UPDATE: Charlotte Business Journal’s Erik Spanberg obtained the following response from the Governor’s spokesman:
“@NC_Governor knows the importance of NASCAR to our state and he’s already been talking with track and team owners about how we could potentially restart racing. It’s too soon to predict specific decisions about future sporting events but any plan would prioritize public health and safety and preventing spread of the virus.”
ORIGINAL POST: Several Republican lawmakers in North Carolina’s General Assembly are calling on Gov. Roy Cooper to reopen Charlotte Motor Speedway in time for a Memorial Day NASCAR race.
The plan would call for racing with no fans. The Coca-Cola 600 is scheduled for May 24.
State senators from Gaston, Cabarrus, Union, Iredell and Rowan counties joined in the call for Cooper to open the racetrack.
“NASCAR has already demonstrated it can safely run races without fans while practicing social distancing,” Sen. Paul Newton, of Cabarrus County, said in a press release.
The Republicans say in order for the track to hold a race, Cooper would need to amend his executive orders.
— WBTV.com —
H/T: Adam Stern