NASCAR fans arrived early, left early

JOLIET -- Fans came early, but went home early as well.

And, more fans likely used the new Interstate 355 extension to get to where they were going.

That's the traffic control postmortem on the first NASCAR night races at the Chicagoland Speedway, which sold out this past weekend after attendance slipped a bit in 2007.

"People came in early, earlier than expected," said Joliet Cmdr. Keith Turney, who supervised police operations at the track. "The gates didn't open until 10 a.m., but we still had people lining up there at 6 (a.m.)"

Unlike during past years' day races, cars streamed into the track all day long, as opposed to rushing in during a two-hour window right before the drop of the green flag.

After the races, people left quicker instead of staying afterward to tailgate, Turney said.

"The tailgating happened before the race," he said. "We were actually able to clear the parking lots a lot quicker."

"It seemed like the east side of the track had a lot more traffic than normal," said Ray Horwath, director of traffic safety for the Will County Sheriff's Department, which directed traffic between the racetrack and interstates.

In previous years, about two-thirds of the traffic approached and exited the track from the west on Illinois 53. This year, the traffic was equally split, with half the cars using either Briggs Street or Gougar Road, Turney said.

"We expected that to a certain extent," Horwath said.

On Saturday, police made three arrests for driving under the influence, and there were a few "small fender-benders" throughout the weekend, Horwath said.

Because crowds came earlier and the races were run at night, law enforcement officials were required to work longer shifts, thus increasing manpower costs, Horwath said.

However, taxpayers are not on the hook; a 10-year-agreement with the speedway's owners provides that the track reimburses the county for expenses connected with providing traffic assistance to the track, he said.