Knoxville Raceway Cancels Remainder of 2020 Racing Season

[TDRacin®]

Knoxville, IA (August 24, 2020) – The Marion County Fair Association, in cooperation with Knoxville Raceway, has voted to cancel the remainder of the 2020 racing season.

“The health and safety of our fans, competitors and employees is our top priority,” said Brian Bailey, Marion County Fair Association President. “Several individuals tested positive for COVID-19 following our most recent race. In light of that information, we feel that returning to racing this weekend would be premature. Additionally, a large-scale event like the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals won’t be in the best interests of the track or the community at this time.

“None of us like to see the race season end this way, but we’re confident this is the right decision for all parties.”

The following events will be affected by this decision:
· August 28 – Busch Light Night
· August 29 – Iowa Corn Growers Association Districts 5 & 9 Night
· September 17-19 – Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals
· September 25 – Knoxville Championship Series
· September 26 – Knoxville Hospital & Clinics/Slideways Night

Tickets and camping for the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals will be automatically refunded.

For questions regarding refunds on suites, season camping, season tickets and season parking, please call the ticket office at 641-842-5431.

The 2021 Knoxville Raceway season is scheduled to begin with the Pella Motors/Kraig Ford Season Opener on Saturday, April 17, 2021.

[fryefan]

I expected that after the covid-19 outbreak they had.

[TeNfOMaFiA69]

I expected that after the covid-19 outbreak they had.

Sprint car fans just gotta ruin it for the rest of us... :(

[Rajflyboy]

Move it all south

[plunks7]

I figured they would cancel after I spoke to a friend after he called for camping last week. They said it doesn't look good for the races. I thought the City meeting was supposed to be Tuesday. Sorry I was wrong!!! It was today Monday.

[mcarter815]

I figured they would cancel after I spoke to a friend after he called for camping last week. They said it doesn't look good for the races. I thought the City meeting was supposed to be Tuesday. Sorry I was wrong!!! It was today Monday.

The fair board met tonight. I’m not sure if the city council was involved.

[plunks7]

Okay fair enough, mcarter815. Thanks

[Dlmfan123]

How cool would it be if they end up having a race at husets

[TeNfOMaFiA69]

How cool would it be if they end up having a race at husets

That’s a long ass way...

[Big Daddy 37]

How cool would it be if they end up having a race at husets

Many of the teams will be at FALS Tuesday... Maybe add a Lucas race there, for the weekend.?.?

[Shiny Side Up 18]

There's a $10,000 to win show at Sycamore that Saturday night. That just got interesting.


Re: Knoxville... If they don't make the decision to scrub the remainder of the season, someone else almost certainly would've made it for them.

[Shiny Side Up 18]

Maybe Fairbury can move their $15,000 race to Friday with Sycamore on Saturday.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

There's a $10,000 to win show at Sycamore that Saturday night. That just got interesting.


Re: Knoxville... If they don't make the decision to scrub the remainder of the season, someone else almost certainly would've made it for them.

How many workers tested positive? Send everyone home for 2 weeks and let it rip. It seems ridiculous that they shut down for the year.

[zach51]

How many workers tested positive? Send everyone home for 2 weeks and let it rip. It seems ridiculous that they shut down for the year.

If the "fair board" is involved....... You know the racers and fans will get screwed.

[tylerstorm]

Someone get Joe Kosiski on the phone. I80 doesn't anything scheduled that weekend

[fryefan]

How many workers tested positive? Send everyone home for 2 weeks and let it rip. It seems ridiculous that they shut down for the year.

There were several sprint car teams & crews, fans and even local residents that have came down with it in the last 2 weeks (it is highly contagious). From my understanding, the city/county was going to shut it down if they did not do it.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Over reaction just like everything else. They should have waited 2 weeks to see what the outbreak looked like then made a decision. So just how many people came down with the virus ? To some if it was 1 then it was time to board up everything and lock yourself in a closet.

[GEAR_HEAD]

There were several sprint car teams & crews, fans and even local residents that have came down with it in the last 2 weeks (it is highly contagious). From my understanding, the city/county was going to shut it down if they did not do it.

