Grandstand bars new pit stop for fans
HAMPTON, Ga. – The view from the Restart Bar in the Earnhardt Grandstand at Atlanta Motor Speedway includes the sweep of the track’s frontstretch and an up-close view of race cars rolling through the fourth turn.
That same view is available to other fans seated nearby, but the Restart Bar has extras, including table seating, swivel chairs, a standing bar and an inside seating area with television monitors and refreshments.
It’s the latest innovation in speedway initiatives designed to attract fans to the racetrack. It’s no secret that many tracks have hosted NASCAR races with thousands of empty seats over the past decade. Some are changing their landscapes and, in effect, opening another front in the battle to put bodies in those seats.
To build the Restart Bar, so named because it’s 20 rows above the area on the track where cars restart after caution periods, AMS removed about 800 grandstand seats. The Bar can hold about 250 people in its outside area and about 50 inside.
“People are enjoying events in different ways now,” said Ed Clark, AMS president. “This concept gives us another avenue for people to be entertained and enjoy the race. I can see us doing this elsewhere with a bigger deck with more people.
“Like anything else, people want to move around and have different options. It’s about more than sitting and watching a race and going to the concession stand now and then.”
The “open deck” concept also is being introduced this year at Texas Motor Speedway, Atlanta’s sister track. The TMS version will be known as the Restart BAR Zone Club.
At tracks large and small, changes are underway.
Darlington Raceway, NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway, recently announced a $7 million renovation project that will replace thousands of decades-old seats with newer, wider versions.
Bristol Motor Speedway has reduced ticket prices on at least 65% of its seats (prices range from $50 to $160) and announced Monday a rewards program similar to those used by other businesses. Participants receive points based on ticket purchases and years of attendance at Bristol, and rewards include visits to drivers meetings, infield passes and pre-race ceremony access.
“Our mission and passion is to create wild moments and exceptional experiences for fans,” Bristol general manager Jerry Caldwell said. “We’ve got to back that up. We’ve done a lot of research on what fans want, and what they want are more options. They want different price levels to pick from, and they want opportunities for more access.”
ISM Raceway (formerly Phoenix International Raceway) in Arizona is in the middle of a huge renovation project scheduled to be completed this year. The work includes adding new grandstands, remodeling suites, improving the infield and moving the start-finish line to a location closer to the majority of the seats.
Richmond Raceway also is working on a major ($30 million) renovation project, one so sweeping that it includes a track name change (from Richmond International Raceway). Included in the project is a major makeover for the track infield, work that will include new garages and a walkway where fans can watch teams as they prepare race cars.
“Anything the tracks can do that’s new and different is good,” said Becky Smyth, a fan from Savannah, Ga. “When you go to other sports, you’re used to big concourses and better seats and such. Racing should have all that, too. It’s what fans expect.”
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, site of two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races this year (and host to the playoff opener), has renovated its club seating area and added what it calls the Race Control Loge with improved seating. LVMS already has one of the sport’s best infield fan zones.
“This concept gives us another avenue for people to be entertained and enjoy the race.” Ed Clark Atlanta Motor Speedway president