Sunday's race marked the first time NASCAR had visited LVMS twice in the same yearGETTY IMAGES
A media-estimated 45,000 fans attended the inaugural Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway yesterday, which would make it the "lowest-attended Cup Series race in track history, down an estimated 10,000" from the Pennzoil 400 in March, according to Ron Kantowski of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. This marked the "first time that NASCAR had visited LVMS twice in the same year." NASCAR's policy is to "not announce turnstile counts." Given 100-degree temperatures, "competition from pro football on television and NASCAR's plunge in popularity," the attendance number "could have been worse." Saturday's Xfinity Series DC Solar 300 "drew about 10,000 fans." LVMS President & GM Chris Powell said, "We're thrilled with it as the first go-round of the NASCAR September weekend." He added, "I will hasten to add that we're already talking to NASCAR and NBC about the possibility of racing later in the day. We know the heat has caused some heartache for people." Kantowski notes an hour before yesterday's green flag, the "sprawling grandstands still were mostly empty." But "virtually every shady spot on speedway property -- and all the so-called cooling zones -- was filled with gaggles of race fans seeking relief from the heat." The new swimming pool that "sits above where the grandstand in Turns 3 and 4 used to be ... proved to be the most popular cooling zone" (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 9/17). The AP's Greg Beacham wrote fans "clearly didn't love the conditions." Although ticket sales "went well, some bleachers looked half-empty while many fans fled the pounding heat and spent part of the race underneath in the shade" (AP, 9/16). Retired NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace tweeted, "REALLY entertaining race. ... Hard side by side racing." But Fantasy racing writer Chad Robb wrote, "Who's brilliant idea was it to put a daytime race at Las Vegas is the summer? This track is too hot for these tires" (TWITTER.com, 9/16).
