Many of the world’s top racing fans were in San Francisco last weekend for the annual Golden Gate Bridge Run. The 5k event raised funds for Bay Area charity organizations and was the culmination of a three-day motorsport festival, which included the famous Brickyard Grand Prix and the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing series’ annual opener, the Tomorrowland Speedweek festivities. In 2020, the festival will move to a non-racing venue but will maintain a similar programming structure with increased opportunities for fans to get up close and personal with top racing stars.
While there, the fans were treated to a live stream of the qualifying races for the 24 Hours of Lemons, a unique mix of vintage cars and hyper-realistic digital dioramas that present an immersive racing environment. The Lemons will pit 22 drivers against each other in a bid to be the first across the line at the end of the race. The event is named after the popular Apple smartphone game of the same name and is modeled closely after the popular Nintendo Switch game, Mario Kart.
Tomorrowland Speedweek Has Been Rescheduled
The schedule for this year’s Tomorrowland Speedweek has been slightly modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The opening event, the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing series’ Grand Annual opened on March 17 and was originally slated to be held at the iconic Orange County Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa. The event was postponed to October 1 to allow for more time to prepare and bring in more fans. A week later, the event was moved to Sonoma Raceway outside of San Francisco and was rescheduled for April 12-14.
Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Is One Of The World’s Largest Racing Festivals
Each year, the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing series holds one of the world’s largest sporting events, named after itself, in early April. For the first time in its 51-year history, the series cancelled its annual stop in Costa Mesa, due to the pandemic. The event resumed in San Francisco, in a slightly modified format, with the added COVID-19 safety protocols. The series is renowned for its extremely athletic and talented drivers and the immense crowds that it attracts. Last year’s event sold out almost immediately, with thousands of fans flocking to the venue to catch a glimpse of their favorite drivers. The series’ founder, George Lucas, enjoyed personally sponsoring many of the competitors in the NASCAR camp. Amongst the celebrities who drove in the event were Mr. Burns, Moe Szyslak, and Herb Costner. The entire town of Radiator Springs was brought to life by the artists who designed the digital dioramas, which are now on display at the Radiator Springs Racers tourist attraction. The theme park’s car collection was also a significant part of the festivities.
The Brickyard Grand Prix Is One Of The Most Prestigous Races Around
The 2.25-mile circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the most iconic sports venues in the world. It was the starting point of one of the most epic racing stories of all time, with seven drivers battling for the title of Indy 500 champion in 1928. The Brickyard Grand Prix is often considered the father of modern-day motorsport, thanks mainly to its innovative rules set and its determination to establish a formula that would make motor racing more accessible to the general public. The entire event is streamed online by Race Hub, with thousands of fans tuning in from around the world. Many of the world’s top racing drivers now ply their trade at the Speedway, including A.J. Foyt, who won the first Indy 500 in 1911 and still holds the record for the most wins at the storied track. In 2020, the IndyCar Series will return to the Speedway for a special 75th anniversary edition of the race, with teams and drivers from the historic era honored alongside today’s stars. The entire event will be broadcast live by NBC Sports.
The National Sports Authority’s Bruce McTominay Speaks For Many When He Says: “I Can’t Imagine Anything More Fun Than Going To A Race Live!”
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the global motorsport community has pulled together to ensure the continuation of top-level competition. The National Sports Authority (NSA), which governs motorsport in Great Britain, lifted the travel restrictions that had been put in place in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. The NSA approved the opening of the Scottish motorsport venues, including the famous Ayrton Senna International track, in the middle of March. This gave the British motorsport community a glimmer of hope that the upcoming season would still see racing take place. The decision allowed the organizers to continue running the sport, even though they had to adjust the format and the way in which they executed it. Many fans around the world have been deprived of the experience of going to a live motorsport event for a long time. The health and safety protocols that had to be put in place due to the pandemic presented unique challenges to the organizers of the Scottish motorsport series. They had to look for new ways to engage with their fans and grow the sport in a post-pandemic world. In order to retain as many fans as possible, the organizers had to adapt to the times and come up with new ideas. One of the key ways that they did this was by making the entire experience a virtual one. This allowed them to hold the entire season virtually and ensure the safety of their fans. In 2021, the sport will return to its former glory. Hopefully, the experience of going to a live race will be something that the fans will look back on with fondness.