Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus has an ambitious plan to “rebrand and reposition” the 18-year-old Brickyard 400 in a bid to fuel big attendance increases beginning next year.

Sources say the deal is worth about $15 million over five years—a much-needed boost for Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials struggling to stop attendance declines at the NASCAR race.

Motorsports insiders think the Brickyard 400’s declining fortunes will hasten the Hulman-George family’s decision on the future of the Indy Racing League, which the NASCAR race has helped subsidize.

We need to provide some perspective. If Brickyard 400 attendance was, as estimated, somewhere between 130,000 and 150,000, that still makes it the second-largest single-day sporting event in the world and represents a healthy influx of cash, much of it coming from elsewhere, spent in the area over the weekend.

Three days after witnessing the smallest Brickyard 400 crowd in the race's 17-year history, Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus said he intends to cut ticket prices for about 75 percent of fans at next year's race.

His resignation removes George from any remaining role in Hulman & Co., Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IMS Productions and other affiliated companies.

The Chicago-based firm might take over food service at the Speedway as IMS continues to look for opportunities to outsource.

New Speedway leader Jeff Belskus speaks with IBJ about his new job and the near-term challenges and long-term future of the operations he oversees.

New Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus has long been a behind-the-scenes figure at IMS. As the new leader of the Brickyard and the Indy Racing League, he faces several challenging issues, including gaining the confidence of the racing community.

Allstate Corp. is ending its five-year run as the lead sponsor of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard NASCAR race in Indianapolis, company officials said today. The announcement comes after this year’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway suffered a 20-percent attendance drop from last year’s event.

Bill York, who has worked in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway press room since 1958, is no longer with the Brickyard.

Troubles this year for the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway--which led to layoffs in December--started with a NASCAR event.