Declining NASCAR race attendance at Dover International Speedway may lead track officials to reduce the track’s seating capacity.
Speedway officials say it’s one option they’re mulling over, as throngs of fans aren’t as robust in years past.
It wouldn’t be unprecedented. The track reduced the number of seats to 113,000 in 2011.
And the track's Communications Director Gary Camp says similar moves have happened across the industry.
“Other tracks across the country have removed grandstands, covered up complete sections of grandstands, not opened backstretch grandstands for sale. So, you know, our attendance stacks up with most other tracks on the [Sprint Cup Series],”
said Camp.
Last year, Daytona International Speedway announced plans to cut 45,000 seats by 2016.
Camp notes no final decisions have been made, but if a reduction happens former seating areas may be transformed into common areas for fans.
“Viewing decks where you can watch the race and it’s sort of a different environment, maybe high tops. We’re just kind of exploring everything at this point.”
From 1986 to 2001, the speedway added seats each year to its peak of 135,000.
NASCAR stopped providing attendance figures in 2013, but ESPN estimates 2012 drew in 85-thousand fans to both races. That’s down from 2008’s high of 133,000.