April 17, 2020 | By Lee Spencer

Martinsville announces postponement of May Cup race date

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the May 8-9 NASCAR Cup Series race weekend at Martinsville Speedway has been postponed and will be rescheduled, the track announced Friday.

“We want to thank all of our dedicated fans who were set to join us during our May race weekend and our first NASCAR Cup Series race under the lights,” said Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell in a statement.

“The well-being and safety of our patrons, NASCAR stakeholders, employees and our community continues to be our number one priority. We appreciate your patience and understanding during these challenging times, and we look forward to having everyone back in the near future to help us make history once again at Martinsville Speedway.”

In a separate release, the sanctioning body maintained its commitment to completing the full schedule in the NASCAR Cup Series, the sport’s premier division. NASCAR is contemplating a return to racing later in May with no fans in the grandstands.

“NASCAR is postponing the scheduled events on May 8-9 at Martinsville Speedway,” the statement said. “Our intention remains to run all 36 races, with a potential return to racing without fans in attendance in May at a date and location to be determined.

“The health and safety of our competitors, employees, fans, and the communities in which we run continues to be our top priority. We will continue to consult with health experts and local, state and federal officials as we assess future scheduling options.”

According to several sources familiar with the discussions, the most likely scenario would feature a return at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day weekend, with the Coca-Cola 600 Cup race running on May 24.

The postponement at Martinsville was not unexpected.