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SPORTS Wednesday 10 april 2019
Empty seats at Bristol expose NASCAR attendance challenges

By JENNA FRYER 30,000 fans when the streak
AP Auto Racing Writer began and expansions be-
BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Ap- gan in earnest when SMI
palled by so many empty bought the track in 1996.
seats at Bristol Motor Speed- The Coliseum-style structure
way, Clint Bowyer did some now holds 146,000, but the
digging and learned what crowd size has shrunk so
race fans have known for much over the years that
more than a decade. Bristol last weekend did not
Hotels along the Tennes- even sell tickets in the turns.
see-Virginia line near the Closed sections included
iconic NASCAR track have the Darrell Waltrip Grand-
pushed one of the most stand on the same week-
popular venues on the cir- end the Hall of Famer and
cuit beyond the budget all-time winningest driver
of the average attendee. at Bristol was feted for his
Bowyer made a handful upcoming retirement from
of calls and said he was broadcasting.
outraged to discover low- The swaths of empty seats Kyle Busch (18) leads his brother Kurt Busch in the final laps of the NASCAR Cup Series auto race
er-end lodging starting at — NASCAR and its tracks Sunday, April 7, 2019, at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.
more than $300 a night. do not release attendance Associated Press
"I was so glad Clint brought figures — made for un-
that up," said Marcus Smith, pleasant optics Sunday Kurt Busch continued to stopped coming. Smith is adamant the easi-
president and CEO of during the Cup race, argu- shine as the most consistent Smith can offer alterna- est promotion is a strong
Bristol's parent company ably the best race of the driver in the winless Chevro- tives to the high hotel rates on-track product and the
Speedway Motorports Inc. season so far. let camp. with on-site camping pack- Bristol event was proof that
"It's a crazy number some It featured 21 lead chang- Smith acknowledged the ages; a group can rent a fans can still catch a good
of these hotels are charg- es, late pit strategy played challenges in selling tick- recreational vehicle for show.
ing and it's just unfortunate. a role in the outcome and ets in this current NASCAR the weekend for the same "The most important ele-
We continue to work with Kyle Busch won again. climate. Venues doubled price as booking a single ment is great racing and
the business bureaus at all Many drivers had compel- and tripled their seating room at most of the local the racing we had at Bris-
of our speedways and it is a ling races, including Brad capacity during NASCAR's hotels. tol will sell more tickets will
challenge we are trying to Keselowski, who lost his shot late 1990s boom and more Bristol's spring race has also draw more eyeballs," Smith
find solutions to while work- at the win when he was tracks were built and add- bounced around various said. "That is the essential
ing with the local business black-flagged before the ed to a 10-month schedule. March and April dates, and component, the essential
leaders." final restart for not follow- Oversaturation became weather is often iffy enough ingredient for a successful
Bristol was once the tough- ing a NASCAR directive. a problem and NASCAR to keep some fans at NASCAR event and a suc-
est ticket to get in NAS- Kevin Harvick came from and its most loyal fans were home. Sunday's race was cessful Bristol event. I think
CAR and boasted 55 con- four laps down to finish 13th among those hit hardest moved up eight minutes the key for a resurgence
secutive sellouts from 1982 on a day his team was pun- by the 2008 economic col- in anticipation of late-day in NASCAR is what we saw
through 2010. The track ished for failing pre-race in- lapse. The quality of racing rain, and last year's event at Bristol and that's great
only accommodated spection three times, and deteriorated, too, and fans was pushed to Monday. competition."q

U.S. women rout Russia 10-0

to wrap pool play at worlds

ESPOO, Finland (AP) — won four straight world scored 17 seconds later as
Kendall Coyne Schofield titles and seven of the last the U.S. took a 3-0 lead in
and Lee Stecklein scored eight. the first period.
two goals each, and the "We were excited to see Stecklein scored her first
United States routed Rus- so many players getting in- goal in IIHF tournament
sia 10-0 Tuesday in the volved tonight, especially play at 8:18 of the second,
final game of the prelimi- our defenders, who have making it 5-0. That forced
nary round at the women's had a tremendous impact Russian goalie Valeria
world championship. so far in this tournament," Merkusheva to the bench Team USA celebrates their seventh goal by Kendall Coyne
Schofield, center, during the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World
Annie Pankowski had three U.S. coach Bob Corkum with Anna Prugova re- Championships Group A match between the USA and Russia
assists, and Alex Carpenter said. "While we will enjoy placing her in net. The U.S. in Espoo, Finland, Tuesday, April 9, 2019.
added two as 15 Ameri- this victory tonight, we wound up with four goals Associated Press
cans had at least a point. know we have our work in the second and added
The United States wrapped cut out for us as we head three more in the third. as the Canadians chased The Czech Republic
up pool play undefeated into the playoff round and Alex Rigsby made 12 saves goalie Noora Raty after downed Germany 2-0 to
for a fourth straight world we'll be ready for the next for her third win in this tour- Gabel's second goal at finish atop Group B in the
championship. challenge." nament. 15:35 of the second. Raty final games of the prelimi-
The U.S. will play Japan, a Amanda Kessel scored the Canada beat Finland 6-1 gave up three goals on nary round.
3-2 winner over Sweden, in first goal a couple minutes to finish second in Group 30 shots. Canadian goalie Canada will play Germa-
the quarterfinals Thursday. in, Cayla Barnes followed A with both teams 2-1-0. Shannon Szabados made ny and Finland will play
The Americans, the reign- at 13:44 and Coyne Scho- Loren Gabel scored two 22 saves to improve to 17-0 the Czech Republic in the
ing Olympic champs, have field stole the puck and goals and had an assist all-time against Finland. quarterfinals.q