Charlotte MXGP Cancels Qualification
Cycle News Staff | September 2, 2016
After torrential rain for most of Thursday night, which started again on Friday morning, the decision was made to save the track for the main action on the Saturday night by cancelling all qualification action today The Dirt Track, Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. This is the first time that the venue has hosted a round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Charlotte MXGP Cancels Qualification
Despite a “race or shine” PR from Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was probably the right decision as putting bikes on the track could have significantly damaged the race surface and that might not have been repairable by Saturday afternoon.
Instead the timetable has been altered so that instead of a 3 p.m. start on Saturday, they will have an earlier free practice around 1 p.m. so that they can still get used to the track without being under pressure to produce a lap time. Then they’ll have a timed practice which will give the gate picks for the actual races, making the schedule much more like a Lucas Oil Pro Motocross National or even Monster Energy Supercross than the usual MXGP World Championship.
Obviously it is disappointing to the Charlotte Motor Speedway who have worked so hard to pull off this inaugural and historic MXGP of Americas but hopefully it should allow the track to produce some awesome racing tomorrow. Having spoken to Cooper Webb, Justin Barcia, Thomas Covington plus a number of European riders, they are all excited to be here and show off their skills in front of what will hopefully be a packed grandstand at the Charlotte Dirt Track.
DAVID BULMER
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