Last week Stafford Motor Speedway management announced they had received approval from Connecticut officials to open their facility for private practice sessions as part of the state’s first reopening phase in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Stafford Motor Speedway Chief Operating Officer Paul Arute called the allowance by the state a good first step for the track.
Arute praised the group of state officials he has worked with for over a month to assist in getting cars back on the track at Stafford. He talked about how having that positive open line of communication with those officials gives him optimism that the track will get the opportunity at some point this season to bring competition back.
In short, Stafford management is trying to work to show local and state officials that they can reopen responsibly under guidelines and restrictions put in place.
On Saturday night a little known short track in Elon, N.C. named Ace Speedway attempted a reopening strategy seemingly 180 degrees opposite of the maneuverings of management at Stafford.
In defiance of North Carolina governor Roy Cooper’s current state restriction banning outside gatherings of 25 or more people, Ace Speedway opened the gates for a racing card and welcomed a packed house to the venue, which holds about 5,000.
Photos and videos from Ace Speedway Saturday showed fans packed shoulder to shoulder in the grandstands for last night’s racing card. The event ultimately garnered much national attention, even getting featured on the website TMZ, which attracts about 8.1 million readers monthly.
And the question one must ask concerning the short track racing industry as a whole is, will the quiet, behind the scenes efforts to reopen for a place like Stafford Speedway be hindered because of the attention grabbing defiance of places like Ace Speedway?
There’s no denying that anyone who considers short track racing to be an important part of their life is frustrated right now by the fact that so many venues are shuttered because of current government restrictions due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. That includes track operators, drivers, car owners, crew members, track employees and fans. Nobody is happy by the fact that tracks aren’t open.
But is blatant attention grasping rebelliousness really the answer right now? And the bigger question is how will today’s rebellion play out in the long run for the short track racing industry?
Today’s world of communications is built on grabbing people who have evolved to have miniscule attention spans. One hundred word instant news stories are the norm. Quick hit social media postings have become what the world wants. And then there’s the matter of how simple optics prove to be major influencing agents because of those short attention spans. Pictures tell the story in so many cases.
For some, the optics of a packed crowd at Ace Speedway on Saturday are seen as a reward of a job well done by a track operator who stood up to the man and said “I’m not going to take it anymore.” Many around short track racing will see what happened at Ace Speedway Saturday and wear that as a badge of honor for short track racing, a way to show their sport isn’t going to be told what to do by government.
But then there’s the flip side of optics. There are the state officials in Connecticut who might not have a good understanding of what short track racing is all about. Likely those people have never even been to a short track event. And yet, the decision to let a place like Stafford Speedway reopen is in the hands of those people.
And while Arute can tell those officials over and over that their staff is ready to responsibly take the proper measures to safely reopen, one has to wonder what those state officials might think should they see the photos or stories or videos resonating from a place like Ace Speedway Saturday? Yes the optics of a little known short track in North Carolina can ultimately matter for the industry as a whole.
And then there’s the question of the long-term scars left by disobedience of today.
Here’s a reality of short track racing. Long before there were any pandemic shutdowns or regulations, in many communities around the country track operators were already constantly walking a tightrope with local officials and community leaders. You can be assured that in every place in America where this is a short track there are people that don’t want it there and would love to see local officials shut it down or put major restrictions on its operation.
We all know that in most communities where there are short tracks there are people in the community that implore local official constantly to put more and more walls of regulation up for track operators. They want less days of racing, less traffic, less noise, shows to end earlier, camping to be restricted. The list goes on and on. And track operators have to live the life of appeasing local officials to let them continue to do business without allowing the chatter of track enemies in the community to influence their decisions.
So when you’re an operator in this climate right now who has basically decided the best way forward is essentially flipping the bird to state or local officials, how does one think that’s going to play in the long run? Probably a pretty good chance that defiance today will haunt a track operator down the road.
Two years from now when there is no pandemic restrictions and some uppity neighbor decides to forward the next community movement to put restrictions on a track or get it shut down, will decisions made by those in power locally be influenced by the defiance shown by a track operator in May 2020? Probably a good bet that local official who could make a decision to make life miserable for a track operator will remember well when that track operator was unwaveringly uncooperative during a time of emergency.
Before this pandemic short track racing was already facing a laundry list of industry-wide issues and pressures of survival. Why make those pressures that much worse for the sport when this is all over?
We all want racing back, but the cost of making that happen today by brute force and decisions rooted in anger could ultimately be horrendous. The hurt of losing a track forever in a year or two because of a decision made today to be a rebel will hurt a lot more than the hurt now of two or three months without racing.
I don’t see a single person wearing a mask. Maybe they should be tracing all those who attended to see how they are 2 weeks from now.
Tracks will probably be closing for good anyway without any source of income. The list of big businesses and small businesses that went from closed temporary to closed forever is getting bigger every day. Sad times for all you buffet and Victoria Secret fans.
Gotta say it seems RaceDayCt stirred up a hornets nest on social media. A lot of quick responses. I love the guy that said he doesn’t read RaceDayCt but reacted anyway then said he’ll never read it again.. Interest from down South. No one likes being trashed but eyeballs reading what you say even if they don’t like it is a good thing.
21,000 confirmed cases in NC with 716 plus deaths and a population of 8.3 million. Connecticut 40500 confirmed cases and 3700 deaths and a population of 3.6 million. We’re older, denser and more vulnerable.
North Carolina mentally is not in the same place as we are. We’re damaged, wear masks and most everyone knows someone affected by death and illness. North Carolina not so much.
In Connecticut we are on the good side of the curve with hospital cases continuing a remarkable decline. North Caroline is on the upswing but they are coming from a fraction of the destruction we have experienced. We’re learning and it’s working they are not there yet but may be at some point. Especially if this Ace Speedway deal results in an outbreak.
Looks like Coby/Moran, Bonsignor/Massa and Pitkat are leaning go for next week. Weather iffy but not a deal breaker this early. This will be an interesting week for sure.
I’d love to go to a track right now. But this is gross.
While i understand completely what Shawn is saying here, i still side with Ace speedway, as there is ALOT more at stake here, than just short track racing… Life as we know it, fought for, worked for, and have the right to, is under attack, by elected, and worse NON elected “officials**”, trying to systematically alter our way of life, for the purpose of ‘Control”…. civil disobedience is greatly needed by citizens, businesses, and industries of all types, to stop this madness. we are at war, and there sadly will be casualties, but this war CAN be won with ALL people, and businesses alike, taking a stand against EXTREMELY overreaching “officials**” i am on the road back to Ct. after road tripping to Riverside speedway(a nice little track), i will be spending money to support Ace speedway this year, and have been regularly supporting as many small businesses that open despite closing orders, as i possibly can, and encourage everyone to support them as well. Bravo Ace Speedway!!! Rise up, take back your freedom, ignore the misguided, outraged, sheep.
I have no problem with them defying the unconstitutional order. However, I wish they would have made a better effort to follow reasonable CDC guidelines.
Did you stop to think about the fact that when these tracks all close because they couldn’t open and keep money coming in you won’t have anything to report on anymore? Race at your own risk. Attend at your own risk. Statistically speaking, you are more likely to die Driving to/from the track (or anywhere for that matter) than you are from kung flu. I say the risk is worth the reward. If we don’t stand up now, there will be no racing anywhere in the future. Not for nothing, what the ratio for tracks closing vs. new tracks opening?
Don’t do it. Don’t be as obtuse. Masks are one part of the 4 prongs that make Coronavirus cases decline, make it possible to go back to work and get us to the promised land……….a vaccine.
We aren’t Ace Speedway or the State it is in. If you’re saying masks are optional it’s not a sign you grasp anything that is going on in the place we call home.
Every yr the Flu changes, People die when the temps are going up and down like a nightie in red lite district, just google pandemic, govt thinks were fools, we have the right to assemble,
This is bigger than racing. It’s about the will of the people. To be fair, their were people disregarding social distancing across the south this weekend. It’s all over the news tonight. The next two weeks will say a lot about which direction this country goes with this virus.
The truth of the manner is…”we’re losing patience”
Shawn, I want to apologize in advance for losing my mind for a moment…
masks optional says “… but this war CAN be won with ALL people, and businesses alike, taking a stand against EXTREMELY overreaching “officials**” What about the DEAD people, some of whom have died due to the actions of STUPID people that don’t wear a mask to help protect themselves and PREVENT SPREADING THE VIRUS? If people keep spreading the virus PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO DIE FROM IT!! DEAD PEOPLE CAN’T DRIVE RACE CARS OR GO TO RACES!!!
