The coronavirus pandemic is having a major impact on automotive events, many of which are being canceled or postponed. Here are the latest announcements:
- The Mitty vintage racing weekend, scheduled for April 23-26 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, has been canceled. In addition, the Historic Sportscar Racing Fall Histories, originally scheduled for September 23-26, will be postponed to a later date in the fall to run in support of the Petit Le Mans race.
- The EyesOn Design, a concours-style “automotive design exhibition” annually held on Father’s Day weekend, has been postponed until September 13, which is Grandparent’s Day. The event is held at the Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan.
- Carlisle Events has postponed its Import & Performance Nationals show until August 14-16. The event was scheduled for May 15-17.
- The National Street Rod Association has postponed three events. The Street Rod Nationals South at Knoxville, Tennessee, will be held October 2-4; the Western Street Rod Nationals at Bakersfield, California, have been rescheduled for October 30-November 1 and the Southeast Street Rod Nationals at Tampa, Florida, will be delayed until December 4-6.
- NASCAR will postpone until the 2022 season the introduction of its Next Gen race car.
- RM Sotheby’s has postponed its sale of “The Elkhart Collection” to October 23-24. The event had been scheduled for May 1-2.
- Mecum Auctions has postponed its Gone Farmin’ Spring Classic auction in Davenport, Iowa, until June 17-20.
Meanwhile, this notice on the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance homepage: “We care deeply about the entrants, judges and guests of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and we want to act wisely in regard to this new challenge that we are all now facing. Our event is several months into the future, and we still hope to be able to celebrate our love of cars together on August 16, 2020 — so we continue to plan accordingly.”
The Monterey Herald newspaper reported on April 2 that its survey of Monterey Car Week event organizers indicated that all events are still scheduled. The newspaper quoted the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau as saying it is too soon to assess the situation, but it also quoted one event organizer as saying that 90 days in advance would seem to be the point of no return.
According to the Pebble Beach website, we are 135 days out from the concours.
Here is our updated list of automotive events impacted to date by the pandemic:
Canceled —
Geneva Motor Show
Historic Vehicle Association Drive History conference
Australian Grand Prix F1 race
Goodguys events in Texas and Arizona
Greenwich Concours d’Elegance
Buffalo Motorama
MAG auction, Peoria, Arizona
Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance
Studebaker Extravaganza at AACA Museum
Muscle Car City car show
Merzouga Rally
RM Auctions Auburn Spring sale
Monaco, Dutch and Spanish F1 races
Monaco Historic Grand Prix
RM Sotheby’s Monaco auction
World of Outlaws California spring tour
Bonhams Goodwood Member’s Meeting auction
McPherson College C.A.R.S. Club car show and motoring festival
Cincinnati Concours d’Elegance
AACA Central Spring Nationals
Scottsdale Motorsports Gathering for April
Detroit auto show
Paris Motor Show
Mecum Auctions Portland, Oregon, sale
The Mitty vintage racing weekend
Postponed —
New York Auto Show (rescheduled for August 28-September 6)
Techno-Classic Essen and RM Sotheby’s auction (tentatively rescheduled for mid-June)
Bahrain, Vietnam and Chinese Grand Prix races
IndyCar races at St. Petersburg, Alabama, Long Beach and Texas
IMSA races at St. Petersburg, Sebring (rescheduled for November 11-14), Alabama and Long Beach
RADwood events in South Carolina and Philadelphia
F9 movie (rescheduled for release April 2, 2021)
Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction (rescheduled for October)
NHRA Gatornationals
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 2020 induction ceremony
Team Shelby Bash
Road Racing Drivers Club Evening with Rick Mears
Michelin NCM Bash at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park (rescheduled for May 28-30)
Vehicle production at Lamborghini and Ferrari
Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show (UK)
NASCAR races (through May 3)
Bicester Heritage April Scramble (rescheduled for June 21)
Arizona FuelFest, rescheduled for September 19
Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Volvo, Aston Martin and Skoda suspend vehicle production
General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Volvo and Nissan suspend vehicle production in the U.S. through March. Ford also has suspended production in South America, India, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam.
Scottsdale Off-Road Expo
Charlotte Auto Fair (rescheduled for June 12-14)
Spring open house at Lingenfelter Collection
Caffeine and Octane events scheduled for April
Mecum Auctions in Iowa and Texas
Greenbrier Concours d’Elegance (rescheduled for September 4-6)
Formula E racing season
24 Hours of Le Mans (rescheduled for September 19-20)
Gooding & Company London auction
Mille Miglia (rescheduled for October 22-25)
Ferrari Challenge races at Indianapolis and Snetterton
Michelin NCM Bash (rescheduled for May 28-30)
Spring Goo car show and auction (rescheduled for May 27-31)
Copperstate 1000 vintage rally (rescheduled for October 31-November 4)
Sonoma Speed Festival vintage racing weekend (rescheduled for September 4-6)
Keels & Wheels (rescheduled for October 17-18)
2021 Pirelli Calendar
Goodwood Festival of Speed
Indianapolis 500 (rescheduled for August 23)
LaJolla Concours d’Elegance (rescheduled for September 19-20)
London Concours (rescheduled for August 19-20)
Mecum Auctions Indianapolis sale (rescheduled for June 23-28)
HSR Fall Historics races
Introduction of NASCAR’s Next Gen race car
Mecum Auctions Gone Farmin’ Spring Classic auction (rescheduled for June 17-20)
EyesOn Design concours (rescheduled for September 13)
Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals (rescheduled for August 14-16)
RM Sotheby’s Elkhart Collection auction (rescheduled for October 23-24)
National Street Rod Nationals South (rescheduled for October 2-4)
National Street Rod Western Nationals (rescheduled for October 30-November 1)
National Stree Rod Southeast Nationals (rescheduled for December 4-6)
The public health authorities have recommended that when it appears that we (the USA) can begin to return to somewhat normal activities, both commercial and social, it should be done in stages, not all at once. As the upcoming 2020 Pebble Beach Concours and related events are pretty much intensive, all-at- once events, this doesn’t seem to fit the description of a slow, careful return to normal public behavior. If the “point of no return” is 90 days, as suggested, we’re running out of time to decide. For that reason I think that if the event is to be postponed or cancelled for this year, the decision ought to be made no later than the end of this month, April. Many people and organizations will be affected, either way, from transport companies and local caterers, to private entrants and auction companies and all their suppliers and volunteers. IMO large public gatherings such as the PB Concours- not to mention other events such as various local music festivals (Bach, Jazz, etc)- should be postponed indefinitely until either a remedy or a vaccine for the virus has become available and proven effective. Be safe, not sorry!