NASCAR was the first major-league sport of any type to resume in the USA. The Darlington race and others that followed were closely watched by other professional sports leagues, government authorities, the media, and the general public. The new COVID-19 related safety protocols and well-executed events received very high marks.  The responsible leadership demonstrated in motor sport has helped to pave the way for other American national sports when they resume.

The motor sport world stops

By March 2020, only a handful of major U.S. events like the IMSA Rolex24 at Daytona, NASCAR Daytona 500, and NHRA Winter Nationals had been completed. The same week that the launch of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship season was halted in Australia, IndyCar was sidelined just as their teams, officials, and participants arrived in St Petersburg, Florida for the season opener. As with motor sport around the globe, racing across the USA abruptly shut down; revenues stopped; and the entire industry entered uncharted territory.

Road to resumption

All the ACCUS clubs immediately activated their individual crisis management plans (containing strategies and considerations just like those shared during the recent FIA Stronger Together Webinars). Individual protocols for returning to racing were developed by each club with input from all stakeholders, and ongoing communication with government and health authorities at national, state, and local levels.

Motor sport strengths

Gradually as focus began to shift beyond the immediacy of “lock-down” towards restarting people’s lives and the economy, motor sport was well-positioned to be a positive force in moving forward. It represents a national industry, with roots that go right down into local communities, and with connections that are truly global.  It is a source of jobs, manufacturing, revenues, taxes, and so on, and motor sport positively impacts many other industries. Racing is also a source of local and national sporting pride.  Today it can serve a beacon of hope to help look beyond challenges of the moment.

FIA Communication

Early on in the pandemic FIA established an ASN Experts Group which included, among others, ACCUS. This group had a role in things like the FIA Solidarity Program, “FIA Stronger Together Webinars”, and in creating FIA COVID-19 related and return-to-racing materials available to all ASNs. The work of the group represents an ongoing global exchange of knowledge as we look to rebuild our sport. This is just one reason why all ASNs should keep the FIA up to speed about what is happening in their countries, regardless of whether the resumption of racing is on the horizon, or a little further down the road.

Grassroots

While the focus of national attention was on NASCAR, the first officially sanctioned event to occur anywhere in America as restrictions began to ease was actually a grassroots Sports Car Club of America “Solo Racing” event (aka “Autokhana”/”Gymkhana”/”Motorkhana”). Other ACCUS member clubs like USAC (dirt racing) and NHRA (drag racing) took their first tentative steps to resuming racing via their grassroots programs as well. FIA continues to proactively promote grassroots racing, particularly in these challenging times, and this should come as no surprise. In the USA, grassroots racing is the foundation upon which the entire industry is built.

Looking ahead

To date, high-level races in the US have been conducted without spectators at circuits. Sanctioned motor sport has been carefully blazing a trail and acting very responsibly as it ventures into a new world with “new norms”. But running races in empty stadiums is only a means to a much more important end. Ultimately the sport is all about the interaction with fans, whether at the international, national, or grassroots level.