Sign of Better Times for NASCAR Hall?

According to reports in the Charlotte Observer, attendance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in December was 15,428 people, down only slightly from the 16,136 people who visited in December 2010.

This is good news. Attendance had been declining in some months by more than 30% compared with the same periods a year earlier.

Hall spokesperson Kimberly Meesters said the week after Christmas is a strong period for the hall. A year ago, the "UnDeck the Hall" promotion, in which visitors can take ornaments and other items off of Christmas trees, lasted three days.

"This year all items were gone within hours," Meesters said.

The hall lost money in December, but the loss was smaller than a year earlier. In December the hall lost $242,485. A reimbursement for maintenance costs from the city of Charlotte reduced the deficit to $171,882.

A year earlier, in December 2010, the hall lost $327,000. For the first six months of the fiscal year, the hall has lost $767,725. Reimbursements from the city have closed that loss to $440,000.

While it's not fantastic news, the trend is showing that the Hall is headed in the right direction. It is a fabulous place for a NASCAR fan to spend a few hours, and you can see something new every time you go there.

Let's hope that Winston Kelley, Buz McKim and the rest of our friends at the NASCAR Hall of Fame are riding the wave toward a better future!