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A21
SPORTS Saturday 14 March 2020
'Right now is strange' - NASCAR and IndyCar call off racing

By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
NASCAR and IndyCar re-
versed course Friday and
pulled the plug on racing
this weekend, with IndyCar
also suspending its season
through the end of April
due to concerns over the
COVID-19 pandemic.
NASCAR called off Sun-
day's race at Atlanta Motor
Speedway and next week-
end's events at Home-
stead-Miami Speedway.
Both events were already
scheduled to be run with-
out spectators.
IndyCar was scheduled to
open its season Sunday on
the streets of downtown St.
Petersburg without fans.
Formula One also can-
celed its season opening
race in Australia, leaving
the first full weekend of
global motorsports without
a major event.
Mark Miles, president and
CEO of IndyCar parent In this March 11, 2018, file photo, Alexander Rossi (27) and Marco Andretti (98) race through Turn 10 during the IndyCar Firestone
company Penske Entertain- Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Associated Press
ment, said the about-face
came as both IndyCar and "From our perspective, our ing the most up-to-date in- to postpone the next two had the same camping
NASCAR saw more and hope, our ambition, our formation available." weeks "is in the best inter- spot for almost 10 years,
more events and attrac- plan is to restart in May and Seven-time NASCAR cham- est of the safety and well- said he wasn't too disap-
tions closing. He cited the to get in as much of a sea- pion Jimmie Johnson sup- being of our fans, competi- pointed since he had ex-
cancellation mid-tourna- son as we can," Miles said. ported the cancellation of tors, officials and everyone pected Sunday's race to
ment of The Players Cham- If IndyCar resumes in May, immediate racing. associated with our sport." be rained out.
pionship and the closure of the season would begin at "We want to race as much As NASCAR haulers pulled "They told us our money
theme parks as indicators Indianapolis Motor Speed- as you want us to race but out of the Atlanta Motor will go toward next year's
public gatherings should way first with a race on the this is the right decision," Speedway, nearby camp- event," Jones said. "We
not proceed. road course and then the Johnson wrote on Twitter. grounds usually filled with come every year anyway.
"There's a public health risk showcase Indianapolis 500 "This is so much bigger than fans making a weekend We just won't have to pay
any time people are get- on Memorial Day weeknd. sports right now and the out of the race were still next year."
ting together," Miles said. "Anything from this point is health and safety of our lined with recreational ve- As college and professional
"Really, there isn't a sporting going to be strange, right fans, industry members and hicles. sports leagues canceled
event left that feels com- now is strange," five-time the overall public is top pri- "Well, all the grocery stores events or postponed their
fortable running even with- IndyCar champion Scott ority." are full of people panick- seasons one by one, NAS-
out fans. ... We just felt like it Dixon said. "I think that IndyCar driver Alexander ing, and if I get home there CAR, IndyCar and F1 were
was the right thing to do to would be a fantastic start Rossi issued a statement in ain't nothing to do but to among the very few orga-
not allow the opportunity because that would mean which he called the deci- be locked up at home, nizations planning to press
for the racers to go racing everything is moving in the sion "a bummer." so I might as well sit out ahead this weekend. Fi-
here." right direction, but we don't "I share in the disappoint- here," said Mike Crowe of nally, even the prospect of
It takes six to eight weeks to even know that now. Hope- ment with all the fans and Conyers, Georgia, about staging races without fans
build a street course, which fully we are racing by then." pro athletes across the an hour's drive. "I've got a was deemed to be unsafe.
shuts down large portions Officials at Indianapolis Mo- globe," Rossi said. "But let's camper full of beer and There was no announce-
of the host city. It is unlikely tor Speedway, now owned work through this together, food and satellite TV, so I ment from either NASCAR
that St. Petersburg can host by Roger Penske, said in a be good (intelligent) hu- can just camp and make or IndyCar on rescheduling
the event later this year statement they were work- mans, and come back to the best of it." races.
because of the permits re- ing with public health offi- have some fun in a couple Crowe, a retired fireman, For most people, the new
quired. cials about racing in May. months." offered lukewarm support coronavirus causes only
Miles also said the Grand The Indy 500 draws crowds Defending IndyCar series of the decision to postpone mild or moderate symp-
Prix of Long Beach, sched- of more than 300,000. champion Josef Newgar- the race. toms, such as fever and
uled for April 19, was offi- "Currently, we don't ex- den received word of the "Well, I wish they would cough. For some, especial-
cially canceled for 2020. pect any disruptions to our cancellation standing in have held the event, I re- ly older adults and people
It was unknown what will month of May schedule, the lobby of his hotel just a ally do, but I guess I have with existing health prob-
happen to races in Birming- including the Indy 500," the few feet from the entrance to support them," he said. lems, it can cause more se-
ham, Alabama, and at speedway said. "Our open- to the street course. "They've probably got vere illness, including pneu-
Circuit of the Americas in ing day is nearly 60 days "Crazy times we are living more information than I do monia.
Texas, two of the four April away, which gives us time in, man. Crazy times," New- about this stuff. I'm just dis- The vast majority of people
races canceled Friday by to continue gathering ex- garden said. appointed." recover from the new virus
IndyCar. pert advice and evaluat- NASCAR said the decision Stacy Jones, who said he's within a few weeks.q