Organisers have made the decision to cancel the 2021 Loxton Pedal Prix due to COVID-19 restrictions. The 2020 event was also cancelled earlier this year. PHOTO: Grant Schwartzkopff
LOXTON will have to wait until at least 2022 to host its next Pedal Prix race after the event was removed from next year’s UniSA Australian HPV Super Series (HPVSS) calendar due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Organisers decided to drop the Loxton street race 2021 HPVSS calendar in favour of a closed-circuit race at The Bend Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend where COVID guidelines could be more easily followed.
The decision comes just months after the 2020 Loxton Pedal Prix was cancelled, along with all other HPVSS races, due to coronavirus concerns.
District Council of Loxton Waikerie Mayor Leon Stasinowsky said he was “unsurprised” by the decision and predicted the event would be “bigger and better than ever” once restrictions were lifted.
“With the size of the crowd that we have, it would be almost impossible to control,” he said.
“With the number of children and staff in the pits it just wouldn’t work, but the organisers are still very keen to come here because they say it is one of the best circuits they come to and they all love it.”
HPVSS chairman Andrew McLachlan said COVID-19 was the “only reason” the Loxton race was removed from the calendar.
“As far as we’re aware, council is still keen for us to go back there and do it under a new agreement,” he said.
“But because of the nature of the course in Loxton and the restrictions we believe will still be in place in relation to COVID-19, we can’t see that running an event in a public space like the main street of a town is a viable option for us.
“We have an excellent relationship with the District Council of Loxton Waikerie and we intend to continue that relationship with a new agreement for 2022 and beyond.”
Mr Stasinowsky said he was confident the pedal prix would return in 2022.
“I’m pretty certain an agreement will be reached because we have been 100 per cent behind the race,” he said.
“The board are a great bunch to work with and we’ve had a lot of enthusiasm from businesses and people in the town to help do it.
“In fact, the support will probably strengthen because having a couple of years break between races… people will be very eager to get out and support the event.”
