Sign at Ace Speedway says it protests ‘injustice.’ At least 2,000 attend race.
Racing took place on Saturday night at Ace Speedway in Alamance County, with at least a couple of thousand fans in attendance.
On Friday, Sheriff Terry Johnson said his officers would be there to enforce Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order that limits outdoor gatherings to 25 people as part of the state’s efforts to combat the coronavirus. Johnson made it clear he did not agree with the order.
It does not look like that happened, though, as a reporter from a Gannett newspaper who was on the scene said there were at least 2,000 people in the stands.
Another reporter, Amanda Ferguson from WFMY in Greensboro, tweeted a picture of a sign that had been posted at the Speedway.
“This Event is held in Peaceful Protest of Injustice and Inequality Everywhere. — Ace Speedway,” was written on a dry erase board.
Protests against racism and police brutality have been happening across the state and nation since George Floyd died in Minneapolis last month when a police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 minutes.
“This sign is outside of Ace Speedway tonight,” Ferguson tweeted on Saturday from the track. “Governor Roy Cooper urged Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson to enforce his executive order in phase 2, which said no more than 25 people can gather. Ace Speedway said tonight’s race is a peaceful protest.”
Saturday marked the speedway’s third racing night of the season, and second since drawing a rebuke from Cooper.
“All I know is that there are 25 people here in some multiple,” CARS Tour TV announcer Tony Stevens said Saturday, speaking to his streaming audience online and across the public address system to the Ace crowd.
-- Burlington Times reporter Adam Smith contributed to this report.
