4/10/2020
IRA Interstate Racing Association
National 410 Day
While today is National 410 day, and ironically today is also the day we were to open our 2020 season, I thought we'd try and update everyone where IRA stands as of today. We have so many great things in place for 2020, and while this is my 27th year at the helm, I truly believe that with all the cool things we put in place over the winter, that this year was going to be our best, and hopefully it still will be. The COVID-19 virus dictates everyone's life right now, and our first thoughts are with everyone's health and financial well being. We truly hope that everyone you love is healthy and safe. As for racing, we honestly don't know when, or if, we'll get the green light for 2020, but certainly we will have things in place and we'll be prepared whenever that day comes. I make my living in the motorsports industry and converse with dozens of people within our industry on a daily basis. As of today, nobody I've spoken with truly knows what the 2020 season will look like. While April has been lost, we are prepared to race in May as scheduled if we're allowed. We have plans in place to start in May, June, or anytime our government officials say it's safe for us to do so. Based on IndyCar's release of their revised schedule made earlier this week, now opening June 6th, (we think maybe Roger Penske knows more than us), so our 410 series has taken today's originally scheduled race at Lee County and postponed it to Fri June 5th, the night before we're at Fairbury on June 6th. We have rescheduled our April 18th Beaver Dam Raceway Wipperfirth Memorial to August 29th for the 410's. We even have rescheduled dates in place for our "big" May races too, if need be. During this "Stay At Home" mandate here in IL, I made the mistake of installing a TV in my home office, so now I'm more confused than ever in regards to when we might get back to normality. Certainly we hope and believe more of the economy will be opened relatively soon, though we believe our health safety folks will watch for spikes in COVID-19 cases before they open up events like ours to the public. As one of the least "tech savy" people on the planet, I never imagined one of the highlights of my week would be tuning into FS1 and watching a video game, but that is where we're at today.... and I must say our Bill Balog's pretty good at it. And thanks to Derek Crane for putting something together for our wingLESS guys to have fun with too. Even if parts of the country are opened before others, it remains unclear if teams who are based in "Stay At Home" states will be allowed to travel? Nobody knows.... It's Easter weekend and reality is that many of us can't spend it with those who we love because of health concerns. It's the reality of today. Certainly we hope what we're all doing has helped, and as a result more businesses throughout various parts of the country can be opened as soon as possible, as more need to (and deserve to) be opened. We sincerely hope you and your loved ones are safe, and that your businesses and jobs survive and those places currently closed, open up soon. Thanks to those whose jobs keep us healthy, fed, and safe. Your health and well being are most critical during these times, and absolutely your financial well being too. Our thoughts are with everyone this Easter weekend, and we can't wait to see everybody as soon as we possibly are allowed. Until then, be healthy, safe, and God Bless.
Steve
Submitted By: Kim Tennyson