[racefan20]

Originally Posted by Flatrightrear All I know is that opening day qualifications were packed when I was going as a boy in the 1960's. Just compare the prime seats on the frontstretch then with now and it's not even close to being the same number of people. The military could do a 21 gun salute down the frontstretch grandstand now without fear of hitting anyone except the pidgeons.

Tom, since they stopped setting records every year interest in quals has waned. Carb day now has the old 1st day of qualifying crowd

[Stevensville Mike]

Do they still let you bring your own booze into the infield these days?

[jjones752]

Originally Posted by racefan20 Jim in the 70's & 80's the whole infield was full, no road course no nothing except for the museum and the 2 golf course holes(which were parked on back then) to get in the way. There were easily 100,000 people in the infield back then, 5 to 10 times what was in there on Sunday. I was in the infield back then (and at the race every year since) so I know. Just sayin......

OK, I give. But how many of those people in the infield:
A. Saw any of the race?
B. Cared about the race?
C. Remembered where they parked/left their clothes/lived after the race?

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by jjones752 OK, I give. But how many of those people in the infield: A. Saw any of the race? B. Cared about the race? C. Remembered where they parked/left their clothes/lived after the race?

I agree with that but they all paid the same amount as the ones who came to watch the race

[dirt330]

I have attended every Indy 500 since 1959. Been to every first day of qualifications since birth in 1951 having never missed once. The past 2 500's have been the greatest back to back races I have ever seen. The racing has been second to none. I saw more younger kids with adults than I can remember. It is on its way back. As Kurt Busch said at the victory banquet " I have been to Daytona 500 15 times The Brickyard 400 15 times but the Indy 500 will blow you away".

[rj1]

Originally Posted by Stevensville Mike Not to hijack the thread, but related to that, for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, the entire grandstand on the outside of Turn 2 and the start of the backstretch was empty. The track had banners/advertisements across the seats. There were still empty seats all across the bottom of the stands on the front stretch, too. They outpriced me years ago. Give me the local dirt tracks any day.

I'm from N.C. and some guys on a board down there said they weren't selling tickets in some areas. They were only selling frontstretch tickets to make it look more packed.

[rj1]

Originally Posted by jjones752 OK, I give. But how many of those people in the infield: A. Saw any of the race? B. Cared about the race? C. Remembered where they parked/left their clothes/lived after the race?

do you think the people in the infield in the '70s were any different?

one of the best articles I've read about the 500 as a fan was from a couple years ago a guy that was in the turn 3 infield http://grantland.com/features/club-t...sted-indy-500/

As far as the race, good for Hunter-Reay. After the Hinchcliffe/Carpenter incident, I thought either him, Helio, or Marco could win and it'd be a credible winner as far as "best car all race". It wasn't near as pass happy as it was last year, which is better because it made the passing seem too easy.

Random thoughts:

-is Graham Rahal this generation's Jeff Andretti? (he's actually behind Kurt Busch in the Indycar points at the moment)
-Ganassi SUCKED
-really wish the next race wasn't Belle Isle
-two great runs from rookies Kurt Busch and Sage Karam, either could've been rookie of the year and it'd've been fine, Karam is from the Andrettis' hometown of Nazareth, Pa., and is about to graduate high school, he's on a development deal with Ganassi who's running him in sportscars this year (Ganassi didn't have an open Indycar seat), but I really hope Karam finds his way to Indycars soon
-speaking of the Hinchcliffe/Carpenter incident, I thought Hinchcliffe dive bombed way too late for the corner but more people seem to put the blame on Bell, how do people here see it?

[ronmil]

Originally Posted by rj1 I'm from N.C. and some guys on a board down there said they weren't selling tickets in some areas. They were only selling frontstretch tickets to make it look more packed.

You think maybe the guy might have been prejudiced? What an idiotic statement!

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by ronmil You think maybe the guy might have been prejudiced? What an idiotic statement!

I agree the most empty stands were in the Tower Terrace just above the pits on the inside. Some of the worst seats in the house. If they wanted to make sure it looked packed dont you think they would have made sure those were full??

[rj1]

Originally Posted by ronmil You think maybe the guy might have been prejudiced? What an idiotic statement!

dude, just passing it on

here, would you like to read what they wrote?

BlackJesus: So Charlotte didn't sell any tickets in turn 2 tower for the 600. That tower is the best bargain in racing, you can see the entire track, and its cheap.

Sweden: well that sucks balls, that's where I was planning on sitting Sunday. last year my friends and i just got the cheapest tickets we could all scalp right before the race and found a good spot for 8 of us since it wasn't exactly packed. hopefully they're not planning on to tarp the entire turn 2 section, because this year's plan was going to be very similar to last year.

BlackJesus: Their plan as far as I can tell is to try and push everyone into the front stretch to make it look like a "sell out"