Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted Area

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QuackXP
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Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted Area

Post by QuackXP »

I recently was at the Superbike Race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course near Lexington/Mansfield OH. They are posted prohibiting firearms at the drive in entrance to park inside. Now I was not close enough to get the details of the sign while driving past the gates.

Also there website states: No firearms are permitted on Mid-Ohio property.

Because of this I left my firearm at home. It would have been different if I could have parked outside the track property and walked or took a shuttle in but there is no real way of doing this with jut one vehicle.

Being a PA resident even disobeying a sign in PA is only a trespassing charge. I know in Ohio if you carry where a sign is posted its more serious. My question would be if I transported my firearm unloaded and locked according to Ohio's laws and was somehow discovered with it in that state in my car, what kind of legal trouble could I be facing?
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cashman966
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by cashman966 »

I don't see that they have a liquor permit, if that is the case then they would have to file a civil trespass complaint if they discovered you stored the firearm in you vehicle in the parking lot. They would need to show damages if they went that route. If they discovered you were carrying on your person outside the lot then you could be charged with criminal tresspass. I am curious since Ohio does not have reciprocity with PA what permit are you carrying on in Ohio. Florida or Utah maybe? (ETA I see from a previous post It is Utah)

If they do have a calss D permit (which as I said, I couldn't find in the database) and drinking is allowed in the parking lot you would be facing a felony under current law, If the parking lot is not covered by the permit then civil trespass would apply there and a felony where ever drinking is allowed.
Ignorant or Stupid, I'm not sure which is worse. If someone were stupid, at least they'd have an excuse for all the dumb things they say.

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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by Tourist »

cashman966,

I thought the law currently (soon to be changed, thank goodness) just prevents you from being "in a room" where people are consuming alcohol. I did not think there is any statement about outside, i.e. not in a room. :?
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by djthomas »

It's unfortunate that people see no problem with mixing performance vehicle activities (e.g. bike/hot rod nights) and booze in the parking lot ... But heaven forbid someone be allowed to have a gun if they agree to not drink.
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by djmac1964 »

djthomas wrote:It's unfortunate that people see no problem with mixing performance vehicle activities (e.g. bike/hot rod nights) and booze in the parking lot ... But heaven forbid someone be allowed to have a gun if they agree to not drink.
I was at Norwalk Raceway once, when they actually had to announce to the drivers to please not bring open containers with them, in their vehicles, to the staging area.
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Mr. Glock
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by Mr. Glock »

Mid-Ohio is private property, and has had those signs from the beginnning of CC here in Ohio. I'd treat it, legally, as you would treat posted private property. They have two gates, I've not been to the smaller one, but I'm sure it's posted too.

Mid-Ohio, as a large area, is not one big Class D..even if they had a Class D, which I don't think they do...this ain't NASCAR. Spectators, now that's another story....champange breakfast anyone?

Not being a lawyer here, you get into gray area with Federal Firearms Transport....it's generally considered to be one thing to drive through Illinois, and a whole nuther to actually stay the night in a hotel by the interstate. Of course, New York state just makes it easy by not abiding by the Federal law and makes handgun transport illegal unless you are traveling through the state to a sanctioned match somewhere.

Mid-Ohio does reserve the right to search your car and person, not that it happens much. Private property and all.
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by sprranger »

Mid-Ohio does sell beer.
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by cashman966 »

Tourist wrote:cashman966,

I thought the law currently (soon to be changed, thank goodness) just prevents you from being "in a room" where people are consuming alcohol. I did not think there is any statement about outside, i.e. not in a room. :?
(A) No person shall possess a firearm in any room in which any person is consuming liquor in premises for which a D permit has been issued under Chapter 4303. of the Revised Code or in an open air arena for which a permit of that nature has been issued.
Ignorant or Stupid, I'm not sure which is worse. If someone were stupid, at least they'd have an excuse for all the dumb things they say.

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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by cashman966 »

Mr. Glock wrote:Mid-Ohio is private property, and has had those signs from the beginnning of CC here in Ohio. I'd treat it, legally, as you would treat posted private property. They have two gates, I've not been to the smaller one, but I'm sure it's posted too.

