Brickyard 400
 

I thought it was an entertaining race. All you hear on social media is how terrible it was. Yea the rain delay sucked and the last red flag took much longer than it should have but it reminds me of Indy of my youth.
Attrition has always been part of Indy and wrecks, blown motors/gear boxes, mistakes are part of it. I think the 78 getting loose and taking out the 18 was the best thing that could have happened. Otherwise it would have been another snooze fest.
The 48 going 3 wide trying to take lead with an engine about to blow was great. Some pretty spectacular wrecks and I even like seeing the drivers exhausted after the race.
I say make it a 500 mile race.

It was a great race, but I can't help but notice how empty the seats are on these races. A few years ago, the seats were always full. I don't think the people running NASCAR are addressing the reason why. People are tired of the constant rule changes/tweaks, and the fans have spoken.

I agree it ain't racing anymore. Damn shame PC has even got into NASCAR.

The empty seats might have been from the 110 degree heat index or the $$$ cost
Thats a dangerous NASCAR track being so tight down the straights,as shown late in the race

Most of tracks I see on TV, I have to admit have a lot of empty seats,
unlike 15 -20 years ago, when they were to capacity.
After Earnhardt passed and the market crash of '08 a lot of folks just quit going to mashkar events,
also society's interests changes every so often.
I remember when everyone had to have a snow sled, then it was truck campers, then motor homes.
As economy and jobs come and go, peoples interests change.
Back in the early 60's drag racing was the fastest growing sport, now it is trying to hang on.
Horse racing was big also, now the tracks are gone/abandon or built into shopping malls.
Drive in movies went the same way, and going to the parks to picnic on the weekends, just a memory in old folks minds.
As a young kid/teen we had 6 amusement parks to go to,all gone now.
I'll not debate the good or bad of it all, just the nature of things I guess.
JFK made physical training mandatory in schools,
Slick Willie made it voluntary, and our youth just keeps getting more overweight, as well as they are less active.
Things and times change, not always for the better.
I guess we are to blame for letting it happen.
---Just my take:bigthink:

We were in Florida a few weeks ago & since there I got tix for the Coke 400 at Daytona on July 1. I was surprised at how many seats were open there too. I bet half empty.

Pretty well sums it up in my opinion. The first stock car race I listened to on the radio was the 1955 Southern 500, Darlington. My first Indy race on the radio was the 1951 Indy 500.

I was at the inaugural Brickyard in 1994 and the place was packed! Stands, infield, out on the streets... packed. The '95 race was like Sunday's... 4+ hour rain delay and most fans had left. Our seats were in the main grandstand under cover and we sat it out. When the sun came out they were running to get back in. I have never seen anything like it. Just a wave of humanity flooding Georgetown Rd in front of the speedway.

I went every year until 2000 and they always had good crowds. NASCAR has changed so much in the last 15 or so years. Like everything else it has become a made-for-TV sport. Young pretty-boys have replaced the good ol' boys.

Been to the Indy 500 about 20yr. Been to the brickyard 4 times including the first. I never thought NASCAR would die out like it has. The NASCAR fans were way more serious about the race than Indy fans. Indy fans were there for the party as much as anything else.
Personally I would rather watch the big tracks on TV. You cannot see the far side of the track at Indy. Much rather watch NASCAR at Kansas or Texas.
Also went to F1 at Indy and that was better than both NASCAR or Indy cars.
Mostly cause I knew I was going to see a race, rain or shine. The others are bunch of babies and won't run in the rain.

I thought it was a good race for being at Indy. Normally Indy races are zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Not a fan of how late it started- once they got in the overtime laps and I saw the spinning start, I knew they'd wait until they got to the 'overtime line' to throw the caution so they didn't run outta daylight. HELLO....start the races earlier.....

I used to watch every week and go to MIS twice a year, but this will likely be my last year. It's never been about the ticket price- you can get a decent seat for a good price (they keep going down every year and they continue to make it easier and easier to pay with payment plans, etc) the parking is easy accessible and free, and you can bring food into the grandstands...it's the sanctioning body. Way too many random at will rule changes, start times are incredibly late- I live an hour and a half from the track; in June I didn't get home until almost 10 PM because of the start time of 3PM- who wants to sit around (or at the track) all day for the race to start? Having an infant this time next year, my favorite driver retiring plus all the above put the nail in the coffin. It's not likely I'll be going next year, and don't really care if I miss it on TV.

Rant over. haha