NASCAR will begin again on May 17 with a NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. That starts a string of seven races, three at Darlington Raceway and four at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Coca-Cola 600 will be held on Memorial Day Weekend, Sunday May 24, as previously announced.
SMOOTHLY. >>> AS WE SAID, IT'S ALMOST MAY AND A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT FROM NASCAR TODAY, IT'S TIME TO RACE. CHRIS LEE IS HERE. >> A COUPLE DAYS AFTER GOVERNOR ROY COOPER GAVE NASCAR THE OKAY TO COME BACK, THEY'VE BEEN ANNOUNCING 11 RACES IN SEVEN DAYS. ON THAT DAY, THE CUP SERIES WILL HEAD TO DARLINGTON RACEWAY. THE SERIES WILL FOLLOW ON MAY 19TH. THEN NASCAR COMES TO CHARLOTTE ON MAY 24TH FOR THE COCA COLA 600. FOLLOW THE DAYS AFTER WITH THE NEXT CUP RACE ON THE 27TH. NASCAR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT STEVE O'DONNELL SPOKE TO WHY THEY CHOSE THOSE TRACKS IN COMING BACK. >> WE'RE AN OUTDOOR SPORT. WE DO HAVE DRIVERS WITH HELMETS. WE ARE IN RACE CARS, THERE ARE SOME UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT OUR SPORT THAT WE DID FEEL LIKE PROVIDED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK. IF WE COULD. IF WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE WE'D HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, HEALTH OFFICIALS OR THE STATE, YOU WOULDN'T SEE US