Richmond keeps sellout streak intact with late sales

RICHMOND, Va. -- Officials at Richmond International Raceway announced Saturday afternoon that all tickets for that night's Crown Royal 400 have been sold.

It is the track's 33rd consecutive sellout.

"Ticket sales were steady and we remained optimistic leading into this weekend," Richmond track president Doug Fritz said. "The hard work of our staff and our continued effort to provide a first-class experience for our fans continues to pay off."

As late as Friday night, all tickets had not been sold. Television advertising and signs outside of the racetrack were pushing tickets, which were available from prices ranging between $80 and $90 apiece.

It came as a surprise, considering the track's longstanding history of packing the grandstands.

But during Friday night's Nationwide Series race, public relations director Aimee Turner said less than 500 tickets remained for Saturday night's Cup race. The tough economy can be cited as a factor (read more).

"We definitely recognize there are some problems with the economy. There's not a single person who will tell you they haven't been affected, at least a person in our world," Turner said. "NASCAR fans are the first people affected by the economy and the last people to recover from the economy, so it definitely has affected the industry as a whole. Other tracks have empty seats. Thankfully, I don't think we're going to have that problem."

Fritz said he knows it's a tough time economically for the country, and that selling out the race was a credit to the local fans.

"Richmond International Raceway is known as a fan favorite and selling out [Saturday night's] race is a testament to the dedication of our fans," Fritz said. "Even in these tough economic times, our fans at Richmond International Raceway continue to show they are the most loyal in the industry."