It was only a matter of time.
Amid the entire sports world shutting down competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, dirt track racing at Magnolia Motor Speedway offered a welcomed reprieve two weeks ago: its season opener.
This Saturday was supposed to feature the track’s first State Series Super Late Model race of the year, but the track announced this week that it has suspended competition indefinitely.
The decision was an easy one; COVID-19 has since spread rapidly across the country, with 663 total cases in Mississippi — 10 in Lowndes County — and six total deaths as of Saturday afternoon, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health.
“Social distancing,” the recommended action to slow the spread of COVID-19, is essentially impossible at a sporting event, especially those attended by hundreds of people.
Race tracks could pose an even greater risk, as drivers, their crews and fans often travel to the track from hours away, sometimes from different states.
“We do get a lot of traveling people, and we didn’t want groups over 10, so this is the best decision for us,” said Johnny Stokes, owner of Magnolia Motor Speedway. “We’ll do our best to work and get through this thing.”
The status of crosstown race track Columbus Speedway is indefinite for reasons beyond the COVID-19 outbreak. The track has been radio silent since Jan. 1, with no updates on schedules or results on its Facebook page, the track’s primary communications network.
Rod Taylor, who has leased the track full-time since 2017, said last week “the plan” is to run races at the track this year. Taylor didn’t respond to a message Wednesday seeking an update on the track’s health and safety measures in response to COVID-19.
Still, it was unlikely the track would be open for competition anytime soon.
Gary Nickoles, who, along with his brother Jerry, owns the track and leases it to promoters each year, said Taylor called him two weeks ago, but he “didn’t have time to talk.”
“I told [Taylor] to come and see me but have not heard from him,” Gary said.
Revenue shortfalls during shutdown
Stokes has owned operated dirt tracks long enough to have solid contingencies in place, usually for rainouts or to replace essential — but expensive — equipment.
He’s also navigated a down economy and strategized ways to keep big-money events in the Golden Triangle and keep people coming to the track.
The COVID-19 shutdown’s indefinite nature is “bad tough” on Magnolia, Stokes said.
“We’ve been tested, but never like this,” Stokes said. “We haven’t really brought any money in since September of last year, besides our parking spot stuff, which got us over.”
Stokes said the revenue shortfall will force him to budget tighter and “not spend until we have to.”
That could mean putting off maintenance, but on Wednesday night, Stokes was at Magnolia working on lights.
“If I couldn’t do that myself, I’d have to hire to do it, but I wouldn’t be able to,” Stokes said. “When you own a track, you have to do a little bit of everything.”
The ramifications of the shutdown certainly reach beyond the track, particularly for the businesses that operate within the race world, like chassis companies. Stokes said he’s talked to many different people in the racing business, and many chassis builders have shut down indefinitely.
“[Car builders] include a lot of workers,” Stokes said. “It’s a big circle, and this affects everybody. The tire people, too … if you can’t race, you can’t sell tires. Food vendors, too. It goes back to everybody. It’s a tough situation, really.”
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