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Indy 500 fans say economy can't keep them away

Higher ticket prices and lingering concerns about the economy couldn't keep Indianapolis 500 fans away from this year's race.
/ Source: The Associated Press

Higher ticket prices and lingering concerns about the economy couldn't keep Indianapolis 500 fans away from this year's race.

General admission prices rose this year from $20 to $30, but Indianapolis Motor Speedway spokesman Tom Surber says advance ticket sales heading into Sunday's race were up about 10 percent from 2010.

Track officials don't disclose attendance figures, but the stands had fewer empty seats than in recent years. The 500 draws an estimated 250,000 to 275,000 fans annually.

David Humphrey manages Team Penske's trackside mobile vending unit. He says sales were up over last year but that many fans were still hesitant to buy a T-shirt that cost more than $25.

Some fans still worried about the economy said they couldn't resist souvenirs but found other ways to economize.