UPDATED 2020 AMA PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON SCHEDULE: RED BUD WILL NOT BE THE OPENER
The 2020 AMA National schedule is in limbo. Only two rounds have been announced, with a third almost assured TO BE at Loretta Lynns (a week or two after the AMA Amateur Natioanals). MX Sports has said that it looks like there will only be 8 or 9 rounds instead of 11 (Hangtown, the original first race, dropped out earlier). We would assume that Red Bud, Mt. Morris, Washougal and Millville will be in the final cut.
CURRENT & TENTATIVE 2020 PRO MOTOCROSS SCHEDULE UPDATED ON JUNE 22
July 18…Crawfordsville, IN
July 25…Jacksonville, FL
TBA…Washougal, WA
TBA…Mt. Morris, PA
TBA…Southwick, MA
TBA…Red Bud, MI
TBA…Lakewood, CO
TBA…Unadilla, NY
TBA…Hurricane Mills, TN
TBA…Millville, MN
TBA…Budds Creek, MD
TBA…Pala, CA
BELOW ARE PREVIOUS PRESS RELEASES FROM THE OLD NEWS CATEGORY
Updated June 1, 2020:
The 2020 Pro Motocross season officially has two dates set and some major news on top of it. We never thought we’d live to see a lot of things that are going on in the world right now and a the top of the list is a Pro National coming to Loretta Lynn’s in Tennessee. MX Sports, hosts not only the Pro Motocross series, but also the largest Amateur National in the world, the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National, in August every year and this time, Loretta’s will also be hosting a Pro National. Additionally, MX Sports stated that they expect to race at Washougal, WW Ranch and High Point. Plus, they said that two other new venues are likely to be added to the roster this season.
All events, no matter their location, will be conducted WITH FANS with elevated social distancing protocols in compliance with CDC guidelines and as recommended by the Safe-to-Race Task Force. These protocols, currently under development, will be announced at a later date by Mx Sports.
We also have two dates set for the season opener and finale. The original location for the season finale, Ironman Mx in Crawfordsville, Indiana, will now be the season opener on July 18th. Dates for the rounds in-between haven’t been announced, but the season finale has been slated for October 10th at Fox Raceway in Pala, California. MX Sports also stated that it is their intent to host 10 events and possibly 11 by the end of the season. As of right now, this is all we have, but it’s better than nothing. The schedule will be rolled out on a month-to-month basis as racetracks and state officials continue to develop their plans. MX Sports also stated that they are hopeful that some historical venues may be able to return to the schedule but they recognize that others may not. Read below for the full press release:
2020 LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON SCHEDULE UPDATE
Cooper Webb last year at the 2019 Fox Raceway National. Instead of round two, Pala will host the season finale.
Over the course of the last few weeks, state governments have announced their state-by-state phase-in plans for the resumption of large gatherings, including professional motorsports events. Some states have taken a very restrictive approach to large gatherings (e.g., Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts and New York), while others have found a more lenient approach acceptable so long as social distancing guidelines are followed (e.g., Indiana, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, etc.). These varying state approaches have created unique challenges for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, as several of the preeminent venues are situate in restrictive states that may or may not permit large gatherings during the time frame currently planned for the series.
On May 4th the RLT announced that the series was tentatively set to be held from July 4th through October 3rd. This would leave only 13 days between the end of supercross and the start of motocross. As many states continue to roll out their phase-in plans, it became clear that a further delay in the start of the season would be the most advantageous for the riders, teams, and the events themselves. The farther the series could push back into the summer the better for all. However, there is a hard start of July 18th, this being a live NBC broadcast date – television coverage being paramount for series and team sponsors.
Michael Mosiman flying above the Fox Raceway track in 2019.
The new plan is to commence the 2020 season on Saturday, July 18th at Ironman Raceway and end on Saturday, October 10th at Fox Raceway. It is the intent to host 10 events and possibly 11 by the end of the season. Series organizers have consulted with OEM partners and have been advised that given the unexpected boost in off-road motorcycle unit sales and parts and accessories over the course of the last month (with many dealerships and after-market companies experiencing record sales), it would be premature to cut the season short at this time. The better approach would be to give the national tracks time over the course of the summer to see if their states relax their requirements to enable them to hold their national event. We are hopeful that some historical venues may be able to return to the schedule but recognize that others may not. Hence, the schedule will be rolled out on a month-to-month basis as racetracks and state officials continue to develop their plans.
Marvin Musquin at the Ironman National.
Besides the Ironman and Fox Raceway dates, the Series is prepared to announce a surprise for the 2020 season. For the first time ever a pro national will be held at Loretta Lynn’s on the historical AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship racetrack in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. The national will be held in August and will serve as a sort of homecoming for pro riders who have graduated from these familiar grounds. Though Loretta Lynn’s is not a traditional pro national venue, these are not traditional times, and series managers are working hard to schedule nationals at venues in states that are open for business.
In addition to the above, it is the current plan to include the following traditional venues on the schedule: Washougal, WW Ranch and High Point. These venues are located in states that have established clear phase-in guidelines that can be timely met. In addition to Loretta Lynn’s, it is highly likely that two more new venues will be added to the schedule based on the states where they are located. Dates will be rolled out at a later date.
All events, no matter their location, will be conducted with fans with elevated social distancing protocols in compliance with CDC guidelines and as recommended by the Safe-to-Race Task Force. These protocols, currently under development, will be announced at a later date.
