Bristol Motor Speedway will welcome a limited number of guests for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race and the Food City 300, September 18-19, track officials announced today. Exact attendance figures will vary based on group sizes and placing guests in a safe socially distanced manner.
Working with Tennessee state and local officials, the events will be conducted under the same protocols and guidelines as were in place for the NASCAR All-Star Race at the iconic Northeast Tennessee high-banked oval in July, with the inclusion of one additional protocol: all fans entering the stadium will have their temperatures screened. Between the Friday and Saturday night races, BMS cleaning and sanitation partners will properly disinfect all spectator areas, including grandstands, concourses, suites, restrooms and gate entry areas.
“We are thrilled that fans will be joining us this September for both the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race and Food City 300,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager, Bristol Motor Speedway. “We realize hosting major events here with fans during these unprecedented times comes with great responsibility. We anticipate a similar crowd size to July’s NASCAR All-Star Race for Saturday’s event and we will reduce capacity further for Friday night’s race. We will continue to be steadfast in our execution of our protocols and modified procedures to ensure these events are as safe as possible for everyone involved.”
The NASCAR Cup Series event is an important cut-off race in the first round of the Playoffs, where the championship field will be reduced from 16 to 12 drivers once the checkered flag waves. The Saturday night race is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. and Friday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season finale, the Food City 300, is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Both races will be broadcast on NBCSN, PRN Radio and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
“The opportunity to safely welcome back a limited number of guests to Bristol Motor Speedway for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race in Bristol Motor Speedway history is certainly a privilege that our team doesn’t take for granted,” Caldwell said. “Our extensive plan that we used successfully in July during the NASCAR All-Star Race, which has been utilized as a blueprint recently by other sports leagues in their planning to conduct live events, definitely meets or exceeds all recommended state and local guidelines. We remain in constant communication with local and state leaders and NASCAR about our safety plan and we’ll continue to carefully work with them to ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep our customers, participants, employees and surrounding communities safe.”
The race weekend also will feature Playoff action on Thursday night. Thursday night’s doubleheader featuring the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Playoff opener, the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics (7:30 p.m., FS1, MRN Radio), and the Bush’s Beans 200 ARCA Menards Series race (9:30 p.m., FS1), will be run without fans in the grandstands.
Bristol Motor Speedway’s modified event procedures and protocols have been shared with medical experts, local and state officials, and in coordination with NASCAR. An updated list of the primary protocols for this event include:
* All ticketing transactions will be conducted digitally to reduce touch points;
* Guests will receive temperature screenings upon entry into the stadium;
* Masks must be worn in common areas such as gates, concessions, restrooms and concourse areas;
* Guests can remove their masks once they are in their socially-distanced grandstand seats;
* Social distancing will be in place for all grandstand seats and encouraged for fans at all times;
* Enhanced cleaning and sanitation will be conducted in high-touch, high-traffic public areas;
* Hand-sanitizer stations will be available to guests throughout the facility;
* Focused reminders to mask up following the conclusion of the race while exiting the facility;
A complete list of guidelines and protocols is available by visiting the BMS website.
If needed, masks will be provided to guests upon entry to the facility. Guests also will be allowed to bring in one clear bag (14x14x14) with food and beverages. Coolers will be prohibited to reduce checkpoint contact between spectators and speedway staff. Shuttle buses and trams will not be running for this event. Free parking will be available at Speedway Parking located at the corner of White Top Road and Hwy 394 and paid parking options are available at neighboring properties.
Guests with Speedway Motorsports ticket credits on file can utilize their credits for the races at Bristol Motor Speedway. Please contact the Speedway Motorsports track from which you purchased your original tickets to request a transfer. Guests who have previously purchased Night Race tickets and have not notified BMS of their intent to attend must do so by Friday, August 28 by clicking here.
For the most up-to-date ticket and RV camping information for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race weekend, please visit the Bristol Motor Speedway online ticketing center.
