RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will face Ace Speedway in court after the race track owners defied Gov. Roy Cooper’s closure order, according to NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen.
The court hearing began at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Alamance County Commissioners’ Meeting Room. Officials say the courtroom capacity is not high enough to accommodate necessary social distancing measures.
Cooper on Monday ordered ACE Speedway to close and called the venue an imminent hazard.
Cooper and Cohen said in an order issued on Monday night that the speedway could reopen for customers if it presents a plan showing it will follow state guidelines.
The plan must be approved by the NCDHHS for the speedway to reopen.
ACE Speedway had until 5 p.m. Tuesday to tell the public that races and other upcoming events would be canceled until Monday, June 22.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the speedway has not notified the public of a closure.
“We haven’t been notified that they’ve been closing so that will escalate to some additional legal steps we take in court,” Cohen said in a news conference Wednesday. “And I believe there will be a hearing on that tomorrow. So we will let the lawyers take that from there.”
The next race is scheduled for Friday, June 19, according to ACE Speedway’s website.
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