Unfortunately, under those restrictions, the event could not be run. In addition, vendors, autograph sessions and other popular activities would have not been allowed and it would have been impossible for Knoxville Raceway officials to cover the $1 million purse.
“When COVID broke out in the middle of March, we had already sold over 10,000 tickets to the Knoxville Nationals,” Kendra Jacobs, Knoxville Raceway’s drector of marketing told SPEED SPORT. “Your seating capacity with social distancing is really about 35 percent, so at that point, we were already over sold by 3,000 tickets.
“We held out hope to try to get to 50 percent with no social distancing, but when the state announced the extension of social distancing, we had sold 12,000 tickets,” she noted. “So do you call 5,000 people and say, ‘Thanks for buying tickets, but you can’t come now?’ And the other 7,000 people you would have to call every one of them and tell them to tear up their tickets because we have to move your seats because of social distancing. The way we look at this, is you are angering the 5,000 people who can’t come and you are angering the 7,000 people who can come because you are moving them.
“And in addition to that, the 9,000 fans that walk up and buy tickets, can’t come at all, so in essence you are angering everyone. That’s not something we want to do. The fans are everything to us. There was just too much to overcome.”
Fortunately, Knoxville Raceway will still be racing this summer. The 360 Nationals is still scheduled for Aug. 2-4, and the Capitani Classic will be a $50,000-to-win event run on Aug. 15, which would have been the Saturday night of the Knoxville Nationals. World of Outlaws preliminary programs will be run Aug. 13-14.
“This is devastating for all of us on the fair board and at the track, as we know it is for all our fans, competitors, sponsors, employees and everyone in the racing community,” said Marion County Fair Board President Brian Bailey. “A year without the Knoxville Nationals just feels surreal. This is not the outcome any of us wanted. We can promise everyone that when the 60th running of the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s happens, it will be our biggest event yet. We’ll be eager and ready to welcome all 23,000-plus fans back to Knoxville.”
Knoxville Raceway track champion Brian Brown anticipated the postponement.
“Going into the Nationals, we know what’s been going on for a few months,” he said. “We’re up against an uphill battle. Everyone, the track, the drivers and fans and everyone that’s trying to get it to happen. The closer we got, the writing was on the wall. It wasn’t going to be a normal Nationals if there was any. As the cases started going up again, it was kind of the nail in the coffin. Everyone’s disappointed, but on the other hand, Knoxville could have just thrown their cards in and said we were done for the year. We’re still having a really good paying race to honor Cappy.”
Losing big events impacts more than the tracks, racers and fans. It also hurts local businesses.
Sixty to 80 percent of Knoxville, Iowa, businesses count on the Knoxville Nationals to survive. The city and surrounding area has more restaurants and other venues than a town of 7,000 would have without the annual 10-day Southern Iowa Sprintweek.
How many will survive a hit like this? Some have closed and others will. Unfortunately, that’s the state of our society during the pandemic.
A.J. Mottet owns several businesses in town, including the famous Dingus bar across Highway 14 from Knoxville Raceway.
“For a lot of businesses, the Nationals makes their whole year and it is everything,” Mottet said. “It’s a huge economic impact. I will have to deal with that, and I will, because I’m a survivor and a fighter. We have a lot of huge bills that depend on the Nationals. Who would have ever thought we wouldn’t have a March Madness, a Kings Royal or a Nationals? You count on things for your bills. It sounds like many people are coming regardless, which is a plus, but how many?
“Business-wise, it’s a huge chunk of our year, because it’s like Christmas,” he added. “I figure over the course of the 10 days starting with the 360 Nationals, I figure 80,000 to 100,000 people walk through the bar to have a drink, or at least to see it.”
Mottet is also a fan of sprint car racing.
“First off, I’m a race track brat that bought a bar across from the race track,” he said. “Regardless of the bar, for me personally, it’s devastating. My whole life has revolved around Knoxville Raceway. My grandparents, parents and my kids now. You just can’t replace a Knoxville Nationals. This year is gone. You only live for so long and this year of the Nationals is gone.”