Central Roadracing Association COVID-19 Guidelines (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

The safety of the Central Roadracing Association’s (CRA) workers and racers is a top priority. With the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CRA board of directors has created a set of guidelines in order to comply with CDC recommendations, and get back to racing in 2020. The guidelines were created to align with the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for organized outdoor events that include racing and camping. For more details and clarification, please visit the CDC website, https://cdc.gov. These guidelines are in effect until further notice by the CRA board of directors.

Guidelines

• If you or anyone you have been in contact with have symptoms of COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, you may not show up to a CRA event until you have been symptom-free for 14 days
• Anyone at-risk or caring for those that may be at risk of contracting COVID-19 should not attend a CRA event
• All volunteers, racers, team and crew members will be required to sign a COVID-19 waiver upon entering the race track
• No spectators or non-essential personnel will be allowed at the race track for CRA events 
• The CRA expects that the number of people attending events will be within the CDC’s guidelines for outdoor recreational activities
• Inside the race track facility, everyone should practice social distancing by being at least 2 arms’  lengths (six feet) away from a nearby person
• The use of face masks or coverings is recommended when interacting with people outside of your household
  • It’s recommended that everyone bring their own face mask
  • If you don’t have a face mask, the CRA will be able to provide one
• All volunteers, racers, team and crew members must practice good hygiene by frequently washing their hands or using hand sanitizer
• Riders meetings will be held next to the bandshell to allow for social distancing
• New riders school will have all chairs spaced 6 feet apart
• Race registration will no longer be accepting cash, all race purchases must be done in the online store using a debit or credit card
• Wristbands for racers/workers will not be put on by race registration volunteers
• Campsites and “pits” or paddock areas  must be spaced 50ft apart

As the CDC and State of Minnesota’s recommendations evolve and change, the CRA will continue to update our operating guidelines. If you have any questions about the CRA’s COVID-19 guidelines, please feel free to reach out to us on Facebook, or email any of the board of directors.

The 2020 race season has almost begun. On Friday 6/19/2020 at 7am we will be hosting the June new riders school for the CRA. We will be located in the classroom building next to the NAPA building just before the 4 way stop intersection. Please be in class by 7am as we have a lot of material to cover.

We recommend arriving Thursday night to get your paperwork taken care of and through tech inspection. Friday is a busy day for the new riders so it’s best to be as prepared as possible ahead of time.

If you attended the online NRS school this spring, please show up at the classroom at 8:00 AM for a FLAGS PRESENTATION (not covered at the on line) and a brief refresher (this is mandatory), to meet the instructors, and a truck ride around the track.

Thank you, look forward to seeing you up there.

Instructors, please come at 9 am.

lights out, go!

New rider chief Shane

GAME ON!!!

The bizarre year of 2020 has been challenging! With the latest (as of the end of May) changes in the regulations by our Governor, we are a go for racing our Double Sprint weekend! There will be a COVID release form that everyone will need to sign that is included in this newsletter email. Our back to the track protocols will also be published very soon.

Like many other race organizations, there will be no spectators. We have to ask this because of the (current as of 6/1) restrictions placed by the Governor on racetracks throughout the state. In light of those restrictions, we are also asking that there be no extra ‘non-essential’ attendees. We ask those of you who are volunteering or racing, to not bring any extra people. There may be potential for the restriction to change as we get closer to the June weekend, but at this point, we have to plan on the attendance cap the Governor has in place (250 people).

Watching the MotoAmerica event last weekend with no fans was weird. And asking people to not come is such a weird place to be. But it is important that we follow the guidelines set forth by the State and the CDC; most importantly for the safety and well being of all of our volunteers, racers, and BIR Staff, but also so that there are no repercussions for BIR or the CRA. Keep in mind that if our attendance exceeds the State’s limits, this could put BIR in a spot where they could have to turn people away at the gate.

There will also be some changes in registration, rider meetings, and worker meetings to minimize close quarters or personal contact. All of these guidelines are outlined by the CDC, and we as a club will have to do everything we can to adhere to those CDC guidelines.
Is this stuff fun??? NO!!! However, if you’re like me and love road racing motorcycles and hanging at the track with the most awesome group of people in the world… We can work together as a club to stay within these temporary guidelines so we can get back to the track! I know that I am prepared to do so!

Please be prepared to pre-register, print, and sign the COVID release BEFORE you come to the track if at all possible. These will need to be signed or turned in for each person at the gate before you can enter. We want to minimize contact between those entering the track and those working the gate, so having this release printed and ready when you get to the gate will really help streamline the process.

Covid release should be attached to the newsletter email or find it under forms and documents, link on home page.

