Judge: Colorado racing track must obey coronavirus orders

DENVER (AP) — A judge decided against sanctioning a Colorado drag racing track Tuesday for violating social distancing rules during a July 4 event but said the track must abide by public health orders to stem the spread of the coronavirus, even if those orders are constantly changing.

The case involving Bandimere Speedway, nestled in the Rocky Mountain foothills near Denver, and the Jefferson County Public Health department pitted government’s authority to enforce health orders against the track owners’ freedom to conduct business under liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

District Judge Tamara Russell’s ruling didn’t completely satisfy either side. She denied the county’s request to issue a permanent restraining order against Bandimere for lapses in social distancing and other protocols the track had agreed to with the county before the July 4 event.

About 7,500 people attended the holiday celebration, one of the mainstays of the 24,000-capacity track’s season. A county inspector reported race fans crowded food stands, tents and other areas of the facility, in violation of a pact with Bandimere to keep fans in individual groups of up to 175 people spaced throughout the 160-acre (64-hectare) facility.

But Russell ordered the track to comply with state and county health orders going forward. A new county order requires the track and other businesses planning outdoor activities with gatherings of up to 175 people to submit safety plans before the events are held. A new state order requires mask-wearing in public spaces, among other measures.

The county order applies to events large and small for Bandimere, which runs dozens of events, ranging from the annual Mile-High Nationals drag racing event to weekly “Take It to the Track” nights in which citizens race the drag strip while watched by...