Indy Star estimates crowd at 80K. What a huge dropoff over the years. Think back to the first 10 years and how big of an event it was.

The main problem is the track is terrible for Cup cars and that leads to consistently boring races. I watched it on my DVR at x60 speed and finished all 400 miles in about 20 minutes.

Then to top it off NASCAR took away one of the best races on the Busch circuit by moving them from IRP to IMS. Terrible idea.

I always wished they would race the cup cars at Irp. Loved watching trucks & Busch cars run next to the wall there. But now it's just 3 1/2 hrs of the only passing is on restarts!! And they wonder why ppl quit goin to the races.

I have been to every Brickyard 400, and have watched the crowd drop off, gradually at first, but dramatically the last two or three years. The tire debacle in 2008 seemed to have a significant effect. The on track action has never been breathtaking, but the action in the pits is entertaining and I always have an enjoyable day because I make it a point to enjoy a good meal at Gray brothers cafeteria in Mooresville on the way back home and enjoy the scenery along the way. (Wow, I used the word enjoy a lot, didn't I)? Yesterday's race wasn't great, but it was good, and it was nice to see Jeff win on the 20th anniversary of his first one.
I keep saying I'm not going back, but I do, so I'll probably send in my renewal today or tomorrow.

Ordered tickets again today. As Ron said, not a great race but damn good, and a HARF Driver of the Year won the big check. We all know attendance is down everywhere, hell, look at Bristol, and we all know how tough those seats use to be to buy. I'm guessing the Indpls. Star wants to put their usual gloom and doom spin on attendance, to panick everyone, and i would guess more in the 100,000 #'s, but how many tracks would love to have 100,000 butts in their seats? TV is happy, NASCAR is happy, and IMS is happy, so relax, soon we'll be enjoying this race under the lights on Saturday night.

Not if there's a dirt track running that same night.

Bob,

I don't see them adding lights any time soon. Cost is estimated about 20 million just to light the track and another 5 million to light everything else inside the grounds to run at night.

Because of the lawsuit about ADA (Americans with Disability Act) in late 1990's or early 2000's that was settled recently, IMS has many millions to spend upgrading grandstands and other areas of the track to meet ADA guidelines. Plus their normal millions spent each year for regular upkeep. The ADA suit settlement is why they went to the Indiana Legislature asking for help to cover the costs needed to upgrade facilities to meet ADA requirements.

I'm not much of a stock car fan so I won't comment on the event they had over the last week end at IMS.

For what it's worth I'd be happy if they went back to one race a year and all the attention in this city would be were it should be on "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing". But that isn't going to happen.

Indianapolis would just be a small city surrounded by corn fields if it wasn't for Tony George buying IMS and saving the 500.

The problem is a lot of things. But this is the main one and it goes for everything. In the past ten years, The average faimly salary adjusted for inflation is DOWN OVER 1/3rd

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/27/bu...hird-less.html

The only way I'm going to see NASCAR is if they run a figure 8. Take away downforce and run places like rockingham and north wilkseboro. The facilities aren't as big so they won't look as empty.

The poor folks at the Speedway also got voted 100 million over 10 years from Hoosier tax payers. That should cover the lights if they want them. Whatever they do I won't be there. AMA on the mile at the fairgrounds this month would be worth checking out.

I hope the speedway doesn't put up lights. It would be neat, but would hurt local tracks a lot. Nascar peaked a few years ago. It is still a big deal, but nothing like it was. Teams are forming a union because they are losing money. I am sure the Nascar people are working hard to keep them at the Speedway. They need the Speedway worse than the Speedway needs them