CONCORD, N.C. — The governor of North Carolina said NASCAR can hold the Coca-Cola 600 without fans at Charlotte Motor Speedway at the end of May if health conditions do not deteriorate in the state.
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Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday he and state public health officials have had discussions with NASCAR and the speedway.
[ ALSO READ: NC lawmaker pushes for NASCAR’s return with fans in the stands ]
Cooper said he believes the race can go forward on Memorial Day weekend for the 60th consecutive year. NASCAR, like other sports, has been shut down for weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Going to the Charlotte Motor Speedway has been a 30-year tradition for the Suggs family.
“They start them cars up in that rumble gets going and just vibration,” Jimmy Suggs said. “It’s just an awesome feeling just to have them be right there with them.”
Suggs and NASCAR nation will now have to watch the Coca-Cola 600 on TV.
“It’s good that it’s coming back, you know,” Suggs said. “It’s just going to be a different way of watching it.”
The loss of fans buying drinks, food and tickets, sources close will cost each track promoter across the country millions of dollars in revenue, a source said.
In Concord, local businesses said they will miss the fans, too.
“They’re spending dollars with us,” Johnny Roger’s restaurant owner Barrett Dabbs said. “Really, there’s a lot of energy. There’s a lot of buzz when the fans come to town.”
Dabbs said business is steady for now.
He said they cater to big-name race teams where he said some workers have fallen on hard times.
“We’re really excited for those guys to get back to the grind and kind of get in a little bit of a routine and get their careers back on track,” Dabbs said.
Part of Suggs career involved working for Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Suggs said his family is still passionate and will make the best of it, especially because he lives close to the speedway.
“We’re probably going to camp out in the yard and watch it on TV and listen to it the cars go around,” Suggs said.
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NASCAR has also submitted a social distancing plan to the state and is expected to make an announcement soon.
Speedway Motorsports President & CEO Marcus Smith issued a statement about running the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend: “We’ll have more details to share soon in conjunction with NASCAR’s release of a revised event schedule.”
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