The coronavirus is destroying everything

[SEWIGuy]

Milwaukee has never run a NASCAR Cup race.  Just a second tier and truck races.  But those stopped over a decade ago as I recall.  Indy hasn't run there is years as well.

That always surprises me that Cup never ran at the Milwaukee Mile considering it's one of the oldest race tracks in the country.  Cup used to run races inside Soldier Field, maybe they thought Milwaukee was too close for another event?

Yeah I just don't see it happening.  A promoter is going to have to take a pretty big financial risk to make that work.  Attendance wasn't great ten years ago - I just don't think there's much of an audience for it.

By the way, the 1939 NFL Championship Game was played at the infield of the Mile.  That is where the Packers first played when they came to Milwaukee, and it was pretty controversial.  The Packers moved it to Milwaukee to get more gate receipts.

[Max Rockatansky]

Milwaukee has never run a NASCAR Cup race.  Just a second tier and truck races.  But those stopped over a decade ago as I recall.  Indy hasn't run there is years as well.

That always surprises me that Cup never ran at the Milwaukee Mile considering it's one of the oldest race tracks in the country.  Cup used to run races inside Soldier Field, maybe they thought Milwaukee was too close for another event?

Yeah I just don't see it happening.  A promoter is going to have to take a pretty big financial risk to make that work.  Attendance wasn't great ten years ago - I just don't think there's much of an audience for it.

By the way, the 1939 NFL Championship Game was played at the infield of the Mile.  That is where the Packers first played when they came to Milwaukee, and it was pretty controversial.  The Packers moved it to Milwaukee to get more gate receipts.

It probably would be a better race that what happens at the cookie cutter Chicagoland Speedway.  If anything a mile track or shorter would be a welcome change of pace.  I still think Cup should run at least two more road races and at least two dirt tracks.

[hbelkins]

If this doesn't call into question the accuracy of testing, as well as how contagious this disease actually is, then nothing does.

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/nascar-auto-racing/kentucky-speedway/article244079037.html#storylink=hpdigest_sports

Jimmie Johnson's wife tests positive after experiencing symptoms, then Johnson tests positive on Friday and misses Indy.

Then he tests negative on Monday and Tuesday so he's cleared to race at Kentucky this weekend.

It would appear that Johnson had a false positive test, and he also didn't catch it from his wife despite their close contact.

And speaking of Kentucky...

https://www.kentucky.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/mark-story/article244012942.html#storylink=related_inline

Doesn't make sense that they're not allowing fans, after fans were allowed at Talladega (and also Miami, if I understand correctly; I didn't watch). A local speedway in northern Kentucky got a court order allowing them to have fans attend at 50 percent of the track's capacity. That order is in effect statewide. For Kentucky Speedway to stay closed to fans is illogical considering that they can legally allow fans.

[rickmastfan67]

It's official, Watkins Glen -> Daytona RC.

https://www.jayski.com/2020/07/08/nascar-announces-2020-schedule-through-cup-series-regular-season-finale-weekend/

[NWI_Irish96]

It's official, Watkins Glen -> Daytona RC.

https://www.jayski.com/2020/07/08/nascar-announces-2020-schedule-through-cup-series-regular-season-finale-weekend/

Maybe this will lead to the second Daytona race shifting from the oval to the road course in future years.

[74/171FAN]

It's official, Watkins Glen -> Daytona RC.

https://www.jayski.com/2020/07/08/nascar-announces-2020-schedule-through-cup-series-regular-season-finale-weekend/

Maybe this will lead to the second Daytona race shifting from the oval to the road course in future years.

I doubt that considering that the superspeedway races get the best ratings.  The Daytona RC may become its own event though.  NASCAR was already planning to use it instead of the oval for the clash next year.

[Takumi]

I wouldn’t mind seeing NASCAR follow F1* and go to tracks that weren’t originally on the schedule, like VIR, Rockingham (if it’s still open), or Carolina Motorsports Park. Or have the Cup cars at Gateway.

