Indy drops ticket prices for 2011 Brickyard 400 as attendance continues to decline
Winner Jamie McMurray does a burnout in front of the grandstands at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. There were plenty of empty seats for this year's Daytona 500. // Jim Fluharty, NASCAR Illustrated
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which according to NASCAR estimates has seen its attendance decline by nearly half in the last three years, announced that it would lower ticket prices on select seats for the 2011 Brickyard 400.
Ticket prices have dropped $20 in the lower rows of the Southeast Vista, Southwest Vista, Northeast Vista and H Stand grandstands. Those tickets will now range from $50-65.
General admission tickets, which were sold for the first time in 2010 for $40, will be reduced to $30 in advance and $35 on race day.
Prices for some premium seats were increased slightly as part of the new program.
“This new ticket pricing program will make the Brickyard 400 more accessible to more fans while also providing more choices for value-conscious consumers,” said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and CEO.
NASCAR estimated attendance at the 2010 Brickyard 400 at 140,000, compared with 180,000 in 2009, 240,000 in 2008 and 270,000 in 2007. The Indy 500 in May typically draws an estimated attendance of 250,000-275,000.
“I can’t deny that having as many empty seats as we had (Sunday) is a disappointment to me,” Belskus told the Associated Press. “But we have a lot of people here and a lot of opportunity here to rebuild this event and bring it back. It’s going to take the full effort of everyone here at the speedway and at NASCAR.”
Jamie McMurray won Sunday's Brickyard 400.
The tentative date for the 2011 Brickyard 400 is July 24.
