COVID-19 to impact 2021 Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic's American numbers

General manager David Mills said the Australian-based club was in a "holding pattern" as the COVID-19 pandemic played havoc with its planning.

But he believes international drivers - the three-night meeting's biggest drawcard - will be missing from the 49^th edition at Allansford in January due to travel restrictions.

"That is not to say there will be none. If to say, for example, world series got up and running, there is a chance a team might bring someone out and then quarantine them for a fortnight and take them on the road," he said.

"There is potential for that to happen. So when I say none, there might be a couple."

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Mills said the club's 2020-21 season planning was "at a standstill".

"We're in a holding pattern essentially. We can't do our membership, we can't do our reserve seating and things that generate our income," he said.

"Until we know what our start date looks like, we can't implement anything.

"If they (the government) turn around on May 11 and say 'the state of emergency is done and by July 31 everything is open', we go 'OK, we're starting as usual'.

"But if they come out and say there will be no group gatherings until January 1, you go 'how does that then look?'."

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Premier Speedway lost three meetings, including its Easter sprintcar trail night in April, after the federal and state governments implemented social distancing restrictions to combat the pandemic.

Mills said it was a relief the classic, which went to Warrnambool's James McFadden, was completed three months beforehand.

"If coronavirus had kicked in at the start of January, I dread to think what the outcome would've been as to the survival sort of stuff," he said.

"All pre-sold tickets would've had to have been handed back, sponsorship money. It would've been quite catastrophic to be honest."

Premier Speedway is hopeful it can start its new season in December "even if it's with a bit of social distancing".

"With those (smaller show) crowds, you could probably manage with every second seat being used in the grandstand and people spacing out on Mount Max," Mills said.

"We could probably still run those meetings."

But Mills said the classic, which attract upwards of 10,000 people on its final night, would take financial hit with reduced tickets, alcohol and food and merchandise sales if restrictions were not lifted in their entirety.

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