Gone are the days in NASCAR when the stands would be full, and viewership was through the roof, as the 2026 trends show, some of the sports’ most proven grounds are struggling to fill up to their full capacity, and fans who experience the action through a screen are simply not tuning in.
Bristol emerged as a low point for NASCAR in 2026, in terms of fan engagement.
The most recent Cup race, which took place at one of the most historically exciting racetracks, Bristol, saw a sharp decline in both attendance and viewership. The racetrack would once be packed with screaming fans in the Coliseum-like structure venue with a seating capacity of 146,000 fans. But on Sunday, Bristol wasn’t even half full with only 48% of its capacity taken by an estimated 70,000 fans. Then there are viewership numbers, which fell by an estimated 100,000 viewers to under 2 million.
For some context, the 2013 Bristol race drew in over 7.5 million fans with the venue full to its capacity.
This decline in fan engagement is due to a number of reasons, the most important of which is the cost for fans to attend races. Yes, the rising ticket prices are a big concern for fans. But there are other costs involved for a fan to attend a race weekend at any given track, such as travelling, the price of hotels, food, and drinks.
Last year, a lot of fans pointed out the rise in their auto-renewal ticket packages. One fan revealed how the prices for the package of the two Las Vegas races in 2026 went from $1490 to $2070.75 for a family of four. That’s an increase of over 30% in just one year.
Veteran NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace called out this worrying trend in a video earlier this year. “People say that the price of the ticket is relatively cheap when you consider inflation; people aren’t complaining about the price to get into the race track,” Wallace said.
He pointed out the lack of value for a fan to invest all that money into a NASCAR experience. Wallace claimed that about 15 years ago, when a fan went to the racetrack, they’d aim to get in on a Thursday night. But now, because NASCAR structures practice and qualifying sessions mostly on Saturdays, the camping grounds remain relatively emptier.
“My track owner says that’s why the camping grounds are not packed anymore, because Cup practice is at 4:30 on Saturday night right now. And the times change for everything; nothing is consistent. Nobody knows what the f— is going on,” Wallace mentioned.
Fans frustrated with the rising costs of attending a race weekend
Following the Bristol Cup race, one fan wondered why NASCAR wouldn’t lower the ticket prices. “People don’t want to pay $80+ for tickets. The tracks make most of their money off of the TV deal. So get people to the track & save them some cash,” the fan wrote.
At this point how do you simply not lower ticket prices for select races?
People dont want to pay $80+ for tickets. The tracks make most of their money off of the TV deal.
So get people to the track & save them some cash.
— Opinions on NASCAR (William Richard) (@nascar_opinion) April 16, 2026
This led to a lot of other fans reacting and suggesting that it’s not just the ticket prices that are discouraging fans from attending the races.
As one fan wrote, “The cost of the ticket is only part of the problem. Hotels that on a random April day cost $150 a night miraculously become $400 a night on race week. I understand supply and demand, but that’s also price gouging. It’s one reason we started camping at tracks.”
A fan also pointed out the same point, claiming, “Ticket prices are not the issue. It’s the other costs associated that are partially due to the track location. I’ll gladly pay $100 for my NHMS tix. It’s the $750 for 3 nights at an Airbnb, $100 for gas, $200-$300 for food that’s the problem. Literally the cheapest part is the tix.”
Another fan did some quick math and pointed out that the track could make the same money from other avenues. After all, tickets aren’t the only way a fan spends money at an event. “I’ve always wondered why Bristol doesn’t lower prices. 120k tickets sold at $100 (average) is the same revenue as 60k sold at $200. Plus, you’d be making more money off merch, concessions, camping, etc. I’m not sure why SMI refuses to do that. Meanwhile, the 4 other non-SMI tracks I go to are offering significant discounts every year to get me there,” the fan wrote.
One fan pointed towards the start and finish times of any given race. “It’s also the start times. Starting so late has eliminated the working man driving in on Sunday and out on Sunday afternoon. Work Monday. However, with this format and car, you could start at noon for $30, and it would not help a lot,” the fan wrote.
The most recent Cup race at Bristol saw the green flag waved at 3:00 PM ET. The same race in 2013, during its heyday with viewership and attendance, began at 1:00 PM ET.
However, there was one fan who simply wrote, “NASCAR has forgotten the people who helped build the sport.”
Now, whether NASCAR has actually forgotten its fans and if it is even working on the feedback regarding the rising cost of witnessing a race weekend remains to be seen. The brand has grown, but the very fans who have made it are getting priced out, which is not a great sign for things.
