Spectators saw the first race at the Tisdale Motor Speedway on July 18, albeit a bit differently than previous years (submitted photo/Casey Randall).

By Aaron Schulze

Racing Resumes

Tisdale Motor Speedway completes first race during coronavirus pandemic

Jul 30, 2020 | 2:30 PM

Tisdale Motor Speedway completed its first lap amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

The first race wrapped up on Saturday, July 18, and according to the Northeast Stock Car Drivers Association’s President Casey Randall, the ride went smoother than expected.

“Everybody who attended our race day did a good job of following the guidelines,” Randall told northeastNOW. “I think everybody’s been living like this for the last five months, so it’s routine. We measured and marked our bleachers… everyone did a good job of knowing where to sit.”

While racing season typically begins in June, the Government of Saskatchewan didn’t allow racetrack and rodeo-related activities to resume until July 16. Randall said two races in June were cancelled, but provincial health guidelines loosened early enough to keep the original scheduled July 18 race afloat.

“It was a little hectic trying to get everything set up for the race day… but we were able to put on a safe event. It’s good to get everybody back and have some normalcy again,” he said.

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The Tisdale Motor Speedway capped its attendance to a maximum of 150 spectators, which is just under half capacity. If the track can host a few more races before season’s end, Randall said they could end up breaking even despite the pandemic.

“A lot of other businesses are in a worse boat, so we can’t really complain,” he said. “At least we’re able to get the drivers out and let them have their fun and get the spectators out and let them enjoy some racing. If we can split our race days up into two-day events, we can get as many people but spread it out through different days.”

Two races are tentatively scheduled for dates to be determined at the Tisdale Motor Speedway in August. In the fall, Randall said they’ll “play it by ear” come September.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow