Motor Racing / Shav Glick : Attendance Shows 10% Gain in ’85

Attendance at major North American motor races increased 10% last year, reaching nearly 7 million spectators, and early results from 1986 indicate another banner year.

The Anaheim Supercross, opening event of the American Motorcyclist Assn. stadium motocross series, attracted a sellout crowd of 70,035 to Anaheim Stadium last Saturday night.

Figures compiled by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. showed that 6,986,000 fans attended 207 events last year, compared to 6,483,000 for 212 dates in 1984. Average attendance rose from 30,580 to 33,749.

Leo Mehl, Goodyear director of racing, attributed the increase to the use of temporary racing circuits in major metropolitan areas. The temporary circuit, built on existing roads with concrete blocks, hay bales and tire barriers, was pioneered by Chris Pook at the Long Beach Grand Prix, where Formula One cars first raced through the streets of Long Beach in 1976.

“New 1985 events in cities such as Miami and Columbus, Ohio, and growing traditional events at circuits expanding with capital improvements such as the Mid-Ohio sports car course and Charlotte Motor Speedway have more than offset the disappearance of marginal tracks and events,” Mehl said. “Permanent circuits that survived the shakeout of the 1970s also generally had a strong year.”

NASCAR’s Winston Cup stock car series continued to be the biggest attraction, drawing more than 2 million spectators for the second year in a row. Despite having two races less, the attendance of 2,118,000 for 1985 was up from 1984’s 2,096,000. The increase has carried over to purse money, too. The Daytona 500, which will kickoff NASCAR’s 30-race season on Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway, will have the largest purse in stock car racing history: $1,468,715.

Drag racing had a dramatic increase as the National Hot Rod Assn. added two dates and saw its total attendance jump 28%, from 602,000 to 773,000.

The World of Outlaws, who aren’t really outlaws anymore, have moved sprint car racing into the major leagues by attracting 660,000 spectators for their 54 dates. The increase also helped Steve Kinser become sprint car racing’s first millionaire with earnings of $1,091,797. The Outlaws open their $2.75 million season Feb. 22-23 with two outdoor shows at Ascot Park.

Only two series, the Sports Car Club of America’s Can-Am and the American Speed Assn. stock cars, failed to show an attendance increase.

OFF-ROAD RACING--Rookie driver Rob Tolleson of Palmdale won the championship of the first combined SCORE International and the High Desert Racing Assn. series. Tolleson, 25, drove a single-seat 1600cc VW and won his class at the Great Mojave 250, Fireworks 250, Frontier 500 and Baja 1000. . . . Frank DeAngelo, manager of the BF Goodrich racing team, was named Man of the Year by the two organizations. Veteran Bill Stroppe of Long Beach was named mechanic of the year and Jean Calvin, publisher of Dusty Times, was cited as the sport’s No. 1 journalist. . . . The 1986 season opens Jan. 31-Feb. 2 with the SCORE Parker 400.

STOCK CARS--Willy T. Ribbs, who won 16 of 39 starts in Trans-Am sedans the past three seasons, will drive for the DiGard Racing Team as a teammate of Greg Sacks on the Winston Cup circuit. Ribbs is the first black to get a contract as a NASCAR team driver. . . . Seven-time Daytona 500 winner Richard Petty ran his fastest lap ever at Daytona while testing his Pontiac. Petty turned a lap at 202.474 m.p.h.

MOTORCYCLES--The Skoal Bandit Golden State Motocross Nationals move to Carlsbad Raceway this weekend for race No. 4 of an eight-race schedule. Sportsmen and veterans race Saturday and professionals Sunday on the course which will be used for U.S. Grand Prix 500cc world championship Sunday June 29. . . . Todd Kennedy of El Centro is District 38’s desert champion.

ROAD RACING--The Feb. 1-2 Sunbank 24 Hour race at Daytona has attracted an interesting cross section of drivers. Defending champion A. J. Foyt will have Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan and Indy car rookie of the year Arie Luyendyk as teammates in Preston Henn’s Porsche 962. Driver of the year Bill Elliott will team with fellow stock car drivers Kyle Petty, Ricky Rudd and rookie of the year Ken Schrader in a Ford Mustang. Another stock car driver team has 1984 Winston Cup champion Terry Labonte, Harry Gant and Phil Parsons in an Olds Calais. Innes Ireland, who won the U. S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, N.Y., back in 1961, will share a Chevy Camaro with Billy Scyphers and Allan Glick. . . . Jeff MacPherson of Santa Ana won the Tasman series in Australia and New Zealand by winning the final race, the Lady Wigram Cup, in Christchurch, N.Z.

MIDGETS--U.S. Auto Club western regional champion Sleepy Tripp will pick up $1,800 at the season-ending awards banquet Friday night at the Airport Hilton in Lakewood. Tripp has won two of the three regional championships.

NEWSWORTHY--Indy car driver Jacques Villeneuve of Canada won the $50,000 Snowmobile Derby world championship at Eagle River, Wis. Villeneuve approached speeds of 90 m.p.h. on the half-mile track. . . . Kevin O’Brien has been named director of marketing for CART Indy Car teams. . . . The Alfa Romeo Owners Club of SoCal will hold a time trial Sunday at Riverside International Raceway. John Dinkel, editor of Road and Track, is scheduled to drive.