Event Coverage The 2020 H.A.M.B. Drags: What Are You Thinking?

For your health, and if you don’t feel comfortable putting yourself at risk, perhaps Mokan could keep it on the schedule, they are operating, and let them host/ promote as a nostalgia event, run by there registration fees and rules, whomever shows races and abides by whatever distancing may or may not be in place?




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Due to underlined health issues I take this virus very serious. That being said I think you are ok to go ahead and plan the event. This is not the case for everyone but for most Not really much for them to lose if you do have to cancel as you have already offered full refunds if you do have to cancel. Bottomline is this, Going ahead and planning the event is hopeful. Nobody knows where we are gonna be with this in August! Anyone can guess, but Nobody knows! So if you don't plan the event and things improve by august then we missed out on a hell of alot of fun that weekend. I guess what I am saying is better to plan it and cancel then not plan it and wish you would have.

 

Take a collection up for Mokan and save yourself and everyone else involved all that work this year. The best part has always been catching up and hanging out with folks you don't get to see very often. It wont be the HAMB Drags if we have to social distance.

 

Slightly off topic, is the Springfield swap meet still on as of now? I looked at their website and it looks like it's a go.

 

No indication that it is not happening. We are registered, and pretty close to the organizers. Right now, Greene County will not let it happen, but that is scheduled to change long before August.

Springfield/Greene County (3rd largest city in Missouri, relatively close to MO KAN) has had a very low caseload and total deaths in the mid-teens since the pandemic started. We just have not had the cases here in SWMO that other parts of the country are seeing. Unless something drastically changes, the region is very low risk.

With that said, travelling from all reaches to a set point is always a more risky vector. Conversely, the gathering point is a cornfield out in the middle of nowhere relative to where most of us reside, an outdoor event, and there is lots of room to spread out. It should be easy to social distance if we choose to.

I would be on the side of "you can't cancel an event that you didn't schedule" and would support going for it. We typically attend as spectators, and hope to have a chance to do so again this year.

Either way I would support Ryan's decision... it's his event, and this is tough ground to tread.

 

Ryan, you're going at it with the right mindset. We'll support you in your decision. As for the shirts, if you make them, go ahead and put the date on them. To me it would be a novelty type of buy and we always buy at least 4, so that's already in my budget along with admission and registration if I choose to.

One question that I haven't seen broached is about the hotel reservations. Are they taking reservations and do they have a refund policy?

 

I think the important question is: If you schedule the Drags, and the county/state allow the event to move forward, can you come out OK if you only get 1/2 the participant and 1/2 the spectator count? Some people are simply not going to be with a crowd with anything less then a full blown vaccine being readily available.

If 1/2 the participant an 1/2 the spectators does not present a problem on your end, get it going.
However, if 1/2 the crowd is not enough to cover your (and/or the tracks) expenses, cancel the Drags for this year and make plans for next year. Gene

 

I am just a speck-tater but I''ll go along with whatever you decide.I think most of the hysteria will be gone by August. Just my opinion, I'm usually wrong.

 

I've only been to the HAMB drags the last two years and then only as a spectator. Honestly, I hope you schedule it Ryan. I can fully understand those who have hesitation about the event, whether it's just exercising caution, a compromised immune system, or whatever the reason for objection or hesitation. I can relate to that in that I'm a recovering alcoholic (~23 years now) and I sure don't hang around bars. On a similar note, I wouldn't think about attending a big gathering either if I were high risk for infection or serious complications if I were to become infected!

But, on the decision of having the drags or not, I'd offer that as of now Indy Car Racing has the Indy 500 scheduled for August 23. Now Indy is a huge event, although I would guess that there will be a lot of empty seats when the date rolls around. We can get guidelines and suggestions from various sources on how to stay safe and healthy, but like anything in life, we all need to weigh the situation and take responsibility for our own decisions.

I wouldn't have to be shoulder-to-shoulder in the grandstands to have a good time at the HAMB drags. Just like the Indy 500 it's as much the overall spectacle as it is the racing itself.

Lynn

 

Not irresponsible, just hopeful. Do it but make sure everyone knows there’s a good chance it could be cancelled, (Obviously). Follow your gut now, then as it gets closer follow your gut again.

 

Well,,,,I always think about the old saying,,,,,,” it’s a free country isn’t it “ .

If some people don’t feel safe about it,,,,,don’t go .
People still have the cognitive reasoning to make their own decisions,,,,,at least at the moment .

