I would like to start off with the wish that you and your families are doing well through these challenging times. Who would have thought we wouldn’t be on the track in the Spring or early Summer? We had started off the CVR DE season with our Winter Workshop on Feb 29th. For those of you who participated, congratulating on getting a little teaser before everything shut down.
We have been in a holding pattern since the middle of March. Schedules have been changed, events were cancelled (both our April and May LRP DE’s) and yet, we are hoping that the future events we have on the schedule can take place.
We are looking ahead and trying to prepare for our DE events. We are waiting to get the okay from health officials that it seems safe to start getting ‘back to normal’. Some people have asked about what future DE events will look like? Will we be able to do social distancing if needed? How will we hold a driver’s meeting? Can registration be held outside? (Here’s hoping it’s not windy). And, the big one … will we be able to have instructors in the car with the students?
As always, the safety of all our participants is our number one priority. We will be able to properly distance ourselves at the track: registration outside, with each person printing the waiver at home and signing it with their own pen, parking 6+ feet away from each other, standing 6’ apart when hanging out or attending the outdoor driver’s meeting, outdoor classrooms and even wearing masks, if ordered by the Health Officials. We could use hand signals for Pit In, Pit Out and Steward rather than radios. The biggest concern I have is putting an instructor in a student’s car, with concerns for the safety of both the student and the instructor. For now, I will not ask any instructor to put themselves or a student’s health in any danger until we are assured that we are 100% sure we have a solution for both parties, that is acceptable to all.
Going forward, I feel that the decision we have to make, for the safety of our members, will be that when we start up again our events may be for Solo drivers only. Yes, I know that is not what any instructed driver wants to hear, but please try to understand that CVR’s DE program always, as with all PCA clubs, has your well being and safety as our first priority.
Things are changing daily with this pandemic so who knows – maybe we will be back to the norm sooner than expected. We can only hope.
While most of us are at stuck at home, I am sure there is some project or service that you are thinking about for your car (street or track). Now more than ever is the time to get it taken care of. Our DE shops would really appreciate your business: Automobile Associates of Canton, Speedsport Tuning, Musante Motorsports and Daniel Jacobs LLC are all still open. Call and find out how they are handling transactions to keep everyone safe. Our sponsors are also open and working and would appreciate your business. Those sponsors are Danbury Porsche (time to buy a new or used 911 or Cayenne?), Elm City Trailer (a new trailer, service or an upgrade?) and Hagerty Insurance (getting a quote, adding a vehicle?).
Thanks for all of your support and kind comments. I look forward to seeing all of my old friends (not old in years, but in how long I’ve known them) and meeting new friends at an upcoming track event, hopefully soon.
Stay safe.
Dave
