North Carolina health officials have ordered Ace Speedway in Alamance County to close, saying the stock car track’s defiance of limits on mass gatherings during the pandemic makes it an “imminent hazard” for spreading coronavirus. Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson has refused to cite the speedway for violating state restrictions, saying it is unfairly being singled out.The speedway has held racing each of the past three weekends. Gov. Cooper’s executive order caps most outdoor meetings to 25 people. Media outlets have reported crowds at the speedway attracted between 2,500 and 4,000 people, including the one on Saturday. The governor’s office wrote to Johnson last week telling him to perform his duty over the weekend and enforce Cooper’s order. A placard at the speedway on Saturday read: “This event is held in peaceful protest of injustice and inequality everywhere.” Gatherings to express First Amendment rights are exempt from the order.Johnson wrote on Monday that no action was taken on other tracks that raced over the weekend. “This concerns me greatly to know that my citizens have basically been singled out for the same alleged violations that are occurring all over the state of North Carolina,” he wrote in a statement. “I assure you that I respect the Office of the Governor of North Carolina but I have serious reservations on the legality of his order.” In an email to sister station WXII-TV on Tuesday, Byron Tucker, the public information officer with the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, said in part, “Sheriff Johnson says he believes the issue is now between the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Ace Speedway thereby ending the Sheriff’s Office role.”Cooper said at a media briefing earlier Monday that opening the speedway to crowds was a “reckless decision” by the owner.“People shouldn’t run a money-making operation that puts in danger not only their customers but anybody who would come into contact with their customers,” Cooper said, adding the “state will have to take action” this week “if the local officials don’t.” Johnson wrote that Cooper was within his right to ask a court to issue an injunction against the speedway or ask state police agencies to issue a citation. On Tuesday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued an Abatement Order requiring ACE Speedway to immediately close their facility and halt operations. While the Abatement Order halts operations, it allows Ace Speedway to propose a new plan which could allow races to resume, under the condition that steps be taken to adhere to the restrictions in place regarding mass gathering numbers and social distancing precautions. “It was irresponsible for them to keep operating in the way they were doing with thousands of people shoulder to shoulder, no face coverings, and so we want to take this action so folks know we need to take this seriously, particularly in a week when we are seeing our trends go in the wrong direction,” Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a press conference held Tuesday afternoon. In that same press conference, Cooper said in part, “This particular speedway knows that the order is in existence and has flagrantly violated the order and put their customers in danger as well as anybody who comes in contact with their customers.”The novel coronavirus continues to threaten North Carolina, with recent data indicating an acceleration in the number of new cases, a greater percentage of positive tests and an increase in hospitalizations resulting from COVID-19. “Across the state, North Carolinians are making huge sacrifices to protect their families and neighbors. This virus is highly contagious and very dangerous. Bad actors who flagrantly violate public health orders put all of our families and loved ones at risk,” NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen said.