NASCAR announced Thursday afternoon that fans will not be in attendance for this weekend’s activities at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which includes races for all three of NASCAR’s touring series.
“At this time, NASCAR will hold its race events at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway without fans in attendance. These events will be restricted to competitors, crews, officials and other necessary personnel to conduct the race. We will work with public health officials as we determine future scheduling beyond these events.”
On the schedule for this weekend at AMS are the Vet Tix Camping World 200 truck race at 2 p.m. Saturday, followed by the EchoPark 250 Xfinity Series race at 4 p.m. On Sunday, the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 race in the Cup series is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Around 100,000 fans were expected to attend the race at the track in Henry County.
The races at Homestead-Miami Speedway are scheduled for the weekend of March 20-22.
Brandon Hutchison, executive vice president and general manager of AMS, issued this statement Thursday afternoon:
“In sixty years of NASCAR history at Atlanta, this might be the most unusual circumstance we’ve ever encountered. Our fans and their health and safety are always our top priority, and the decision to race without them was made after much discussion with NASCAR and consultation with our public health officials.
“Ticketholders for this weekend’s events will receive a full credit to return to next year’s race, or they can use their credit at any other Speedway Motorsports NASCAR event in 2020 or 2021. We truly regret how things turned out for our fans and hope each person who planned to be here will tune in for a great show on television. I know the NASCAR drivers want that as well. We look forward to hosting our fans during our NASCAR weekend in 2021.
“Fans with further questions can call our ticket office at 770-946-4211.”
Concerns about the coronavirus have resulted in the cancellation of many events and large gatherings. The AJC will monitor these announcements and keep you informed about any postponements, rescheduling and cancellations, but it’s best to check with venues or event organizers before making plans to attend.
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