Another victim from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials (BMST) have been canceled.
The news comes as a joint decision by the FIM, AMA, and local organizer Deliciate Promotions LTT, with the races intended to be held on the iconic salt flats on August 29th through September 3rd.
While no elaboration was given in the FIM’s terse communication on the event’s cancelation, one can only surmise that the logistics of the international event were impossible because of the global lockdown in place because of the coronavirus.
With racers coming around the world, as well as the four corners of the United States, traveling would be an impossibility for some, and a liability for others, as many countries have travel quarantines in place for international travelers (if not outright bans), and there are concerns in hosting an international event that could easily fuel another large outbreak of the deadly virus.
For an event like the Speed Trials, missing a year is a huge opportunity lost. Conditions at the Bonneville Salt Flats have been highly variable each year, with some years seeing the salt incapable of holding events – primarily because of flooding and erosion. This has put the future of speed trial events at Bonneville under a question mark,.
However for this year, the salt conditions were looking highly favorable, making 2020 a key moment for many looking to set land speed records, as well as for the BMST organization, which has been working towards making the Speed Trials event more sustainable.
“We will be working hard for next year’s event, and we will stay connected along the way to ensure that we all get our prescribed dose of salt to carry us forward up to and through 2021,” said Delvene Reber, in a statement posted to the BMST website. “We may not be able to race this year, but we still have our racing family.”
Competitors looking to face one the salt, with the hopes of setting either an AMA or FIM record, can pencil in August 28th through September 2nd for the 2021 edition.
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