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2020 Pro Motocross | COVID Guidelines For Competitors

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2020 LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP | COMPLETE COVERAGE

Another day, another detail announced for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Late Friday evening, MX Sports issued their “COVID-19 Paddock Mitigation, Health & Safety Plan” for the nine-round series that will run this summer and as we expected, there will be plenty of restrictions in place. We’re not complaining, though, since it’s a lot like what we all had to deal with during the Utah rounds of the Monster Energy Supercross and these steps are considered necessary so that racing can happen at all. This information won’t apply to most of you, because these rules are written for the riders, teams, and industry personnel that will have access to the pit area, but it’s important to get the information out to the masses so that there’s no confusion when it’s time to hit the road in a few weeks. Here are a few key points that we noticed and you can read the full document by clicking here, which will send you to the MX Sports Pro Racing website.

Mandatory Mask Zones & Procedures

The Paddock will be closed to the general public. Participants are prohibited from leaving or re-entering the Paddock after accessing the general public areas.

The Paddock is a mandatory mask zone, i.e., facemasks are required at all times in all areas, including the Mechanics Area, Staging Area, Starting Gate, Technical Inspection, etc. Participants wearing helmets are not required to wear a facemask. Complimentary facemasks will be available at the MX Sports Pro semi.

Staging Area is limited to 1 rider – 1 mechanic only. No other team member or industry support personnel permitted in this area. Riders must wear a facemask when not wearing a helmet. Motorcycles will be positioned 6-feet apart. Only one group will be staged at a time.

The area behind the Start Gate is limited to 1 rider – 1 mechanic only. No other team member or industry support personnel permitted in this area. Riders must wear a facemask when not wearing a helmet.

Mechanics Area is limited to 1 mechanic per rider. No other team member or industry support personnel permitted in this area. Authorized race teams may have 1 cart and 1 driver in this area. The cart driver must remain with the cart unless providing mechanical assistance. Mechanics may assist other riders in this area.

The Paddock will be closed to the general public.

The podium will be located in the Paddock. The area behind the podium is the podium parc ferme’. The podium parc ferme’ will consist of (3) 10×10 Rider Stations equipped with 1 chair each. Only race officials, the top three riders, 1 team representative and 1 mechanic per rider may enter the podium parc ferme’. No other persons are authorized. Media members are prohibited from entering the podium parc ferme’.

Team representatives must be prepared to provide drinking water for their own riders. Water and cool rags for immersion will be available at each Rider Station. The rider will hand off his motorcycle to the mechanic and the mechanic will immediately take the machine to Impound. Motorcycles will not be displayed on the podium.

Riders will remain in the podium parc ferme’ with their team representative until called to the podium for an interview. Interviews will be conducted on the podium maintaining a 6-foot physical distance. Riders will enter the podium from stage left and exit stage right. Riders will be interviewed one at a time and will stand on a designated mark. Riders will pick up a sanitized trophy for a photo opportunity. Series points leaders will autograph the red #1 plate with a sanitized marker.

Champagne sprays for photo opportunity will be at the discretion of the rider. Microphones will be sanitized after each use. The podium parc ferme’ will be sanitized after each moto

Temperature Checks

Temperature checks will be conducted at the entrance of the Paddock for all participants. Participants with a temperature of at least 100.4° will be prohibited from entering the Paddock and must leave the venue immediately for the remainder of the event. Participants with a fever will not be permitted to return to the series without proof of a negative test for COVID19. Persons who have been in immediate contact with persons identified with a fever, but who do not themselves have a fever, must remain in their work pod (explained below) and minimize contact with others, and will be retested throughout the day.

Work Pods & Essential Personnel

Each factory team and privateer rider will be assigned a paddock footprint or “work pod”. Unless going to/from the racetrack or race function area (Technical Inspection, Mechanics Area, Podium, etc.), participants must remain within their designated work pod, and Members of one team may not enter the work pod of another team.

“Participants” are defined as credentialed riders, crew members, rider guests, officials and media. Riders are allotted (2) crew and (2) guest credentials and must purchase them through their online Rider Profile. Top 10 riders from 2019 may obtain (2) complimentary guest credentials by contacting MX Sports. Team credentials are available through the Team Packages.

Participants must maintain a 6-foot physical distance from others whenever possible.

Only essential team personnel are permitted in a team’s work pod, i.e., riders, crew members and immediate family members, as approved by the Team Manager. Team Managers must provide MXS with their list of essential team personnel no later than the Wednesday before each event. Teams are responsible to restrict access to their own work pod and should report any violation to MXS officials immediately.

Industry support personnel, i.e., goggle, helmet, gear and tire representatives, are not deemed essential team personnel, and are prohibited from entering a team/rider work pod. Teams/riders may set up a “Drop Off” table adjacent to their work pod for the delivery/pick-up of gear by industry support personnel. Industry Support Personnel will be granted credentials on a case-by-case basis.

Private doctors, including chiropractors and physical therapists, and trainers that service multiple riders on different teams, will be required to provide their services from their own work pod located in an area adjacent to the MMU as designated by MXS. Doctors/Trainers with multiple patients will be prohibited from moving from work pod to work pod to provide services and will be required to exercise proper personal hygiene and sanitation protocols between patients/clients.

Under the circumstances, rider agents are not deemed essential team personnel and are prohibited from entering a team work pod.

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Michael Antonovich

Michael Antonovich has a wealth of experience with over 10 years of moto-journalism under his belt. A lifelong racing enthusiast and rider, Anton is the Editor of Swapmoto Live and lives to be at the race track.

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