Racing Fans Pack NC Speedway Despite Social Distancing Guidelines; Trump Golfs Over Weekend, Makes No Mention of Virus; and Lake of the Ozarks Pool Party Results in Packed Crowd.
In rural North Carolina, thousands of racing fans packed a local speedway in defiance of state orders. Before the first race on Saturday at Ace Speedway, race fans stood close together in a line that stretched 700 feet long.
Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson revealed he wouldn’t interfere with people crowding the event. State orders restrict outside gatherings to 25 people and racing staff wore face coverings. Large signs were posted to encourage social distancing.
Gene Yarboro, who has been going to the speedway for years, said he couldn’t remember seeing so many people in line for a race night before.
“They’ve been locked up,” said Yarboro. “They want to go somewhere and this is the only place, really, legal to come around.”
Race fans spoke to WGHP about how they weren’t going to live in fear of a deadly virus that has killed almost 100,000 Americans.
“We’re tired of being stuck in the house. I’m not afraid of this virus one bit,” said Becky Woosley, a spectator.
“I mean, it’s a little scary. But we can’t live under a rock forever,” said 61-year-old Chandler.
Coates, 63, said, “It’s time to open the country back up, man. People have been cooped up and they’re ready to get out. I think they need to open this economy back up, too. And let people be smart about what they’re doing. I mean, we’re not dummies.”
“And I’m not trying to get all political and all that,” said Coates, as he spoke about “these liberals.”
“I used to be a Democrat. But Trump, everything the poor man does, it ain’t enough. You know? And God bless Trump, and God bless America, man. That’s all I can say.”
North Carolina recently experienced its largest spike in coronavirus cases over the holiday weekend, reaching 1,107 in one day.
Related: 1,200 California Pastors Defy State Orders, Vow to Hold Services
President Trump was greeted with a sign that read, “I care do U? 100,000 Dead,” as his motorcade pulled into his golf club in Virginia over Memorial Day weekend.
Trump has made no public notice of the American death toll from the coronavirus approaching an incredible 100,000.
Instead, he posted on Twitter insisting that the number of coronavirus cases is going down.
Cases, numbers and deaths are going down all over the Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2020
However, this isn’t entirely true. The American Public Health Association issued a statement:
“Infection rates are slowing overall in the U.S., but with 1.6 million cases across the nation in the past four months, the outbreak is far from over. New hot spots are showing up daily, and rates remain steady in at least 25 states.”
Related: Trump Says He Won’t Shut Country Down if 2nd Coronavirus Wave Hits
Coronavirus cases will continue to rise if Americans do not heed social distancing rules. However, many citizens seem to be over the regulations.
This was very obvious during a Memorial Day party at the Lake of the Ozarks on Saturday.
Scott Pasmore, an anchor for CNN affiliate KTVK, shot the following footage:
No covid concerns at the lake of the ozarks😳 #loto pic.twitter.com/Yrb4UNM64u
— Scott Pasmore (@scottpasmoretv) May 24, 2020
While the virus isn’t likely to spread in water, the CDC says that it can continue to spread from person to person in close proximity. Staying at least six feet away from others is especially important when going to the beach or to a pool.
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