UPDATED 2020 AMA PRO MOTOCROSS SEASON SCHEDULE: REDBUD WILL NOT BE THE SEASON OPENER
Updated May 23, 2020:
The restrictions for public gatherings are being lifted at different rates across the country and the decisions for this are being made on a state-by-state basis. MXA is excited to see that Supercross is going to finish its season (although it will be weird without fans in the stadium.) We are also happy to know that the Loretta Lynn Amateur National Regional qualifiers will be conducted across the country starting in June and running through the July 4th weekend. Racing on all levels is good for the entire industry. Unfortunately, the 2020 AMA Outdoor Nationals won’t be able to compete as easily as Supercross without the revenue derived from ticket sales. They are doing everything they can to go racing with fans, as soon as possible. Read below for the official statement by MX Sports on May 20th, 2020:
Without spectators watching motocross or Supercross in person or on TV, riders like Cooper Webb wouldn’t have a job.
Pro Motocross stated: “The Pro Motocross schedule continues to be dynamic. It is the intent of organizers to conduct the events with fans, which requires elevated social distancing protocols. The phase-in plans for the resumption of large gatherings continues to evolve from state-to-state, with some states having clear guidelines and others not so much. Event organizers continue to work with their local and state officials to develop a suitable timetable for their national event, but the situation is changing rapidly. The current plan is to start the series in July, but to date no exact start date or location has been determined. What has been determined is that RedBud will not be held on July 4th, nor will it be the opening round. The Series will release a month-to-month schedule starting with July in the coming weeks. This roll-out schedule will allow events to be moved as organizers obtain approval from state to state. Although this approach may be unorthodox, it is necessary under the circumstances, and event organizers and series managers appreciate the patience of the riders, teams and fans as we maneuver through these challenging times.”
We are looking forward to getting back to normal. Hopefully it isn’t too long before spectators can surround the podium like this.
Spectators in the background of the picture immediately adds credibility to the sport when newcomers come across our events on TV.
Updated May 2nd, 2020:
MX Sports released updated info for their 2020 AMA Pro National schedule and it includes the opening round of the series being postponed to Saturday, July 4th, and the season running through October 3rd. They also are sticking to the goal of running 11 races, just one race shy of the original 12 events planned. For some reason, the Dirt Diggers North Motorcycle club canceled the opener at Hangtown as soon as the Coronavirus started making headlines. They canceled before MX Sports released any info about adjustments to the series and now, even though all of the other races have been postponed and moved around, they weren’t added back onto the list.
MXA has also heard rumors that the opening round of the 2020 AMA Nationals could be at Ironman in Crawfordsvile, Indiana—originally the location for the season finale. The series is still looking to end in Southern California at Fox Raceway.
Fox Raceway in Pala, California, was originally slated as the second round of the series. As of now, Fox Raceway will hold the season finale.
MX Sports Press Release: As the state-by-state recovery plans continue to unfold, it is clear that a uniform back-to-business strategy is unlikely. Some states, like Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas, are hopeful and optimistic about their ability to reopen businesses in a safe and responsible manner, while other states, such as New York and California, are closed to the idea of allowing any group gatherings for the foreseeable future.
This divergence in recovery approaches mandates significant changes in previously announced race schedules, as series managers attempt to reopen venues for competition, while implementing safe social distancing practices.
The Safe-to-Race Task Force is nearing completion of its assignment. The mission of the Task Force was to develop best practices for the operation of a post-COVID19 motorsports event that complies with state and federal guidelines for safe social distancing, while maintaining the integrity of the sport. These protocols will be shared with event organizers of all motorsports disciplines to assist them as they develop plans with their local officials to reopen their racetracks.
To streamline the workload the Task Force created several committees: Operations, Competition, Information Technology (IT), Medical and Government Relations. The committees will be presenting their reports this Friday and the final Safe-to-Race Tool Kit will be issued on Monday. Over 43 professionals in the motorsports, medical and technical fields participated in the Task Force, bringing an unprecedented wealth of knowledge and expertise to this unique challenge. The Race Leadership Team is confident that the health and safety protocols recommended by this group will greatly expedite the safe return to racing.
In the meantime, is it necessary to announce the following changes to the subject series schedules:
Pro Motocross:
The Pro Motocross schedule is currently under revision. The opening round is postponed to July 4th and the series will run through October 3rd, with dates and locations to be announced as soon as possible. Currently the number of rounds remains at 11.
The defending Champion, Eli Tomac, at the Fox Raceway National in 2019.
AMA Amateur Motocross:
The remainder of the Area Qualifiers are cancelled and the series will resume under a Super-Regional format (previously announced ‘Plan C’) commencing the weekend of June 6/7 through July 4/5. The format will consist of three different regionals (Amateur, Youth and Vet) in each of the eight regions. MX Sports is currently working with organizers to develop a schedule to accommodate this plan and will announce the dates and locations next week.
GNCC:
GNCC Racing representatives are working closely with local officials and landowners in the states of Georgia and South Carolina. These states are actively developing reopening guidelines and are welcoming responsible group gatherings. Although it remains tentative, it is the plan of GNCC Racing to resume competition on May 16/17 at Aonia Pass MX in Washington, GA (same location as round 3) and then on May 30/31 at a location in South Carolina. Social distancing guidelines and best practices for the series are currently under development and will be announced soon.
ATVMX:
The Pro-only round of the series previously set for August 28th in conjunction with the Ironman motorcycle national has been canceled as a result of the change of the Pro Motocross schedule. The event will not be rescheduled.
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