by Ed Nicholson, KCR SCCA Board Secretary
As racers, we want to get out and drive our cars. This year has been quite a challenge for getting our cars on track. Like many of you, I was ready to get the season started by going to the Hallett for the Super Tour event the beginning of April, and then we had the stay at home orders come into effect because of the novel coronavirus. Real racing went on hold, and we had to resort to either just set and wait or take up iRacing and wait for relief.
After about two months in the middle to late May, orders for lifting stay at home began to occur. This meant checking to see what venues might open, when and considering if the comfort level was such that attending an event was worth the risk. Even before the outbreak and lock down, I had determined that this year I was going to support our region first in my choice of events to consider.
This led me to register for my first outing at the Super Tour event in St. Louis at the World Wide Technology Raceway, formerly Gateway Motorsports Park. It was great getting on the road and traveling to the racetrack. I saw many of the people I have come to know over the years and of course there was RACING! The experience for me—and I feel most of us—was relief in getting out, but in a much different Covid world.
Most participants were very good at following the SCCA and CDC guidelines wearing PPE and practicing social distance. However, as with any large group there were some who for their own reasons did not wear masks. We all lapse from time to time with newness of things and being just elated to be free of our recent confinements. I feel that as we move forward and settle into this new era we will become more diligent on how we handle the new reality.
St. Louis Region did an excellent job of pulling the event together and making it as normal as possible. While we were responsible for PPE, there was plenty of hand sanitizer around. Yes, we followed the SCCA guidelines and there were no large group gatherings such as we are accustomed. There were misses but with a large group there will be lapses. However, we were outside and could walk around and talk to our fellow competitors and friends. No Friday night welcome gathering or Saturday evening party but the food truck and organized queue Saturday evening still managed to bring us together as the racing family we all love, in smaller numbers. Following the SCCA guidelines and accommodating our diverse venues we will be able to adjust racing to fit into a Covid world.
If you are considering going to an event soon, I admit that it is a long hard think to determine if one should venture out and it is personal. All of you are going through the same examination to see if this is the right time to venture back to the track. The main points are to come prepared to follow the guidelines set out be the SCCA and the CDC. We need to be diligent, not only for ourselves but for our fellow SCCA community. This will help keep us all safe and healthy so we may continue to enjoy the sport we all love. Good racing everyone.