After reading the article I'm not entirely sure all these drivers did participate in the race using their own setups while staying home. Especially after this part: "[Pike] and Majors tried to fill up a field that reflected this big tent, letting in fellow NASCAR crew members, as well as some public relations and social media specialists."
Can someone please tell me they did not turn a strong recommendation to avoid public events (which lead to the competition being cancelled) into an opportunity to gather tens of people at one place?
Metaphorically, "field" means the group of people competing, and "big tent" means an inclusive group. So there's a natural interpretation that doesn't mean they all gathered in one place.
Can someone please tell me they did not turn a strong recommendation to avoid public events (which lead to the competition being cancelled) into an opportunity to gather tens of people at one place?