NASCAR targets return to racing in Texas

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[April 24, 2020]    NASCAR could soon return to action at Texas Motor Speedway with no fans in attendance, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and track president Eddie Gossage announced Monday.

 

In separate tweets, the governor and the head of the racetrack expressed their plan to see the green flag fall in Fort Worth at an unspecified date in the near future.

Texas Motor Speedway had been scheduled to host a NASCAR Cup Series race on March 29, but NASCAR began postponing races two weeks earlier due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Abbott tweeted, "Just spoke to NASCAR leaders. They're working to return to Texas at Texas Motor Speedway very soon. I hope to announce the exciting details in the near future. To prevent spread of #COVID19 it will be without fans. But they will put on a great show for TV,"

Gossage subsequently posted on Twitter, "Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has given NASCAR the green flag to race, and our sport is eager to get back on track. A non-spectator event is not perfect, because in our sport the fans come first. But circumstances are such that this is a novel answer for the return of the sport for now. We are now working on a hard date.

"Our sport is unique because the competitors are inside the race cars with no body-to-body contact like most other sports. That is a distinct advantage now over other sports and why you will likely see auto racing as the first live sport returning to action."

Gossage added that all workers present at the race would be required to test negative for COVID-19 in advance.

NASCAR's Cup Series hasn't been in action since March 8 due to the pandemic. On Friday, NASCAR announced that the postponements will continue with the May 9 event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway pushed back indefinitely. However, the circuit's statement added that plans are still being made to run a full 36-race Cup Series season.

In addition to Fort Worth and Martinsville, NASCAR also has postponed races at Atlanta (scheduled for March 15); Homestead-Miami, Fla. (March 22); Bristol, Tenn. (April 5); Richmond, Va. (April 19); Talladega, Ala. (April 26); and Dover, Del. (May 3).

--Field Level Media

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