Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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Anyone with "boots on the ground" have a sense of when the governor in Iowa will start allowing some fans at outdoor venues?  I'm specifically eying that mid June outlaw weekend at Knoxville.  I thought I had heard something about late May, but that was a while back.  I'm in IL & we look very bleak for racing with fans in our state for the time being.  

Honestly she should have opened things all the way back up and made mask use mandatory and social distancing. We have a few counties and areas that are bad but most the state is doing pretty good. The county I live in only had 47 cases and with the recovered taken off that only 9 are currently active.

I work in Coralville and we had a person work all day sick and then test positive but nobody else got it. Masks are mandatory and everybody is supposed to be washing hands and using sanitizer. This showed me if you follow these recommendations that your chances are greatly reduced in getting it.

Really the only thing that has changed for me is wearing a mask. Using hand sanitizer after doing anything like going to Lowes or Caseys. And I don't touch handrails or anything I really dont need to touch.

Current restrictions (no fans) are in place until midnight May 27.  We should know something more in a week or so.

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You could limit the number of tickets to Knoxville at 4,000 and still practice social distancing as long as you opened the backstretch and didn't serve concessions. The one size fits all policy is dumb at this point. Also, it seems far more dangerous to be indoors with AC than outdoors based on what I've read.

My son and I were discussing yesterday.  It would probably sell out quick if they limit seats.  They could do assigned seats like with Nationals and space them out in different groups sizes 2, 3, 4, and 5 sests for instance.  Carry in coolers with food and drink----would Iowa State law allow?  If not, would they be willing to change temporarily?  We shall see.  

I think it would definitely sell out, if not Friday than definitely Saturday. 4000 tickets each night would also definitely pay the bills as well.

I think every other seat and every other row.  Recommend face masks.  I know Knoxville has been talking to governor alot.  Hope it opens for WOO  show and stays open.  People have got to take charge of themseives and stay away from strangers..Two grandstands are big enough that you do not have to be close to others.  Why would you be more likely to get covid at race track concession line than at a grocery store check out.  Keep your distance.

Linbob-

I think you have nailed it except for one thing. I'll address that at the end of this response.

We've had a total of 4 events down here at Monarch and 82 using a 'every other row is blocked, and use those blocked rows only to get to/leave your seats throughout the night (so you aren't walking directly in front of someone)'. Plus we have 4 more slated at those two tracks by the end of the month.

Each night we simply had the announcer remind fans as they came in and got settled about the 'rule' and so far we've had a grand total of zero problems with fan compliance.

Not even one nervous nelly wrote in or complained about feeling 'unsafe' or anything like that whatsoever.

These events are outside, and a totally different scenario than stick-and-ball activities where competitors are in close contact with each other.

Furthermore, the issue of 'these are my seats and have been for 20 years and I paid for them' basically doesn't apply to the dirt track world, so as far as fans distancing themselves in our open rows - they do it. 

The only problem with your post response is (yet I 100% agree with every word you wrote): "People have got to take charge of themselves..." The reality there is I'd bet 50% of Americans won't change any single aspect of their habits and lifestyles from this - and they continue to prove it day in, day out: 

Latest example. Yesterday I was doing client work out of town and I needed gas and I went in to the restroom for 45 seconds, like about everyone else does. Other than myself, I witnessed 3 different races of men come in for about the same duration of time. Myself, and only 1 of those 3 even bothered to wash their hands after they finished their business. 

Nothing is going to change. Yesterday was one quick acid test and people in this country will continue to fail at it miserably. And they were demonstrating their lack of regards right out in open public - so who knows what they're like at home.  

That being said, the only place I feel safe at is outside. So there's no better reason than that to go to the races, use your head, and there's a very small chance that something is going to happen to you. But to the people that continue to choose to not do anything to affect change, you and I will continue to go to the races...and their actions will catch up with them sooner or later.

Outdoor dirt track racing isn't a problem whatsoever. 1/2 of Americans are.

The bulk of people working in any level of government don't give two flips about racing, never has, never will, so trying to get their approval isn't going to happen. You have to carve out a path to make it happen.

When the governor of Texas recently said: "If you are a sole proprietor, you go back to work on May 1st and my order supercedes all local and county orders..." well, if your race track fit into that legal description, and you were paying attention to what he said, your track could open up.

In this state, if your track went and asked for local approval in this state, you're still probably sitting there paying overhead with no races in the books.

:)