NASCAR Economics 101: Bristol Struggles, Lay Offs Come to Goodyear

“Anything that we can do right now, especially anything that we can apply to the fan experience and the Bristol experience, we are going to try and find a way to do,“ said Kevin Triplett, Vice President of Public Affairs at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Which is great...but it may be too little, too late.

Bristol Motor Speedway has sold out for 53 straight races, but that is currently in jeopardy. The stars of NASCAR will race there this upcoming Saturday night, but even with reduced ticket prices the streak is currently in danger.

"I think what we are seeing today is fans maybe waiting closer to the event to see how their own economic situation may be, hoping that they can go to it and of course we are hoping they can too," NASCAR president Mike Helton said.

Well, that didn't happen with Atlanta Motor Speedway, but BMS is hoping for better results, and are still predicting a sell out.

"It's forced everybody in the industry to re-examine everything we do," Bristol's general manager Larry Byrd said.

"The economy is a concern to all of us, but it has probably impacted Bristol less than any other racetrack,'' Byrd continued. "With the tickets we've sold already we're already assured the third or fourth-largest crowd of the year, only depending on what the Sharpie 500 does in August.

"And I can pretty much tell you what that's going to do.''

Good for you, Bristol—too bad no one knows what's going to happen next with the economy. President Obama's money throwing plan toward banks and the trillions of more dollars aren't expected to do any good until at least next year.

If not longer, of course.

In other economic news affecting NASCAR, Goodyear has asked the state of Kansas for $38 million in state incentives.

Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who will be leaving to become the Secretary of Health and Human services, is said to be questioning the tire company.

Goodyear claims that if they don't get this money, they will be forced to cut 700 jobs.

"There's nothing in it for the state," Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon said Tuesday, during a hearing on the proposal by the Senate Commerce Committee.

If Kansas did give the Akron, Ohio based company the money, it'd end up costing them nearly $116 million with the expected interest.

Last month, Goodyear announced it'd be letting 5,000 employees go in 2009, adding to the 4,000 last year.

Thanks to the Bristol Harold Courier, The Seattle Times, EPSN, and TriCities.com for the information and quotes used in this piece.