*yes, I know Mugello and Portimao haven’t been made official yet, but it sounds like it’s just a matter of time

[NWI_Irish96]

It's official, Watkins Glen -> Daytona RC.

https://www.jayski.com/2020/07/08/nascar-announces-2020-schedule-through-cup-series-regular-season-finale-weekend/

Maybe this will lead to the second Daytona race shifting from the oval to the road course in future years.

I doubt that considering that the superspeedway races get the best ratings.  The Daytona RC may become its own event though.  NASCAR was already planning to use it instead of the oval for the clash next year.

Other than the Daytona 500, I really just watch the last half hour of the other three restrictor plate races because track position before the last few laps doesn't matter at all.  I much prefer watching short track and road courses.

[Big John]

The Ivy League cancelled all fall sports.

[Max Rockatansky]

I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR follow F1* and go to tracks that weren't originally on the schedule, like VIR, Rockingham (if it's still open), or Carolina Motorsports Park. Or have the Cup cars at Gateway.

*yes, I know Mugello and Portimao haven't been made official yet, but it sounds like it's just a matter of time

I'd like to see stuff like North Wilkesboro and Hickory come back on the schedule.  In the case the former it had some good racing but the amenities sucked (I was actually at the last race myself).  Hickory being under 0.4 miles would certainly be unique but I'm not sure if it could handle a conventional 40 car race. 

[Bruce]

The wallup in Puyallup is cancelled this year

https://www.thefair.com/covid-19-statement/

[Takumi]

I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR follow F1* and go to tracks that weren't originally on the schedule, like VIR, Rockingham (if it's still open), or Carolina Motorsports Park. Or have the Cup cars at Gateway.

*yes, I know Mugello and Portimao haven't been made official yet, but it sounds like it's just a matter of time

I'd like to see stuff like North Wilkesboro and Hickory come back on the schedule.  In the case the former it had some good racing but the amenities sucked (I was actually at the last race myself).  Hickory being under 0.4 miles would certainly be unique but I'm not sure if it could handle a conventional 40 car race. 

Is North Wilkesboro even in racing shape anymore? I heard it closed again not that long ago.

[Max Rockatansky]

I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR follow F1* and go to tracks that weren't originally on the schedule, like VIR, Rockingham (if it's still open), or Carolina Motorsports Park. Or have the Cup cars at Gateway.

*yes, I know Mugello and Portimao haven't been made official yet, but it sounds like it's just a matter of time

I'd like to see stuff like North Wilkesboro and Hickory come back on the schedule.  In the case the former it had some good racing but the amenities sucked (I was actually at the last race myself).  Hickory being under 0.4 miles would certainly be unique but I'm not sure if it could handle a conventional 40 car race. 

Is North Wilkesboro even in racing shape anymore? I heard it closed again not that long ago.

It exists but hasn't held a race in about a decade.  The track would likely need to be repaved at this point. 

[SEWIGuy]

I also doubt some of these older tracks have the safety features that modern tracks do. 

[SEWIGuy]

The Ivy League cancelled all fall sports.

I would be extremely surprised if we have college football this fall.

[NWI_Irish96]

The Ivy League cancelled all fall sports.

I would be extremely surprised if we have college football this fall.

It's going to hinge on whether or not colleges return to campus. Right now, most are planning to do so, though the recent surges in cases could change things.

I don't see a full spring season being possible and having players turn around and start another season in August. The best you could hope for is maybe a 4-5 game schedule with no conference championships or bowl games.

[SEWIGuy]

The Ivy League cancelled all fall sports.

I would be extremely surprised if we have college football this fall.

It's going to hinge on whether or not colleges return to campus. Right now, most are planning to do so, though the recent surges in cases could change things.

I don't see a full spring season being possible and having players turn around and start another season in August. The best you could hope for is maybe a 4-5 game schedule with no conference championships or bowl games.

