NASCAR Hopes To Have 30,000 Fans In Attendance At Bristol

Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, events with large crowds have been canceled or postponed. Venues that draw large crowds, such as the Speedway in NC, have even been shut down for violating restrictions. However, NASCAR is set to allow up to 30,000 fans at the track in Bristol next month when it moves the All-Star race out of Charlotte Motor Speedway for just the second time in the history of the race.

If things go according to plan, the July 15 race will feature one of, if not THE largest live audience of any sporting event in the U.S. since the beginning of the pandemic. The race will also mark just the second time that the $1 million race hasn’t been held at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

The race was originally scheduled for May 16 at Charlotte, where it has been held at the track every year since its inception in 1985. The only other exception was the 1986 race that was run at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

While 30,000 is a large number, the stadium seating at Bristol has a capacity of over 150,000. Fans will be asked to social distance within groups and safety precautions are still being developed in adherence to the state’s reopening guidelines.