NASCAR's Attendance Problem Officially Reaches A New Low

NASCAR appears to have a growing attendance issue.

Earlier this season, NASCAR's Cup Series was ripped for an "embarrassing" crowd turnout at the Food City 500, held at Bristol Motor Speedway. There were a lot of empty seats in the crowd.

"Bristol attendance is rough today. There's no reason this place should have two races," one fan noted.

"I don't think it helps their case to be running Bristol on masters Sunday…. Competing against that is a losing battle," one fan added.

"Dude inside the track is so bad. I'm stunned," one fan wrote.

Now, the NASCAR attendance problem appears to be reaching a new low.

NASCAR has been accused of "losing" the entire South. NASCAR and the South have long been associated with each other.

The sport of NASCAR takes another hit

A former NASCAR driver is accusing the sport of losing the South.

"Check out what the NASCAR grandstands used to look like when I raced at Bristol," former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield wrote in a lengthy Facebook post. "When the biggest story is how many people are staying home to watch a golf tournament in Georgia, the sport is in a coma.

"Ty Gibbs gets his first win in front of 100,000 empty seats. It looked like a COVID era race out there. If the ‘World's Fastest Half Mile' can't out draw a Sunday at Augusta, then NASCAR has officially lost the south.

"Is it the car? Is it the drivers? Or has the "Colosseum" just become a graveyard? Tell me I'm wrong."

NASCAR fans are debating the issue

NASCAR fans are taking to social media to debate the issue.

"I personally think it has something to do with the drivers of today compared to the drivers when you raced so many legendary names when you raced compared to what maybe 9-10 veteran drivers and also day time Sunday afternoon bristol race vs Saturday night under the lights bristol race," one shared.

"Digging up the concrete put the old banking back with an asphalt surface. Would be a good start," one fan added.

"The spring race has always been weaker on attendance, that isn't new. The summer/night race has typically been strong," one fan added.

What do you pinpoint the issue on?

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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 9:49 AM.