Wicked low attendance at NASCAR Race?
 

I watched the race on TV (the only race I watch all year) just to see how NH was represented. Have to say I was shocked at the aerial views of grandstand just before the start of the race. By the looks of it, only approximately 1/4 to 1/3 of the stands had people in their seats. Even later in the race, it looked barely half full.

Was the poor attendance due to the heat, decline in popularity of racing, cost of tickets or what. I am just curious.

And with such a low turnout, is NH in jeopardy of losing this race to another venue in another state?

No Interest
 

Lack of interest in NASCAR... at least in NH.

I went to the Jason Aldean concert on Saturday night and I can attest to the heat problem and we were under cover from the sun. We could only sit in our seats for half the concert. We listened to the rest from the food vending area as were many others. Kane Brown looked like he was going to have heat stroke.
I can only imagine how hot it was at the track with the sun bearing down on you and the heat thrown off by the race cars.

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I am a huge racing fan... But honestly NASCAR is in a decline, and where or if it will bottom out who knows.

All the Big Fan Favorites have retired, Yes you still have Jimmie, and Kyle, and that is why the stands are as full as they are. All the others have moved on.

With the Big Names like Earnhardt, and Gordon, now off the track many of the Fans that where on the ride just for them are now jumping ship. Why you ask? Because now one has come into fill there shoes.

The is no one with a Racing family Legacy, or a Young Hot shot that came in at a time when the sport needed a youth movement and faced off against the long time NASCAR families. (Think Petty, Jarrett, etc.)

What you have left are a bunch of finally polished, bread to be in the spotlight, young men with no Character. Yes they know what to say and how to say it, and even luck good doing it. But they don't say what is one their minds, and make sure everything they say is appropriate.

Soon as Kyle, Jimmy, and Harvick decided to head off into the sunset, I look for nascar to loose even more popularity. Popularity will come back when some drivers with Character and charisma some back to the sport.

But for those of us that just love racing, I don't mind.... without all the "band wagon" fans around races are much more enjoyable...

Also, you have to take into account all the restrictions every car/team has now. They also stop the race and break it into sections. They no longer can race and do what they want to have the fastest car, Nascar has made it so everyone HAS TO BE EQUAL. That,s not what NASCAR fans want. They want Racing and may the best Car/Team win. They do not want the Race to be stopped after 75 laps so everyone can now start over and be equal. Some will say safety is the reason, however it worked for a long time so why fix something if it's not broken. I used to race down there when it was Bryar's Motorsports driving a Dodge dart with a Slant 6 in the 6cyl category. Nascar changed all the rules and Fan's do not enjoy them. I believe Nascar itself is the reason for the decline. IMHO.

All the reasons previously mentioned plus the fact that the fans are aging out and young people are generally not interested in motor sports. On top of that as I get older and in the age of terror and psycho shootings I have less and less interest in being anywhere with big crowds of people.

Not For Me
 

I think people are not interested because who wants to sit on a hot metal seat watching cars all going the same speed going around in circles 500 times! It’s like some kind of medieval torture!

The first time I went, I questioned my sanity after 50 laps!...never again!

Dan

Not that I've ever been to one, nor care to for that matter ………. but I'm told it's not for the race -- it's the crashes !!

Now go figure THAT logic !

:laugh::laugh::laugh: I did the same thing. Someone gave me tickets many years ago when it was ragging popular. It was hot as hell and I had trouble following the leaders because I didn't bring a radio. It was so loud you couldn't hear the announcer or the person next to you, for that matter.
And then my torturous trip out of the parking lots fighting 100,000 people trying to all leave at the same time.
That was it for me, one and done!

That is indeed one of the problems facing NHMS... You cook in the stands, and once the field gets spread out, there is really nothing to watch, as they click off the laps...

The Magic mile, is nothing magical.... I have stated for years, that to make racing more exciting in loudon, they need to bank the track... Make it like a larger Bristol.... But as it is, it is simple a boring track to be a spectator at. I think the original idea was that it would be a larger Martinsville.... But with long straight aways the cars get to spread out.... With more banking they would be able to maintain some of that speed throw the corners, (like Bristol)... and overall the racing experience would be far more enjoyable.....

tickets vs attendance
 

I'm curious how many tickets were sold vs number actually attending. Heat certainly wold have kept me away, even if I already had a ticket.
I agree with Dan, racing in what amounts to a circle gets boring. I too, only went once. However, I loved the offshore powerboat races we had on Winni in the late 90's. I recall one crew member getting thrown overboard. They circled around, picked him up and went back into the race. You don't see that on NASCAR. We had 6-10 people on board for various years; it was like a private box. Bathroom? Galley? food? all right at hand, no lines. Admission? Free. I guess that's part of why they left. No money.