I don’t think they should not have been able to open to the public this weekend. However they should have had same guidelines as restaurants etc… 50 percent capacity inside the gates – race track area as no one sits there.(at least not intentionally. Lol). You can’t be 6 feet away from anyone there. I love going but unfortunately it is through this kind of behavior I will not get to see my favorite driver.
In case anyone was wondering, James Civali won the modified race. The victory lane picture was packed with people on top of each other. Social distancing was not even a thought for anyone down there. We need to send all available Karen’s and dafella down there stat. They plan on racing again next week.
Sharpie,
They posted a long list of precautions they were supposedly taking. Most of them were not actually followed through.
Do some research before you write. This WAS NOT in defiance of local officials.
https://www.journalnow.com/sports/ace-speedway-gets-backing-of-alamance-county-officials-for-saturday-opening/article_e05997e7-819c-5631-9d64-3e917625a4a8.html
Showtime,
Learn how to read. Column specifically states it was done in defiance of the state order restricting gatherings of more than 25. Local officials who gave their blessing admitted they did so knowing they too were also knowingly defying the governor’s order. It’s basically like when the mall security guy’s buddy gets caught shoplifting so the mall security guy tells the real police they can’t arrest his buddy. Doesn’t work that way.
And we don’t have to even mention that they submitted a laundry list of guidelines and restrictions that would be in place to get approval from the local officials and then ignored the majority of those guidelines/restrictions they promised would be in place.
From the article: “…will decisions made by those in power locally be influenced by the defiance shown by a track operator in May 2020? Probably a good bet that local official who could make a decision to make life miserable for a track operator will remember well when that track operator was unwaveringly uncooperative during a time of emergency.”. I can read. This is the part of the article that prompted my comment, as this would not apply since “local official” did not find “that track operator unwaveringly uncooperative during a time of emergency”, but rather approved of the event taking place.
How about doing research before you spread all this gossip!! Local officials were 100% on board with this, someone already shared the link. They actually already have a neighbor who has caused as much drama as she possibly can, contacting officials and news stations relentlessly, but the local officials still gave them the go ahead to race Saturday!! Regardless of how you at this unheard of racedayct.com feels about how this was handled you could at least get your facts straight before blatantly bad mouthing a race track trying to do what they feel is right and what they were ALLOWED to do by local officials
That part of the column wasn’t referencing the Ace Speedway decision specifically. That was generally referring to the issues all tracks face constantly dealing with local and state officials. The column very specifically states that the issue at Ace was defying a state regulation. You can try to spin and pivot all day about Ace getting approval from local officials who admit they gave that approval knowing they were also in defiance of the state by giving their blessing. The point of the column remains. Defying orders and creating optics that look as bad as what came out of there last night will do way more harm than good for short track racing as a whole. I can guarantee you that somewhere out there is a local or state official who was probably getting ready to make a decision about allowing a race track to open somewhere and probably saw that story on TMZ today and quite possibly decided maybe it wasn’t the best idea to let that track open because of what they saw.
And by the way, you didn’t address the fact that the track submitted a list of regulations and guidelines they promised local officials would be in place for the event and then didn’t actually follow many of them.
Racefan,
The column specifically states the track ran in defiance of the state order banning groups of more than 25. The state order supersedes the local authorities. Local authorities have publicly admitted they gave their blessing knowing they too were defying the state order by doing so.
Was this a NASCAR sanctioned event and/or track?
The person standing on the table making some sort of speech is wearing a NASCAR Officials shirt.
🤔
Darealgoodfella,
No, Ace Speedway is not a NASCAR sanctioned facility.
Have to ask, what about Thompson, or the bowl as they seem to be close?? As for masks and social distancing, I’ll keep doing it. Don’t like 99% of humanity anyway.
Bob G.,
Seem to be close? Not sure what you’re asking.
Well, people might start getting sick, then they’ll cry that nobody told them this would happen.
Oh well.
The outbreak in Chicago was traced back to a person at a funeral and another at a birthday party. The outbreak in Germany was traced to two friends that met at a cafe.
Bob g. posted, “As for masks and social distancing, I’ll keep doing it. Don’t like 99% of humanity anyway.”
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thanks, I needed that.
I’m watching the Coca-Cola 600, and I’m impressed that everyone is wearing a mask. 😷 Makes me think of this… are people wondering why so many other people are wearing masks?
A couple of corrections, then a couple thoughts from NC:
1. The article said ACE was a little-known track. Not so. Very popular here, and a long-running track. Host to touring shows, blah, blah, blah, Maybe not familiar to you, but certainly not little-known.
2. Someone said James Civali won the modified race. There were 2 tour-type races, Tim Brown won the first, James the second. Both victory lane photos looked full of people.
I was excited they opened. I didn’t go because I knew what would happen. They said they would operate at approximately 50% capacity. There was too much excitement and anticipation for that to happen, and everyone knew it. In my opinion, they made a huge mistake allowing so many people in. I like that they opened, and local officials allowed it, but I don’t like that they let everyone in, and did not follow the precautions. I hope we don’t see the results in a couple of weeks with a long list of those infected after attending.
Enough is enough. The government did this once and it will do it again. They have proven that they can control people. The economy is ruined, people and companies are going bankrupt not to mention everyone’s mental health.
Look I know this pandemic was bad and I’m sorry for those that suffered and died, but what about exposing the herd building immunity ?
The American people are a free society and they are going to rebel.
The track was able to race due to the verbage in the governors order. It states that it’s a “recommendation”. It was not a requirement for the limit of 25 people. The track owner did his research and met with local law inforcement, mayor and lawyer before opening he did not break any laws. I was there and saw that the signs were posted the directional arrows were posted. Announcements were made. If people were not following the rules that’s on them and their rights not the tracks. So the people used their first amendment rights.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The race was a peaceful assembly.
If you get the plague, take two Constitutional rights, turn the radio on to your favorite right wing Constitutional evangelist, say a prayer, waive the flag and you’ll be just fine in no time at all.
US history is littered with examples of times when Constitutional rights were taken away or people voluntarily put them aside for the good of the country. It’s what people do when times call for sacrifice and common purpose. If this crowd enabling irresponsible, selfish behavior were the majority in WWII we’d be goose stepping to a tune that didn’t include anything remotely close to rights let alone Constitutional rights..
The race at Ace was as much a protest as it was a race event. The fact that track management played lip service to a laundry list of safety best practices then proceeded to ignore it as they were counting their ticket booty is irrelevant. Whether it’s a race in the South or at a lonely little track in northern New Hampshire or a pool party in Arkansas you can’t stop it unless their is a common sense of purpose by the citizens of the country and that does not exist.
The president has abdicated any responsibility for establishing a common sense of purpose or shared sacrifice and in some cases advocates against it.. The Governor of North Carolina is quoting the Constitution and peoples right to assemble. Local officials and drivers like Burt Meyers and others are quoting the Constitution as well. Under those circumstances what chance did safety and health considerations advocated by the CDC, scientists or epidemiologist’s have in moderating peoples behavior.
It’s anarchy now and the only thing we have control over if anything is our State and region and maybe that not so much.
The people packed in at Ace Speedway want to be a petri dish experiment for why restrictions may have merit then no one can stop them. . If they’re lucky they will be fine to preach about their Constitutional rights in the future. If the petri dish was contaminated then the good citizens of Ace Speedway USA will learn that perhaps Constitutional rights don’t help you much when you’re sicker then you ever thought possible, isolated and scared.
Like the Arkansas pool party that never registered with the Ace Speedway patrons, an Ace Speedway infection event should it happen won’t register with some other place in Constitutional rights USA that wants to have fun. Mainly because it’s messaging anarchy and there is no sense of common purpose and sacrifice nationally.
Seriously you don’t have to be trained to kill people and shipped overseas to fight a war.. You don’t have to risk being beat up when you go to vote of eat at a lunch counter or go to church. You don’t have to work in a factory putting rivets in airplanes all day, you don’t have to go without gas, sugar, tires or some other commodity needed to fight a war. You won’t be drafted.. You don’t have to give up your right to habeas corpus and you won’t be rounded up and put into internment camps.
All you have to do is wear a freakin mask and keep your distance and you can’t ever do that.
