Auto Club Speedway president addresses attendance, racing
Hosting a race in NASCAR's Chase For The Sprint Cup didn't net a larger crowd for Auto Club Speedway in California. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
FONTANA, Calif. – Auto Club Speedway President Gillian Zucker brushed off attendance concerns and praised the quality of racing at her track during an open interview session at Sunday’s Pepsi 500.
The interview, which took place before the race was complete, touched on several topics, including what appeared to be a sparse crowd.
Zucker declined to speculate on the number of fans in attendance for the facility’s first race ever in the Chase For The Sprint Cup but acknowledged the track expected its numbers to be “pretty flat” from the Labor Day weekend race last year.
“I leave [the estimates] in your hands,” Zucker said, referring to the group of reporters surrounding her. “You guys always do a pretty good job with estimates.
“I know you will all call me crazy…, but underneath the grandstands is packed; the fan zone is packed – there are a ton of people here. All of our lower-level seats are sold out. Anyone who called to try to purchase a seat knows that.”
NASCAR’s official estimate was 70,000, though most media estimates were between 45,000-60,000.
On another topic, Zucker nixed the idea that the track could change its banking to 23 degrees, which would likely make it a restrictor-plate race. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that Zucker had asked parent company International Speedway Corp. to make the change.
Zucker said she was initially in favor of the idea, but was ultimately told it would not work for “a lot of reasons, and number one is safety.”
“We need to keep those drivers safe,” she said. “I think people know this is the fastest race track on the circuit. They’re going 209 mph going into Turn 1, and if you start banking it at those kind of degrees, and I don’t know if you’re going to get a better race.
“What makes a great race is they’re comfortable in the car so they’re willing to try some things that are a little bit daring. And I don’t think you’d see that if you get up to speeds at that level – at least that’s what the experts have been telling me.”
Zucker said she would consider reducing the distance of one of her two 500-mile Sprint Cup races, adding she evaluates every idea presented to her.
“Yes, there’s absolutely been talk about that,” she said. “The 400-mile race has made a difference in a couple of places. … If somebody throws out an idea, I follow up on it. Anything could happen. Anything is possible.”
Regarding the quality of racing, Zucker pointed to Saturday’s Nationwide Series race as “the best race I’ve ever seen at this track.”
She said the race was “incredible” and that NASCAR’s rule-tweaks such as the double-file restart have improved racing.
“Some of the changes that have already been made are delivering the change that some of our fans have been asking for,” she said.
As far as the future?
“People are understanding that Southern Californians are great race fans, and we deserve NASCAR racing and deserve a race in the Chase,” she said. “We deserve two races at this race track.”
