Largest crowd ever to attend a drag race?

[I was NITRO BREATH]

The events I have been to have been very very low attendance. I don't know if there will ever be big numbers but they are serving the racers very well.

The events I have been to have been very very low attendance. I don't know if there will ever be big numbers but they are serving the racers very well.

I was watching a video of the nitro final from one of their recent events and you could count the number of people in the stands. Gotta be distressing for IHRA

 

[Butch]

No one will ever know. NHRA does not release ticket sales numbers, and tracks do not release capacity. That's why all the claims of sellouts are bogus.

So if they don't release the ticket numbers, how's anyone going to know the amount of money taken in?
Smell like dead fish.

 

[luxexpress]

Pretty sure Kepner said Gainesville Saturday this year had the most people of any drag racing event. Not sure how he came to that but no one knows more about drag racing history than him.

 

[Jim]

So if they don't release the ticket numbers, how's anyone going to know the amount of money taken in?
Smell like dead fish.

NHRA and the track know how much money they've taken in. They don't release that to the media or the public.

 

[ironpony]

NHRA can not release the real numbers they would lose their charity status, you don't think for a minute a bunch of cash gets misplaced. Why do you think they haven't gone cashless like most events, especially parking.

 

[Dragracer]

All I will add is from what NHRA says is a sold out event and what the cameras show in the stands are two very different situations.

Del

NHRA can not release the real numbers they would lose their charity status, you don't think for a minute a bunch of cash gets misplaced. Why do you think they haven't gone cashless like most events, especially parking.

NHRA is not registered as a charity status. They are a not for profit enterprise.

 

[Jim]

Why do you think they haven't gone cashless like most events, especially parking.

It's less accurate for track owners who have to pay an entertainment tax for every ticket sold.

 

[NitroRichFire]

Found this:

 

[GumbyWVU]

I was watching a video of the nitro final from one of their recent events and you could count the number of people in the stands. Gotta be distressing for IHRA

Yeah def a little sad, but hopefully it will improve. Their success only helps develop new interest in drag racing overall.

 

[Randy]

When we ran Fuji International Speedway outside of Tokyo in 1993 and 1994 for the FIA International Drag Races they were claiming 80,000 people showed up. The main straightaway was packed with fans. Shirley was there with our group, so I'm guessing she contributed to the onslaught.

 

[Butch]

Randy, just curious as to how much BS was involved in the process of getting things shipped and what was the time line?

Just thinking F1 does it on a weekly basis, but I'm sure they have it down to a science.

 

[ironpony]

Randy, just curious as to how much BS was involved in the process of getting things shipped and what was the time line?

Just thinking F1 does it on a weekly basis, but I'm sure they have it down to a science.

My understanding from following F1 is the pit area is setup roughly 6 weeks ahead of time, they have 6 complete pit setups and are already putting them in place for a race 6 weeks away. There are also several complete crews that rotate team members so no one gets burned out. The cars are broken down into each component and put on a little white van as they say and driven to the shipping company and on its way to the next race or factory. Hence the $600 million yearly budget. Just think one F1 team could run all of TF and FC teams and have money left over

 

[Butch]

My understanding from following F1 is the pit area is setup roughly 6 weeks ahead of time, they have 6 complete pit setups and are already putting them in place for a race 6 weeks away. There are also several complete crews that rotate team members so no one gets burned out. The cars are broken down into each component and put on a little white van as they say and driven to the shipping company and on its way to the next race or factory. Hence the $600 million yearly budget. Just think one F1 team could run all of TF and FC teams and have money left over

 

[Harry]

I'll say the first RT66 race in 1998. it was a full house every day.

 

[GumbyWVU]

I'll say the first RT66 race in 1998. it was a full house every day.

I bet Charlotte had some huge crowds early on, not counting the 4-wide, but the first 4-wide we were at was in 2015 and there was quite a crowd.