NASCAR announced Tuesday that it will continue to reopen areas at the racetrack to industry guests who were previously restricted by the pandemic and discontinue certain COVID-19 protocols. The changes come on the heels of a nearly normal-feeling Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, in which around 50,000 people filed into the Concord, N.C., facility without face masks last Sunday.
Beginning at Texas for the All-Star Race weekend June 12-13, NASCAR will no longer require a pre-entry screening and health questionnaire for individuals in the garage footprint. Industry members, including drivers, crew members, media and officials, have been required to report any COVID-19 symptoms, exposures and positive tests through a health questionnaire since the sport returned amid the pandemic in May 2020 without regularly testing participants.
Additionally, NASCAR said that garage operations and pre-race activities will largely return to pre-COVID-19 norms starting at Texas.
That means vendors will once again be allowed to access the garages, and spotters (previously designated to a specific area at the racetrack) will be allowed to move between the infield and perimeter areas. Guest access to the garage and pit road area has slowly been expanded since the race at Darlington, and NASCAR said that guest reopening will continue, but will be “kept at a level below the pre-pandemic numbers.”
Hot passes, which allow fans access to the garage and pit road areas during race weekends, have not yet been reinstated.
“Getting the fully vaccinated rate within our industry above the 70 percent threshold remains critical to reducing the potential impact of the virus on NASCAR events,” NASCAR said in a release of its updated protocols.
Competitors and designated vendors will also continue using a roster system to alert NASCAR to guests in the garage and pit road areas, and a smaller number of VIP guests will be allowed on the starting grid ahead of races. Additionally, driver and crew chief meetings will be virtual through the end of the 2021 season.
NASCAR said it will also continue to mandate that industry members self-report any COVID-19 infections and exposures and that unvaccinated individuals wear masks while indoors. Masks were not required in the infield and garage area while outdoors for races starting at Dover last month, nor were they required indoors for vaccinated individuals in the infield competition area at Charlotte.
NASCAR said it could alter protocols and reduce access going forward given state and local conditions. The Cup Series races at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif., this Sunday and has reached its sold-out 33 percent capacity. Charlotte Motor Speedway was able to host fans at full capacity last weekend at Charlotte.
