Price cuts can’t lure fans to Brickyard 400

The drivers call it the second biggest race of the season. It's right up there with the Daytona 500, they say. Kissing the bricks is something every driver dreams about, the NASCAR spin on the traditional Indy 500 winner chugging milk.

With all of that going for it, it would seem as though the Brickyard 400 is a must-see event at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Yet, racing fans' interest has been dwindling the past few years.

Last year, the fewest number of fans in its history – almost half of the inaugural crowd in 1994 – attended the race. This year, the track lowered ticket prices to try to entice more fans to come out, but it hasn't seemed to help.

The Charlotte Observer obtained an internal NASCAR memo sent out Friday that said, "ticket sales are significantly behind from previous years" at IMS.

Several factors have contributed to the declining interest, including the Goodyear tire debacle in 2008, when tire wear became a serious issue during Sprint Cup practice sessions, which led to a caution-filled race.