Sparse crowds at iconic venues like Bristol Motor Speedway have sparked debate, with longtime fans questioning whether attending races still feels ‘reachable’ amid rising costs and a declining overall experience.

It started with a tweet that got attention after a fan suggested lowering ticket prices. They argued that tracks should focus on bringing in more fans since TV revenue is already strong. The tweet also said many fans don’t want to pay more than USD 80 for tickets.

Fans were divided in the thread, as some felt that the USD 80 figure was modest compared to the base price of a marquee event like the Daytona 500.

“$80 is a deal these days. I paid $267 each for the 500 a few months ago and those were the least expensive,” one user commented.

Many others pointed to higher travel costs and the extra planning now needed for families driving in for the weekend.

One of the users wrote, “It’s not the price of the tickets. It’s the price of lodging, the food costs, and the transportation costs. All to go to one event out in the middle of nowhere. If I’m loading up my family for the weekend, I want other things in proximity to justify the cost and time, etc.”

Some fans argue that tracks could offset lower ticket prices through increased spending on merchandise, concessions, and camping.

One fan pointed to Speedway Motorsports, LLC and its handling of Bristol Motor Speedway, questioning why prices haven’t been reduced. They argued that selling more tickets at lower rates could match revenue while boosting spending on merch, concessions, and camping, unlike discounted non-SMI venues.

The Comparison With Formula One

The discussion in the tweet thread also led to an inevitable comparison with Formula One.

Despite what some users call ‘mediocre’ racing, F1 has mastered the art of making every race feel like an ‘event.’ It focuses a lot on image, and Liberty’s marketing and partnerships with lifestyle brands have made it much more visible.

Because of this, fans feel NASCAR should do the same by putting more effort into fan engagement instead of relying only on the racing.

“One part of it is definitely ticket prices, especially for a track of Bristol's size. The other issue is optics. F1 garners tons of attention and viewership despite mediocre racing, because they make EVERY event a big deal, in the championship and promotion-wise. Make races big again,” another user wrote on X.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav