SPEEDWAY (WTHR) — "I'm not very happy, not happy at all, said Marcia Huff, who owns Barbecue & Bourbon on Main,
She's talking about the new plans for IndyCar-NASCAR race weekend, set for July 4. It will be run without fans in the stands, a decision based on the continuing threat posed by COVID-19.
"It's actually kind of like a kick in the gut because we were counting on that," Huff said.
Counting on it after the Indy 500 was moved from May to August and as restaurants were just starting to re-open. Indoor dining began Monday at 50 percent capacity.
"The staff was trying to make some money, so it was a blow," Huff said. "Do we shut down that week and everyone take off and have good time? I don't know, or do we cross our fingers and hope the race teams need some food?"
Chris Hill, who owns Dawson's on Main, is also wondering how to salvage what should have been a big weekend.
"It's tough, just a long line of kind of punches in the gut kind of thing," Hill said. "Our hopes are people will want to come down and hear the race, the cars, the energy going throughout the air and we'll be ready for that, but it's tough not being able to see the fans and just the aura of the track being open. It's what everything is built on around here."
The tens of thousands of fans planning to flock to Speedway over the July 4 weekend were expected to spend a chunk of money.
"It's just taking away another thing people enjoy doing," said Bryan Kesterson, a race fan from Lafayette. "I don't like it that every year they look forward to doing this and then to plan for it, get hotel rooms and tickets and then all of sudden it's all taken away. It's kind of sad."
"They moved it to July to try to increase attendance and everything and now they got run it without any fans. The good thing is we went months without any sports, so hopefully it will be televised locally so we can see it as it plays out," said Dave Baer, a race fan from Indianapolis.
The races will be broadcast live in central Indiana on WTHR Channel 13.
Marie Hall, who owns Three Sisters and a Trunk Boutique on Main Street, said she gets the frustration. During April and May her boutique is filled with all sorts of checkered clothing and race-related merchandise.
"May is so important to me. It supports me all year long," Hall said.
But she also says she gets the decision to run the race without fans. She expected it and believes IMS had no choice.
"This is the first time in our lifetime we've gone through this and it's not just hit Speedway, Indiana, it's hit the whole world," Hall said. "Nobody decided to make these changes (related to the races). Circumstances made us make the changes."
Kelly Buck, director of communications for the town of Speedway, said they were already looking at ways to help businesses hurt by the loss of race day fans.
"How can we make it still an exciting time in Speedway and support businesses that desperately need help?" she said.
Buck said they were looking at closing down Main Street so area fans could get the flavor of race day while working within social distancing guidelines. Other thoughts include encouraging those holding race day watch parties to use Speedway restaurants for catering for carryout and pick-up.
Buck said she would be asking businesses, "what would most benefit them and how can we support them?"