NASCAR Fans Get Heated (Literally) as Nashville Race Bans Coolers

Brian Jones

06/18/2021 04:33 pm EDT

NASCAR is returning to Nashville this weekend to take part in the Ally 400. The good news for fans is there will be no restrictions on attendance, which means there will be 38,000 for the first Cup Series event at Nashville Superspeedway since 1984. However, fans are not happy with the fact that coolers have been banned in the grandstand.

Nashville Superspeedway said this decision was named to reduce "the need to search them as part of the admission process." Fans are also encouraged to wear facemasks if they are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Not too much has been said about the coolers from officials, but everyone is still looking forward to the event.

"This is an incredible milestone and shows all the progress we as a society and a sport have made against COVID-19," said Erik Moses, Nashville Superspeedway's president. "It also shows us how eager race fans in this area are to see the return of the NASCAR Cup Series. We appreciate the confidence that local and state health officials have shown in us to host our fans in a responsible way. The protocols and procedures we will have in place, along with the excitement surrounding the NASCAR Cup Series' return to Nashville, will create the first of many sold out events at Nashville Superspeedway." Here's a look at fans getting headed (literally) about the coolers.

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One fan wrote: "Don't know specifically about Tennessee law but in many states you can't bring your own alcohol because if you get excessively intoxicated that's a legal problem for the track. If you have to go to a vendor for a beer than they can deny you if you're too drunk, like at a bar."

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Another fan wrote: "I'll stick to the cooler argument forever. Tracks may have brought on the cooler ban as a non-contact point which made since when COVID restrictions were heavy, but packing 40k people in a track and still following that is strictly a marketing scheme."

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One Twitter user stated: We will be there at Nashville. I get no outside alcohol. But coolers? I can't take my backpack with a built in cooler but I can take a clear backpack and pack it will ice packs. WTF already. Going to be hot. I don't hydrate with$4 bottles of Aquafina."

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"Looks like Nashville won't allow coolers in the track (reason: idk) and they promised they would allow it before but they didn't," one fan stated.

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Here's a solution. One fan revealed: "Seen alot of anger about no coolers being allowed at Nashville. It was like that at the 600. We just got a clear backpack and threw ice and beer in it. Problem solved."

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One fan wrote: "The Cooler/Beverage Policy in Nashville this weekend is unfortunate. It doesn't need to be that way. The Indy 500 had 3x as many people & still allowed coolers & any drinks. The track was flawless in how the executed entry with coolers and everyone was happy."

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"I'm still waiting on the NASCAR media to talk about Nashville speedway banning coolers and ice for this weekends races," a fan wrote. "Time to stand up for the people."

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