NaroEscape

^^THIS. This is exactly the dilemma most organizations are in. Not to mention the potential of losing the venue for next year when they fill it with someone else and you lose your 'spot'. But...if you hold the event and nobody comes, you potentially lose even more money. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Just like you're hopefully trying to support all your local restaurants and small businesses, please try to support your track events. Most are run by small groups/clubs that can't afford to lose that kind of money. Take responsibility of your own social distancing. You don't NEED to be close to anyone if you don't want to . At this point, I think all event organizers will be putting in place things to help everyone be and feel safe. Many golf courses are open, why do they get to have all the fun? Go out and have some of your own fun...I think we all need it.

Here in NC we're still discussing our June 5-7 SCCA race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Thankfully the track has given us until May 1 to make a final decision. We can't afford to lose much money but the track has already told us that someone else wants our weekend and if we cancel we may never see a race there again.

ProCoach

Yep, unfortunately true all over the country, now. Use it or lose it. Date equity is a two-way thing.

When I started SCCA Club racing, there were half a dozen SCCA races plus an IMSA pro event every year at Charlotte. Later, there was more than a decade, IIRC, where there weren’t any DE or SCCA races there.

It’s to CCR’s credit that the track has reopened to Club Racing and other events. I hope it can continue. It’s a great facility and fun roval.

Bill Lehman

Currently Metro is planning to run the event but it will be PCA Solo Drivers Only.

gbuff

Yep, signed up for both days, here's hoping.

gregturek

The concern (at least for me) is not distancing at the track, but cleanliness, availability, food preparation, etc. away from the track. ie. @Hotels, restaurants, and other areas where guidelines may not be followed can put you at risk. As an example, while on our bi-weekly food shopping trip a small local store had everyone in gloves and masks and the checkers were protected with shields. I felt the food preparation areas were similarly equipped. An opposite example was the staff at the largest Chicago grocery chain did not have gloves, masks, nor protection for the checkers. Still wiped down everything with a bleach wipe before bringing it into the house.

If i was 25 years old I might feel different, but anyone 50+ is at significantly higher risk. And I suspect the hospitals in the area may not be up to the abilities/capacities of the Chicago area medical facilities. The odds may be small, unless you're the one affected.

Another personal concern is the risk to individuals on the teams that support us at the event.

Obviously a very personal decision. I wish I was going.

Greg

Paul Solk

It's looking more and more like May 20th for re-opening in the Tri-State area if you read between the lines and even then it is going to be a slow roll re-opening, not a light switch...

Just myself personally but I don't see myself at the track until at least June, probably July/August realistically. I was out yesterday because we needed a light switch for the pool. Just being out with EVERYONE in masks, Best Buy forcing you to pull up, tell them what type of car you are in and put your order in the trunk without any contact, having to sanitize after I got home, I just don't see myself going from "this" to a race weekend in 30 days... I seem to have a different mindset than most but I am also on calls with FEMA at 5am, Army Corps of Engineers and Medical centers across the country so being in tune with what they are trying to deal with shapes my perspective a bit.

Phokaioglaukos

+1

993944S2

Thanks Paul. My company is busy so I don't see the news all day. When I tune in at night, I don't believe a word of what I hear. Would you be willing to elaborate on what you hear via the conversation you mention above? I'm currently signed up for Mid-Ohio and WGI, but I have my doubts either will happen.

Paul Solk

I can't get into a lot of details Don but let's just say some of the preparation calls when they start discussing response efforts are like gut punches. We are primarily involved in the planning not response aspect so focused from a technology perspective on setting up the testing centers, field hospitals, enabling current medical facilities to convert to zero touch facilities, we've set aside $50M in free gear for healthcare and first responders and we can't move the pallets quick enough. We are actually donating back our personal video endpoints to have them sanitized, refreshed and redistributed for healthcare workers.

Unfortunately though part of the planning and enabling calls are also listening to the response aspect, the collection process included and that is what gets you, especially when they are talking about going into a veterans home to silently collect the bodies and bury them with no grace, honor, dignity or even their family to say good-bye...

There is also a very real fear of the boomerang impact of this and a rebound in cases. Let's just say there have been numerous calls where you just want to put your head on your desk listening to what people are dealing with...

dgrobs

Ugghh....

Paul Solk

I can't complain because relative to the reality some are facing right now 18 hour days are a blessing compared to the alternative but some of these conversations really do to take a toll on you and weigh you down... That's why my couple of hours a week on the sim is so important. Just pushes everything else out of the mind for that period of time but yes, my fiance has seen me walk out of the home office just gutted, speechless and beaten down too many times over the past few weeks...

993944S2

I have the utmost respect for all our first responders but there are so many positions, like yours, that are necessary to get us out of this hole. Thank you!

Paul Solk

There are SO many levels contributing to getting us through this who are "silent players" but like you my level of respect for all our first responders just can't be put into words.... There are numerous people on this forum fighting this on the front line or with significant others doing the same, we will never be able to thank them enough. Personally, I've never been prouder of my companies leadership, my co-workers and they way we have stepped up as an organization... $225M directly donated to COVID response, $50M in equipment at no cost for first responders, $2.5B in financing to keep partners and customers in business, we've switched to "Social Manufacturing" which means we prioritize orders based on need rather than when we got the order or size of order so a hospital is getting gear over a bank regardless. Truly a model of how corporate America should be responding...

dgrobs

Hang in there. I have found some solace in my sim as well, but I'm clearly not seeing and hearing and feeling what you are.

Hang in there....

Paul Solk

Perspective is everything... No time to feel sorry for myself when I look at what others are struggling with. You are either stuck in the valley looking up at the never-ending hills you have to climb or on the top of the mountain looking to the next peak and ignoring the lows in the valley below....
I try to stay on the mountain top.

Hope you the Mrs and your pit crew are all well!