So... No one showed up at Milwaukee

[RGM Fan]

After predictions of near capacity crowds kinda turned out that they were at less than 50 percent full. As someone who has been to that track I would say 18,500 would be close.

Attendance looked down from both the CC and IRL races there last year.

[disko]

it rained 30 minutes before the race and they predicted 80% rain during the race.

[disko]

"Despite an 80 percent chance of rain, 31,838 people turned out for the race. "

[RGM Fan]

Likely that the 31,838 figure was the total number of tickets sold or given away but actual attendance looked about 50 percent of the place's capacity. The Mile only has about 40,000 seats, a lot more than 9,000 of them were empty.

But we'll likely not know since the Sportingnews.com didn't cite that number from anywhere.

[Jonesi]

"Despite an 80 percent chance of rain, 31,838 people turned out for the race. "

I find that hard to believe. If the capacity of the track is 40,000 there's no way it was in excess of 75% full. At best the middle upper part of the stands was around 75% full dropping to around 25% at the two ends. Somewhere around 50% may be possible, but that number is pure promoter BS (but then promoters having been doing that for nearly a century.;-)

[JimGeisler]

I noticed the crowd showed up late, looked pretty empty at start but seemed fairly descent by about quarter-way through.

[Sandfly]

LOOK, you guys are killing me. I was at the CC race , what two years ago under the lights. There FREAKIN TORNADO sightings one hour before the race. They lowered the light booms because of the winds. Little kids were screamin'. They announced on TV and Radio to stay home - do not go outside.

The turnout was a little low, in spite of that but DID ANYONE take that into account on the CC bashing site. NO mention of the life threatening severe weather forcast. So you get no weather excuse outta me on this one. Looked plenty dry and race friendly. Too bad nobody in Milwaukee gives a "rats patoot" ( I use that expression so as not to be reprimanded AGAIN by the forum police) about the greatest drivers "returning" to Milwaukee.

[indycool]

Leave it to the same posters to make sure the rest of us know all about these things.

[keysersoze]

I noticed the crowd showed up late, looked pretty empty at start but seemed fairly descent by about quarter-way through.

Noticed that as well.

That means that even though the weather reports were unfavorable the patrons cared enough to show up even AFTER the race started.

Sounds like these people paid for their tickets, RGM! :p :

[Easy Drifter]

I am no IRL fan but to me the stands looked fuller this year and certainly better than last year's CC race. Bit of a yawner though.

[luvracin]

So....on a rainy Sunday afternoon I watched the race yesterday....

And you know what?? I actually watched the cars and didn't pre-occupy myself by counting how many people were or were not there.

Maybe some of you geniuses should try it some time.

[weeflyonthewall]

Leave it to the same posters to make sure the rest of us know all about these things.

Doesn't the motivation must seem awfully familiar?

[Quetch]

Bottom line, how was the race?

[luvracin]

Bottom line, how was the race?

I enjoyed it.

[tstran17_88]

After predictions of near capacity crowds kinda turned out that they were at less than 50 percent full. As someone who has been to that track I would say 18,500 would be close.

Attendance looked down from both the CC and IRL races there last year.And that's with the all the freebies given out by Phillip Morris.

I enjoyed it, the weather didn't stop me, and I was one of those who got the free tix's.

I thought it looked like about 2/3's full.

[EagleEye]

After predictions of near capacity crowds kinda turned out that they were at less than 50 percent full. As someone who has been to that track I would say 18,500 would be close.

Attendance looked down from both the CC and IRL races there last year.

I was there last year for the CC race and this year for the IRL race. Lets keep those who try and guess the figure from home, and go with those who were there.

The CC race had a bit more people in the main grand stands, none in the other stands (I'm not sure they opened them up to fans). The IRL race had people a little more spread out through all the grand stands. The infield crowd looked about the same, maybe a tad more for the IRL race. The support guys left early last year for the CC race, which opened up some room.

In the press room , we all thought it was around 22-25K, similar to the CC race last year. The 38K number must have been provided by the same group that usually provides the Texas race numbers. Remember, quite few people watch the race from the infield.

The key is and has been the TV rating, and with a reported 1.2, that would be one of the better ratings for either series in quite some time.

I'd like to see the stands 75% full at Texas and Portaland next week, and ratings 1.5 or more for both. So chew on that.

[call_me_andrew]

I only managed to watch the last few laps of the race, but given how many people normally show up for a CC or IRL race, I'd call it a good crowd.

[beachbum]

Bottom line, how was the race?
I'm not sure some noticed there was a race - they were counting fans wearing aluminum - on TV, since they weren't there.

I wasn't there either, but other than the crappy TV announcers and coverage, I enjoyed it, even if they cut away before the bell for "round one"