To me it is just plain disgusting how ignorant as a society we are, Yes I said we. Riverside Speedway should be shut down and fined. At the very least a dam mask or bandana should have been required. The President does not help matters and that is a story for another day. Wake the f up people. I hope like hell that this winter this does not fester into a second wave as it may. Nobody loves racing more that me but listen to science and fact. Shawn you have been spot on reporting the facts.
Just look at that picture…
To the idiots that claim the orders from the Governor are unConstitutional, try something new… think. 🤔 If you aren’t going to, or can’t think, obey those that can… for your own good. That’s the point of law and order.
For this one extremely unsophisticated business that defied the law, claiming it is unConstitutional, there are thousands and thousands of companies with hundreds of thousands of lawyers on staff, that are complying without question. And it’s not just a matter of complying with the law, it’s about protecting the people, customers, and employees.
Look at the many companies that have announced that they will be doing work from home (WFH) indefinitely… there are MANY!!! I know a company that has hundreds of thousands of employees around the world and they announced that WFH is the way it will be until a vaccine 💉 is available.
Look at that picture. Clearly there was little concern for customer safety.
President Plump is making it look like all is well, while nearly 30 states still have uncontrolled epidemic levels of infection, and some states have yet to be impacted.
President Plump, again defying the experts, just issued a threat to move August’s Republican National Convention from Charlotte if the state won’t commit to “full attendance”. North Carolina currently limits indoor gatherings to 10 people. President Plump needs to have a rally, surrounded by all those adoring sheeple.
Interim Quarantine Chronicles Report:
Current USA Pandemic Deaths: 99,311
Folks, this can’t be ignored away.
Shawn, check out that link that ShowTime posted… there’s a picture of a NASCAR Official giving some sort of infield meeting. NASCAR!!!!! I would think that if NASCAR is involved, they would mandate COVID-19 safety requirements, just as they are doing in the Cup, xfinity and Truck series. Perhaps you can discuss this with NASCAR.
Darealgoodfella, looks like the paper that ran that story probably just dug through their files and grabbed an old stock photo from the track. The track is not currently sanctioned by NASCAR. I think it’s pretty certain NASCAR would have not allowed their brand name to have been involved on Saturday.
https://hometracks.nascar.com/local/home-tracks-list-page/
John P, why would the Government be doing this just to control the people? To what end? What’s the point? Why would the Government turn the economy down to the minimum needed for people to survive?
John p., explain that.
The Governments AROUND THE WORLD have imposed similar safety moves to protect the people and reduce the NEEDLESS LOSS OF LIFE.
Interim Quarantine Chronicles Report:
Current USA Pandemic Deaths: 99,311 (first COVID-19 death was Feb 28)
Folks, this can’t be ignored away.
John, how many more Americans and others around the world have to die before you get it? We are dealing with a HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS 😷 PATHOGEN 🦠.
NASCAR is probably not too happy today with that pic being used and making it look like NASCAR was a part of this.
JohnP. I totally agree, mebbe more people will get tired of being played for fools by our govt,Its looking a bit too much like China here now, Itll be the new fashion trend Sheeples w masks at least the dern kids are pulling their pants up again, thanks shawn i enjoy your blog,
Is it really worth the risk to see a race? All the Constitutional Scholar’s have climbed out from their holes. In order to understand the Constitution you should read it all, not just the first few paragraphs. But there is nothing me, or anyone can say that makes what happened right. Blatent disrespect. We’ll most likely lose cup racing once the numbers in NC shoot up, but who cares, they got to see James Civali, and Tim Brown race.
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darealgoodfella says
May 21, 2020 at 3:55 pm
Doug, keep working on fanless PPV short track racing coverage. It’s about as viable as injecting Clorox, Lysol, and internal UV light is for curing COVID-19.
Speed51 5/23
“For the first time in 2020, a Super Late Model race will be held in the Northeast on Friday, June 5. Claremont Motorsports Park in Claremont, New Hampshire announced Saturday that the track will hold a Granite State Pro Stock Series event without fans in attendance. The event will be streamed via a live pay-per-view broadcast on Speed51.”
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DAREAL AKA “THE REAPER” SETS NEW ELAPSED TIME RECORD FOR BEING WRONG
😷😷😷 darealgoodfella 😷😷😷 says
May 24, 2020 at 11:58 pm
Was this a NASCAR sanctioned event and/or track?
The person standing on the table making some sort of speech is wearing a NASCAR Officials shirt.
Shawn Courchesne says
May 25, 2020 at 12:00 am
Darealgoodfella,
No, Ace Speedway is not a NASCAR sanctioned facility.
BUT, BUT, BUT
😷😷😷 darealgoodfella 😷😷😷 says
May 25, 2020 at 9:49 am
Shawn, check out that link that ShowTime posted… there’s a picture of a NASCAR Official giving some sort of infield meeting. NASCAR!!!!! I would think that if NASCAR is involved, they would mandate COVID-19 safety requirements, just as they are doing in the Cup, xfinity and Truck series. Perhaps you can discuss this with NASCAR.
Shawn Courchesne says
May 25, 2020 at 9:54 am
Darealgoodfella, looks like the paper that ran that story probably just dig through their files and grabbed an old stock photo from the track. The track is not currently sanctioned by NASCAR. I think it’s pretty certain NASCAR would have not allowed their brand name to have been involved on Saturday.
OH VERY WELL BUT, BUT, BUT:
😷😷😷 darealgoodfella 😷😷😷 says
May 25, 2020 at 10:46 am
NASCAR is probably not too happy today with that pic being used and making it look like NASCAR was a part of this.
THE FACTS, JUST THE FACTS!
Sounds ok to me. Lets see the math. 23k cases in a state of 10.5 million. That puts the infection rate at 0.22%. I still like my odds. And BTW, if A then B is not science. Donkeys reported the first death was Feb 28th. Wrong, the first known death was Feb 6th. Like Shawn says, we will see the fall out soon if there is any.
I remember President Plump ran on a platform of law and order. People should respect ✊ law and order, and the lawful authorities need to enforce the laws.
And if the Governor’s order was that weak and written with so many loopholes and ways out, then the Governor is accountable for issuing worthless, unenforceable orders. This will be fun to watch play out.
knuckles posted:
“Sounds ok to me. Lets see the math. 23k cases in a state of 10.5 million. That puts the infection rate at 0.22%. I still like my odds. And BTW, if A then B is not science. Donkeys reported the first death was Feb 28th. Wrong, the first known death was Feb 6th. Like Shawn says, we will see the fall out soon if there is any.”
This is how you make yourself look like an idiot.
Population of North Carolina: 10.5 million
Number of cases: 24,056
NUMBER OF TESTS: 344,690
The NUMBER OF CASES does not apply to the entire population, since the entire population has not been tested, only the NUMBER OF TESTS. The NUMBER OF TESTS is the basis that gets applied to the NUMBER OF CASES to determine the infection rate. But you’re too stupid to know that.
So when done properly, the NC infection rate is running around 6.7%, which is up there where the PUBLISHED INFECTION RATES FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
So for every 100 people at the track, 6.7% were infected. And they spread it to the other 93.3%.
If the population of NC is 10.5 million, and 344,690 have been tested, there are still 10,155,310 people in NC THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED.
You still like your odds you stupid punk?
Oh Goodfella the facts the facts what’s the percentage of the survival rate?
I’m not choosing a dog in this fight but, these are the numbers for here in MA. The death count in MA rises to 6228, of whom 83 have been under the age of 50. The average age of victims is 82 & 98.4% of all victims had at least one “underlying condition”.
I care for my 86 year old Mom, so needless to say whether I like it or not I continue to do everything needed to keep her safe. My profession (musician) was bad, to begin with. Now? I’m probably done performing. Most jazz gigs are outside the US and those in the US will be the last to open.
It’s a shame that a pandemic is doing more damage to our country than it is making us stronger and united. It’s a SAD time for sure.
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darealgoodfella says
May 21, 2020 at 1:43 pm
Um, 4 weeks after June 20 is the end of August. I doubt Phase 4, if there is a Phase 4, will go to several thousand or unlimited people at events.
IF THE REAPER CAN’T CALCULATE 4 WEEKS FROM JUNE 20, TRUST HIS INTERPRETATION OF MORTALITY RATES AND RISK FACTORS AT YOUR OWN PERIL.
TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES NATIONALLY AS OF TODAY 1,643,000 BASED ON 14,749,756 TESTS COMPLETED FOR AN INFECTIONS TO TESTS RATE OF 11.1%. NEITHER THE NATIONAL INFECTIONS TO TEST RATIO NOR THAT FOR NORTH CAROLINA CAN BE APPLIED TO A SMALL GROUP WITH ANY DEGREE OF STATISTICAL ACCURACY.
Maybe it’s just thinning the herd.
I’d like to extend a warm welcome to all the new posters, or screen names. Just want to warn you that one poster uses many screen names. Doug, Sybil, WeldingWonders, Insipid Sybil, Waldo, RickyInMass, and several others are all the same poster, or shall I say im-poster. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. I crack myself up.
Well, welcome, enjoy the banter.
For everyone of you that believes you have the right to kill one of us by doing something stupid there is one of us that believes we have the right to be protected and live.
sharpie – are you volunteering?
Earl, make that two! I will gladly “second” your statement! This whole thing is getting more and more frustrating to deal with due to the ever continuing time frame for it. HOWEVER… the quickest way back to some version of normalcy and racing is to “suck it up” and continue the current protocol for now.
Goodfella don’t dodge the question as per the CDC today the survival rate starts with a 99.
Once again dadonkey is wrong. In medicine disease prevalence is calculated by total percentage, not percentage of people being tested. You should really stop thinking you know it all, and misleading these folks. Having said that, if there were 5k people there, there were likely 10 people there who were positive. In any given year about 8% of the US population gets the flu, give or take a few percent. We calculate that on the total population, not the number we tested, otherwise our percentage of disease would be quite high. I don’t even know why I read his response there, I usually just skip over his junk, know it all posts. My prediction, there won’t be an outbreak. I would not hang your hat on an affective vaccine either. This is an RNA stranded virus, of which, there has not been a good vaccine for any RNA virus.
knuckle dragger posted, “In medicine disease prevalence is calculated by total percentage, not percentage of people being tested. ”
Really? Please post the definition of disease prevalence.
knuckle dragger posted, “Sounds ok to me. Lets see the math. 23k cases in a state of 10.5 million. That puts the infection rate at 0.22%. I still like my odds. And BTW, if A then B is not science.”
There you discussed infection rate. But your math was for calculating the prevalence.
You stated infection rate, I showed you the CORRECT infection rate. The correct infection rate is 30 times the 0.22% what you posted.
But go ahead, try to divert to disease prevalence.
The infection rate is NOT the same as the prevalence. But you didn’t know that.
You don’t know math. You are unarmed. Walk away.
knuckle dragger posted,
“In any given year about 8% of the US population gets the flu, give or take a few percent. ”
In that statement, the presumed sample size and the entire US population are the same. Do you understand what that means, and how that pertains to the difference between infection rate over a sample other than the entire US population, and the prevalence using whatever known incidences there are and the entire population as a basis?
Answer: No, you don’t.
knuckles, this is high school level statistics. Nothing special about being used in a medical application. This is simple, like Venn diagrams from first grade.
“get tired of being played for fools by our govt”
So, all the other governments around the world that are either asking or requiring their citizens to social distance, or take other even more stringent measures… I suppose all those governments are playing their citizens for fools, too?
To what possible end? Can anyone explain that?
“If people were not following the rules that’s on them and their rights ”
So. Damned. Ignorant. If the risk was borne only by the risk taker, no one would give a toss what you and the other members of the idiocracy choose to do. Shoot heroin. Smoke crack. Drink bleach. GO for it…. have a ball. Those risks are on you.
Yes, you’re risking becoming infected by participating in events with large crowds. (With any luck, you’ll catch it.)
But the bigger risk is to the MULTIPLE people you could be infecting in a crowd. How many stories do we need to read about one person infecting 25 people, 50 people, or more?
You can easily be a carrier and not know it. There are literally millions of people walking around today with the virus and they don’t know it. So, sure… you may be one of those that don’t feel any ill effects. But you’re putting other people at risk… especially older people and anyone with a compromised immune system. And some of those people are going to die. (And don’t be fooled that it’s only the nursing homes that we’re emptying out… the data proves otherwise.)
All this talk about My rights! My rights! My rights! My rights! It’s absolutely sickening. Rights are frickin’ AWESOME. But rights are NOT absolute. You can’t commit libel. You can’t yell “FIRE!” in a crowded theater. You can’t put 100 people in a meeting hall that the fire marshal has given a max occupancy of 50. You can’t bring a weapon into a court house. And let me know how it goes if you try to bring a gun on your White House tour (where there are plenty of “good guys with guns” on the premises.).
In a society, rights are constantly in balance. But I don’t suppose many of the “but my rights” magpies have ever heard the principle that Your rights end where mine begin. (Originally: “Your right to swing your arms ends just where the other man’s nose begins.”)
Oh, and one more thing…. I would just about kill to see a modified race at Seekonk or a PASS race at Star at this point.
Addendum to my last post…
One can argue that everyone at a racetrack, or in a crowded pool, is there because they’ve acknowledged the risk and accept it.
But do any of those people have to go to a job, working with the public? And how about the people those folks live with? Did they have any say in taking that risk?
How about the people those crowd-goers are going to interact with at the gas station, the grocery store, Target, Walmart, a restaurant, the pharmacy? Those are all places people NEED to go. And to do so, they’re now forced to interact with people who have willingly exposed themselves to possible infection.
We’re just supposed to be better than this.
I’ll be 63 this summer, I’m in the age range that is at high risk. I had to go to Brigham and Womens in March. For three weeks after I had a dry cough and lost my sense of taste. What dose that sound like? 99% of the people dying have an underlying medical problem. How many years do I have left? I don’t want to be locked down for any of them. My point is I’m not scared of dying, but I don’t think this virus will kill me or most of the people who get it. Thomas Jefferson said, “Revolution is good every 200 years or so”. When was the last one? ” Anyone who thinks that the government can take better care of them, just has to look at the American Indian”, Henry Ford.
big business probably gave our big orange prez a pile of money to pull all this, let the small bizes suffer and let the folks w billions just get richer, more should be done for folks here in the usa that are struggling, not letting billionaires get richer, if ppl want to elect a crooked biz man w zero poltical or military exp nuthin i can do about, stay n comply or leave the country
solsticeson, since the #TrumpPandemic struck, about $8.2 trillion in emergency, relief, bail outs, stimulus, etc. has been released. That works out to about $25,000 per PERSON. NOT JUST THE WAGE EARNER, BUT EVERY PERSON. Where’d all that money go??? You are darn right President Plump is getting rich. He might actually be a billionaire now.
And people that got the measly $1,200 are dancing in the streets.
” This is an RNA stranded virus, of which, there has not been a good vaccine for any RNA virus.”
I researched the vitamin d information you provided knuckles and am taking a little extra now so thanks for that. It is cheap, it can’t hurt in small doses so what’s the harm.
The statement on RNA based virus’s and perpetuating the notion that a vaccine or spectrum of vaccine variants is unlikely is simplifying an incredibly complex science into a negative talking point that is not informative in any way. You know very well a vaccine does not have to have 100% efficacy. Vaccines are about reducing the incidence of infection and reducing the spread. Limiting the viruses opportunities as it were. Flu is RNA based and mutates constantly and none of the vaccines are 100% effective but they limit transmission none the less by reducing incidence.
By now no one should be taking anything anyone says in this forum regarding the pandemic as gospel. If anything it should be a queue to check it out further.
Think about what Darealgoodfella would do then do the opposite. Like him yammering on a NASCAR official at the Ace Speedway and not looking up the fact Ace isn’t a NASCAR track after being told. Do the opposite of that. Check it out.
“I’ll be 63 this summer…”. So, I guess you’ve earned the right to pass along a potentially fatal virus, cutting short the lives of other people. Who can argue with logic like ‘it’s ok, since “most of the people who get it” won’t die — or, if they die, probably had an underlying condition, anyway.’
So, the new rule is, we only need to care about other people during a pandemic if more than half the population is dying, and they didn’t have any other health concerns. Got it.
BTW Henry Ford was a notorious anti-Semite, and that quote was not something he said.
At this point, many local governments have started easing restrictions, saying they expect people to behave responsibly. And what are we seeing as a result? A whole bunch of selfish people who are putting everyone else at risk. And there’s already evidence that the number of cases is heading up in places like AL and TX. Good job, patriots.
