Charlotte Motor Speedway could host over 6,000 fans for Roval 400 NASCAR playoff race
NASCAR fans are able to return to Charlotte Motor Speedway in a few weeks when the track reopens to spectators for its Roval 400 weekend, with races on Oct. 10 and 11.
On Tuesday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that large outdoor event venues can begin operating at seven percent capacity starting next Friday, allowing NASCAR to host up to 6,650 fans for the Cup Series playoff race. The track announced Friday that it had reached the state’s allotted capacity in ticket sales for Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400, a Cup Series playoff race, on Oct 11. No more tickets will be sold for the Roval 400 event, but tickets are still on sale for Saturday’s doubleheader races, NASCAR’s Xfinity Drive for the Cure 250 race and an IMSA event at the track, on Oct. 10.
“Throughout the summer, we’ve been working with local and state officials to bring fans to the Bank of America ROVAL 400 weekend for what promises to be one of the season’s most anticipated events,” Charlotte Motor Speedway executive vice president Greg Walter said in a statement. “While we regret that we cannot accommodate every fan who would like to be part of this spectacular race weekend, we are committed to providing the best and safest experience possible for those who are able to attend.”
CMS expects to accommodate all fans who have already purchased a ticket for the Roval 400, but said that its ticket office staff will reach out to existing ticket holders regarding their plans. Ticket holders will have the option to receive a 120 percent credit toward a 2021 event or a refund for the full purchase amount.
The governor’s order considers “large entertainment venues” stadiums that seat over 10,000 people. Charlotte Motor Speedway seats 95,000.
The announcement also affects Bank of America Stadium, where the Carolina Panthers are able to host roughly 5,200 spectators for an NFL game on Oct. 4 against the Arizona Cardinals. The Charlotte 49ers could host just fewer than 1,100 fans at Richardson Stadium.
“We will continue analyzing our data and indicators as we determine how to move forward safely in other areas that may be included in the new order on October 2nd,” Cooper said. “In it, we hope to ease some other restrictions, while still keeping safety protocols like masks, social distancing, and mass gathering limits in place.”
The track earlier filed an independent health and safety proposal with the state in order to host limited fans for the race. Protocols for fan return include mandating masks, contactless tickets and banning coolers from entry, which is consistent with protocols at Speedway Motorsports Inc. tracks that hosted fans in other states. Ticket information and a full list of safety protocols can be also be found on Charlotte Motor Speedway’s website.
According to the website, “This plan would include deep-cleaning and sanitizing high-touch, high-traffic areas; installing hand-sanitizer stations throughout the concourse; infield access for race team and track operations personnel only; mobile ticket-scanning; and other protocols as recommended by state/local health officials.”
Fans were not allowed to attend NASCAR’s latest Cup races at Charlotte in late-May — the Coca-Cola 600 followed by the Also Uniforms 500 — while North Carolina was in Phase 2 of its reopening.
The All-Star Race, which had been held at Charlotte every year since 1986, was moved to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee this year as positive coronavirus cases in the state and in nearby counties were rising. Bristol hosted roughly 22,000 spectators for the event, and saw a crowd that looked close to its sold out ticket capacity of 30,000 spectators for NASCAR’s more recent race at the track last Saturday.
”With more things open and people moving around more, we need everyone to stay vigilant about wearing a mask, waiting six feet apart, and washing their hands often,” said the secretary of North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen. “Our progress is fragile and will take our continued hard to work to protect it.”
NASCAR tracks at Talladega, Kansas, Texas and Phoenix have announced they will host limited fans for upcoming playoff races. South Carolina approved a waiver to allow Darlington Raceway to host up to 17 percent of its total seating capacity (8,000 fans) for the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sept. 6.
This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 2:53 PM.
