Attendance at NASCAR races "has plummeted" in recent years, and despite several years of crowds over 200,000, yesterday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway "might not have topped 50,000," according to Gregg Doyel of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR. Last year's race had an "estimated crowd of 75,000," and yesterday was the "continuation for a sad trend not just for the Brickyard 400, but for NASCAR." It was a race "nobody will remember." There were just four lead changes and "just one during green-flag conditions." Doyel: "This race couldn't end soon enough on a day where the Indianapolis area was under a heat advisory." It was 91 degrees and "felt like 103," which led to fans walking around IMS with "wet towels on their heads" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/25). SPORTING NEWS' Ray Slover noted the small crowd was "probably a combination" of the heat and NASCAR losing "its allure" at IMS. Yesterday's race attendance "was a disappointment" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 7/24). In Indianapolis, Holly Hays notes some spectators "huddled in what shade they could find under stands or behind merchandise tents." IMS had "four IndyGo cooling buses, water fountains and various misting stations set up throughout the massive grounds, as well as 15 first aid locations" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/25).
LACKLUSTER RACING: ESPN.com's John Oreovicz noted Kyle Busch led 149 of the 160 laps en route to his win, making the race an "unwatchable dud." If it is not "clearly obvious by now, NASCAR stock cars are simply not compatible with the Brickyard oval." The unique "single-groove track" sets up for "boring, single-file running." It is still a "profitable event for IMS, but with all those empty seats, it's also a bit of an embarrassment to the grand old track" (ESPN.com, 7/24).
