Coolers at Lowes UPDATE 3: Humpy Wheeler, president of the Lowe’s Motor Speedway, says no decision has been made on whether coolers would be allowed at the track, which has more than 160,000 seats. “We’ll stay on top of it, and we’ll make people feel very safe and secure,” Wheeler said. “We have a lot of security here that a lot of people don’t know about.”(Roanoke Times)(9-21-2001) UPDATE: Dover’s ban on coolers is a track decision, said Eddie Gossage, the executive vice president and general manager of Texas Motor Speedway. That order did not come down from NASCAR. “We have no plans to change our cooler policy,” said Gossage, anticipating the rescheduled NASCAR Truck series Silverado 350 on Oct. 5 and Indy Racing League’s Chevy 500 on Oct. 6. “We do not want to prohibit coolers. The only reason we would even consider it is if some major U.S. agency came forward and really pushed us on it.”(That’s Racin’)(9-22-2001) UPDATE – LMS – Coolers – Yes: LMS (Lowes Motor Speeway) will use a similar security protocol [as ISC tracks and Dover] for its race on Oct. 7. LMS president H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler will buck the trend and allow coolers into the facility that weekend. “We’re still planning to allow race fans to bring coolers in,” said LMS spokesman Jerry Gappens. “Humpy made that decision after he talked to folks at the FBI and ATF, the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agency here in North Carolina. We inspect every cooler and bag that is brought through the gates because we don’t allow glass bottles and of course any firearms or weapons. That’s our standard operating procedure.” Gappens warns that the cooler policy is subject to change depending on national developments.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(9-23-2001) UPDATE 2: As of today, Lowes Motor Speedway officials intend to allow fans attending UAW-GM Quality 500 Week activities Oct. 4-7 to bring coolers into the speedway. Following the tracks standard operating procedure, security personnel will search all items, including coolers. Lowes Motor Speedway policy limits coolers to a maximum of 14 inches and no glass bottles or containers are permitted. In addition, no umbrellas are allowed in the grandstands.(LMS PR)(9-25-2001)
