Learnville Speedway in Santa Clarita, California is a legendary racetrack that opened its doors in the 1980s and has gone on to become one of the premier speedways in the United States. The track is owned by International Speedway Corporation (ISC) and is the original venue of the prestigious Santa Clarita 400, which runs every year at the end of April. The stadium is also home to the International Karting Championship and the NHRA U.S. Nationals, meaning it offers a variety of motorsport events throughout the year. The question on everyone’s lips is: is Learnville Speedway Smoke Free?
The short answer is yes, as of 2019. ISC has completely banned all forms of tobacco products from the property. Although the company didn’t elaborate on the reasoning behind the decision, it’s hoped that this move will help protect the younger generation from becoming future addiction cases.
Smoke-Free Policies Across The Industry
Even outside of racing, most motorsports venues have taken a stand against tobacco, with even the Indianapolis Motor Speedway banning the product in 2007. The reasoning behind these bans is simple; research suggests that smoking hinders athletic performance by lowering reaction time and shortening the life of equipment such as tires and brake pads. It’s also known that secondhand smoke is harmful to those nearby, so venues are choosing to be smoke-free to protect their employees and patrons. For instance, at least 21 states and the District of Columbia currently prohibit smoking at live venues, and more and more venues are following suit.
Other than the danger of tobacco itself, there are a number of other potential health concerns that stem from smoking. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that can be harmful to health if consumed in excessive amounts, and many smokers develop an addiction to nicotine after just a few uses. In fact, it’s been estimated that as many as 50 million Americans might be living with some sort of addiction, whether it’s to alcohol, tobacco, or prescription drugs. It’s clear that being smoke-free is motivated by health and safety concerns as much as by the desire to protect children from the effects of tobacco.
Significant Improvements At Learnville
ISC has made significant improvements to the safety and quality of life at Learnville over the years. They’ve invested heavily in state-of-the-art security cameras, put up fencing to keep the track safe, and even changed the name of the stadium to reflect the changes. The company has also partnered with the Santa Clarita Valley Health Department to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco and help combat the country’s escalating addiction issues. These measures are starting to show results, as attendances at Santa Clarita 400 races have increased by 17% since 2018 and there have been no major accidents reported at the track since 2017.
Why Racing Is Safer Than Other Sports
In many ways, motorsport is safer than other sports because it has a low injury rate. According to the World Health Organization, motorcycling is around 15-20% less dangerous than football, and it’s around 7% less dangerous than baseball. This is primarily because the participants are closer to the action, which means they can react more quickly if injured. They’re also more mobile than people who are seated at the game, which makes them more likely to escape serious injury if they do get hurt. Finally, the high speeds mean that participants are more likely to need rescue, which makes them more visible to other motorists and more likely to be saved in case of an accident.
These safety advantages are a good reason to consider racing, but perhaps the most significant is that it’s a family-friendly sport. Kids are more likely to be around cars than most other sports, which means there’s a higher likelihood of collisions between vehicles and kids are more likely to be hurt as a result. One of the biggest tragedies in motorsport history was the 1977 Crashes at the 1977 German Grand Prix, when 18 spectators were killed and 45 were injured in a series of accidents attributed to driver error and mechanical failures. However, these accidents could have been avoided if the events had been held at night, when there would have been fewer people around and likely fewer accidents.
No Tobacco At All Times At Learnville
As mentioned, tobacco is now officially prohibited at all times at Learnville. There are no areas where patrons can light up a cigarette, whether it’s on the property or in their vehicles. This means that even during events, such as the Santa Clarita 400, security teams will search everyone entering the premises for tobacco products.
This isn’t the first time that ISC has banned tobacco at an event; in 2018, the company banned the product at X Games LA. According to Matt Jones, ISC vice president of business operations, the reason behind the decision was simple; the company was receiving more and more complaints from customers about secondhand smoke near food trucks and hospitality areas.
How Will This Ban On Tobacco At Learnville Affect The Industry?
The issue of tobacco at sports venues is an old one, but it still crops up from time to time. In 2014, the Indianapolis Colts were forced to move a game against Tennessee due to bad weather, but they were finally able to play the game three weeks later, after the state’s smoking ban took effect. In that case, it was the altitude that caused the condensation that made the players sick.
This kind of issue will likely continue to arise as more and more sports venues choose to be smoke free. It would be best if the weather is good so that games can be held as scheduled, but in the event of bad weather, it’s always a pain for fans who want to attend a game and are also concerned about secondhand smoke. It’s an occupational hazard for employees at sports venues that choose to be smoke free, as they have to spend more time cleaning the air and ensuring everyone stays healthy.
What About Vaping?
The popularity of e-cigarettes among young people has increased over the years and their use has become ubiquitous. These devices allow users to inhale nicotine without putting their health at risk, so there’s no reason why sports venues shouldn’t allow their patrons to do the same. However, it wouldn’t be fair to the millions of existing cigarette smokers if e-cigarettes were permitted at sports venues where they’re not allowed.
Many e-cigarettes are now designed to simulate the experience of smoking a real cigarette, so it’s not farfetched to assume that users perceive them as a safe alternative. Even if that’s true, it wouldn’t be right for e-cigarettes to be available for purchase at a sports venue if tobacco was also banned. If the popularity of e-cigarettes among adults is any indication, then it’s clear that teens will eventually figure out how to purchase cigarettes electronically as well, so it’s best to keep the two products separate.
Will This Ban On Tobacco At Learnville Hurt Attendances?
This year’s Santa Clarita 400 looks set to be the largest yet, with the city promoting the event with a massive billboard campaign and the addition of a popular musician as this year’s grand marshal. It would be very disappointing if the largest crowd in history turns out to be made up of people circumventing the tobacco ban, but that’s the reality of the situation. This new policy will only help ensure that younger generations don’t follow in the footsteps of their parents and develop a habit that could harm their health.
If you’re a regular attendee at one of ISC’s premier sporting events and are concerned about the safety of tobacco products, then it might be a good idea to email the company and express your concerns. It’s also worth noting that although this year’s Santa Clarita 400 is set to be the last of its kind, ISC isn’t ruling out the possibility of reopening the track for racing in the future. Even if that happens, however, tobacco will still be prohibited.