So what? How many were false positives? How many were asymptomatic? How many were hospitalized? New cases aren't relevant at all. Only deaths and hospitalizations are, and they are dropping rapidly. Apparently when this thing turns into the common cold, which is a Coronavirus, we're still going to be "counting cases". Or just up until the election.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

There were several sprint car teams & crews, fans and even local residents that have came down with it in the last 2 weeks (it is highly contagious). From my understanding, the city/county was going to shut it down if they did not do it.

And they are all home now. It's highly contagious if you spend 15 minutes within 6 feet of a shedder. I've read all the science and been there, done that with the disease. I can trace my own infection back and who did and didn't get it, the incubation time, everything is text book. Panic never solved a problem.

[TUTY]

Maybe they shouldn’t be stupid by letting fans in the pits? The stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of. 25% capacity in the stands and than let people free for all after the races. Sometimes people need to think, it made no sense.

[RayCook53fan]

$10,000 to win Schaeffer Oil Fall Nationals at the newly reopened North Georgia Speedway just got more interesting...

[RiffRaf67]

Someone asked for stats, 52 new cases in Marion County IA the last 2 days, 93 in the last week and 120 since the one and only

https://www.kniakrls.com/2020/08/25/marion-county-cases-continuing-recent-upward-trend/

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

330 cases since the beginning. 93 in the last week. They are rising.

[GEAR_HEAD]

330 cases since the beginning. 93 in the last week. They are rising.

Except the tests aren't accurate and the cases are being inflated on purpose all over the country. With the election coming up the BS will become even worse. Again, the media wants you to think rising cases matter, but they won't tell you why. Most people are asymptomatic so do they really matter? Are we going to start counting every flu and cold case too?

[manwplan]

Except the tests aren't accurate and the cases are being inflated on purpose all over the country. With the election coming up the BS will become even worse. Again, the media wants you to think rising cases matter, but they won't tell you why. Most people are asymptomatic so do they really matter? Are we going to start counting every flu and cold case too?

Kind of like in the NFL where they had 77 false positives among 11 teams. For sure the numbers can't be trusted.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The general public is not getting the rapid tests that result in false positives.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Except the tests aren't accurate and the cases are being inflated on purpose all over the country. With the election coming up the BS will become even worse. Again, the media wants you to think rising cases matter, but they won't tell you why. Most people are asymptomatic so do they really matter? Are we going to start counting every flu and cold case too?

20% are asymptomatic.

[PITTSBURGH]

Biggest paying race that weekend is The Butterball $20,059
Maybe see a couple of Lucas and WoO guys there cherry pickin
$575 to start

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Biggest paying race that weekend is The Butterball $20,059
Maybe see a couple of Lucas and WoO guys there cherry pickin
$575 to start
Good luck taking dohm and carpenter cherries.

[dirtcrazy4u]

Numbers are up because more idiots are being tested, and those numbers are flaud because of the % of people coming up false positive.

[0_VodooChild_0]

330 cases since the beginning. 93 in the last week. They are rising.For a virus with a 99.96% survival rate. No worse than the flu. Get over yourselves & STOP the FEAR MONGERING PANIC BULL$H!T!!!!!!!

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

For a virus with a 99.96% survival rate. No worse than the flu. Get over yourselves & STOP the FEAR MONGERING PANIC BULL$H!T!!!!!!!

Have you had the disease?

[Barbecueboy]

Someone asked for stats, 52 new cases in Marion County IA the last 2 days, 93 in the last week and 120 since the one and only

https://www.kniakrls.com/2020/08/25/marion-county-cases-continuing-recent-upward-trend/

I know a guy in Iowa that has plenty of sanitizer and toilet paper .....maybe he will share?

[Barbecueboy]

The general public is not getting the rapid tests that result in false positives.

They are getting the ones that go way up your nose and provide false negatives instead.....none of it is real certain.

I'm anxious for November to get here and see just how hard the media will be reporting on it after the election.

[t4g2]

Where does the 99.96% number come from? As i see it as 97%

[00Hdmn]

The general public is not getting the rapid tests that result in false positives.

I am taking this whole thing very seriously because my father has an auto immune disease but you are wrong that the general public isn't getting the rapid test. The NFL result were false positive from a lab also. Let me tell you about my crazy story and i experienced it so i know its true.

