NJ Drag Strip Cited For COVID Violations, Had 2X Patrons Allowed

GREAT MEADOWS, NJ - It was the traffic that gave it away. Island Dragway in Warren County was cited for a COVID-19 executive order violation after traffic leading to the facility tipped off police to the crowd assembled here, according to New Jersey State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan.

Speaking at the Monday COVID-19 briefing, Callahan said that the facility had more than 1,000 patrons assembled there.

"The owner there was cited, police responded traffic and there were over 1,000 patrons there," Callahan said. "So that owner was also cited for an EO violation."

But according to Donald M. Castellaro, a participant and patron of Island Dragway for more than 50 years, took issue with the police narrative.

"I was in attendance at the Ol' Daze Drags and Nitro Funny Car Event," he told Patch in an email. "Anyone that frequents the track is well aware that the entrance to Island Dragway can only be accessed on Island Road which is a two lane private road. On any given race day. One can expect to encounter heavy volume and delay to gain entry as a racer or spectator. The traffic on that day was no more excessive than any other event I have attended in the past."

On their website Island Dragway posts a waiver for anyone travelling to the facility must sign. The waivers are updated by Thursday or Friday each week for the weekends events. Everyone entering that is 18 or over needs to fill one of these out each time they come, the site said. That would include racers, spectators and crew.

Castellaro said that the form notes it was and is the responsibility of the person seeking entry to the track property to follow the guidelines or assume any risk at his own choosing.

"Island Dragway should not be held responsible for those patrons choosing to ignore said guidelines," he said.

That form is designed to hold the facility harmless due to COVID-19 repercussions. But it does not exempt them from the executive orders.

Currently, outdoor gatherings in New Jersey must be limited to 500 people and social distancing must be practiced. The caveat to that is there is no limit for outdoor gatherings for religious or political activities protected under the First Amendment.

Castellaro said that the event was held outdoors and the likelihood of contamination was reduced.

"Access to the refreshment stand consisted of a doorway open at both ends of a 20 ft long by 5 ft wide service counter. While in the refreshment stand, I personally saw every employee serving customers wearing masks," he said. "In addition, patrons were wearing masks and keeping their distance while in the semi-indoor confinement."

For his part, Castellaro said he saw people gathering in the stands that may or may not have exactly been appropriately distanced.

"However, the billowing some of aggressive burnouts billowing tire smoke and the caustic fumes of 100 percent pure nitro methane held less possibility of cross contamination than any of the most recent crowds of unabridged protesters state wide," he said.

He also took issue with the track being made and example of, and asked that anyone of conscience speak up.

" If the powers that be seek to make an example of those that choose to willingly violate the norms of the day, they are solely misguided in their attempt to assert that Island Dragway made any grievous transgressions alleged," he said.

You can view the video of Callahan discussing the situation below at approximately 28 minutes in.

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.