New Hampshire Motor Speedway Exec VP & GM Jerry Gappens said that it is "'highly unlikely' that the Izod IndyCar series will be returning to the track next summer," according to Allen Lessels of the New Hampshire UNION LEADER. Gappens said, "Based on the information I have right now, I'd say they won't be coming back." Lessels notes IndyCar returned to the track last month after a 13-year absence, but the race drew only a "crowd of about 28,000." Gappens: "Forty thousand was what it was going to take to have a chance to make money. When the bills got paid, it was a significant loss." Gappens added that the door "is not closed on a return for the series, but he's not at all optimistic about the event happening again." He indicated that it was possible that "having three major events over the span of three months was too much," and that IndyCar "has not sufficiently recovered" from its drop in popularity. Gappens: "I can't figure out why there weren't more advanced ticket sales" (New Hampshire UNION LEADER, 9/22).
SPEED DEMONS: In L.A., Louis Brewster reports the Auto Club Speedway staff "still is smiling from the results of last week's social media promotion that resulted in a five-day blitz about the 2012 schedule, and a giveaway of 200 free tickets to NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide races and the return of IndyCar." Track President Gillian Zucker "was upbeat at the status of the season-ticket renewals and single-seat tickets." Zucker: "We're excited about that. It far exceeded what we were expecting. We haven't seen a demand this early since 2007. There's a lot of enthusiasm about the return of IndyCars. We can see the difference." She added, "We had a strong response even before we announced the IndyCar date. There may not be any infield spots left" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 9/22).
