It has taken almost a full year but NASCAR’s slow walk toward normalcy is ready to hit another gear: Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Kansas Speedway and Pocono Raceway all announced last week their grandstands will open to full capacity later this year. Atlanta Motor Speedway plans the same for July.
NASCAR re-opened its infield to sponsors, guests and media at Darlington last weekend as a trial run. The garage and infield have been closed to nearly everyone since March 8, 2020, and NASCAR President Steve Phelps had said it would remain that way until a vaccine was widely available.
Vaccines have been available since early April to almost everyone in North Carolina, where most NASCAR teams are based, and it allowed NASCAR to put a plan in place for a reopening. There is no vaccine requirement for competitors, but NASCAR permitted teams, drivers and manufacturers to admit a total of 350 fully vaccinated guests and sponsors Sunday at Darlington.