Any chatter?

[ride height]

Anybody hearing chatter about tracks thinking about some practice days and maybe some actual races? Hope y’all are doing well in LM land.

[thexfactor0210]

Couple tracks in South Dakota are running some Sprints and mods next weekend. Rumor of a big late model race being planned for PPV but nothing official. Big O Speedway in Texas is also planning on running next weekend.

[TheJet-09]

I had an idea (for practice at least) and saw a track in Florida advertising about the same...something like 5 cars, driver and one crew member, for a two hour block or so. You have to be out by a certain time and the next 5 cars come in.

I still can't wrap my head around some of these limitations...you can go to the store but you can't go golfing? Don't even rent carts, make everyone walk. Getting out and doing something with some resemblance of normalcy (racing or otherwise) could be very therapeutic.

[fastford]

i like that idea jet , only thing i might do is only allow 5 cars on track at a time , one come off , let one come on and put 30 lap max per car at a time , what you think LMM ????

[doyle hargraves]

Some tracks in Illinois tried the practice thing of a few cars at a time and the governazi put a stop to it

[huskerdirt]

We’ve had practices around here for about a week and a half. Only two tracks that know of aren’t doing any of that. One of them is on county fairgrounds property. One of the tracks basically called there shot and said they are racing in May as long as the restrictions dont become worse, fans or no fans. IMO, we are still a month away from considering that.

[NeedforLMspeed]

When it comes to large gatherings.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mar...F-1F7ABF6144BC

[huskerdirt]

Good thing most tracks aren’t Disney World.

[NeedforLMspeed]

I don't think it could specifically pertain to just Disney world.

[huskerdirt]

You certainly can’t compare it to dirt tracks. Disney has like 60,000 visitors a day. It takes multiple years for dirt tracks to get to that number not named Eldora or Knoxville.

I’m just getting tired of people comparing dirt racing to pro/college sports or places like Disney World for large gatherings. Less than a week after that wacko Shane Walters said dirt tracks were “fuked” by giving pretty much the same comparison. Tracks are already finding ways around it through the guidelines provided by local health officials. I can’t speak for other states, but here racing is classified as a social distancing guideline. It’s at 10 people now, mostly likely it’ll get loosened up in May and if things are going well. He will loosen it up again in June.

[Hoosier]

Senoia Raceway is ready to get the season rolling announcing late yesterday (April 14) that the 3/8ths mile bull ring in Senoia, GA, will open it's gates on Saturday, May 2nd for an Open Practice and then for the highly anticipated Season Opener on Saturday, May 9th. The Season Opener will include a full night of racing for the Limited Late Models, Crate Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Chargers, Hobby, Bomber, Mini Stock and Hot Shots.
"We have a lot of people that have been waiting for us to announce something," said Bill Massey. "We need to get the word out that we are racing in May."

Senoia Raceway (south of Atlanta) will host the Schaeffer's Oil Spring Nationals event on Saturday, May 16th. The twice postponed event will be highlighted by the first appearance of the season for the Super Late Models as some of the nation's best dirt drivers take on the 'south's baddest bull ring' for a top prize of $3000. The Crate Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Chargers, Hobby, Bomber, Mini Stock and Hot Shots will also be competing.

For more information on the racing action at Senoia Raceway, visit the track website at www.senoiaraceway.com or call the track offices at 770.599.6161.

[racincowboy02]

Cherokee had a 30-40 car practice session this past weekend that went pretty well from what I have heard in talking to some of the drivers and staff that were there. I look for Cherokee to open up by mid May and be racing in time for the Lucas show in June

[racincowboy02]

Lavonia is scheduled to host the World of Outlaws May 8th https://www.lavoniaspeedway.net/

[MRM]

A lot of this is going to come down to which state will allow what to take place and when. It looks like Georgia has one of the more open policies. Here in Tennessee, they haven't told us any details. I think many states will go by the federal government guideline of opening in phases. As they advance to the next phase, more can take place. But even that is subjective. If you read their guidelines, it only mentions words like "strict", "moderate", and "limited" distancing protocols. Maybe we'll get some answers on what that really means in terms of numbers of percentages. I think Alabama mentioned something like 35% of people can occupy a large venue like a race track during part of their phases.

[NeedforLMspeed]

What would a race track be classified as? A live performance venue?

[MRM]

What would a race track be classified as? A live performance venue?

A large venue.

[Driver50x]

Showtime Speedway in St. Petersburg, Florida (asphalt) is planning and hoping to run a late model race on May 2nd. It is pay per view only, no fans in attendance.

[over4T]

The land in California is ridiculously valuable so, with only a couple of exceptions, all tracks are on state & county fairgrounds property. Last weekend one of the private tracks had a 3 car practice session, rented probably, with no spectators. We got word while clearing our property for the inevitable coming fire season but wouldn't have gone anyway.

The granddaughter's boyfriend also went to a river bottom dirt bike track with his new Honda for a similar session with several bikes. He said it was weird with few bikes and no spectators and the social distancing thing.

With the distinct possibility of lawsuits at tracks should a person even claim to get the bug while there I really see little possibility of racing in this state for quite a while at any non private owned facilities. Positive thing is plenty of time to get both cars ready without the usual thrash. We love racing but it isn't worth getting sick over it.

[weatherman85]

https://www.espn.com/auto/story/_/id...ns-grandstands

This South Dakota track actually made an ESPN article for planning to run. State is one of the least hit from the virus so I could see this happening.

[mcarter815]

I know people coming from Wisconsin to go to that race in South Dakota.