Speedway offering discount tickets
"I think it's just the reality of the marketplace that we're all in," Kentucky Speedway President Mark Simendinger said. "Look at retailers. Look at other sporting venues. Look at auto manufacturers. Look at people selling houses. Whatever it is, if you're not aggressive, then you're going to be left behind, and we don't want to be left behind."
Speedway Motorsports Inc. bought Kentucky Speedway last year and, in addition to bringing a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race to the track, the company's chairman wants to add 50,000 seats. Kentucky Speedway now has grandstand seating for 66,089 fans.
The ticket packages and new promotions apply to the track's three showcase events this season – the NASCAR Nationwide Series race June 13, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race July 18 and IndyCar Series race Aug. 1. The Nationwide Series and IndyCar Series events were announced sellouts last year.
New for this year, the "Affordable Fun Pak" consists of four race tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for one price that varies based on seat location in Grandstand 5.
Fans can save as much as $135 on four tickets for the Nationwide Series race and as much as $120 for four tickets to either the Camping World Truck Series race or IndyCar Series race.
With the "Front Row Joe" package, fans can reserve up to 10 tickets in the first five rows of Grandstand 5. Tickets are $25 a seat for the Nationwide Series race and $20 a seat for either the Camping World Truck Series race or IndyCar Series race under the package.
"It's not a lot different from what the Reds do," Simendinger said.
The Reds offer a "4 for $54" ticket program Monday-Thursday at Great American Ball Park. It includes four View Level tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks. The team also sells $7 bleacher seats, and there will be fireworks shows after Friday home games this season.
"We get out of the mind-set of baseball, and we think about what it's like if you are a family of four, what it's like for somebody who's retired, what it's going to be like for somebody who's footloose and fancy-free meeting their friends," Karen Forgus, Reds senior vice president for business operations, said.
In addition to the ticket programs, other Kentucky Speedway promotions this year include:
"Own a Race Lap": Fans pay $150 for the right to name a lap during a race. The package includes a commemorative certificate, two pit passes, recognition in the souvenir race program and a public address announcement. Deadlines apply.
"Buy Two Tickets, Own a Race Lap for Half Price": Buy two tickets to the Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series race or IndyCar Series race and name a lap for $75. It also includes a certificate, two pit passes, program recognition and announcement. Deadlines apply.
"Infield Invaders": Fans can buy a full day of infield access – $40 for the Nationwide Series race or Camping World Truck Series race, $50 for the IndyCar Series race – and watch driver introductions near the pre-race stage in the infield.
"You look at what Speedway Motorsports does, their prevailing theme in everything they do and all they've instructed us is that whatever you do it has to be for the fan," Simendinger said.
"It's that way with the promotions and packages that we're doing." Cincinnati Enquirer