NASCAR announced that the Daytona 500 in February will be held with a reduced capacity, confirming that the race's five-year sellout streak will end. NASCAR is not specifying what the capacity will be at the track that can accomodate 101,500 in the grandstands plus thousands of extra people in the infield. The news is being announced today in part so NASCAR can start reaching out to ticket holders who they may need to try to move to ensure social distancing guidelines. The sanctioning body is planning to have some limited camping at Daytona as well.
THE DAILY in October reported that NASCAR was budgeting for a reduced capacity, and President Steve Phelps later confirmed that a reduced capacity was under consideration in his state-of-the-sport press conference in November. Daytona Int'l Speedway has sold out every 500 since it finished its $400M Daytona Rising renovation in '16, including this year when President Trump attended. The race is scheduled for Feb. 14, just one week after Super Bowl LV in nearby Tampa, where the NFL could only allow 20% capacity at Raymond James Stadium.
