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No fans allowed in NASCAR-IndyCar double-header at IMS

The July 4 weekend double-header at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will not be open to the public, it was announced today, “following extensive consultation with local and state officials.”

 Joey Logano, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Shell Pennzoil and  Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, Ford Mustang Acorns restart

Joey Logano, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Shell Pennzoil and Ryan Newman, Roush Fenway Racing, Ford Mustang Acorns restart

Russell LaBounty / NKP / Motorsport Images

Stage 5 of Indiana's reopening plan following the Covid-19 pandemic allows for sporting venues to host public events with social distancing and is scheduled to begin July 4 in most counties. However, Marion County, home to Indianapolis, recently entered Stage 3 of the road map out of lockdown, 10 days after the majority of counties. This follows nationwide trends suggesting larger municipalities should exercise caution in navigating plans to reopen.

Penske Entertainment Corp. president and CEO Mark Miles said: "While we certainly worked diligently to run our events with spectators, we reached a point where we needed to make a final decision because the race weekend is less than a month away.

“Today it's not possible to be confident that Indianapolis will be at Stage 5 of the state's reopening plan by the Fourth of July weekend.

"We are extremely appreciative of the time and expertise Governor Holcomb, Mayor Hogsett and state and local public health officials have given us over the last few months. This was a collaborative process and a decision we're all aligned with after thorough review of the situation. We remain committed to welcoming the world's greatest fans to the Speedway for the Indianapolis 500 mile race in late August."

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The culminating event of the holiday weekend will be renamed the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records, in recognition of the company's ongoing efforts to support the supply chain of hand sanitizer available to the public

Everyone in Central Indiana and around the country can tune in to the historic NASCAR-INDYCAR double-header weekend live on NBC. The marquee holiday weekend at IMS will mark the first time the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series have shared the same track with the NTT IndyCar SERIES on the same event weekend.

The GMR Grand Prix for the NTT IndyCar Series and Pennzoil 150 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series are scheduled for Saturday, July 4, while the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records for the NASCAR Cup Series is scheduled for Sunday, July 5.

Fans who have purchased reserved seats or general admission tickets for any of the races will have the option for a credit to future IMS events, such as the 2020 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge or Harvest GP (on the IMS road course in October), or a refund. IMS will contact these fans directly.

Other public events surrounding the weekend have been canceled given the decision to run all races without fans. This includes the Driven2SaveLives BC39 USAC Midget race and the FGL Fest concert. Fans who have purchased tickets to these events also will have the option to receive credit to a future IMS event or a refund and will be contacted directly by IMS.

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