CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Kevin Harvick crossed the finish line at Darlington Raceway a year ago and was struck by the stillness and silence of the empty grandstands.
NASCAR was one of the first major sports to resume competition early in the pandemic, setting its own path in a strange new world of health screenings, temperature checks and empty race tracks.
“I didn’t think it was going to be that much different, and then we won the race and it is dead silent out here,” said Harvick, who paused to take in the eerie silence that day. “It’s weird. There’s nobody up there.”
It has taken almost a full year but NASCAR’s slow walk toward normalcy is ready to hit another gear: Daytona International Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Kansas Speedway and Pocono Raceway all announced last week their grandstands will open to full capacity later this year. Atlanta Motor Speedway plans the same for July.
NASCAR re-opened its infield to sponsors, guests and media at Darlington last weekend as a trial run. The garage and infield have been closed to nearly everyone since March 8, 2020, and NASCAR President Steve Phelps had said it would remain that way until a vaccine was widely available.