Daytona President Reveals Attendance Expectation For NASCAR Daytona 500

The 2020 Daytona 500 will look and sound unlike any other running of “The Great American Race” — and not in a good way.

Daytona International Speedway president Chip Wile over the weekend revealed the track expects 30,000 fans to attend the NASCAR Cup Series season opener. The projection arrived roughly two months after Wile announced the Daytona 500 will welcome a limited number of fans.

“It’s going to be the largest sporting event that happens in the United States since COVID hit,” Wile said, via the Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Zach Dean.

For those wondering, Super Bowl LV, scheduled for Sunday, will be attended by 22,000 fans at Raymond James Stadium.

On the potential health and safety risks of permitting 30,000 fans to walk through the Daytona gates, Wile added: “We’ve been abiding by CDC guidelines with the 6-foot radius in the seats. We’re abiding by every state and federal regulation to ensure the safety of ours fans.”

The 2020 Daytona 500 is scheduled for Feb. 14.