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The economy continues to impact NASCAR Sprint Cup races, as International Speedway Corp., reported that admission revenue was down about 15 percent in the first quarter for races at Daytona and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

ISC officials also reported Tuesday that advance ticket sales were down at least 20 percent compared to this point last year. ISC officials say they see fans making ticket purchases closer to a race, although they noted unfavorable weather conditions could play a greater impact on ticket sales than before. International Speedway Corp. owns 12 tracks -- including Daytona, Richmond and Martinsville -- that host a total of 19 Cup races.

Admission revenue is projected to be off this year 15 percent from last year, said Dan Houser, vice president, chief financial officer for ISC.

John Saunders, ISC's chief operating officer, said that "based on the current economic reports, we do not anticipate seeing any recovering in the economy until some time in 2010 and even then we're expecting very gradual improvement."

ISC officials also discussed the TV contract and the automakers in a conference call with investor analysts Tuesday morning.

ISC officials were asked if the declining TV ratings would allow the networks to renegotiate the contract, which goes through 2014.

"There's nothing in the contract that is ratings contingent,'' said Wes Harris, ISC spokesman. "We're going to get paid the same amount. Clearly, we want to have ratings high, as high as they can be, just like the broadcasters do.''

Harris noted that an average of 10 million viewers watch Cup races each week and that the races have fared well against other sporting events at the same time.

TEAM SUSPENDED: Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will suspend operations on the No. 8 team of Aric Almirola because of lack of sponsorship. The team will bring the car back pending sponsorship.

Almirola had finished in the top 25 only once in the season's first seven races. He placed 33rd last weekend at Texas and fell to 37th in the driver points standings

Last year, Chip Ganassi Racing closed the No. 40 team of Dario Franchitti last summer because of lack of sponsorship.

OFF WEEKEND: The Cup series is off this weekend and will resume April 18 at Phoenix. That begins a stretch of 12 consecutive weekends of racing, including the all-star event next month.

TIME OFF: Dale Earnhardt Jr. on what he plans to do this off-weekend: "I'm going to raise a little (heck) and I'm going to go to Whisky River (a Charlotte bar he co-owns) and I'm going to go on vacation around Easter and take it easy, man,'' he said.

PIT STOPS: The Nationwide series races Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com