So a month ago we had a gentlemen test positive in our office so the owners made everyone in our office wait 5 days since last exposure to the man to go get tested. Everyone waited and were all tested with the rapid test, everyone came back negative except for mine, i was positive. My wife went and was tested along with my kids the same day and were all negative. My wife waited two days and went and retested and was negative again, so I decided that i would go and retest again. At the same time i was getting tested another man in my office was there at the same time. We both took our test and his came back positive and mine came back negative. He immediately told them to retest him and his came back negative. We both then went to the hospital to get another test that wasn't the rapid test and were both negative. I have heard countless stories from people that i know that have had this happen too. Do i think it is serious yes and i do all the proper precautions all the time because wearing a mask isn't a big deal but i also do think that there is more to this whole thing than the public knows. The news is out of control with it.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

I am taking this whole thing very seriously because my father has an auto immune disease but you are wrong that the general public isn't getting the rapid test. The NFL result were false positive from a lab also. Let me tell you about my crazy story and i experienced it so i know its true.

So a month ago we had a gentlemen test positive in our office so the owners made everyone in our office wait 5 days since last exposure to the man to go get tested. Everyone waited and were all tested with the rapid test, everyone came back negative except for mine, i was positive. My wife went and was tested along with my kids the same day and were all negative. My wife waited two days and went and retested and was negative again, so I decided that i would go and retest again. At the same time i was getting tested another man in my office was there at the same time. We both took our test and his came back positive and mine came back negative. He immediately told them to retest him and his came back negative. We both then went to the hospital to get another test that wasn't the rapid test and were both negative. I have heard countless stories from people that i know that have had this happen too. Do i think it is serious yes and i do all the proper precautions all the time because wearing a mask isn't a big deal but i also do think that there is more to this whole thing than the public knows. The news is out of control with it.
Ok. Good to know. My healthcare professionals didn't even give me the option of a rapid test. Our governor said people were not getting the rapid test here, like the one that gave him a false positive. They gave me the swab, but in the throat. My first test came back negative, after a good tooth brushing and Listerine gargle. I was already sick for 4 days and knew I had it. I repeated the test 5 days later and got a positive.

My mother has lung issues, so I have been trying to do the right thing too. When your girlfriend gets infected at work, your defense gets defeated. Lol. Luckily I didn't pass it to anyone.

[00Hdmn]

Ok. Good to know. My healthcare professionals didn't even give me the option of a rapid test. Our governor said people were not getting the rapid test here, like the one that gave him a false positive. They gave me the swab, but in the throat. My first test came back negative, after a good tooth brushing and Listerine gargle. I was already sick for 4 days and knew I had it. I repeated the test 5 days later and got a positive.

My mother has lung issues, so I have been trying to do the right thing too. When your girlfriend gets infected at work, your defense gets defeated. Lol. Luckily I didn't pass it to anyone.

The rapid test that I took was a swab just like the one i received at the hospital. Glad you are doing ok from having it.

[t4g2]

Im taking it more serious now as i just found out my dad has it. He went in because appendix burst and heart condition and he tested positive for covid so now they cant do they surgery on him.

[TOPSIDE TIMMY 39FAN]

Im taking it more serious now as i just found out my dad has it. He went in because appendix burst and heart condition and he tested positive for covid so now they cant do they surgery on him.

Well if his appendix burst they got to do something cuz all the poison inside him.

[vande07]

Back on Topic.

As a local (I live in Knoxville), I can tell you that there are people sick in town, some related to working at the track, others not.

IMO, the outbreak at the track falls squarely on the World of Outlaws. They RENTED the track so they could hold the One and Only event, and then oversold tickets (was supposed to be limited to 3500 on frontstretch (that seats around 13000 or so and 2500 backstretch (that seats 7000), the math for the backstretch made zero sense to get to that #.

When people arrived, if they had kids under 12, they got a FREE Ticket for their kids in the same grandstand as them (this is where the big issue happened, 3500 total should have been 3500, not 3500 and another 400-1000 kids). Same thing on the backstretch. This made social distancing very difficult, even though they blocked off all odd #'d rows and announced endlessly about leaving 3 seats between you and the group next to you.

