ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. —
An Adams County race track hosted sprint car racing on Memorial Day, despite being in a yellow phase county. Lincoln Speedway in Berwick Township opened for a 410 sprint car show.
The event was held without state approval. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development wrote in a statement,
“Lincoln Speedway should not host this event. Per the governor’s phased reopening plan, for counties like Adams that are in the yellow phase, groups of more than 25 are prohibited, as is entertainment, as well as professional sports without an approved plan from the Department of Health. DCED was not informed of their plans, and is not an enforcement agency. Therefore, the agency will not have a presence at the race if it resumes. Local law enforcement would have jurisdiction over enforcement.”
The speedway’s first event since it closed in March due to COVID-19 drew hundreds of spectators.
Watching a race is a Memorial Day Weekend tradition, said fans like Keith Ness, an East Berlin resident who has been coming to Lincoln Speedway races for 51 years.
“Once [racing] in your blood, you’re done,” Ness said. “You’re hooked.”
This Memorial Day Weekend is atypical in the fact that it falls during the COVID-19 pandemic, when virus mitigation efforts mandate most events to be cancelled.
However, the speedway’s owners said being forced to stay closed wasn’t fair to them or their fans.
“I think they have a constitutional right to be here,” said Mike Heffner, speedway owner. “No one’s being forced to be here. And as you’ll notice, most people that are here are very happy.”
Despite the mitigation measures state officials say are necessary to keep the public safe, fans said each person should be allowed to decide how much risk of exposure they’re willing to take.
“It’s freedom to do what you want,” said Dillsburg resident Julian Wall. “That’s what we’re here for. That’s what this race is about. That’s what racing is about.”
“I was penned up in my house for two months because I’m not in the best of health,” Ness said. “ If I’m to pass away from this stuff, so be it.”
The speedway enacted mitigation efforts for the race, spacing out seating in the bleachers and adding two additional viewing areas. Attendees were required to sign a waiver “acknowledging the risks involved in attending a large event during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Attendees were also asked to wear masks and social distance. However, the majority of people at the track were not wearing masks, and many stood close together in lines to get in.
“All this COVID-19 stuff, we don’t really care about it, obviously,” said Mifflinburg resident Dustin Botts.
Lincoln Speedway isn’t the first race track to go around the state’s regulations. Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna County was issued two citations for holding practice races during Memorial Day Weekend.
Local law enforcement were not present at Lincoln Speedway Monday evening, but they have the authority to issue citations there, as well. In addition, Gov. Tom Wolf has warned businesses that violate the shutdown order could have their permits or licenses revoked. Lincoln Speedway management said they were willing to take that risk.
“We would fight it,” Heffner said.