only 8% 60-69.  81% of local cases are age 59 and under. 

Anyway, the trick I see will be distributing and paying for run cards.  Can't cram everyone in the base of the tower like normal, that is barely 16x16.  Owner doesn't take credit cards, the machine rent was too high and it never seemed to work consistently.  iPads with a swipe could be an option if I could engineer a way to get wifi coverage outside the steel lined tower.  iPads with data plans are too expensive and our track owner does not own/want a smart phone.  He only texts.  I personally would not be happy about handling a bunch of cash from 60 different people.

All that said, the oil field crash is likely to pull a bunch of people out of the racing game. 
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Falcon67 on April 22, 2020, 02:43:24 PM
Update - track owner asked the city about a possible TnT date for May 5 and was turned down.  We're spiking pretty good here thanks to a food processing plant.  Will have to see what they do when 4/30 comes around next week.  Even golf courses here are limited access,  t-times done online, club house or pro shop closed, no more than 5~10 in a group. 
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Katz427 on April 22, 2020, 03:07:25 PM
The weather in southern NY state, cold with some snow at night in higher elevations. Just not nice enough, yet! Not much open, unless your circle is the Dollar Store, and Walmart.
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: Falcon67 on April 22, 2020, 03:26:56 PM
LOL, it's in the 80s~90 here already.  If the virus on surfaces was proven not to survive at 80+, we'd have it made.  it's nothing to have 100+ surface temps in spring and summer here, including car finishes and ground temps. 
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: 57 lima bean on April 30, 2020, 01:06:36 PM
    Ground Hog day here as our Governor saw his shadow.Two more weeks of confinement.
    Went to get licenses tabs Tuesday after getting the call to pick them up.Entering the DMV
    the buildings first set of doors,I called the the number(my cell phone) and was tolled
    that I would need to use the communal phone to contact the only too visible staff at the main
    desk.They were pissed when I pointed out the pathetic protocol.
     
   
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: cjshaker on April 30, 2020, 02:59:52 PM
...and was tolled that I would need to use the communal phone to contact the only too visible staff at the main desk.
     
   

A communal phone, on the pretense of not spreading a virus. Brilliant  ???
Title: Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
Post by: jayb on May 01, 2020, 01:48:00 PM
"The governor saw his shadow" LMAO!!  ;D ;D