The Sept. 6 Southern 500, which will open the Cup Series playoffs, will be allowed to host up to 8,000 fans, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Department of Commerce confirmed to NBC Sports.
Darlington’s request to have fans was approved after a review of a recent executive order from Gov. Henry McMaster, guidance from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC) and applicable law.
Based on the Governor’s executive order, events hosting more than 250 people are limited to 50% or less of the venue’s occupancy.
Darlington Raceway would be the seventh different track to host fans for a Cup race since the sport returned to racing in May with two races in one week there.
The tracks that haven been approved to host fans at Cup races are Darlington, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway, which will host two race weekend this month.
An estimated 12,000 fans attended last weekend’s Cup race at New Hampshire. Fans will not be able to attend this weekend’s race at Michigan or the upcoming race weekend at Dover.