Doug: You are correct. In this instance, like the flu, you are trying to do herd immunity. The flu vaccine is about 50% effective. This vaccine, like the flu vaccine will have some effect, but will not be the panacea that some want to believe. I am hopeful though. Interesting that China, Wuhan area to be more accurate, just came out with a vaccine which they claim has rapid antibody response. I’m skeptical. Won’t know where we are with Covid for 3 to 4 years.
Here’s what a little known short track in Elon, N.C named Ace Speedway’s own County Government had to say today about the situation. Strangest thing, huh?
On Tuesday evening, the Alamance County Government released the following statement:
“Alamance County Government officials were puzzled by Governor Cooper’s comments regarding ACE Speedway during the media update on Tuesday, May 26, since no one from the Governor’s office has reached out directly to the county, even after the county requested guidance and input. Local governments across North Carolina have asked repeatedly to have a voice in how the COVID restrictions impact their communities. However, those requests have not been addressed.
“Alamance County Government has repeatedly reached out to Governor Cooper and NCDHHS for guidance in how to assist ACE Speedway to operate in a safe manner.
“Alamance County sent a letter to the Governor on April 20, requesting that a regional approach to reopening be considered and that local governments participate in decision making. The County has not received a direct response to its letter.
“On May 11, 2020, Alamance County Government officials, Jason Turner of ACE Speedway, and Matt Gross, the Assistant Secretary for Government Affairs at the NC Department of Health and Human Services, participated in a conference call, discussing how ACE Speedway could safely operate during Phase 2. Mr. Gross stated that it was not known whether Phase 2 would begin on May 22 and that it was not known what capacity businesses such as ACE Speedway could expect, but it would likely be between 25-50% of fire code. A document entitled, ‘Precaution Requirements for ACE Speedway’ was developed through collaboration between NCDHHS, the Alamance County Health Department, and ACE Speedway. Jason Turner assured Alamance County on multiple occasions that he intended to follow the recommended protocols at ACE Speedway.
“After reviewing Executive Order 141 on Wednesday, May 20, Alamance County had questions about its applicability and enforcement. On Thursday, May 21, at 9:00 a.m., Alamance County Government officials, Robert Turner of ACE Speedway, and Mau Gross of DHHS participated in a conference call. Mr. Gross was made aware of Alamance County’s concerns and questions. He stated that, not being an attorney, he could not advise the county, and he promised to forward the county’s concerns to the Governor’s staff and that someone would get back to the county. Alamance County has yet to hear directly from anyone with the Governor’s staff, NCDHHS, or anyone else in State government.
“The health and safety of its residents continues to be the highest priority of Alamance County. Alamance County has investigated the precautions taken last Saturday night at ACE Speedway, and has verified the following: 2550 spectators on a 50 acre property (approximately 50% of fire capacity); rosters for contact tracing were provided; 10 feet distance between each car in the pit area, recommended masks and 6 feet social distancing in pit area; multiple hand sanitizer stations provided; precaution signage; Plexiglas partitions where appropriate; marks of 6 feet of spacing in lines and high traffic areas; one-way arrows for traffic through the restrooms; public announcements every 30 minutes to remind spectators to social distance and wash hands; restrooms and other public areas sanitized regularly; and limits on the number of people in the infield and outfield.“
Showtime,
That seems like a lot of words to say nothing. The governor put forth an order that no gatherings more than 25 were allowed and track officials – in concert with local officials who do not hold the power to supersede the governor’s order – defied the order. Everything is squawking.
And the part about the county investigated the precautions and verified they were in order might be the funniest thing I’ve ever read. There’s only about 50 videos or photos floating around showing the grandstands jammed with people. And that’s not mentioning the photos of people stacked up in line at the ticket booth.
I spoke with two Dr’s yesterday, one the retired CEO of a major Boston hospital and he’s a renowned Internest, he said the Herd protocol works and said that in Sweden they didn’t close schools or lock down the economy and their numbers were in line with the rest of the world. He also said that the mental toll this is having is worse then the virus. In other words, getting the Herd together does not increase the number of cases and helps towards building immunity. He’s far better positioned to comment than any of us.
John P,
You’re on a site using a fake name saying you spoke to two doctors yesterday, one being the retired CEO of a major Boston hospital. And people should believe you why? You could come on here and say you spoke Santa Claus yesterday and he said the Easter Bunny is a fraud.
And what it is with people coming on here spouting Sweden numbers that don’t get what they’re doing in Sweden or what herd immunity is. Yes, Sweden is employing a Herd Immunity strategy to fight COVID-19. You said: “and their numbers were in line with the rest of the world.” No. No their numbers are not in line with the rest of the world and no expect would expect their numbers to in line with the rest of the world because they’re not using quarantine measures to attempt to flatten the curve. They want everyone to get the virus as quick as possible. That’s how Herd Immunity works. You want everyone to get sick immediately so then everyone has immunity. Sweden’s case rate per one million and death rate per one million are significantly higher than it’s neighboring countries, but that’s also to be expected. If you’re trying to use Herd Immunity and your numbers are the same as countries trying to use quarantine to flatten the curve than you’re not doing herd immunity right. If you actually really met a “doctor” that told you all this I’m more worried for you that you fell for someone telling you their a doctor and they clearly are not.
Shawn, you incorrectly, assume a lot. I have gone by John P all my life, it’s not fake or made up. You know my full name because it’s my email which is required to submit a post. Very few posters use their name or anything near to it. I’m an Official at a race track and known as John P. The two Dr’s I spoke with are members of a club I belong to and I have known them for years. Your aware of this club. Why would I make this up? I’m not telling people what to do, just stating my view. If people want to shelter in place fine, I don’t. And I don’t want the government controlling what I can and can’t do. To attack someone personally as you did with false assumptions of your own is wrong. You, me and the rest of us should stick with racing. This my be a duplicate response, not sure if I submitted the first one or not.
” Herd protocol works”
Yes of course it does. That’s what vaccines are for to promote the herd affect. Build resistancet without the death rate.
Maybe some doctor could make a case that the total number of deaths in the long run is the same under a containment vs promotion strategy. Get it over quick, number of dead people the same. However it completely ignores the argument that you are stalling for time to get the vaccine. There’s also the issue of crashing the health care system in the short term promoting the herd affect and the economic devastation of having so many people sick and dying over a short period of time.
In any case we aren’t Sweden. Promoting the herd affect with all our poor, densely populated areas would amount to genocide that generally is not considered a good political strategy.
Face it, this isn’t about the herd affect, Sweden, hydroxychloroquine or freedom loving fans at Ace Speedway. It’s Trump supporters using any means they can to somehow mitigate the damage this has caused to his chances to be re elected. You need a different strategy cause promoting quick death and using risky drugs inappropriately for prevention ain’t gonna get you to the promised land.
John P could have talked to doctors, they could have made observations on the herd affect being effective then it’s goes through the personal agenda filter and comes out a completely different thing. A ridiculous thing in my view.
Heard the Governor of North Caroline respond to questions regarding the rise in cases in his State and he said he is enforcing all safety measures and protocols based on CDC and health official recommendations. I fell out of my barkalounger laughing. He uses the Constitution to guide him on safety protocol enforcement which is to say there is no enforcement.
John P.,
One I was making a point that anyone can come on here and say they talked to anybody of any authority and that person told them: “blah blah blah” so it must be true because that person knows what they’re talking about. No, sorry, does not work that way. If you’re insulted that I would question the authority and authenticity of your statements that supposedly came from doctors you know then I’m sorry to have hurt your feelings, but that’s real life.
Second, what you said in your original comment doesn’t make sense at all. Again, you said of Sweden: “and their numbers were in line with the rest of the world.” No, that is a false statement. Their numbers are significantly higher than all countries practicing Quarantine/Social Distancing plans. Sweden is using a Herd Immunity strategy so their numbers will be higher in the short term, and that’s the strategy and hope of Herd Immunity. They want higher numbers because the plan of Herd Immunity is to get as many people infected as possible in a short span of time so you essentially make the population immune through a natural process that actually encourages people to spread the disease.
