What A Contrast

[CIRF]

Checked in a couple of times on the gimmick race at Indy Sunday afternoon to see where Gordo and Larson were running and to get a glimpse of how shameful the crowd was.

What a contrast in crowd size from the Indianapolis 500 just 2 short months ago. Yeesh!! 350,000+ complete sellout for the Indy 500 and the gimmick race had whole stands that had no one in them. It's a safe bet that the TV ratings were dismal compared to the Indy 500, too.

Wonder how much longer the Hulman/George family will embarrass and tarnish the legacy of themselves and of a race track that is a world wide icon with the gimmick race.

[hoosier race fan]

I saw some photo comparisons of the 500 and 400 and it's a huge difference. But I also found a similar photo comparison of the NASCAR race and IndyCar race at Fontana last year. Almost exactly the same, just flipped between a near sellout for NASCAR and more workers than spectators for IndyCar. The douches at the Indy Star are doing their best to make it a massive story, ignoring that this has been a trend at the 400 for a decade and the 500 was declining up until this year also. If they had not taken out all the seats on the north end going into turn 3 and the short chute, the 500 may not have been a "sellout." I was there for both and the 500 was clearly a better race and event. NASCAR has some serious changes to consider, but I hate to see it turn into an open wheel racing is sooo much better than stock cars debate like you will find at the good old boys club at Indiana open wheel. Indy cars just put on a much more entertaining show at the brickyard. NASCAR needs to be at Iowa instead.

[CIRF]

I saw some photo comparisons of the 500 and 400 and it's a huge difference. But I also found a similar photo comparison of the NASCAR race and IndyCar race at Fontana last year. Almost exactly the same, just flipped between a near sellout for NASCAR and more workers than spectators for IndyCar. The douches at the Indy Star are doing their best to make it a massive story, ignoring that this has been a trend at the 400 for a decade and the 500 was declining up until this year also. If they had not taken out all the seats on the north end going into turn 3 and the short chute, the 500 may not have been a "sellout." I was there for both and the 500 was clearly a better race and event. NASCAR has some serious changes to consider, but I hate to see it turn into an open wheel racing is sooo much better than stock cars debate like you will find at the good old boys club at Indiana open wheel. Indy cars just put on a much more entertaining show at the brickyard. NASCAR needs to be at Iowa instead.

The failure to draw a decent crowd for the Fontana IndyCar race is a big reason they no longer race there. The permanent seating at Indy for the 500 was sold out well in advance of the race and I'm not so sure that they wouldn't have sold it out even with the turn 3 entrance seats. I really think that the infield ticket sales more than made up for the stands you say were removed.

Face facts, NASCAR sucks at Indy (and some other places) and over the past 4 to 5 years the open wheel cars have been very entertaining at The Brickyard. The IndyCars put on a good show at Iowa and were extraordinarily exciting at Chicagoland, too.

Actually the Indy 500 crowd has slowly grown over the past 5 to 7 years and I believe in 2015 was estimated to be the largest crowd since 1997 or 1998.

I've read what's been posted on IOW a few times and they're membership is huge compared to most other boards and they don't allow much stupidity there like goes on at some other racing boards. They are very provincial at IOW but no more than the late model people here.

[TS FAN]

I am a huge fan of Nascar along with Dirt cars and about everything else that competes door handled to door handled. Which brings me to Indy. I will never be a fan of Stock cars running on the track. It doesn't provide good racing. Indy is an open wheel track and should remain so IMO.

[CIRF]

I am a huge fan of Nascar along with Dirt cars and about everything else that competes door handled to door handled. Which brings me to Indy. I will never be a fan of Stock cars running on the track. It doesn't provide good racing. Indy is an open wheel track and should remain so IMO.

You're right, the taxi cabs should have never raced at Indy to begin with but the revenue generated by the first decade of NASCAR at Indy appeared to have been way too seductive for the Hulman/George family to ignore. Now that it's a laughing stock in comparison to the Indy 500 they may be a bit regretful of ever bringing NASCAR to the most famous racecourse in the world.

I really don't care if the cars I'm watching race are supposed to have door handles or not as long as it's good, exciting racing and the last 5 or 6 Indy 500's have been exactly that. I went to the first 10 or 11 Brickyard 400's and honestly never saw a good race among any of them.

[TS FAN]

LOL, door handle to door handle means open wheel too, I obviously love Sprints etc. ergo Stewart,
Kyle Larson, C Bell etc. Just an old expression.

[CIRF]

Gotcha'. I sometimes am guilty of taking things too literally, as is the case here.

[drano]

Was reported they had about 50,000 in attendance sunday but they have 250,000 permanent seats.

[Barbecueboy]

It looked like they forgot to unlock the gates..........so that people could come in.

[drano]

I hope they left the gate unlocked during the race because I am sure some people wanted to leave.......it was sure a snooz fest.

[old fan]

I would say the weather might have a lil to with it I don't care I don't watch asphalt

[CIRF]

Was reported they had about 50,000 in attendance sunday but they have 250,000 permanent seats.

drano, not nitpicking at all but Purdue University claims there are around 270,000 permanent seats.

It's a safe bet that the TV ratings were equally horrible as compared to the attendance.

[drano]

You are right CIRF I miss read it the Indianapolis Star said they have more than 250,000 seats, my bad.

[Raceready]

It looked like they forgot to unlock the gates..........so that people could come in.

That's FUNNY !!!!! It was looking like it was called The Brickyard 400 because there was 400 fans there. LOLOL I wonder if NASCAR attendance is getting so low that the venders are trying to figure out if it is worth it to even show up?

[Barbecueboy]

I would say the weather might have a lil to with it I don't care I don't watch asphalt

But you face plant on it regularly???