Author Topic: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...  (Read 4235 times)

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Val406

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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.
« Last Edit: April 17, 2020, 03:21:30 PM by Val406 »

Drew Pojedinec

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Dudes gotta do what a dudes gotta do.

chris401

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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.
« Last Edit: April 17, 2020, 05:05:05 PM by chris401 »

BattlestarGalactic

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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.
Larry

C8OZ

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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.

TomP

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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.

cjshaker

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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.
Doug Smith


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Stangman

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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.

BattlestarGalactic

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Luckily it's not next weekend.  My junk is still all piled up at the machine shop!!   :o
Larry

Stangman

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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.

TomP

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Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2020, 11:59:03 AM »
Is it too late to move the FE Reunion to Norwalk next weekend?

cjshaker

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Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
« Reply #11 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.
Doug Smith


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BattlestarGalactic

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Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
« Reply #12 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?
Larry

Falcon67

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Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
« Reply #13 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. 

Falcon67

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Re: Ohio racetrack owner vows to reopen despite coronavirus restrictions...
« Reply #14 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.