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A new start date for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship has been announced, confirming the season is scheduled to commence on 18 July at Ironman Raceway in Indiana.

The reduced series will include 10 rounds – potentially 11 – between Ironman and Pala’s Fox Raceway, which is due to be held on 10 October in Southern California.

“On May 4th the Race Leadership Team 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,” a statement read.

“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.

“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 race tracks and state officials continue to develop their plans.”

It has also been revealed that Loretta Lynn’s in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, will host a round of Pro Motocross for the first time ever, marking a historic moment for the championship during the month of August.

“Besides the Ironman and Fox Raceway dates, the series is prepared to announce a surprise for the 2020 season,” it has been confirmed. “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.

“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.”