This is becoming very real, very fast. The COVIS-19 virus—novel coronavirus—started out looking very much like the myriad of other pandemic scares we have seen in the US over the past two decades, but it is quickly becoming apparent that this time we are in for more of a fight on this one.
On the Supercross front and obviously the reason you came here, earlier today, the 2020 Seattle SX was canceled due to a ban on all large events inside the Seattle metropolitan area and that was quickly followed by both Yamaha and Kawasaki suspending all dealer autograph signings for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, I have a feeling these two teams will not be last to cancel autograph signings and Seattle will not be the last race we see canceled.
You can check out the statements from Yamaha and Kawasaki below.
From Yamaha: “Due to the current Coronavirus situation, Yamaha regrets to inform its fans that we will be canceling all Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing Team and Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha Team autograph sessions at both dealership signings and on-site at Supercross events until further notice. While we are truly sorry that our teams won’t have the opportunity to interact with our loyal fans, the safety and wellness of our racers, crew members and fans are of the utmost importance to us. We appreciate your understanding during this time, and we’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide you with any updates.”
From Kawasaki: “Due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease), Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. regrets to inform our fans that we will be canceling all upcoming dealer open houses for the foreseeable future. This difficult decision is with intent to protect the wellbeing of our customers, fans, and dealers along with our riders and crew members.”