The man who brought the NASCAR Sprint Cup to Kentucky Speedway on Saturday — and an estimated 110,000 spectators with it — will gladly put NASCAR’s horsepower up against the Derby’s.
Bruton scoffed at the Kentucky Derby’s claim that it drew a record 164,858 at this year’s event, let alone 150,000 in other years.
“They’ve never had 150,000. They have no place to put them. They have no parking,” Smith said. “You can’t possibly put 150,000 people in there. They’d be sitting on top of each other.”
Kentucky Speedway’s inaugural appearance with the Quaker State 400 sold out all 107,000 grandstand seats, leaving infield and standing-room only tickets.
“This week we will outdraw this horsey race you’re talking about. We will outdraw them,” Smith said. “This event will be larger than anything (the Kentucky Derby) has ever had.”
That’s Dayton, with one ‘a’: There were no doubt thousands of racing fans from the Dayton area at Kentucky Speedway. Those who weren’t were likely watching on TV.
Dayton — not to be confused with Daytona, the host of NASCAR’s biggest race — consistently ranks as one of NASCAR’s top television markets, often inside the top five.One report even listed Dayton as the top television market for this year’s Daytona 500 with a 20.4 rating, topping Greensboro, N.C., at 20.1.
According to NASCAR officials, NASCAR is the No. 2 rated sport in the Dayton market behind the NFL.
Language barrier: Five-time defending Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson took to Twitter to question Smith’s response concerning an infield wall in Turns 1-2 that’s closer to the track than drivers like and the need for more SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers at the track.
“Just drive where Kyle Busch goes. If they will do that, they’ll be fine because Kyle has it all figured out,” Smith said of the multi-winner at Kentucky Speedway, including Thursday’s Camping World Truck Series race.
Johnson responded on Twitter with: “I’m a Bruton fan but it pisses me off to hear a comment like that on driver safety. My job title is racecar driver not stunt man. Think of who would be alive 2day if safety was where it should have been years ago.”
Drive time: The Quaker State 400 drew spectators from all 50 states as well as Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2400, ext. 6991, or gbilling@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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