Will this be the year for fan bargains?

By: RALPH N. PAULK TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER | Times-Dispatch
Published: February 12, 2009

It took a tropical storm to deny Richmond International Raceway a 34th consecutive sellout last September.

The Chevy Rock & Roll 400 was pushed back a day and the Nationwide event was delayed two days because of heavy rain.

A troubled economy may not be an act of God, but it presents a different challenge for RIR this NASCAR season. So far, race fans aren't buying tickets for the May race at the same clip as they did a year ago.

That's the case at most NASCAR venues -- including Daytona International Speedway, where general admission ticket prices have been reduced from $99 to $60 for the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

"It's very difficult to compare this year to last year," said RIR president Doug Fritz, "because fans have a whole different purchasing habit. Some bought tickets later last year, too."

Fritz expects a flurry of activity weeks before the May 2 race at the .75-mile track. But he isn't sure that will fill the 112,029-seat racetrack.

"We believe we're going to have a healthy crowd," he said. "We'll do what we can. If it's a small crowd, which we don't expect, we'll still provide a great product for the fans."

In an effort to bolster ticket sales, Fritz lowered prices by 25 to 50 percent for more than 18,000 seats -- including $40 for Rows 1 through 5 for backstretch grandstand tickets, which were $60 last year.

Fritz said ticket prices will remain the same for the fall race.

Fritz recommends that other area businesses consider offering discount prices on race weekends to encourage the return of race fans who inject millions into the local economy.

Many hotels increase rates on race weekends. That, coupled with high gas prices, may have factored significantly in a decline in attendance at some racetracks, according to NASCAR president Mike Helton.

"We hope the whole community [will lower prices] whether it's restaurants or hotels or movie theaters," Fritz said. "They know how important these fans and the economic impact they have on this city."

Officials at Atlanta Motor Speedway have agreed to partner with more than 20 local hotels to offer discounted room rates for the March 8 Kobalt Tools 500.

Ed Clark, president and general manager of Atlanta Motor Speedway, said ticket price cuts and the hotel races "can only help to make attending [the race] even more affordable for the fans who have supported us throughout the years."

Denny Hamlin, a former Chesterfield resident, is making his own symbolic gesture, offering at least four free tickets to race fans for each of the 36 Cup events. He's hoping other NASCAR drivers will follow his example.

Fans can find more information at www.dennyhamlin.com.

"I realize that these are tough economic times," said Hamlin, "so the opportunity to offer race tickets free of charge seemed like the best way to thank a NASCAR fan."

Contact Ralph N. Paulk at (804) 649-6851 or rpaulk@timesdispatch.com.