NASCAR’s big annual spring race weekend at Kansas Speedway, postponed May 30-31 because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, has new dates this summer … and much of the action will take place at night under the lights.
Speedway officials announced Thursday that the track in Kansas City, Kan., will play host to three days of racing July 23-25 — five races in four series over three days.
The premier race of the weekend will be the NASCAR Cup Series Kansas 400 — but rather than close out the three-day run, as the marquee event typically would, it will kick it off, taking place on Thursday evening, July 23.
An Xfinity Series race (July 25), a pair of truck series races (July 24-25) and an ARCA Menards Series race (July 24) are also on the docket that weekend.
“We are excited to be a part of NASCAR’s return to racing,” Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren said in a statement. “This is an important first step in the resumption of sports to the Kansas City area, and we feel a deep sense of responsibility to play an integral role in that process.”
For now, the races are set to commence without spectators allowed. But that could change, track officials said, as they continue to work with state and local governments.
Fans are usually a huge part of race weekends at Kansas Speedway and other tracks, with fans camping in the infield and passes available for touring the pits.
“The health and safety of our fans, teams, officials, and the entire NASCAR community are paramount,” Warren said.
All five races will be televised nationally on NBCSN or FS1. Holding races at night puts them in prime-time slots for TV.
