Fans will be able to attend the Cup and Xfinity races at Bristol Motor Speedway next month, track officials announced Friday.
The Sept. 18 Xfinity race is the regular-season finale. The Sept. 19 Cup race is the cutoff event in the first round of the Cup playoffs. NBCSN will broadcast both races.
Track officials stated that exact attendance figures will vary based on group sizes and placing fans in a socially distanced manner.
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Bristol hosted a crowd estimated at more than 20,000 for the All-Star Race in July. The track was allowed to have up to 30,000 fans for that event. Track officials stated that the same protocols for that event - fans must wear a face covering in common areas - along with one additional protocol will be used this time. New is that fans entering the facility will have their temperature checked.
An updated list of the primary protocols for this event include:
- All ticketing transactions will be conducted digitally to reduce touch points
- Fans will receive temperature screenings upon entry into the stadium
- Masks must be worn in common areas such as gates, concessions, restrooms and concourse areas
- Spectators can remove their masks once they are in their socially-distanced grandstand seats
- Social distancing will be in place for all grandstand seats and encouraged for fans at all times
- Enhanced cleaning and sanitation will be conducted in high-touch, high-traffic public areas
- Hand-sanitizer stations will be available to spectators throughout the facility
- Focused reminders to mask up following the conclusion of the race while exiting the facility
“We are thrilled that fans will be joining us this September for both the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race and Food City 300,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager, Bristol Motor Speedway, in a statement. “We realize hosting major events here with fans during these unprecedented times comes with great responsibility. We anticipate a similar crowd size to July’s NASCAR All-Star Race for Saturday’s event and we will reduce capacity further for Friday night’s race. We will continue to be steadfast in our execution of our protocols and modified procedures to ensure these events are as safe as possible for everyone involved.
“The opportunity to safely welcome back a limited number of guests to Bristol Motor Speedway for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series playoff race in Bristol Motor Speedway history is certainly a privilege that our team doesn’t take for granted. Our extensive plan that we used successfully in July during the NASCAR All-Star Race, which has been utilized as a blueprint recently by other sports leagues in their planning to conduct live events, definitely meets or exceeds all recommended state and local guidelines. We remain in constant communication with local and state leaders and NASCAR about our safety plan and we’ll continue to carefully work with them to ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep our customers, participants, employees and surrounding communities safe.”
The Sept. 17 Truck playoff opener and ARCA Menards Series race will be run without fans.
Bristol Motor Speedway states that if needed, masks will be provided to fans upon entry. Fans also will be allowed to bring in one clear bag (14x14x14) with food and beverages. Coolers will be prohibited to reduce checkpoint contact between spectators and speedway staff. Shuttle buses and trams will not be running for this event. Free parking will be available at Speedway Parking located at the corner of White Top Road and Hwy 394 and paid parking options are available at neighboring properties.