The large sign outside Richmond International Raceway off Laburnum on Friday said, “Tickets Available Now!”

This has been a common sight at tracks that host racing events this season, but it is alarming when it occurs at Richmond International. The track has sold out every Cup race, 32 in all, over the past 16 years. Most of the sellouts are announced a week before the event, the Thursday before at the latest.

When Richmond doesn’t put a body in all 112,209 seats, this sends up a red flag, one that already should have been flying when there were plenty of empty seats at Bristol despite what was announced as a sellout.

That tickets remain 24 hours before Saturday’s race reinforces what track presidents and NASCAR officials have said and feared for the past few months: rising gas prices and tough economic times are keeping fans away.

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