If you don’t feel safe ,,,,stay home !
Be your own boss,,,,make up your own minds,,,it might even feel good for a change .
But,,,,don’t force me to do as you say,,,,,you run your life,,,,,and let the rest run theirs .

Ryan,,,,,Go For It !

Tommy

 

I won't be going but I will attend other similar events if they are held. Wanting to be safe is a valid position to take. Deciding to plan for the event is a valid position. If I was going and I paid up and then it was cancelled would I donate the fee's? Absolutely.

I am still watching to see what Don Moyer does for the R&R. If it's on, I will be there. If he decides it's not going to happen, I will understand. I see where the owner of Norwalk says he will open. If the R&R doesn't happen maybe the Pontiac Nationals will happen at Norwalk that weekend. I will go.

I saw where Thompson was opening for testing (no spectators yet). If they run I will go. I'm not going to get mad at anyone that decides they do not want to be responsible for the risks.

My daughter has an issue with her lungs (A1AD). I would tell her to NOT go.

So......IMO, make the plans to run. Give the people an option on their fee's. If things go downhill, cancel and hope for a better season next year. If someone gets mad, screw em.

 

As far as I know most of the runs I planned to attend this year have been canceled. Ive come to the conclusion that a good long drive with the family will do for me this summer.
I think it would be foolish to put it on if there's a chance of getting even one person sick.
We are one big extended family and like any family some of them you love and some you couldn't give a shit about but a person wouldn't wish ill on any one of them. Keep everyone safe. I know this is corny but the old saying absence makes the heart grow fonder, it will just make folks really appreciate friends next year.

 

I have a very difficult time understanding this mentality. Every single time you have left your home since the day you were born there was a “chance you would get sick.” Does that mean you should have never left your house since the day you were born? How low does the risk have to be before you think it is safe to go out to an event like a drag race?

Life has never been, and will never be, risk free. There is a high likelihood that sometime during your life, someone else caught a cold or flu virus from you. The same is true for everyone.

To claim that Ryan would be a fool for hosting a drag race is August is preposterous.

 

YOU SAID You did not want certain opinions .OK deal in facts
You have a immune problem
this shit will and does kill you. We STILL do not know all we need to know about it.
This shit will kill you!
You also have a family to think about.
All these are facts. DO simple math.

 

Yes that's true but if they got sick from me they didn't die from it. You go right ahead and go. No skin off my back. I have a family member with cancer and I'm not risking getting them sick.

 

Seems responsible to me.

 

You can get killed walking your doggy....."Al Pacino".....Lets go for it!

 

My wife is battling cancer and is very susceptible to contracting a respiratory illness. I won't be able to make the trip or attend this year. I will gladly make a donation, buy a HAMB Drags or support MoKan T-Shirt whatever your decision turns out to be Ryan.

 

Every year thousands always died from the flu. So yes, some may have died. That doesn't mean you should go. That doesn't mean Ryan should go. That doesn't mean anyone should go. It does mean that there will always be risks and each person has to decide what risk they are willing to take in everything.

Those who get in a car on the track increase their risks. We know that but we still do it and we still go.

 

I personally wouldn't do it @Ryan . Until youve personally dealt with the stupid virus or someone close to you its hard to understand. My whole family's been in self quarantine going on day 8. My mom got the virus on mothers day and she hasnt been anywhere. My guess is one of us brothers gave it to her when we took her flowers. It sucks. Your wanting to do a good deed but its not worth it.

 

I have an immune problem called Common Variable Immune Deficiency plus several other factors that make me a high risk. If you hold the drags, I will be there. I’ll just keep my distance. As an attendee I can come and go as I please.

If I were you, running the show, having immunodeficiency and were expected to interact with hundreds, I would just throw in the towel and quit it until we get that new vaccine. I think folks will understand.

 

It's on.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/2020-h-a-m-b-drags-register-now.1194232/#post-13589953

See you in August.

-Abone.

 

I’ll be there.
r


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Good !! Joplin is opening up, Pittsburg is opening up and mo-kan is already open.

I understand those with health issues staying home but for me, I could die going to the store- heart attack, drunk driver etc. So instead of sitting at home ready to put myself in a body bag I'll be there living life!

 

Well, we could put the Boss in something like this for his safety...

Better yet, the traditional version...



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Good one. Made me laugh. Thanks Raven.