COVID-19 and the return of autocross?

SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:

Here's the thing... autocross is completely in our control. Bigger events like a swap meet may not be. 
 

We really need to take personal responsibility for our own safety. Bring wipes. Wear a mask. Don't share helmets. Wipe down the radio with a disinfectant. Don't stand too close to others. 

Even a poorly run event can be controlled by the participants. 
 

It shouldn't have to be the sole responsibility of the event sponsors to keep us safe. We can (and should) do it ourselves.

I just can't see what is inherently dangerous about riding around in a parking lot by yourself in your own car. 

You make really really good points and I appreciate being able to have this conversation. Looking back at my experiences throughout the distancing, going to the grocery store is by and far the most risky thing in terms of exposure. I would autocross seven days a week and feel better than going to the grocery store once.

I think this had just been a good reminder to all parties that Covid-19 is still a thing we have to think about and there's a reason we're wearing masks and washing hands. I hope his wife and baby pull through without issues. (He tested negative today by the way, but admitted that he could have easily had it already considering he is an essential worker doing medical translator services).

Long story short, I will personally be participating in there local autocross, and see what happens for National Tour.

irish44j (Forum Supporter) said:

Toyman01 (Generally Supportive Dude) said:

I'm with SVreX on this one. Watching out for yourself is fairly easy. Keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you at all times and use it frequently. Keep to yourself. Wear your mask. 

Even if everyone uses the same pen and radio, if you take responsibility to keep your hands sanitized, it's not a issue. COVID 19 is not very robust and a simple wipe down with a disinfectant will destroy the fatty layer that surrounds it. A few precautions is all it takes to defeat it. Be conscious of what you touch and what you do after you touch it. 

Personally, I'm not willing to wear a mask all day for a couple of minutes of driving to make other people feel safe. So this year is done as far as I'm concerned. I'm going to do some camping instead.

with all the dust at our venues, half the people have been wearing masks for years while working the course lol..Keeps me from blowing dirt out of my nose for 2 days after the event.....pre-COVID

This was my rallycross dust protection when we still had events. I dug them back out the other day just in case I had the need.

My biggest issue is I sweat profusely and a saturated mask is almost impossible to breath through. I avoide them at all cost.

In reply to Javelin (Forum Supporter) :

Super glad to hear that. 
 

Autocross is supposed to be fun. When the concerns outweigh the fun, it's time to stop. But be careful to not overweigh the concerns.  It's an activity that should not be hard to control. 
 

Stay safe. 

I wrote a reply hours ago, but I guess I didn't post it.

First, I hope you, the woman that is positive, and the other club members get through this okay. 

I like the idea of bringing your own radio. I have a pair of FRS radios, I'll have to dig them out and see if they hold a charge.

I attended an autocross in Jacksonville on May 17. Several other events with multiple different clubs in central Florida have been cancelled, some after starting registration. 

I feel frustrated when I've registered for an event and it's been canceled, but it's also a good reminder that I've been very lucky to have that be a concern at all.

Our local SCCA club was scheduled for two days at Sebring this weekend, but cancelled due to tropical weather. We'll race in the rain, but not lightning or tornadoes.

The event last month had several of the precautions that have been discussed here. Limited numbers, on line registration only, physical distancing, one use of the pens, wiping down the flags and radios, no loaner helmets, no spectators or ride alongs, and codriving discouraged.

I didn't see many masks, but I don't think there's much of a risk standing well apart on a breezy runway.

They also added a hand washing station. 

I'm registered for another event with the same club at the same place this coming weekend, and our local SCCA club is going to try for an event here in town at the end of the month. It would be nice to drive 15 minutes instead of 2 1/2 hours each way. 

The Jacksonville club has an event at the Firm the same day at the end of June, and I am considering the 180 mile round trip to the Firm over the local event, since I think it's less likely to be cancelled.

I'm not optimistic for further in the year. Despite reporting over 1000 new cases a day, Florida is opening up bars and restaurants, and when I'm out in public it seems like people are acting like the pandemic is over (or was just a hoax). 

I figure another big surge in cases is a few weeks to a few months away.

Going to Brooksville this weekend for a PCA event, I think it is going to be run fairly smoothly. It filled up basically the first day registration opened,  probably because of not having an event since March and PCA being the only club with access to Brooksville again

In reply to aw614 :

Do you know which part of the Brooksville site you get to run on?  With Sebring cancelled, I won't see any concrete for a while unless I can make it there.

ojannen said:

In reply to aw614 :

Do you know which part of the Brooksville site you get to run on?  With Sebring cancelled, I won't see any concrete for a while unless I can make it there.

It's going to be on the big runway, 62 cars registered for the June 14th event. I think registration has ended now.

We had 110 cars 5/30-5/31 for both days. No issues. 

aw614 said:

ojannen said:

In reply to aw614 :

Do you know which part of the Brooksville site you get to run on?  With Sebring cancelled, I won't see any concrete for a while unless I can make it there.

It's going to be on the big runway, 62 cars registered for the June 14th event. I think registration has ended now.

Yeah, that event filled up before I was even aware of it. I miss Brooksville.