USPKS and Route 66 Sprint Series To Provide Updated 2020 Schedule
To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned the US and the world upside down would be an understatement. The USPKS posts the following about the near future: "We hope you are all safe and healthy, and patiently waiting just like we are."
"As race promotors, we like to think we know a thing or two about putting on a great race event. However, scheduling a race season around a pandemic is not something that we are knowledgeable or experienced with. Therefore we are left to the advice and recommendations of medical professionals, and the mandates from Federal, State, and Local governments. Unfortunately none of these professionals seem to be in complete agreement as to what is and isn’t safe and responsible to do. Some densely populated areas of this country have seen large amounts of devastation linked to the virus, while many more rural areas have seen almost nothing. Some states are completely open, while some are on stay-at-home orders. Which states are safe and available to travel through, and which aren’t…it’s very hard to tell right now. And, how much will change in the next month? All of this makes putting together a good plan to get things moving again very difficult."
"We want our racers, staff, and attendees to be safe, but to also not be in fear. We want them to have fun at the track, and not be looking over their shoulder the entire time. To that end, we would prefer to delay the start of our racing season a little longer, so that when we do get together, we do it in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. We don’t need to race just yet, so if waiting a little longer makes it easier to put on a better, more well attended race where people are comfortable and happy, then so be it. We have consulted with numerous racers, track officials, series sponsors, and other stakeholders in the process, and it’s almost unanimous, that delaying the start of the 2020 racing seasons for both USPKS and Route 66 until at after July 1st, will be worth it. So, any races scheduled for prior to July 1st, are postponed."
"An operational window of July thru November should give plenty of time to get both series full seasons of racing in, and have a blast doing it. Look for a new schedule for both series to be published within the next 2 weeks. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we all work together to navigate through this uncharted territory. We also want to thank all our sponsors for sticking with us, and understanding the situation. Especially series sponsors MG Tires, IAME USA East, and Franklin Motorsports."