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SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Ticket sales for the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are looking strong, according to IMS President Doug Boles.

“Our overall number is gonna be similar to where they’ve been in the past,” Boles said. “We’ll be in that Colts football range so roughly 50,000 to 60,000 people on Sunday (Aug. 15).”

He said ticket sales for the IndyCar race and Xfinity Series race on the Saturday, Aug. 14, before the Cup race are trailing about “15-percent behind.” But Boles added that he is expecting more walk-up ticket sales for the Saturday races.

The Cup race to be run on Sunday, Aug. 15, billed as the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, is replacing the Brickyard 400 which had been run on the oval since 1994. Some drivers, like Kevin Harvick, have voiced some apprehension about not being able to run on the oval at Indy.

“I’m not a huge fan. For me, driving through that tunnel and understanding the history and everything that comes with racing on the oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is something that I always look forward to,” said Harvick. “I’ve been around this deal for a long time, so understanding the history of the Speedway and what it means to Racing, so having to race on the road course is going to be a tough pill to swallow.”

“It is a little bit of a challenge for them,” Boles said. “The history and tradition of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway really is on our oval. Although, once we drop that green flag I think they’ll all be really excited to try and be the first Cup driver to win on the road course.”

The Xfinity Series was the guinea pig for a road race at IMS last season with Hoosier-driver Chase Briscoe winning the race. The event saw many positive reviews from fans and drivers alike.

In regards to the COVID pandemic, there are no fan restrictions for any of the races. Boles said the 50,000 to 60,000 fan number so far in ticket sales is strong considering the fact they are not selling any seats in Oval Turn Three and part of the North Chute since you can’t see the road course from those seats.

The Cup race is nearing the end of a three-week layoff and the Verizon 200 at Indy is the second of a four-race push-starting Aug. 8 at Watkins Glen to end the regular season in the NASCAR Cup Series as drivers jockey for spots in the Playoffs.

Tickets are still available at ims.com for the whole weekend as well as single-day tickets.