Mid-Ohio, as a large area, is not one big Class D..even if they had a Class D, which I don't think they do...this ain't NASCAR. Spectators, now that's another story....champange breakfast anyone?

Not being a lawyer here, you get into gray area with Federal Firearms Transport....it's generally considered to be one thing to drive through Illinois, and a whole nuther to actually stay the night in a hotel by the interstate. Of course, New York state just makes it easy by not abiding by the Federal law and makes handgun transport illegal unless you are traveling through the state to a sanctioned match somewhere.

Mid-Ohio does reserve the right to search your car and person, not that it happens much. Private property and all.
Having never been to Mid Ohio I still think my answer is accurate. Private parking lot = civil trespass. Other posted private buildings or premise = Criminal trespass. If a Class D covers said property and they can sell alcohol for consumption anywhere on the property then you would be looking at a felony. No sales in the lot, back to civil trespass.

FOPA transport does not come anywhere into play in the OPs scenario. Ohio is his destination not a pass through, he must comply with Ohio laws for transport. Since he has a Utah concealed license he is covered under Ohio concealed carry laws.
Ignorant or Stupid, I'm not sure which is worse. If someone were stupid, at least they'd have an excuse for all the dumb things they say.

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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by Tourist »

cashman966,

As I read the OP post I thought he was talking about the parking area. That would not be an open air arena; at least I wouldn't think so. The law specifically says IN an open air arena, so even if they have alcohol in the parking lot, it would not meet the restrictions. While I hate to be a test case, I would hate to travel to and from the event unarmed! :(

As I read it, it would be a civil infraction to leave the gun locked in the car. What am I missing? :?
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by QuackXP »

I do know that Ohio has decent transportation laws as long as its unloaded and in a container that latchs, etc.

I was not talking about carry just having it unloaded and locked in the car.

I have a whole year to figure it out though.
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by cashman966 »

Tourist wrote:cashman966,

As I read the OP post I thought he was talking about the parking area. That would not be an open air arena; at least I wouldn't think so. The law specifically says IN an open air arena, so even if they have alcohol in the parking lot, it would not meet the restrictions. While I hate to be a test case, I would hate to travel to and from the event unarmed! :(

As I read it, it would be a civil infraction to leave the gun locked in the car. What am I missing? :?
If they are selling alcohol for consumption under a D permit and the D permit covers the parking lot (again I am not saying that this is the case at Mid-Ohio) IMO under current law it would be a felony violation under 2923.121 to have a firearm in the parking lot. YMMV

I searched again and even though their web site says they sell Budweiser and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktail products I can find no permit for their address in the Ohio Liquor Permit database. There are very few D permits in Morrow county and all the ones I found did not look as though they are related to the track. Maybe they get F permits for each event.
Ignorant or Stupid, I'm not sure which is worse. If someone were stupid, at least they'd have an excuse for all the dumb things they say.

Pass the Peace Pipe I need another hit

IANAL and neither are most people on this board, its just shows more with some than others.
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by Tourist »

cashman966,

Well I guess this is just one of those areas where we are both guessing and my guess does not match yours. :lol:

As I read the law it says in a room or in an open air arena. Even if the D license was issued for the parking lot, the law does not forbid concealed carry outside a building or outside an open air arena. As you say YMMV. :wink:

Of course I would not want to be a test case, nor would I recommend it to others, so I will be glad when September 30th rolls around. :)
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by farblue »

Mr. Glock wrote: Mid-Ohio, as a large area, is not one big Class D..even if they had a Class D, which I don't think they do...this ain't NASCAR. Spectators, now that's another story....champange breakfast anyone?
Well, from what I've seen the few times I've been there for the races, it's not champagne, it's Jack Daniels and, ummm, "hemp". :(
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Re: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course & Transporting Inside Posted

Post by Cruiser »

cashman966 wrote:I searched again and even though their web site says they sell Budweiser and Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktail products I can find no permit for their address in the Ohio Liquor Permit database. There are very few D permits in Morrow county and all the ones I found did not look as though they are related to the track. Maybe they get F permits for each event.
That would be my guess also. It is what my Club does for our race events.
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