You also said: “In other words, getting the Herd together does not increase the number of cases and helps towards building immunity. He’s far better positioned to comment than any of us.” Again, wrong. You’re comparing apples to zucchini’s here. Ultimately, in the long term, if the goal is to create an immune population without the use of a vaccine then Herd Immunity is the way to do it. But the fact is, you can’t mix and match a Herd Immunity strategy with a Quarantine/Social Distancing strategy. You can’t have a plan that is trying to keep case numbers and deaths as low as possible over the long term with the hope of vaccine as the end game and then also have a large portion of the population practicing a Herd Immunity strategy because ultimately the people practicing the Herd Immunity strategy are going to spread the virus to those trying to practice Quarantine/Social Distancing practices.
I apologize if you’re insulted that I’m questioning your logic, but what you’re saying doesn’t line up with the reality of what a Quarantine/Social distancing attack is versus a Herd Immunity strategy. And if you have a doctor telling you these things I would certainly question his ethics and understanding.
Oh boy, John P. thinks he’s above reproach. I love those people.
John P. posted, “And I don’t want the government controlling what I can and can’t do.”
I’m not surprised at all.
John P. is so special. All them there laws don’t apply to John P.
John P., you are indeed special, you keep believing that.
John P, nice too see someone w/ sense looking at all this in a proper perspective, kids nowadays, just glad i grew up in the 70s,if all the sheeples wanna wear masks feel free,the folks makin new fangled hand washing crap must be loving this, soap n water still work,thanks again shawn
It was questioning my integrity, that I was upset about. I sold capital goods through out NE and upstate NY and my integrity was one of the reasons I was at the top of my industry, if I didn’t know the answer I said so and found out what it was. I’m glad people are washing their hands. You would not believe how many race fans and crew members don’t after using the men’s room. That’s why after washing mine, I use the towel on the door handle. Not shaking hands in the future would be welcome for that reason alone!! Stat’s and poles are swayed by who is paying for them and usually the truth is somewhere in between. darealgoodfella, all that from two posts? I ware a mask, have sanitizer in all my cars and stand 6 ft away from people, just because you don’t like government interference does not make you feel that your special, 244 yrs ago a lot people felt that way about government and that’s why we’re here today.
Solstaceson,
I’m all for people speaking up here and offering point/counterpoint civil debate and argument on topics. But if you’re going to come here and argue your point with information that is factually incorrect and very easily proved wrong then expect to be called out for it. And no, your nonsensical and false information isn’t going to be accepted just because you said a doctor told you. If you come on here and start spouting information about Herd Immunity in Sweden and you don’t even have the first clue what Herd Immunity really is or the real statistic that are actually involved then you’re going to get called out for it. Someone who is offering information that is very simply proved false is not bring “sense” to anything
Shawn, I noticed a lot of responses from you lately to people who may not agree with some of the things posted here and you tongue lash them and then it seems like you have “outed” a few of these post due to inaccurate claims or you just think differently than the poster. Why hasn’t this same thing happened to some of the posters that seem to be in line with your thought process but have been proven wrong on many posts? If someone has a personal problem with you and there post are false why not just not print it instead of “outing” people’s names on an site that most people don’t use there real identity for whatever reason. It’s not right to post people’s names based solely on the content of there post or else everyone posting here should have to use there actually name. Just MY opinion.Oh and how about the vulgarity rule but allowing cartoon middle fingers and piles of poop? Why hasn’t this poster been asked why they can’t post a clear and informed opinion without vulgarity as some of the others? Seems like a double standard to be honest.
Hey knuckles…
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fauci-hydroxychloroquine-not-effective-against-142215234.html
and Vitamin D…
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/vitamin-d-is-essential-for-good-health-but-experts-say-theres-no-evidence-that-it-protects-against-the-coronavirus-145826635.html
John,
Not trying to get in a back and forth here, but you came on here spouting about what you apparently learned from two high profile doctors and then you started sharing information about Sweden and Herd Immunity that wasn’t even close to factual. I’m not talking about statistics or “polls” (or poles as you said), I’m talking about facts on what Herd Immunity actually is. So yes if you start publicly claiming to have acquired information from doctors that is very easily proved to be untrue some might question your integrity. Also, I’m not debating here about what you see as government interference or how feel about safety precautions. You came on here sharing information that was 100 percent false and that’s the only thing I was responding to.
Slapnuts,
If someone comes on here sharing information that is entirely fabricated and very easily proved to be untrue I’m going to say something. It has nothing to do with how I think or if I think differently than them because quite honestly, you have no idea how I think or what my opinion is. If you think something someone posts here is factually wrong then you have every right to offer your research as to why it’s wrong. If you want to use emojis, go right ahead. There’s a big difference between words and emojis and you have every right like everyone else to use them. And let’s be honest here, you’re mad because you had a comment that wasn’t approved in which you directly physically threatened someone. You should be happy by the fact that I’m even allowing you to drop another comment here. There’s no double standard here and stop trying to rationalize or invent something that isn’t.
👋🥜, you just don’t get it.
Are you dumb, nuts, or both?
Shawn has one extremely important goal here, and that’s facts. Fact are facts. 👋🥜, your thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. are not facts. No matter how you state them, they are not facts. You are and have been easily disproven. You aren’t even trying to get close to facts. You are proselytizing, at best.
I’m pretty sure Shawn does not want to allow this site to turn into the others where children are allowed to run wild. 😜 For the most part, this is a rather tame site.
You and many others don’t like when facts are presented because it goes against what you are proselytizing. Facts win over opinions. Every time. Too bad.
You have an opinion? Good for you!!!! What a big boy!!!!! But facts and data can and often does blow you away with ease. With ease.
And if you post an opinion that contradicts an expert, say someone like Dr. Fauci, or the CDC, NIH, etc., expect to lose that argument. Again.
Ok Shawn, talk about double talk. You say I have no idea what you’re thought process is or what your opinion is yet you share you’re opinion freely on this very forum do you not? So then you totally contradict what you just stated by assuming I’m mad that you didn’t post something that I said? Exact same thing!!! I’ll answer thought, no I’m not upset you didn’t post and no where in any post have I questioned why. I also read a post were you stated you liked a good civil debate but when I do just that I get told I’m lucky that I’m allowed to post at all. How is sharing my opinion on the allowance of vulgar emojis versus the written word an attempt to rationalize or invent something? it’s happening on this site is it not? Simply offering an opinion on the subject and questioning the difference. If you feel it necessary to exclude me go right ahead Shawn but, that’s not debating anything that’s shutting someone up who’s questioning the rationale of some rules.
Dareal, c’mon man. You post 2 ok articles, won’t quite call them junk. I already stated in a previous thread, that every patient we are seeing has gotten hydroxy, and they are still very sick. I was skeptical, even way back then, but it’s all we had. It is now contraindicated, but we had to wait and see what the results were gonna be. The Vitamin D article clearly states that it will not prevent Covid, which I said a long time ago. The hope is that it will lessen symptoms if you do get covid-19. Vitmain D does emit anti viral peptides, so i do not agree that it does not help. But that is medicine, nothing is black and white, otherwise medicine would be easy. You go by the science, but also your experience and beliefs.
Slapnuts,
You’re very clearly just coming back looking to engage me and make exaggerated rationalizations and arguments. This whole dialogue began when you posted a comment claiming that Sweden – while practicing Herd Immunity – had the same amount of COVID-19 cases and deaths as Norway and Finland did while practicing Quarantine and social distancing. You came on here that day just to spread totally fabricated disinformation. Why, I have no idea. But I called you out for that and so began your little tirade here to argue every little thing and push the limits on commenting. Yes, I enjoy a good civil debate based in fact. You don’t want a good civil debate based in fact. You want to share made up crap that you dream up in your head and then if people tell you that you’re wrong your fuse goes off. You’re like a six-year old child who can’t get his way having a tantrum. And no, leaving a dark and entirely creepy comment physically threatening someone is not “Simply offering an opinion on the subject and questing the difference.” The fact that you don’t understand that speaks volumes. You’re not questioning the rational of the rules, you’re trying to push my buttons. The rules are simple: 1. No Vulgarities; 2. No Threatening People. You knew that and dropped a comment threatening someone. So give up you’re little charade here about how you’re being singled out or censored or whatever it is you think is happening. It’s really just become beyond ridiculous.
John P. posted, ” And I don’t want the government controlling what I can and can’t do. ”
Pretty clear.
John P. posted: ” I ware a mask, have sanitizer in all my cars and stand 6 ft away from people, just because you don’t like government interference does not make you feel that your special, 244 yrs ago a lot people felt that way about government and that’s why we’re here today.”
Not quite sure what you mean by “government interference” but it seems intentional vague and ambiguous.