Descant, we loved those races too. I also remember the guy getting thrown overboard on the corner. If I remember correctly they lost their sponsor(s) and couldn't get another or enough to continue.

It's not that fans in NH have lost interest in racing,look at the recent NHRA event sold out. Nascar fans new and old don't like how the racing has been sanitized to the point you don't see the bump and run and if it's a race why do you have intermission what is it a broadway play??

2nd Visit
 

I actually did attend a second race, because I love abuse I guess but this time I was invited to the “Labor Ready” spectator box. It was air conditioned, catered and had an open bar.... no one watched the race whatsoever instead we ate and drank like Vikings then staggered back to the camping area and our motor homes for the night. The camping area was something to behold! I have never seen so many women chewing tobacco, waving rebel flags yelling “yeehaw” all night long...

True Story!

Dan

Pretty much any race you see on TV will show the same low numbers in the stands now. Its been declining big time for the last 5-7 years. Most tracks have taken 10's of thousands of seats out and also put huge advertising banners over others so it doesnt look so empty. NHMS removed about 30,000 seats a few years back for the same reason.

I am wondering if it becoming more like other sports and short attention spans with the need for constant action? Other sports such as football and baseball try to enhance the in stadium experience to keep fans coming because many like myself do not want to deal with traffic and crowds and in addition is the event becomes a blowout the I can just change the channel or go out.
Have the TV ratings declined proportionately with the attendance?

What does it cost to go to a NASCAR race these days? I rarely go to big name concerts or professional games because it is so expensive - especially if I try and bring the family.

The simple answer is yes.... That why you see Nascar getting shuffled to the secondary channels of NBC, and FOX.... Its only the ones where viewership has remained high that end up on the Primary NBC, and FOX channels....

As others stated, Nascar has done nothing lately but hurt the sport. Segmented Racing has not helped, and over aggressiveness on fines and penalties has hurt as well.

For us long time fines the disappointment really goes back the the invention of 10 Race play off... I am sorry but there is a problem if the guy consistently winning and placing in the top 10 all season long, can't win the championship because of a bad race....

Come to Florida. Sounds like a Publix parking lot on a peak weekend :)

I have attended 4 races but have never sat in the stands and have no desire to. Friends have RV's on the hill overlooking the track so it was a "block" party like atmosphere that was a good time for me. Could watch right from the RV if need be. The thing that saved me in the July races was being able to hop into one of their RV's and cool off in the AC.

Indy Car racing is struggling as well as NASCAR.

I suppose the proliferation of video games gives wannabe racers the opportunity to "race at home."

Is this race always on the third/fourth weekend in July? Just trying to plan an event for next year and want to avoid the race.

It is the weekend of July 18 - 19, 2020.

Here is a link to the 2020 schedule.

https://www.nascar.com/nascar-cup-series/2020/schedule/

Hey, thanks so much for this!

... bye bye NH, helloooo Alabama!
 

'Despite exciting NASCAR race, New Hampshire Motor Speedway still struggles to fill seats' ..... headline story, July 25 Concord Monitor

...... has a newspaper photo with two spectators seated in empty stands surrounded by a lot of empty seats....

....... knock, knock, knock ..... who's there? ...... it's Alabama calling ..... goodbye New Hampshire ..... and helloooooo Alabama.....

.......is so good to be here in Alabama...... drivers, start your engines ...... and thank you all so very much .... Alabama ...... for coming out to this here NASCAR race today. We just love it here in Alabama which is truly a beautiful state ..... thank-you very much to all the 'Bama NASCAR boosters, here today!

NHMS is the most boring track I’ve ever been to. I only go to watch the wrecks and carnage, that’s it.

We pretty much stopped going to the races a few years ago but do camp there for the week just to hang out and party, It’s too hot, they really need to bring back the September race.

I’m willing to bet in a few years there won’t be a NASCAR race in NH.