NASCAR To Allow Limited Fan Attendance

[Omega]

From the AP:

One of the few sports to run in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, NASCAR is now the largest to allow fans to return as more states relax their business shutdowns.

NASCAR decided a limited number of fans can attend races this month at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. NASCAR says all fans will be screened before entering, required to wear face coverings, mandated to social distance at six feet, and will not have access to the infield, among other revised operational protocols.

NASCAR will allow up to 1,000 Florida service members, representing the Homestead Air Reserve Base and U.S. Southern Command in Doral, to attend the Cup Series race Sunday as honorary guests and view the race from the grandstands.

Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama will allow up to 5,000 guests in the frontstretch grandstands/towers for the June 21 Cup race. There will be limited motorhome/camping spots available outside the track.

''It's a cautious, conservative approach,'' said Daryl Wolfe, NASCAR executive vice president and chief sales and operations officer. ''We feel confident in our plan. Also it doesn't mean that we won't also have additional learnings and adapt our plan going forward. That's the whole purpose of being very slow, methodical in phasing this in.''

''We're going to have a lot of hand sanitizing, hand washing,'' said John Bobo, NASCAR vice president of racing operations. ''One of the things that I'm kind of proud of to see is we're going to have a clean team, a clean team that's at track constantly cleaning everything very visibly for every guest that's there to know we're doing everything we can to keep them safe. We feel confident in the plan.''

Bobo declined to reveal if NASCAR has had anyone test positive for COVID-19 since racing resumed May 17 at Darlington Raceway. Supercross said earlier this month no one tested positive for the virus when it resumed with 705 riders, team members and race officials on site.

The Cup Series race Wednesday night at Martinsville Speedway and a doubleheader weekend June 27 and 28 at Pocono Raceway will be held without fans.

NASCAR said it was prepared to handle the increased crowds. Wolfe said there could be limited hospitality at Talladega.

''We're going to have PPE there for fans if they didn't bring their own,'' Bobo said. ''We're going to instruct fans to do it. Then staff is also going to make sure that we do have compliance in that area when needed politely.''

Talladega tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis to fans who purchased tickets or reserved camping for the originally scheduled April 26 race. There will be limited menus and limited food preparation onsite.

NASCAR had set guidelines to safely hold the events using CDC guidelines on social distancing and personal protective equipment. The venues were completely used to maintain distancing in garage stalls and where the haulers are parked, while drivers self-isolate in their motorhomes as they prepare to compete.

''We really miss our fans, but, at the same time, we're with our fans,'' 2018 NASCAR champion Joey Logano said. ''Before the races start and you're on pit road and you don't have any fans around you, you can't hear any cheering or booing from driver's intros, or everyone getting all fired up before they say `drivers start your engines.' We don't have that part, but when the race starts, the race starts and you're kind of in the zone and you don't notice it.''

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/motors ... ?ocid=AMZN

[VetteMan]

Not NASCAR, but heard from someone that maybe some of the local dirt tracks ( Atomic ) were preparing to open in a couple weeks or so, and allow possibly up to 2000 fans.

[Omega]

Not NASCAR, but heard from someone that maybe some of the local dirt tracks ( Atomic ) were preparing to open in a couple weeks or so, and allow possibly up to 2000 fans.

NC Gov. Cooper declares Ace Speedway an ‘imminent hazard’ and closes the facility

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/rebui ... 92236.html

[VetteMan]

Not NASCAR, but heard from someone that maybe some of the local dirt tracks ( Atomic ) were preparing to open in a couple weeks or so, and allow possibly up to 2000 fans.

I did not attend the race, ( Atomic ) but I do know that they held there first program of the year last evening. I was told that they had a great turnout of race cars, as well as a good crowd.

[Raider6309]

I did not attend the race, ( Atomic ) but I do know that they held there first program of the year last evening. I was told that they had a great turnout of race cars, as well as a good crowd.

I went. It was packed. Probably 5,000 people

[VetteMan]

I did not attend the race, ( Atomic ) but I do know that they held there first program of the year last evening. I was told that they had a great turnout of race cars, as well as a good crowd.

I went. It was packed. Probably 5,000 people

Thanks. I heard that they had a great crowd.

[VetteMan]

Well NASCAR may have been the 1st major sporting event to not allow fans to an event, well now the City of Philadelphia has announced that there will be (no fans) at the Philadelphia Eagles or the Philadelphia Phillies games in 2020, citing safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic. The NFL has said fans at NFL games will be up to each City ( That's the policy right now ) but I wouldn't be surprised if a number of teams/cities will follow suit.

[VetteMan]

I'm not sure how many were allowed, but there were fans in the stands yesterday evening for the All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Chase Elliott won the 1 million dollar 1st place, and claimed his first victory in NASCAR's All Star Race. Elliott led 60 of the 140 laps, and finished ahead of Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin. Elliott is the 3rd youngest driver to ever win the All-Star Race, while Ryan Newman is the 2nd youngest, and Jeff Gordon is the youngest. Jimmy Johnson returned for his 2nd race since testing positive for Covid-19, and finished 17 th after starting 14th.

[VetteMan]

With the All-Star Race now in the rear view mirror, NASCAR now can turn it's attention to the Lone Star State and a trip to Texas Motor Speedway. All three of NASCAR's National series will be in action on the 1.5 mile track, with a Xfinity and the truck series doubleheader on Saturday. The Cup-O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 will be run at 3pm on Sunday on NBCSN.

[VetteMan]

The two winningest drivers in the Cup series, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin had some real concerns this past weekend at Kentucky Speedway about how traction compound was applied to the track. Harvick and Hamlin both had concerns about how the compound was reapplied before the Cup race last weekend. Both tracks, Texas and Kentucky are owned by Speedway Motorsports, the company founded by Bruton Smith and run by his family.

[VetteMan]

Kyle Busch bounced back from a disqualification earlier in the day in the Xfinity Series, to dominate and win Sat. nights Truck series race at Texas Motor Speedway. Busch was disqualified after winning the Xfinity race due to the height of his car being to low. But everything was right after winning the Truck Race, his series-best 59th triumph. Busch said to FS1 after the race but before post-race inspection, still upset from the Xfinity race DQ, that technically I haven't won yet, so put it over the sticks. Busch is one heck of a race car driver, regardless of what type of vehicle he drives, I was just never a fan of his.

[VetteMan]

Today for the NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway, it does appear as if there are fans scattered in the stands. I wouldn't have any idea how many fans that may have been permitted to attend. I wasn't able to watch either the Xfinity series race or the Truck series race yesterday at the Texas Motor Speedway, to be able to say whether or not fans were allowed to attend, but it's probably safe to say that at least a certain number were maybe allowed to attend.

[VetteMan]

Didn't get to watch that much of the NASCAR cup race today, but I do know that Austin Dillon won the 500 mile race. I think that Tyler Reddick may have finished 2nd, with Joey Logono 3rd and Kyle Busch 4th. Watched part of the start and maybe a little of the middle of the race, quite a few wrecks when I was able to watch it.

[VetteMan]

I didn't get to watch any of the NASCAR race Thurs even from Kansas, but I do know that Denny Hamlin was the winner. I may be wrong but I think that may have been his 5th victory of the season. Being I didn't get to see any of the race, I don't know whether or not fans were allowed to attend.