Motocross announces changes to 2020 schedule
By Dan BeaverMar 20, 2020, 6:06 PM EDT
Jeff Kardas, ProMotocross.com
In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, MX Sports Pro Racing has altered its schedule. The 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross season will begin on June 13 with the Florida Nationals from WW Ranch Motocross Park in Jacksonville, Florida, and will feature 11 of the original 12 rounds.
Most races will maintain their original dates, with three exceptions.
The Florida National at WW Ranch originally was scheduled for June 6 but will be delayed one week to June 13.
The Fox Raceway National at Pala, California, originally was scheduled to run May 23. It will become the season finale Sept. 9.
The Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colorado, moves from May 30 to July 11.
"It is our hope that in postponing the start of our season for this additional month, the extended period of time will not only allow for us to obtain a clearer picture of the state of the pandemic, but also provide ample opportunity for our series partners, teams, competitors, and fans to plan accordingly," said Davey Coombs, President of MX Sports Pro Racing in a release. "The updated calendar would allow us to still successfully host a complete season of Lucas Oil Pro Motocross competition, in a quick and concise fashion will leave other parts of the calendar open for other racing activities."
The season was scheduled to start with the Hangtown Classic at Placerville, California, but it was announced earlier this week that race would be canceled.
The Hangtown Classic is the only round to be dropped from the amended schedule.
"While the whole world is trying to cope with the ongoing global pandemic that is the COVID-19 coronavirus, we have diligently looked at the impending future of our own championship and the impact this will inevitably have on this annual summer tradition," Coombs said "While the series has unfortunately already been affected by this pandemic with the cancellation of American motocross' longest-running event, the Hangtown Motocross Classic, we have developed a condensed and redesigned schedule for the remainder of the championship that will now start a little less than three months from now."
June 13: Florida National, Jacksonville, Fla. (originally 6/6)
June 20: High Point National, Mount Morris, Penn.
June 27: Southwick (Mass.) National
July 4: RedBud National, Buchanan, Mich.
July 11: Thunder Valley National, Lakewood, Colo. (originally 5/30)
July 18: Spring Creek National, Millville, Minn.
July 25: Washougal (Wash.) National
Aug. 15: Unadilla National, New Berlin, N.Y.
Aug. 22: Budds Creek National, Mechanicsville, Md.
Aug. 29: Ironman National, Crawfordsville, Ind.
Sept. 5: Fox Raceway National, Palam Calif. (originally 5/23)