Pre-Reg will be open Saturday 6/6, and it will be open until Thursday night before the event at 5 pm.

A very important topic that we need to communicate ahead of time is that we are going to be required to spread out in the paddock area. BIR is being required to keep 50 feet between paddock spots and campsites. This may pose a little bit of a challenge, however, I trust that all of you will do the best you can to spread out.

As you all can appreciate this year and the situation is still pretty fluid, and there is still the possibility of last-minute changes to any and/or all of these regulations and criteria. So please keep that in mind and stay tuned to the website for any updates.

We are doing everything we can to have a SAFE and fun event. I know that BIR is as well, but just like 2020 we just don’t know what will happen next.
One last thing to keep in mind, the CRA and Steward team have a safety plan which has minimum requirements for corner staffing. So if you are coming to volunteer please let the F&C Chiefs know, they usually send out an email before the event. It will be super helpful for the club if you can let them know! Also for those of you that are coming to race or crew, we may need to have some people help out. Keep it in mind, even just a half-day helping staff a corner station can really help, it is also a great way to learn about the track and how the club operates.

I guess I should probably get started putting my motorcycle back together…

Honored to be serving the club, Brett D. #67

The June membership meeting and BoD meeting will be online again using our GoToMeeting. Members wishing to attend please request login info via info@cra-mn.com

Regards, Brett D. Pres.

After a special meeting with BIR ownership, our Chief Steward, and several Chiefs of specialty, we have come to a partial decision.  
There are many factors in play and the track is under great scrutiny about what events can happen, and how many participants and workers can be on BIR grounds. The situation is still a moving target for the track and for us.  
The CRA is planning to run SOME type of event on our scheduled weekend at BIR.  Exactly what that will depend on what is “allowed” by local, state, and federal restrictions.  As it stands at the moment “racing” is not allowed.  As we get to the 1st of June, we are hopeful to get more restrictions lifted. Until then, we are exploring ways to utilize any opportunity we have to run while staying within the guidelines laid out by the track, local, and state authorities.   
June pre-registration has been moved back one week (opening on June 6th), and will be left open all the way through to our event date. 

Thanks for your patience as we navigate our way back to the track.

Stay Safe, hope to see you all soon.

The Board will be jumping on a ‘go-to-meeting’ tonight with BIR to discuss what our options will be for our June event. As we all know these times are challenging. Regardless of personal feelings about them, we need to respect the decisions of the track, and the guidelines/restrictions imposed by the state or federal authorities.

Please stay tuned as we should have an update in the next day or two.

I want to say thank you to all CRA members for your patience as we work through this. We all want to get back to racing and hanging out with our CRA family, I miss you all! Hope to see you all again soon.

Stay safe! Brett D.

The Board of Directors and Stewards are partnering with BIR to work through the current situation and define specific social guidelines in order to operate the June race weekend safely. Specific details will be coming out soon. Stay tuned.  
In the meantime, we would like to announce that the CRA has received a generous anonymous donation of 200 cloth face masks and 4 gallons hand sanitizer. We will be offering masks to volunteers that cannot provide their own or may not have one available, and will have hand sanitizer at various points around paddock and race track. 
The safety of our volunteers and racers is our top priority. We are doing all we can to ensure this while continuing to move forward with this seasons’ schedule. 
Thanks for your patience through all of this. We look forward to seeing you in June!

Just to make sure you are all aware of where to find our rule book, here is a link.

https://www.cra-mn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CRA_Rulebook_2020.pdf

And while we are at it here are our bylaws.

https://www.cra-mn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/CRA_Bylaws-5-7-19-.pdf

We will have a limited amount of paper rule books available at our next event.

Again this month our membership meeting will be via ‘GoToMeeting’

Members wishing to participate can reach out to info@cra-mn.com for login information.

Brett.

                After researching, reading, studying and much deliberation the board of directors has decided to cancel our May event.  We feel that this decision was the in the best interest of the health, safety and well being of our CRA family and their relatives at home.   This was not an easy decision as we are all very passionate about our CRA family and we all look forward to getting together as often as possible throughout the summer. 

                We had waited as long as possible for more information to be released about the stay at home orders, social distancing, CDC and MN Dept of Health recommendations.  The board felt after the governor’s extension that this was the right time to make and announce this decision so people can adjust plans and purchases, vacation time, etcetera.

                We remain very optimistic and hopeful that the rest of the CRA’s 50^th Anniversary season will be able to run, and with extra enthusiasm after getting through this pandemic. 

God willing, we will see you all June 19-21 for our double sprint event hosting the CCS.

Stay healthy and safe.

President Brett Donahue