Not only the recent surges, but I think the positive Covid testing of athletes is a canary in a coal mine for higher education.  You can't lock down a college campus.  Students are going to go out and interact with the community and with one another.  Residence halls and most off-campus housing are perfect examples of the type of atmophere where this disease can spread easily.

[Max Rockatansky]

I also doubt some of these older tracks have the safety features that modern tracks do.

I've always questioned the logic of Safer Barriers at short tracks anyways.  It's not like they couldn't be installed by NASCAR relatively easily.  In the case of North Wilkesboro the track still has seating capacity for 40,000, that's close to average for a normal Cup Race now.  Hickory is only slightly over 13,000.   

[jakeroot]

The wallup in Puyallup is cancelled this year

https://www.thefair.com/covid-19-statement/

The 'wallup' is the big car sales event that Puyallup used to have (may still have?). The fair being a separate thing. I suspect the wallup may still happen, given what happened to car sales overall.

Still, yeah, lots of disappointed (but understanding) friends and family. I used to live about three blocks from the fair, and went all the time. Big part of my childhood.

[hbelkins]

I wouldn't mind seeing NASCAR follow F1* and go to tracks that weren't originally on the schedule, like VIR, Rockingham (if it's still open), or Carolina Motorsports Park. Or have the Cup cars at Gateway.

*yes, I know Mugello and Portimao haven't been made official yet, but it sounds like it's just a matter of time

I'd like to see stuff like North Wilkesboro and Hickory come back on the schedule.  In the case the former it had some good racing but the amenities sucked (I was actually at the last race myself).  Hickory being under 0.4 miles would certainly be unique but I'm not sure if it could handle a conventional 40 car race. 

Is North Wilkesboro even in racing shape anymore? I heard it closed again not that long ago.

Dale Jr. led a crew to work on the facility to map it for the e-racing event that "happened" there. I'm not sure what they did, or what repairs would be required to the racing facilities or the amenities (grandstands, etc.). I'm not even sure who owns it anymore, but I know they stressed during the broadcast that it's still private property and visitors aren't welcome.

[Takumi]

That's what I figured.

In other racing news, F1 will indeed announce that it's going to go to two new (for the series) tracks during the next leg of its schedule, the Mugello Circuit in Italy in September, probably under the name Grand Prix of Tuscany, and a return to Portugal with the relatively new Portimao circuit in October.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/mugello-september-2020-calendar-slot/4828667

[NWI_Irish96]

The Ivy League has cancelled all Fall 2020 sports.

The Big Ten (+4) has announced that they will play only conference contests for all Fall 2020 sports, including football.

[Max Rockatansky]

The Ivy League has cancelled all Fall 2020 sports.

The Big Ten (+4) has announced that they will play only conference contests for all Fall 2020 sports, including football.

Might as well cancel the whole thing then, that's lame playing a high school schedule. 

[jeffandnicole]

The Ivy League has cancelled all Fall 2020 sports.

The Big Ten (+4) has announced that they will play only conference contests for all Fall 2020 sports, including football.

Might as well cancel the whole thing then, that's lame playing a high school schedule. 

But those games are extremely important for anyone wanting to make a pro team.

[Max Rockatansky]

The Ivy League has cancelled all Fall 2020 sports.

The Big Ten (+4) has announced that they will play only conference contests for all Fall 2020 sports, including football.

Might as well cancel the whole thing then, that's lame playing a high school schedule. 

But those games are extremely important for anyone wanting to make a pro team.

I get that but it still makes for a beyond butchered season.  The MLB was bad enough with the 60 game season and universal DH, but at least they are letting the teams have a crack at everyone.  Those non-conference games in the Power Five conferences were often among the best of the College Football season.  I might be more a mind to find the situation more agreeable if all the conferences do something like a round robin and then do a four team playoff anyway.