Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Sincw they dropped the hammer on the IA statefair, how long before we hear the fate of the nationals?

They say they will make an announcement July 1st.

Does the dropping of the 50% capacity rule that goes into effect Friday sway the decision more to the let's race side? I sure hope so. Outdoor venue in middle of summer poses almost no risk. I don't see running it at half capacity as a good idea. To me locally our governor is allowing a path back to normal but it's the businesses that seem to lack the will to get back to normal. Especially big businesses. Hoping for good news July 1st. 

State fair postponed due to size of fairgrounds and so many surfaces to try to keep sanitized over such a large area with so many people over a large area. Totally different than nationals. Much smaller fairgrounds. 

We're at 100% capacities in June, and still have July to get through and prove that events like this can happen. 

Keep It Real

Terry McCarl announced on Twitter yesterday his Oskaloosa races would be run with no restrictions. Wouldn't it be likely if that race is run so will Knoxville?

So if the 2020 state fair was "postponed" when are they having it?    "Postponed" means its going to be held at a later date.  If the 2020 fair is rescheduled to 2021, when will they be having the 2021 state fair?

Just call it what it is, the 2020 Iowa State Fair was cancelled, not postponed.

It would seem barring a reversal of fortune in terms of cases, hospitlizations, etc that there will be at least something in mid August.  Maybe they have to go the Jackson Nationals route & pay a reduced purse due to a limited capacity.  Say they are able to admit 75% capacity then they reduce payouts accordingly.  Saturday night would still pay $112,500 to win using a straight 75% payout.  

I am just speculating & know nothing but they could still put on a hell of a show at a 75% or even 50% capacity pay scale & still draw cars & turn a profit.  

Knoxville twitter posted some information on looking for lap sponsors for the 2020 Nationals. Something is in the works and I don't foresee anything going forward that would further limit the event but rather get it back to near normal.  Hope for 100% capacity crowd. 

Just to be clear, the lap money deal was announced last year and is not related to COVID.

I assume the lap money deal could allow them to offset some reduction in purse. You could pay $100k to win and still have the chance of someone winning $150k if they led all the laps. We'll see.

In a latter tweet from the track, they stated that they were "planning for the best case"   Which would mean a Natationals with a full field.   As part of the planning they need to start selling the lap sponsorships now.   At $1,000 a lap, it takes a while to sell 50 laps.    I don't think you can take this action as any indicator of the odds of the nationals occuring as normal.   They are just planning for the best. 

Agree with your last two sentences, but they started selling the lap sponsorships last September: https://twitter.com/knoxvilleraces/status/1169022258720849920

My opinion is the nationals are going to be cancelled.

A few things that needs to be considered. A large amount of tickets are bought thru renewal every year. If you try to reduce capacity how do you handle that? Telling fans that have had tickets for years that you can't come even thou you have bought them already. 

My parents have already decided even if they have the nationals they are not going. They are in the age and health catagory that this virus has been really hard on. They have been long time ticket holders, do you screw over some of your fan base just to run this year? That could affect tickets sales in the future if people feel like they got hosed over.

I went to the opener last week and the wife and I walked in wearing masks. I looked around and nobody else was wearing them and nobody was following any distance rules. Only the front chute stands were open and the back never did open, little dissapointed in Knoxville for that. I told the wife screw this and we walked right back out. Watched on dirvision from the parking lot for a little while and went home. 

I thought of the hosehead member who stated a while back something about I will let the f@ckers not wearing masks complete the science experiment. I am sure the antimask crowd doesn't think they work but I have first hand experience at work with a positive case. Its mandatory masks at work and guess what, nobody else got it and several of us were exposed.

They could decide to go ahead with the Nationals and refund those who decide they are at risk and chose not to attend.  Chili Bowl seems to be going down that path with refunds and no loss of seat renewal.

Impossible to social distance rows when tickets were presold.

Might be hard to pay a Nationals purse with anything less than full pits and stands.

Good chance it might morph into a 2 day Outlaw show... ie; Mini Nationals (used to be an event in the 70s?)

Nationals are almost certainly going to be cancelled.  I have tickets, so hoping not-----but it seems inevitable.  Our "Fall Festival"----FALL---has been cancelled.  So, I cannot see the Nationals happening.

Hope to be wrong!

Correct but reposting it yesterday would suggest something is in the works. If they sell all of the tickets I can about guarantee a sell out Saturday night. 

There was still plenty of seating to spread out and distance if one so chose to on Saturday. Plenty of rows down low or towards turn one that didn't have a single person in them Plus if you were wearing a mask and being mindful of surfaces touched I think anyone would have been safe. As for nationals that wouldn't be possible but can bet you can get full refund of tickets if health was compromised in anyway.

I'll continue to complete the science experiment. Cases and deaths dropping like a rock. Been to 10 races in 2020. COIVD is not a death sentence. 

Also to throw in another thought on this. Lets say the nationals go as normal and covid cases explode around Knoxville and Pella area in the weeks following. This would be a really ugly public relations issue for the track to have.

Don't get me wrong I would much rather be sitting there in August but seeing some of these other things get cancelled it isn't looking good. Ragbrai, county fairs, state fair all have threw in the towel.

Unless there is a severe 2nd wave Nationals will happen I believe.  Even if smaller or lower payout.  That's my guess.  I think the only thing stopping would be liability concern and right now congress is working on laws that will not allow people to sue if they contract COVID because a building or a business was open or they attended an event.  Which is the way it should be.  Take responsibility for yourself and take or don't take your own risks.  Once that passes there is zero reason not to hold them.  If you don't want to go, don't go.  I really can't believe I'm seeing people trying to make a case that its not fair to people who don't want to go if they still have them.  huh?  what?