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Would Night Racing Boost Attendance For NASCAR At Indianapolis?

NASCAR has raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 20 years and at first, fans flocked to the famed speedway. Once the novelty wore off, fans being fans decided they had seen enough or couldn’t see enough and have stayed away, leaving large patches of empty seats in the cavernous facility.

At most NASCAR races, fans can see all around the track and never miss the action, but at Indy, trees block the view, precluding the opportunity to see everything that goes on. For the 2013 edition of the Brickyard 400, as usual, no attendance figures were disseminated but best guess is that the attendance was about the same as in 2012 or possibly 80,000, give or take. For Saturday’s Nationwide Series race, the attendance numbers were much smaller. And certainly the weather did not have an adverse impact as the conditions were picture perfect, if not unseasonably cool for late July.

One redeeming offset to the attendance numbers were the TV ratings, which were reported to be 9 per cent higher than in 2012. Giving a boost to the ratings was the sensational run turned in by home-state favorite Ryan Newman. Had the race been a Jimmie Johnson runaway, viewers may have tuned out.

With the attendance numbers sagging, media and others raise the idea that night racing would add new life to the Brickyard 400 weekend. IMS track management has hired a company to help them find ways to improve their product and lighting is one of the many possibilities said to be considered, but if approved, it would require a costly investment. A plan or list of alternatives is being developed and should be completed within next six weeks.

Regarding lighting, Doug Boles, IMS president, said a lighting investment could cost in the neighborhood of $20 million and before it would be initiated, they must be convinced that it would have long-term benefits, not just provide a “bump” in attendance figures.

Drivers had mixed feelings about the addition of lights, some were for it and others were not. One of the more vocal drivers was Clint Bowyer, saying, “Boy, you’re going to need nuclear power to light this place. You’re going to have to shut down downtown to have enough
power to light this track — it’s huge. But, I don’t know that that matters. What’s important about this track in my opinion is the tradition of coming back here. I think that’s why the fans have come here for years and years and years. It’s always been a day race. I don’t see
why it shouldn’t be. Grip level would be really well in a night race. I think, at least in a day race on Sunday you slip and slide around quite a bit and create some exciting racing. So, I’m happy with a day race.”

There’s also speculation whether or not the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series (the United SportsCar Series going forward) will continue to be part of NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 weekend, be a stand-alone event or a companion to an IndyCar Series race on the road course. Going back a few years, a nine-hour race had been suggested for the sports cars.

Time will tell whether lights or other choices are made, but one certainty is that NASCAR will continue to be a major production at Indy for many years to come. Every driver wants a chance to kiss the Yard of Bricks at some point in his or her career.

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