Brickyard’s luster no longer a big draw for NASCAR fans

The Brickyard attendance continues to plummet

Is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway "The Racing Capital of the World?" NASCAR fans apparently don't think so.

There’s a giant sign above the 16th Street entrance to Indianapolis Motor Speedway which proclaims welcome to "The Racing Capital of the World."

Fans of open-wheel racing certainly agree. Many drivers in NASCAR do as well.

NASCAR fans are a different story, however.

They initially packed the hundreds of thousands of seats at the track when NASCAR’s Cup series debuted here in 1994 and for several years after.

Sunday’s Brickyard 400 marks the 20th anniversary of NASCAR’s first visit to the iconic track, and drivers continue to appreciate the meaning of racing at Indy. The luster has worn off for fans, at least when it comes to attending.

When Ryan Newman leads Sunday’s field to the green flag it will be in front of thousands of empty seats, perhaps the 400’s smallest draw yet.

IMS officials have added a Nationwide Series race and Grand American Road Racing event to the weekend to increase the amount of competition at the track but it has not helped, the attendance continues to decrease.

Two other solutions – moving the race date and adding lights for a night race – would likely be considered sacrilege by open-wheel fans. Instead of adding lights and running a 2nd IndyCar race, the Hulman-George family will do anything to help NASCAR who is trying to kill them off. ThatsRacin