Livid Fans Ring the Alarm as ‘Empty’ Brickyard Grandstands Leaves NASCAR Exposed

Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s oval used to be one of the most crowded races in NASCAR. In fact, it has encroached 240,000 attendees on eight different occasions. But with a continued drop in attendance, NASCAR had to make one major shift– moving to a road course. In 2021, RCR’s Austin Dillon outrightly stated, “We lost a crown jewel when we don’t go to the oval there.” Of course, the action was after NASCAR had already stripped grandstands of multiple raceways to make it look fuller despite the lower attendance.

However, with the IMS still bringing in big numbers at the Indy 500, they could not do the same. The move was welcomed by some fans like the long-time racing fan Kyle Owens, who attends the IMS races every year. For him and his father, attending the oval was a chance at an annual get-together. But his comment was mixed, “I like the change. The oval was tradition, so I kind of miss that a little bit, but it is what it is.” 

When the road configuration also only saw an estimated 65,000 attendees in 2021 and 2022, they made the move again. NASCAR’s return to the IMS oval for the 2025 Brickyard 400 was supposed to be a triumphant homecoming. It was meant to be a chance to relive the glory days of a crown jewel race. But as the green flag waved, social media lit up. Photos of sparse crowds and rows of empty grandstands worried fans and media that the Brickyard’s magic had faded despite Jeff Gluck’s push back.

The Athletic’s Gluck tweeted, saying, “All of you tweeting about attendance: you’re not seeing the fans underneath in the shade. It’s not Indy 500 attendance by any means but there are people here.”

Those empty seats stung because Indy’s massive 235,000-seat capacity, along with room for 300,000, including the infield, can make even a solid 50,000 to 70,000 turnout look ghostly. Back in 1994, the Brickyard 400 pulled over 250,000 fans, a NASCAR-high outside Daytona, and held strong at 200,000 through the early 2000s.

But the 2010s brought trouble. Lackluster racing, the 2008 tire fiasco with endless cautions, and NASCAR’s broader popularity dip all took their toll. The 2021 switch to the IMS road course was an effort to shake things up with wilder action, but it couldn’t match the oval’s historic vibe.

NASCAR bet big on bringing the oval back, hyping it through the In-Season Tournament and earning support from drivers like Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe, who publicly praised the move. Local fans were excited for high-speed battles on the bricks.

Top Comment by Bill H

Reminds of the lady, name justifiably forgotten, who ran Fontata raceway saying that the fans where «under the grandstands shopping.»

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Still, those stark images of bare grandstands have sparked questions about whether the Brickyard can ever reclaim its past glory or if NASCAR has a bigger challenge ahead when it comes to filling seats. That’s where the fans come in, and they’re not holding back on social media.

Fans unsold on NASCAR’s oval hype at Indy after witnessing empty seats

The X posts about Indy’s sparse grandstands brought out a mix of frustration, realism, and some sharp takes from fans. One fan kicked it off saying, “This is quite a cope, but Jeff isn’t interested in reality.” Fans calling out Gluck’s defense aren’t buying the “shade” excuse.

Indy’s peak saw 250,000 in 1994 and 200,000-plus through the early 2000s, but numbers crashed to 35,000 by 2017. Even with 50,000 to 70,000 fans, the empty stands on TV scream decline. Critics feel Gluck is downplaying a real issue: Indy has lost its pull, and NASCAR is struggling to bring it back.

Another fan added, “Place also holds 300,000 people. It’s never going to be 20 years ago attendance.” This fan understands Indy’s scale problem. With 250,000 seats and room for 300,000 total, even a decent 60,000 to 70,000 crowd, similar to recent road course years, looks sparse.

The days of 200,000 fans are gone. Market shifts and the fading cultural prominence of NASCAR have made Indy’s enormous size both a blessing and a curse. Moreover, comparing it with IndyCar’s marquee event isn’t ideal, as NASCAR has multiple crown jewel races throughout the season.

“Don’t y’all pay attention?? @Kenny Wallace told us all this week NASCAR doesn’t need to sell tickets anymore.” This fan was eagle-eyed and did not miss out on the details. Kenny Wallace’s recent comments emphasized that NASCAR’s revenue now comes primarily from broadcast deals. Since the 2010s, multi-billion-dollar contracts have helped tracks like IMS remain profitable, even when the grandstands look thin. More fans are watching from home, and NASCAR knows that.

“I mean even if there’s say 70k, it’s still rough. TBH, will never, ever understand why these tickets don’t go for $25 per just to get butts in the stands.” This fan acknowledges that a 60,000 to 70,000 crowd is an improvement, possibly the first year-over-year growth since 2002, but it’s still dwarfed by the venue’s capacity. High ticket prices are part of the disconnect. While IMS may lean more on revenue from sponsors, TV, and parking, the lack of affordable options hurts grassroots enthusiasm.

Finally, a fan summed it up saying, “Jeff man, what are we talking about. This is a Cup race.” There’s an expectation that a Cup Series event should bring out the masses, especially at a historic venue like Indy. Even in 2008, with issues like tire problems, the race still drew around 240,000. But by 2013, attendance had fallen to 70,000, and competition from other entertainment has only grown. The widening gap between then and now is hard to accept for longtime fans.