WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Bowman Gray Stadium officials have announced the track’s season has been canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions in North Carolina.

“On July 14, Governor Cooper extended Phase 2 of COVID-19 restrictions for another three weeks until Aug. 7,” track officials said in a statement posted to the track website. “During this phase, events such as the racing at Bowman Gray Stadium are not permitted to have more than 25 spectators. We believe it is highly unlikely that Governor Cooper will significantly relax these restrictions in August or even September.

“Some professional sporting organizations may be holding events without fans. We, however, have no plans or desire to hold events without our fan base in the stands.”

Bowman Gray Stadium will not host racing in the fall or winter, but track officials do expect racing to return to the historic quarter-mile oval next year.

“This unprecedented situation has unfortunately forced us to cancel any plans for racing during the 2020 season. We have no plans to race in the fall or winter. We do not know how the COVID-19 situation will continue to evolve over the coming months, but we are planning to return to racing in the spring of 2021 – and we are hopeful that we will be able to do so at full capacity.”