The NHRA insisted on showing off its Mello Yello Drag Racing Series to live audiences if and when it relaunched.

That has delayed and canceled a full one-third of the 24-race season so far. But circumstances – with restrictions - allowed this first race back from a four-month layoff to admit fans.

Saturday’s crowd was estimated to be in the 2,000-2,500 range, far below the normal size audience but better than the situation of racing in front of completely empty grandstands. And it wasn’t a poor turnout, considering the weather went from steamy to stormy, the sport’s biggest star and his entourage were absent, the fact even local fans were confused about state and county guidelines and whether they were allowed to purchase tickets.

The racetrack is in Hendricks County, Indiana, which in general has less strict public-health guidelines than Marion County, which is across the side road from the property. While Hendricks County has more flexible allowances, the NHRA has particularly strict regulations for fans and participants alike. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which hosted an Indy Car and NASCAR doubleheader the weekend before, is in Marion County, although it’s about only five miles away. So local fans weren’t sure if the same guidelines/restrictions applied at the dragstrip.

Add to that the reality that the NHRA isn’t a huge presence with the media. In the Motorsports Capital of the World, the NHRA has scheduled three races within eight weeks, television, talk radio, and the local newspaper focused on the Colts, Pacers, and Indiana and Purdue football, and its “Big Two” motorsports interests.        

“This race was designed to have limited fans,” NHRA President Glen Cromwell said. “We knew what numbers we wanted to bring here, a limited number.”

After evading the question a bit about that target number, he revealed the organization was hoping to attract about 3,000 fans. So it was close to achieving that. Using a non-traditional model, the event was invite-only to NHRA members and those who already had purchased tickets for the 2020 Denso Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals that is scheduled for Labor Day weekend.

Tickets are priced at $20 per day or $35 for a Saturday-Sunday combo.