Quote:
Originally Posted by Hubie48
Was this event open to the public? Jeez, I have seen some pretty weak crowds at IRP this year but there could not have been 300 people in the stands...
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Our Thursday and Friday crowds have always been brutal. The main reason is So Cal traffic. I am 36 miles from the track which is about a 30-35 minute drive under normal conditions. After 4:00 p.m., that can easily stretch from 90 minutes to two hours. From Los Angeles to the track is about 80 miles. That can end up being three or four hours. For someone getting off work at 4:00 or 5:00 p.m., they are going to miss a good portion of the show so they stay home. Nowadays with Flo, rather than miss a portion of the show driving to the track, they can stay home and see it all. As Tim said above, the outrageous gas prices keep some people at home as well. Thus, the crowds on Thursday and Friday are mostly out-of-towners who have come in for the race or campers.