There will be two NASCAR weekends at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 2021 for the first time in a decade.
The announcement September 30 from AMS officials noted that the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 will return to Hampton for a March 21 start, while the second race is the Quaker State 400 Presented by Walmart scheduled for July 11. It is the first July NASCAR race at AMS in 47 years.
“We’re beyond excited to deliver what our fans have been yearning for: a second weekend of NASCAR action in Atlanta once again,” said AMS executive vice president and general manager Brandon Hutchison. “Folds of Honor and QuikTrip continue to be phenomenal partners for our spring weekend of racing and we’re thrilled to have Quaker State and Walmart on board this summer as we put together two weekends of entertainment and excitement for race fans.”
Current plans call for the speedway to host fans in its grandstands and camping areas in a socially distanced, limited capacity for each of its NASCAR Cup Series races. Seating and camping location availability are being determined based on health and safety guidelines. Because of the limited capacity, fans are encouraged to get their tickets as soon as possible.
“The only thing I look forward to more than NASCAR’s best thundering down the frontstretch is seeing fans in the stands, on their feet, cheering on their favorite driver,” said Hutchison. “We’re committed to doing everything in our power to allow fans to attend our race and, following the examples set by our sister speedways in other parts of the country, our staff is working diligently to make it happen in a safe and responsible way.”
Other Speedway Motorsports facilities such as Bristol Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have successfully hosted fans for NASCAR events during the coronavirus pandemic using protocols developed by Speedway Motorsports in collaboration with NASCAR. These procedures will be part o the AMS plan for the March event, after which evaluations will be made to determine if any adjustments are needed for the July race.
AMS officials said they will be consulting with public health experts to ensure that the race day plan is up to date with the latest safety guidelines. Regular updates will be posted on the AMS website and social media platforms to keep fans in the loop.
“Our goal is to host as many fans as possible, as safely as we can, to enjoy the excitement of NASCAR in Atlanta,” said Hutchison. “It’s going to be one heck of a show when the likes of Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch battle on these challenging high banks.”
Seating and camping accommodations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis starting with fans who originally had tickets for the 2020 NASCAR race, followed by fans who make a deposit.
