Get 'em while they're hot

Tickets avialable for Sunday's Brickyard 400

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Buying extra Brickyard 400 tickets was a lot easier for John Andretti than fitting into his new uniform, his third set of racing duds this season.

With tickets still available for Sunday's race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was counting on late walk-up sales this week to boost attendance. Andretti, as part of the speedway's ticket promotion, paid $450 Monday for six turn-three tickets for his family.

"Everybody was kind of like, `We're not sure we want to go to the Brickyard unless you're going to be there,' so everybody held back. Now it's time to go," said Andretti, who was fired by Petty Enterprises, then drove two races for Haas CNC Racing and finally landed a ride with Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Sunday's race at his hometown track.

"I was fortunate tickets were available," he said, referring to the routine sellouts at the speedway. "You just can't get them.

So I was fortunate I didn't have to go out on the street corner and beg."

The speedway acknowledges about 275,000 permanent grandstand and bleacher seats overlooking the 21/2-mile track but never announces attendance for the NASCAR race or for its two other major events each year, the IRL Indianapolis 500 and the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix.

"People automatically assume all of our events are sold out.

So these ticket campaigns are almost awareness campaigns as much as anything," speedway spokesman Ron Green said. "If we have a strong week, we'll be real close to selling out."

He said although attendance is down at many major races around the country, "overall it's not a large concern ... There's been a new philosophy this year, to just promote ticket sales, whether there are a lot available or a little."

Andretti has driven in each Brickyard 400 since the inaugural event in 1994. His best finish was seventh in 1998.

"Coming to the Brickyard, you want to have not only an opportunity to participate but to race well," said Andretti, nephew of former Indy 500 winner Mario Andretti and cousin of former CART champion Michael Andretti. "With DEI, they obviously have a strong program going. We did some qualifying runs, some race runs and feel good about the tests."

The toughest part, he said, was getting a uniform that fits.

"They ordered some ... but the smallest alteration was 2 inches; I think the waist was 5 inches," the 5-foot-5, 140-pound driver said. "I think for a normal adult, this would fit. But I'm the size of a sixth-grader and it didn't fit me. There's a tremendous amount of hemming going on."

 

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