As NASCAR sits idle with the 2020 season under postponement because of COVID-19, or the coronavirus, one of the tracks that hosts NASCAR series multiples times throughout the year has shifted focus. Charlotte Motor Speedway has become a COVID-19 test site for residents in Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties in North Carolina. On March 24, CMS became the first professional sports venue in the US to become a coronavirus testing site.
“At Charlotte Motor Speedway, we work for the fans, salute our military and serve our community,” CMS Executive Vice President and General Manager Greg Walter said. “During these unprecedented times, we want to support our neighbors and the region with what we can do to keep people healthy. Atrium Health has been a longtime partner of ours, and we’re happy to work with them to provide a well-known, accessible and safe place to host this remote testing site for as long as there is a need.”
Individuals who are ordered by their doctors to be tested may undergo that test at the drag strip on the Charlotte Motor Speedway property without leaving their cars. Medical professionals are taking swab samples from patients as those patients sit in their vehicles and sending those samples to Atrium Health’s in-house lab. Most results are reached within 24 hours.
“Having these types of remote locations, away from a hospital or other care locations, yet convenient for people in need of testing, is essential to helping contain the spread of the coronavirus,” Atrium Health Senior Vice President and Medical Officer Jim Hunter, MD, said. “It’s important to note that patients still need to meet the established criteria for testing by a healthcare provider, which will keep other patients and healthcare workers safe, as well as protect our testing supplies. We deeply appreciate this partnership opportunity with Charlotte Motor Speedway to make a significant impact on the health of our community.”