Secondly, a driver (if you have Twitter, you know which one), admitted he was sick upon arrival, yet the Outlaws did no testing (not even temperature checks) so he raced sick which he shouldn't have been allowed to do, and it broke the protocols that the Outlaws supposedly were following. The other teams that that driver travels with also ended up having positives in their camps.

Fans had to police other fans to keep 3 seats between your group and the group next to you. Since the Outlaws sold all tickets and did everything as GA, fans were showing up at 8:00 PM after time trials and wanted to sit in row 30 and squeezed in in seats that shouldn't have been used because they didn't want to go early like those sitting in those seats did.

Unfortunately, the racetrack took all the blame in the local television media and here we are 2 weeks later and the Outlaws are still not acknowledging their part in it.

This put the Fairboard and track in a tight spot IMO, and there is no answer that makes everyone happy.
Do you continue to race and have the same thing in Mid-September with the Late Models?
Do you cancel and make people mad?
Do you not cancel and have more restrictions put on your business by the state or require fans to wear masks (and take their ire on social media) and then make them more mad when you have security telling people to put their mask on or they will have to leave the property?

IMO, it SUCKS as a race fan that they canceled. As a resident, they likely did the right thing given the current positivity rate in our County (14.9% as of 8/24/20) which consists of Knoxville, Pella, Pleasantville, Melcher-Dallas and Bussey (roughly 20,000 people).

From the rumors I heard during the One and Only event, Dingus got a warning from the state on Thursday about enforcing social distancing inside the bar/fences / On Friday they got fined and warned that if they couldn't enforce it that the state would be pulling their license for a period of one year, effectively putting them out of business.

This puts AJ in a tight spot as well as the State says he can have 100% capacity, but it's up to him to enforce social distancing (not sure how you do that with drunk people).

As far as one of the earlier posts saying the City Council was meeting about it, not true. The City has ZERO jurisdiction on the Fairgrounds even though it is inside the city limits. The Marion County Board of Supervisors has some control, but not much as they have leased the property to the Marion County Fair Association.

[TUTY]

A couple things. No way should any fan be allowed in the pits, stupid. Secondly The Minnesota Vikings are not getting a rapid test. They test by 7:30 am and they get there results back by 6am the next morning. They did have a company do the rapid test on Sunday after the positive test to get the false/positive result.

[fryefan]

Back on Topic.

As a local (I live in Knoxville), I can tell you that there are people sick in town, some related to working at the track, others not.

IMO, the outbreak at the track falls squarely on the World of Outlaws. They RENTED the track so they could hold the One and Only event, and then oversold tickets (was supposed to be limited to 3500 on frontstretch (that seats around 13000 or so and 2500 backstretch (that seats 7000), the math for the backstretch made zero sense to get to that #.

When people arrived, if they had kids under 12, they got a FREE Ticket for their kids in the same grandstand as them (this is where the big issue happened, 3500 total should have been 3500, not 3500 and another 400-1000 kids). Same thing on the backstretch. This made social distancing very difficult, even though they blocked off all odd #'d rows and announced endlessly about leaving 3 seats between you and the group next to you.

Secondly, a driver (if you have Twitter, you know which one), admitted he was sick upon arrival, yet the Outlaws did no testing (not even temperature checks) so he raced sick which he shouldn't have been allowed to do, and it broke the protocols that the Outlaws supposedly were following. The other teams that that driver travels with also ended up having positives in their camps.

Fans had to police other fans to keep 3 seats between your group and the group next to you. Since the Outlaws sold all tickets and did everything as GA, fans were showing up at 8:00 PM after time trials and wanted to sit in row 30 and squeezed in in seats that shouldn't have been used because they didn't want to go early like those sitting in those seats did.

Unfortunately, the racetrack took all the blame in the local television media and here we are 2 weeks later and the Outlaws are still not acknowledging their part in it.

This put the Fairboard and track in a tight spot IMO, and there is no answer that makes everyone happy.
Do you continue to race and have the same thing in Mid-September with the Late Models?
Do you cancel and make people mad?
Do you not cancel and have more restrictions put on your business by the state or require fans to wear masks (and take their ire on social media) and then make them more mad when you have security telling people to put their mask on or they will have to leave the property?