I have been posting consistently in favor of abiding by Government and expert regulations, and chiding and deriding the idiots that refuse to protect others or themselves from COVID-19. Don’t know where you got that perception that I don’t like “Govt interference”. Clearly something else you made that up. You are just like 👋🥜 and others that think they are big boys and nobody can tell them what to do.
knuckles, those posted articles work fine for the intended audience. NEJM, Yale or Harvard sources would be overkill.
MSNBC reporters try to shame people for not wearing masks while a passerby points out on live TV that the MSNBC camera man is not wearing a mask. Classic
How many of you decreeing your verdict on this rely on your race track or other motorsports business to make a living?
Until you do, don’t you dare say anything about the greed of the promoters. They missed the first third of their season, just as my motorsports business has. I have lost a lot of revenue and have yet to hold an event this year but they have lost much more.
Enjoy your full bellies and the ability to survive in the current circumstances. We are not making it so good. When you feel safe enough to go back out I hope we people that provide motorsports entertainment still have a product to offer you.
We appreciate you letting us know it is simply our greed that makes us want to make a living from that which we have invested our lives to do. If you were faced with our challenges I wonder if you would sit on as high a horse.
Rob Bolling
Owner
Motorsport 4the Masses
Summerfield, NC
Rob,
A lot of businesses in a lot sectors are struggling right now, so let’s not act like race tracks or businesses connected to racing are the only one’s hurting or being targeted by regulations. That seems to be a common theme in a lot of these arguments. You obviously didn’t absorb the argument of the column. It wasn’t saying tracks are wrong for pushing to open, it was saying when you do so in such a way that you’re flaunting and celebrating the fact that you don’t care about the health and well being of anyone you welcome in then it makes all short tracks look irresponsible, which is exactly what Ace Speedway did. If Ace Speedway had opened Saturday defying the governor’s directives and then showed they could do it in a responsible manner, it would have been a much different story. They could have easily done things right and showed there could be a balance struck between easing restrictions while working within guidelines. Instead they opened and then basically put on a display to seemingly celebrate and revel in defiance. From well before the gates opened right up through the show it was clear the track operator had no interest in doing in anything responsibly. Well before the place opened you had people lined up shoulder to shoulder as far as the eye could see. Then grandstands were packed in shoulder to shoulder the same way with zero effort to even try to make it look like they were limiting attendance or trying to even create any spacing in seating areas. Even on the track in victory lane you had people climbing all over each other. It was as if the track operator told people to put on a show to display that no regulations mattered to them. The track submitted a list of guidelines that would supposedly be followed and anyone who saw photos and videos from there could see that list was not followed. We all watched the photos from there spread like wildfire across social media platforms, and they spread from the racing community outward to people who have no interest in the racing community, but who just might have some interest in making it to go away. All the way to be featured on TMZ, which certainly went very far to show the entirety of the short track racing community in a light that I am certain most short track operators didn’t want it to be seen as. I understand the desperation of short track operators right now. Everybody wants to get back to normalcy in life, and short track racing is no different. And a lot of short track operators are doing things the right way, trying to work with state and local officials in cooperation to move forward. The last thing those people want is those state and local officials to see what took place at Ace Speedway and decide they won’t let that happen in their district and instead of cooperating with the track they’ll just keep it shut down to avoid being the next one featured on TMZ.
Shawn, I was speaking less to the editorial content than the vitriolic responses thereafter. I too wrote my own editorial before the event and in it, I expressed that opening WITH true measures in place was the right thing and that I supported the track IF they stuck to the distancing policies. When I saw the photos, my heart sank. Granted, the angle makes it worse looking than it was. I am a promoter so I know how to “fill in the gaps” with photo angles but none the less it was tighter than it ever should have been. The issue was one much like Woodstock faced. People traveled from all over the southeast to see a race and to limit them at the gate while there was visible room may have risked more than allowing them in.
Here is a transcript of my original editorial comment on the matter.
Well, I too am a motorsports company owner that does my business outdoors and I occasionally partner with Ace and I say, godspeed to Robert and Jason. I am behind your act of civil disobedience that is able and pledges to operate within the guidelines of social distancing and fulfill the stated the purpose of the State restrictions, limiting the spread and keeping people safe.
Even though I feel the state restrictions are far too restrictive and overstep the authority the state has over individuals, for the sake of others I comply with the “request” to continue to “social distance” at any function my company does.
However, I too am being told that I may not operate my business with more than 25 people. The locations where my events are held will not allow me to do as Robert and Jason are doing and plow forward anyway, they are closed until July 1 and refuse to let me even schedule an event.
It is asinine of the state to allow an INDOOR retail outlet of 100,000 square feet to operate at a capacity of 492 persons to sell “non-essential” goods but an outdoor venue with at LEAST 150,000 square feet for spectators and teams can only have 25 people.
Figured using indoor capacity guidelines (fire code x 50%) it would allow a minimum of 750 at the very least.
30 times the currently allowed number.
This is also outdoors where every expert agrees Covid19 is much less likely to be spread and contracted due to air movement, lack of trapped air needing to be exchanged and the desiccation of the virus by moving air.
Combine that with the spreading out provided by social distancing and many of the people wearing masks and you are exponentially safer from ANY virus than you would be any other time regardless of the presence of Covid19 or not.
How dare the state allow gatherings larger than 25 people during flu season and not put major restrictions on social distancing and masks. Without social distancing and masks, the flu is FAR more deadly than Covid19 when guidelines are followed.
It is beyond comprehension. It is affecting my LIFE and LIVELIHOOD as it is the Turners and thousands of other and all for no valid reason.
I understand they are trying to stop “block parties” and large impromptu gatherings and be able to enforce against such but a licensed business that does its business outdoors should in no way be held to a tighter standard than an indoor business just to make it “simpler” on the state to enforce against bad behavior on individual citizens part.
I have had it. My business is is carried out on 20+ acre sites and can operate without my clients ever even coming within 10 feet of another person and all be done totally outdoors but I fall under the same blanket of restriction that is thrown over an open, drunken house or block party.
The Cooper, administration is LAZY and cares only for doing things it believes their base will agree with.
The State is near revolt and I do not blame them.
Rob Bolling
Motorsport 4the Masses
Rob Bolling,
There’s no “high horse” here, just the primal desire to live, and suppress threats to that desire to maximize my life.
This pandemic is a highly contagious pathogen that has seriously sickened millions and hundreds of thousands have DIED. We are still learning that there are many manifestations of this pathogen, and there are long lasting consequences. Infection rates are INCREASING in 24 states. Masks, social distancing and good hygiene are crucial to safety. The folks at that track were reckless and irresponsible with their own lives and those they will be around. The USA just recently passed the grim milestone of 100,000 KNOWN deaths from this pathogen. You are in a much better position than all those sickened and dead people. Is that too obvious? How you can come on here and play the victim card, that your business is impacted, while all those people are sick, fighting for their lives on ventilators, or dead, is pathologically selfish, deplorable and despicable.
The US has issued some $8.2 trillion is relief, stimulus, aid, bailouts, PPP, etc. That works out to some $25,000 per PERSON. We should should be good for a while, right? Where’d all that money go? Hey, you can live on $1,200 for 10-12 weeks, right? That’s what Steve Mnuchin said.
Rob Bolling, you have made it incredibly clear that you do not understand that the density of people is paramount with regard to containing the spread of this pathogen 🦠. That does not matter if it is indoors or outdoors. Indoors is simply far, far worse. When people disregard the rules, such as not wearing masks and not distancing, they ruin it for everyone. That’s not civil disobedience, that’s stupidity, selfishness, and so on and so on.
During this pandemic, entertainment is the lowest and least priority. Entertainment is all risk and no benefit during times like these. Preventing people from getting sick 🤒 🤢 and dying is top priority.
The Trump Administration is stupid and only cares about doing what its base and the upper 1% cares about. See how that works?
It might help if Mr Bolling could explain what his motorsports business is and what he has tried to get approval for. From what I know he is focused on high performance driving experiences and driver coaching, not wheel to wheel competition with spectators or a multitude of pit groupies. Now that several NE oval tracks are being allowed to run practice events, there are a number of HPDE, autocross, Rally training, and club tracks that are trying to get plans approved. The difficultly has been the breakpoint of allowed participants and how much they pay versus the facility rental costs, and where they are coming from (isolation rules).
