By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — The Red Cedar Racing Association is asking to have 100 percent capacity in the grandstands for the Punky Manor event in September even though there has been a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in Dunn County.
Over the past week, there have been 77 new cases of COVID-19, which would restrict the Friday night capacity to 35 percent according to the agreement with the facilities committee for the use of the Red Cedar Speedway, said KT Gallagher, health officer and director of the Dunn County Health Department, at the Dunn County Facilities Committee meeting August 25.
The day before the facilities committee meeting, Dunn County had 36 confirmed cases in that single day with seven probable cases, Gallagher said, noting that at the time she had left the office the day of facilities committee meeting that Wednesday, 22 more cases had been confirmed.
“There is definitely a significant increase (in cases),” Gallagher said.
The Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus also is impacting vaccinated people and those who have “natural immunity” because they have already had COVID-19, she said.
“Both of those are concerning to me,” Gallagher said.
Dunn County remains at about 40 percent of the population being fully vaccinated, which is still 10 percent less than the total number of people in Wisconsin who are fully vaccinated, Gallagher said, noting there has been a recent slight increase in vaccinations and that the increase centers on school-age children who are eligible to receive a vaccine.
The facilities committee met online using the Zoom platform.
After the July 28 Dunn County Board meeting, which was the county board’s first in-person meeting in a year and a half, six county board members tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from Dunn County.
Most of the people at the county board meeting were vaccinated, the news release states.
Punky Manor
Friday night, August 27, will be the last regularly scheduled races for the season at the Red Cedar Speedway with the season championship races, said Mark Thomas, president of the Red Cedar Racing Association.
The next event at the Red Cedar Speedway is the Punky Manor Challenge of Champions on September 24 to September 26, he said.
Thursday night of the Punky Manor will be practice. Friday night will be heat races. Saturday night will be the last chance to qualify and then the feature races, Thomas said.
It takes “a ton of work” to get ready for the Punky Manor — food orders, beverage orders, tickets, marketing and sponsorships, he said.
“This is our grand event,” Thomas said.
The Punky Manor Challenge of Champions is one of the biggest events in the WISSOTA Promoters Association and “is our crown jewel.” The Punky Manor has had anywhere from 140 cars to over 200 cars, he said.
“Financially, this is the opportunity for us to put ourselves in a position to handle our business in the off season … and get us kick-started for next season,” Thomas said.
The Greater Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce completed an economic impact in 2018 and determined that the Punky Manor had a $1.2 million impact on the city and the county, he said.
Thomas said the Red Cedar Racing Association was asking to be able to have 100 percent capacity in the grandstands so event organizers can finish planning for the Punky Manor.
The facilities committee should take into consideration that there was no racing last year and to realize “we did our part” and followed the protocols and procedures put into place with guidance from the Dunn County Health Department, he said.
“We worked hard to fulfill our side of the obligation within the restrictions and guidelines,” Thomas said.
“I get that (the pandemic/virus) is still here … (but) we’re outside, and people understand the risks,” he said.
There are many other events coming up, such as the Ridgeland fair, and the Red Cedar Racing Association wants to hold the Punky Manor to be in a financially stable condition, Thomas said, pointing out that the Punky Manor has been held for 45 years.
Disappointed
Don Kuether, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the facilities committee, said he was disappointed that the racing association would come back and ask for 100 percent attendance when Gallagher is dealing with the current number of COVID cases.
“We are in the middle of a pandemic,” he said.
At a special meeting June 30, the facilities committee changed the agreement with the Red Cedar Racing Association and doubled the number of cases for grandstand capacity, from nine cases in a week to 18 cases in a week to allow 100 percent capacity at the grandstands and from 18 cases to 36 cases of COVID-19 in a week to have 75 percent capacity. The new agreement also increased the number of cases in a week to 44 to allow 60 percent capacity, 54 cases for 50 percent capacity, 72 cases for 35 percent capacity and 90 cases in a week to allow 25 percent capacity.
If not 100
If the racing association cannot have 100 percent capacity in the grandstands for the Punky Manor, how will that affect the stability of the racing association? asked Mike Rogers, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the facilities committee.
The Punky Manor “is a huge event for us” and for the economic stability of the racing association, Thomas said.
The racing association has a line of credit that was used, especially earlier in the season when the grandstand capacity was more restricted, for equipment upkeep, payroll, bills, rental of the Red Cedar Speedway from Dunn County and insurance fees, he said.
The insurance is over $1,000 for every night there is a race, Thomas said.
Last week’s race had a crowd of 350 people, and the racing association barely broke even, he said.
“This event can help to pay the bills … we are not in a profit position right now,” Thomas said.
Contact tracing
Rogers wanted to know what Gallagher had seen regarding contact tracing of COVID-19 cases that were linked back to racing at the Red Cedar Speedway.
Gallagher said she was not aware of anyone who believed he or she had contracted COVID at one of the races.
At the last race where there were 350 in the grandstands, was that because of restrictions due to COVID cases or was that all who showed up? asked Dave Bartlett, county board supervisor from Boyceville and chair of the Dunn County Board.
The 350 is who showed up, and that is not a restricted number because of COVID cases, Thomas said.
The low attendance at the last race night can be traced back to the fact that there was a high school football home game in Menomonie and because it was so hot and humid, Thomas said.
“In the last few races, when you could be at 100 percent, were you at 100 percent?” Bartlett asked.
The full capacity of the Red Cedar Speedway is 1,400 people, and the races have not been at 1,400 people this season, Thomas said.
“That tells me some people are probably not coming to the races because they have decided not to,” Bartlett said.
Outdoor outbreaks
Bartlett wanted to know if Gallagher was aware of any outbreaks of COVID, like there had been at the July 28 county board meeting, at any outdoor events.
“There continues to be something protective about being out of doors. I acknowledge that,” Gallagher said.
Nothing sticks out as being connected to an outside event, she said.
Statistics
Bartlett said he was curious about the statistics from the races at the Red Cedar Speedway and asked if they could be shared with the committee.
Having statistics would be useful to committee members when they are making a decision about the grandstand capacity, he said.
The Red Cedar Racing Association has been attempting to keep track of which race attendees are vaccinated and which are not.
The racing association is more than willing to sit down and work together beyond what is already being done, such as asking people to volunteer their vaccination status, Thomas said.
Bartlett asked about the Centers for Disease Control recommendations for outdoor gatherings.
The CDC says unvaccinated people are encouraged to wear masks in large outdoor gatherings, Gallagher said.
The Dunn County Facilities Committee held a special meeting August 31 to consider whether to allow 100 percent grandstand capacity at the Punky Manor Challenge of Champions September 24 through September 25.