IMO, it SUCKS as a race fan that they canceled. As a resident, they likely did the right thing given the current positivity rate in our County (14.9% as of 8/24/20) which consists of Knoxville, Pella, Pleasantville, Melcher-Dallas and Bussey (roughly 20,000 people).

From the rumors I heard during the One and Only event, Dingus got a warning from the state on Thursday about enforcing social distancing inside the bar/fences / On Friday they got fined and warned that if they couldn't enforce it that the state would be pulling their license for a period of one year, effectively putting them out of business.

This puts AJ in a tight spot as well as the State says he can have 100% capacity, but it's up to him to enforce social distancing (not sure how you do that with drunk people).

As far as one of the earlier posts saying the City Council was meeting about it, not true. The City has ZERO jurisdiction on the Fairgrounds even though it is inside the city limits. The Marion County Board of Supervisors has some control, but not much as they have leased the property to the Marion County Fair Association.

Thanks for the update. While we all hate to see it cancelled, they did do the right thing for their community.

[stock car driver]

Knoxville fair board is oldies and the workers there are all oldies, as they die they have a hard time manning the place to even run shows. I was surprised they were having any races all year period.

[vande07]

Knoxville fair board is oldies and the workers there are all oldies, as they die they have a hard time manning the place to even run shows. I was surprised they were having any races all year period.

what do you consider old?

I don't know everyone's age, but I can think of 3 or 4 fairboard members that are under 50 that I know personally, and I can't name more than 6 of the 24 members, so I'm sure there are others as well. Are there some retired folks? yep, but having a diverse age group isn't a bad thing, it helps bring balance to discussions IMO.

Concession workers probably average under 20 even with Nick, Kirstie and a couple other 40's age people that run them.

Safety Crew - I have no idea on average age, luckily I've never needed their services.

Beer Stands is probably 40's to early 50's and there a couple 20 somethings sprinkled in as well.

For most, this is a seasonal gig in addition to their FULL TIME jobs, they do it because they like it, not because their getting rich doing it.

Outside of Gary (Office Manager/Accountant), Kim (ticket manager), John McCoy (Race Director/Promotor) and Kendra Jacobs (Marketing Manager), everyone else is a part time/seasonal employee.

In the Fairboard members case, they are all VOLUNTEERS that get paid $0.

[kazual]

Thanks vande07 for the information.

[RiffRaf67]

Great post Vande07, really hope the best for ALL the citizens of Knoxville, non-race fans alike. The entire town are such wonderful hosts that I hope any hardship is temporary and short-lived.

[fryefan]

what do you consider old?

I don't know everyone's age, but I can think of 3 or 4 fairboard members that are under 50 that I know personally, and I can't name more than 6 of the 24 members, so I'm sure there are others as well. Are there some retired folks? yep, but having a diverse age group isn't a bad thing, it helps bring balance to discussions IMO.

Concession workers probably average under 20 even with Nick, Kirstie and a couple other 40's age people that run them.

Safety Crew - I have no idea on average age, luckily I've never needed their services.

Beer Stands is probably 40's to early 50's and there a couple 20 somethings sprinkled in as well.

For most, this is a seasonal gig in addition to their FULL TIME jobs, they do it because they like it, not because their getting rich doing it.

Outside of Gary (Office Manager/Accountant), Kim (ticket manager), John McCoy (Race Director/Promotor) and Kendra Jacobs (Marketing Manager), everyone else is a part time/seasonal employee.

In the Fairboard members case, they are all VOLUNTEERS that get paid $0.

There you go again Vande, providing facts instead of making outlandish wild claims. Keep up the good work!!!

[LM1M]

Unfortunately that the WoO contributed to the breakout, no way that sick driver/staff should have been allowed to be on site if tested positive. That being said cancelling races 2 weeks plus down the road where Knoxville has more control on tickets, seating, etc. still seems like overreaction.

[Highside Hustler25]

Thanks for the load of information Vande. While I'm bummed,their is always next year. Better safe than sorry.