By all accounts the Grand Prix of Long Beach was a success for the Indy Racing League. The IRL, which signed a five-year
deal to take over the former CART event following last season, was greeted by larger crowds (than 2008), increased corporate
hospitality activity and strong retail sales, according to several sources at the weekend event this past Friday through Sunday.
All this despite 11.5 percent local unemployment. Long Beach Grand Prix President Jim Michaelian said attendance was up considerably from 2008. He said 10 percent seating capacity was added over last year, but still more is needed to reach the capacity of the race’s salad days.
Traffic on Interstate 710 was more crowded and backed up than it has been since 1999 or 2000, several local media outlets reported. Hot Wheels ran out of merchandise early Sunday, according to Matel officials, and several other merchandisers reported strong sales.
Vivienne Tondreault, who has been a volunteer Grand Prix race worker and organizer for two decades, credited the weather and the allure of IRL drivers with driving the crowd up. “The Indy Racing League has brought out new fans in droves,” she said. “The attendance is noticeably higher.”
Race organizers don’t think they got a huge attendance bump from Helio Castroneves’ participation because it was announced so late.
“We were pleased by the event, and we think there’s room for growth,” said IRL spokesman John Griffin. “The crowds Friday afternoon were pretty incredible. And we heard from race officials that hospitality activity was way up. There’s little doubt this will become a highlight on the [IRL] schedule and has the potential to be a top 5 race in our series.”
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BUt there aint no race that comes close to INDy. CAn you even get a tennerloin in LOng BEach? HOt apple butter? NOthin but tacos I bet. KInd of liek SPeedway hahahahahahah
Good to see the Hot Wheels cars selling out and other vendors having good sales. With the economy in the toilet, this is real good news. All forms of racing are hurting right now.
Nope, They just used the same counting methodology that CART/CC used for years, that you hypocrites screeched like little girls about. Plus they have Roger's Red Hat brigade to fill up a big chunk of those empty seats, but you'll likely screech in denial about that too, since that's what the gomerati do.
Btw, those crapwagons look absolutely disgusting on that course (or anywhere for that matter, but particularly stupid there).
The red hats were out this weekend and there was a lot of people dressed in aluminum
from the tv i watched on.
You all will believe anything you read it appears.The crowd was counted BEFORE Sunday
but you sheeple are too dumb to read that part.
I'm just curoius as to what Indy cars you would prefer. Give me a year, manufactor, anything.
1990 March Porsche? 1995 Reynard Ford?
I'm guessing you have not seen the still shots of the EMPTY stands at Long Beach.
Pathetic! Jim Michaelian is a big fat liar and you girls bought it!
Too funny!!
Jim and Co. are spinning IRL attendance lies. Pictures, however, do not lie.
LBGP is dead after one IRL event. FTG.