After two months of closure and uncertainty, officials with the 蜜柚直播 Dragway have been given the green light by the county to resume racing with limited attendance.
The announcement of the return of Wednesday and Friday night drag racing and club days came roughly 24 hours after officials were forced to postpone the Pacific National Open Series and Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series slated for the end of the month due to attendance limitations. Pima County approved the event, but capped the total number of people allowed on site at 500.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do that, put on a Lucas Oil Race with only 500 people,鈥 track manager Matt DeYoung said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 meant to be a bigger race.鈥
DeYoung said he told the county he would tape off the bleachers and close the race to spectators, and that his request for 1,000 people on site accounted only for racers, crew and a few dragway staffers. The event has been postponed to October, but DeYoung said the return of smaller events is a step in the right direction.
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鈥淚鈥檓 not asking for a massive event,鈥 DeYoung said. 鈥淚鈥檓 asking for day-to-day business.鈥
The dragway was shuttered last March as part of the county鈥檚 push to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. During the closure, DeYoung and others found creative ways to stay in the public eye, including filming Hot Wheels races and holding scavenger hunts. The dragway reopened in May with new safety guidelines and a smaller operating capacity.
To make up for some of the track鈥檚 lost revenue, the dragway hosted a series of drive-in movies and concerts this summer on nights when there was no racing. In July, an order by Gov. Doug Ducey forced track officials to cut back on the number of spectators at events. In December, the county passed its own limitations on gathering size to combat growing COVID-19 case numbers and the dragway had to cease operations entirely.
Last month, following weeks of conversations with Pima County Health Department officials, the dragway began hosting limited best package races with 20 cars at a time. Attendance for the events was limited to 50 people per session 鈥 one driver and one crew member per car, and fewer than 10 track employees.
Friday Night Drags will return Feb. 12, but like most things these days, the event will be limited: The number of racers and crew members allowed on-site will be capped, and no spectators will be allowed.
DeYoung intends to ask the county for the same attendance cap the dragway was granted for the divisional series, with 500 people allowed on the 110-acre outdoor property.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 5% of my capacity,鈥 DeYoung said, pointing out that local restaurants are currently allowed to operate at 50% capacity. By the health department鈥檚 own guideline of one person per 150 square feet, attendance at the dragway should be closer to 10,000 based on its size alone, DeYoung said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want anyone to suffer and deal with what we鈥檝e dealt with,鈥 DeYoung said.
鈥淚鈥檝e got 50 part-time employees that only work on race days for me that I haven鈥檛 been able to pay in seven months now.鈥
Jeff Bailey covers up the 蜜柚直播 Dragway鈥檚 鈥淐hristmas tree鈥 鈥 the red and green starting lights 鈥 at the end of the Jan. 23 Limited Best Package Race afternoon session.
DeYoung has given them the track鈥檚 stock of hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and buns that would ordinarily be sold at the dragway鈥檚 concession stands.
DeYoung said that while it鈥檚 been slow going in Pima County, racing is starting to make a return in other parts of the country.
At Auto Club Famoso Raceway, in Bakersfield, California, the track is allowing three crew members for each racer. At Sacramento Raceway, which sits on private property, there are no restrictions. 蜜柚直播 Dragway leases land from the Pima County Fairground.
鈥淭he issue I鈥檝e had with it is yes, we鈥檙e a Pima County property, but other county properties have been operating at a percentage of capacity. I鈥檓 not trying to get anyone in trouble, but we need it to be consistent,鈥 DeYoung said. 鈥淜ids are calling me and messaging me on Facebook. They want to race.鈥
Last week, the Pima County Sheriff鈥檚 Department announced the arrest of dozens of street racers. The next day, 蜜柚直播 Police Department officials announce enhanced measures designed to curb racing on city streets.
Jeff Bailey keeps an eye on the water box as a dragster spins his tires. With COVID-19 restrictions in place, Bailey was controlling pull-ups and mopping, too.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a good reminder that this is the reason why the track was created in the first place,鈥 DeYoung said.
The Wednesday Night Drag events cater to street racers and are wildly popular. Young racers take their cars to the limit on the dragway鈥檚 quarter-mile strip. Pima County deputies also frequent the track, according to DeYoung, who is working toward a partnership with law enforcement to remind local racers to keep it legal and on the track.
The officers are 鈥渏ust as much 鈥榞earheads鈥 as the kids that race,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e want to put a face to the badges and help these kids realize they鈥檙e not just red and blue lights.鈥
DeYoung is grateful that racing is back, though he admits the experience won鈥檛 be the same as before.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a step in the right direction,鈥 DeYoung said. 鈥淥nce the community gets involved with law enforcement and the health department, we鈥檒l really be able to make progress.鈥
