CHARLOTTE, NC – When we last left you the NASCAR season was only four races old, Joey Logano had just picked up his second win of the season at Phoenix, Kevin Harvick was your points leader and the NASCAR Cup Series was headed to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Then the world changed. One by one major sports leagues postponed events, cancelled events, and for some leagues entire seasons were wiped out.
Fast forward to May 2020, NASCAR racing is set to return to live (non-virtual) racing action on May 17, at Darlington Raceway, the track too tough to tame. Even though cars will be live on the track, there are differences due to COVID-19.
One of the biggest differences will be the absence of fans in the grandstand. For the next seven races, and probably beyond, no fans will be allowed. Fans will be able to watch the races on television or listen on the radio, just no fans at the track.
The format for racing weekends will be different. There will not be any practice time for the teams, no qualifying at Darlington, starting lineup may be set by car owner points. Only the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 will have qualifying. Each race will have live pit stops and there will be stages in each race.
Details on Victory Lane celebrations are still being worked out.
“Our goal is to certainly have a celebration on or around the start/finish line. In an ideal world we would like to have Victory Lane, not sure of all the logistics of how we pull that off,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President, “We certainly want to try and have a trophy, at least that celebration with the driver.”
Even though there won’t be fans at the track, different celebrations, limited team personnel, there will cars on the track and we will have racing.
Fall 2019 Green Flag 
Battle for the lead 
Adjustments underway 
Darlington on the high side 
Darlington traffic 
Late race caution 
Adjustments for the finish 
Fall 2019 checkers 
Post win burn out 
2019 Fall Darlington winner Erik Jones
