About 19,000 fans "will be able to fill reserved seating" for the NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Aug. 2, which will be the "largest fan event in New England since the onset of COVID-19," according to Alex Hall of the New Hampshire UNION LEADER. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu on Thursday said that the speedway "can operate up to 35% capacity in the grandstands for the race." As of Thursday afternoon, NHMS Exec VP & GM David McGrath said that a "little more than 12,000 tickets had been sold." Hall reports NHMS' safety protocols "will include social-distancing in the grandstands and concession lines, enhanced cleaning and sanitation on frequently touched surfaces and high-traffic public areas, adding hand sanitizer stations and limiting the number of guests in the suites." Infield admission "will be limited to race team and operational personnel." Sununu said that fans attending the race "will not be required to wear masks but are encouraged to do so" (New Hampshire UNION LEADER, 6/26). In New Hampshire, Tim O'Sullivan notes standard coolers "will not be allowed to reduce interpersonal contact at safety checkpoints, but fans will be allowed to bring in food and beverages in a soft-sided clear bag" (CONCORD MONITOR, 6/26).
