May 17 date still targeted; opening event will be delayed if necessary
WEST HAVEN, Vt. – Devil’s Bowl Speedway remains optimistic for its 54th stock car racing season to open on time on Sunday, May 17. As the world combats the COVID-19 outbreak, management at the Vermont dirt track says that it will do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of its spectators, competitors, and staff, but is currently working toward the planned May 17 start date.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott on Thursday released specific computer modeling that predicted the spread of the disease in the state to peak as soon as “late April or early May.” Devil’s Bowl promoter Mike Bruno said that he is encouraged by the recent news, though he understands that things may change at any instant.
“There are so many unknowns right now, obviously, but I think that time is on our side,” Bruno said. “We are taking the situation very seriously and we are taking it one day at a time, but keeping a positive attitude is important. The track surface held up very well over the winter, our trucks and equipment have all been serviced, and soon the facility will be getting spruced up like it does every spring.”
The May 17 date still serves as the target to open the track, but the fluidity of the COVID-19 spread – and the financial impact of recent work stoppages – means that Bruno is prepared to delay the start of the racing season if it is appropriate to do so.
“We’re doing everything that we can to get ready for May 17, but I’ll wait as long as it takes,” Bruno said. “We are concerned with everyone’s health first, of course, but we also realize the strain that the shutdowns have caused. We will make sure that it’s safe for a couple thousand people to be in the same place and not risk spreading the virus, and we also want to give everyone a chance to rebound financially before we ask them to spend their money.”
Bruno offered one last piece of optimism to fans and drivers: “We’ve raced in October before, and we can do it again if we have to.”
In the meantime, racing fans are encouraged to participate and interact from their own homes via social media. Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s popular weekly show “Let’s Talk Racing!” will continue to air on Facebook Live. Now in its fourth season, the one-hour show broadcasts live each Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. and features interviews with various drivers and personalities from the racing scene. Viewers can ask questions and post comments live during the broadcasts, and prizes are given away on each episode. The show has made nearly 1.2 million impressions on Facebook.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway is on Facebook at facebook.com/DevilsBowlSpeedway, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @DevilsBowlSpeed; follow the action using the #DevilsBowl hashtag. The track’s official website is at www.DevilsBowlSpeedwayVT.com.
(Alan Ward photo)