The problems I see with the mass gatherings at tracks in NC is one of culture. I have had the BGS experience and I will never go back to that place. It’s entertainment, but it is not racing, and the same mentatility has spread to other places and how people act in public just like the virus. In NE at oval tracks it is not the the vast majority of Fans on the grandstand side that I am concerned about acting responsibly and respecting rules, it is on the other side with the competitors, support, and pit prowlers. They can be like kids and can’t control themselves.
Riverside NH speedway season on hold, wonder why.
https://www.wmur.com/article/groveton-new-hampshire-speedway-announces-race-season-on-hold-because-of-covid-19/32697312.
Fox43 in PA also reported that Lincoln and Pen Can speedways were cited for operating in defiance of the PA governor’s yellow county directives, fines to be imposed.
Rob Bolling…
thanks for posting your editorial content here. i agree with most of you what say, and i 100% agree with the spirit of your argument/opinion.
i wish i’d known that Gaffney was gonna let spectators inside last Saturday night, i would have gone! apparently, they decided not to turn away the spectators that showed up.
i’m sure you probbaly know this, but dont let commenters on this, or any website, influence your decisions. most cant discuss a point rationally without name calling. as soon as i see “stupid” or “moron”, etc, i know that the person posting the comment is not capable of discussing conflicting viewpoints like an adult and that anyone resorting to such language is one to be ignored.
thanks for posting the name of your business and i hope that someday soon i can support your business. i attend about 50 short track races a year. in 2019 i attended races from as south as New Smryna to as north as Thunder Road.
Phil A, people show they are stupid by their actions, like going against science, expert authorities, and LAW AND ORDER!
Some stupididiotmorons just can’t help themselves.
Hey Phil, you think that all the world leaders and governments conspired to create this pandemic to control the masses?
Homer, I very much like your comment on culture. I recall an interview with Jeff Gordon, from many years ago, and he was asked what was his favorite track, and his response was Loudon. The reason was because the people up in New England. He used to have a security force to protect him, and keep crowds away. But he said in New England, people were so polite and respectful, he could walk amongst the people and they kept their distance and didn’t crowd him.
John Mellencamp
The Authority Song
They like to get you in a compromising position
They like to get you there and smile in your face
They think, they’re so cute when they got you in that condition
Well I think it’s a total disgrace, and I say
I fight authority, authority always wins
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
Well, I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
I call up my preacher
I say, “Gimme strength for Round 5”
He said “You don’t need no strength, you need to grow up, son”
I said “Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying
And dying to me don’t sound like all that much fun”, and so I’ll say
I fight authority, authority always wins
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
Well, I been doing it, since I was a young kid
I’ve come out grinnin’
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
I say, oh no, no no
I say, oh no, no no
I say, oh no, no no no
I fight authority, authority always wins
I fight authority, authority always wins (kick it in)
I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid
And I come out grinnin’
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
Well, I fight authority, authority always wins
I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid
And I come out grinnin’
Well, I fight authority, Authority always wins
So I said
I fight authority, authority always wins (oh no)
Well I fight authority, authority always wins (oh no no)
Well I’ve doing it since I was a young kid (oh no)
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Everything happens for a reason, sometimes the reason is you’re stupid and make bad decisions.
I lived outside Greenville SC during part of the 1980’s. Before I moved down, there was a guy I used to see at one NE speedway often wearing a T shirt that said, Keep America Beautiful Shoot a Redneck. I wasn’t exactly sure why. One night I told a fine Southern Gentleman this. He said, Son, you know how to tell the difference between a good’ol boy and a redneck. The good’ol boy throwz his empties in the bed and the redneck throwz em out the window, themz the ones to look out for.
In the later 1980’s, the I-85 Carolina corridor started a fairy rapid growth that continues today. Automotive companies such as BMW, Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, and Bosch established production and engineering facilities, bringing more jobs, population, more focus on technical schools and university degrees. The good’ol boys embraced this and the improvements in incomes and lifestyles while integrating certain southern values, but the culture changed, and oval racing is part of that culture. The rednecks are resisting as the old southern culture has less widespread appeal and is disappearing. In their minds, the rednecks have become minorities in their localities causing them to become more defiant. The mentality of the Dirty South is to try and spread this defiance to what is left. They unknowingly see this pandemic and the changes happening as further erosion of the old southern culture. Krispy crème and the Waffle House are dying, Sonnys Real Pit BBQ is losing franchises, and the Piggly Wiggly was hijacked by Yankees. The greater society in the area has been relating short tracks with rednecks and defiance, and that is not a good thing if track promoters are trying to sway values so they can continue. Not everyone in NC is about to revolt.
New England has similar issues, it’s a different culture that continues to evolve. Some tracks/promoters incorporate greater society value shifts, many have not. From what I can tell, Thompson has made their changes to adapt to pre pandemic cultural changes (like it or not), Stafford has a strong legacy for fans/competitors/management with good community relations, and NHMS has always embraced diversity. They should survive this pandemic and years to come. Many of the other NE short tracks have been surviving off the back gate, catering to the club, and not recognizing culture change around them. I’m not so sure these places will be short tracks for long.
While these knuckle dragging far right wing radicals were flouting the law and enjoying this race, 10 poor victims were shot and killed on the streets of Chicago. But reports indicate that the shooters all maintained social distancing and shot all their victims from a distance of at least 6 feet.
Mike H,
Thank you for your comment. I was wondering if someone could possibly bring an analogy that was so far beyond ignorant that I’d be totally shocked and you came through. Again, the column wasn’t about social distancing, or even social injustice. It was about the state of the short track racing industry as a whole and how those in power will see it if you have a bunch of track operators encouraging defiance over cooperation. When a track operator puts out a list of the restrictions they will have in place for their event and then literally encourages the attendees to ignore that list so they can look like good little rebel boys standing up to the man then you’re not doing the short track industry as a whole any favors. It has nothing to do with whether or not you agree with the face masks or social distancing or even if you believe the virus is real or not. It has to do with making everyone in short track racing look bad because you singularly as a track operator want to be seen as a rebel. I love when someone tries to take a clear and understood argument and turn it into something else entirely that they invented in their head just so they can offer up an ignorant comment like you do did here.
The PPV model. It looks like it will play in increased roll for racing in the short term but will it have legs financially to help support racing in the Northeast no one knows. The GSPSS race next Friday is a test. Looks like it was not made possible going in by Speed51 deciding to take a risk but sponsors funding the streaming with PPV participation to follow.
Mike Parks, Promoter of Claremont Motorsports Park and the Granite State Pro Stock Series:
“An event with no fans is a huge risk for our facility but with help from Crazy Horse Racing, R.E. Hinkley Oil Company and R&R Public Wholesalers we’re able to put this package together for our racers and fans.
Fans on social media were being very hard on the NWMT complaining that the series did not have a plan going forward which was a head scratcher to me. Plan? How do you plan when States are making decisions based on the changing data they are seeing. This will be a patchwork season with racing to be had when and where possible, not dictated by some pre pandemic schedule.
Everything is on the table. A much smaller table. PPV races without fans, limited fans supplemented by PPV, no limits on fans like at NHMS and no races at all.
If you’re able to work from home or receive retirement benefits and have no immediate need to out to make a living then good for you. But a return to normalcy is an inexorable economic reality. It’s not a question of should we or even when. It’s happening now. Entertainment is a lower priority but it’s still an economic engine and will open to the extent it can. The only discussion now concerns behaviors and rules. Masks and distance. Respiratory droplets are the main virus transmission highway, masks the barrier.
It’s been made clear to me numerous times that subscription based streaming of regional racing can’t support events. Mostly by people like myself that have no idea of the actual subscription numbers of races streamed already including the TTOMS races last year. Like me they have no idea of how much it costs to stream a race nor how the economies change when fans aren’t allowed or the number limited. They don’t know how we geezers will react when there is a race held with limited fans and the track recommends we stay home because we’re in the high risk group .If the race is streamed will we tend to sign up in greater numbers? The GSPSS is an experiment. Hopefully is will be the first of more in the region.
The tendency is to make judgments by what has been possible in the past. You can throw that rule book out. I don’t know Doug Dunleavy and a group of sponsors would fund the streaming end of a modified event somewhere in New England without fans or with limited fans. I don’t know it won’t happen either nor does anyone else for sure.
Buy all the stock in “can’t do” or “shouldn’t do” you like. I’m buying “will do” and the only questions are who, how, when and where.