BANGALORE (Reuters) - As the pall of economic turmoil and a beaten-down auto industry hang over the NASCAR racing circuit, race-track owners are banking on loyal fans and a slew of promotional activities to survive the crisis.

However, International Speedway and Speedway Motorsports - which dominate the racing landscape - face reduced corporate spending, especially from the critical auto sector, but also by spending-wary consumers.

"2009 will be a challenge," International Speedway senior vice president Roger VanDerSnick said. "We'll see some pullback on the sponsorship side and see some pullback on the consumer side."

Attendance at ISC fell in the high single digits, percentage-wise, this year, and declines could be a little worse in 2009, he added.

Attendance problems have driven down ISC stock 33 percent this year, while rival Speedway's shares have lost half their value over the same period.

In response to the smaller crowds, track operators have kick-started initiatives to promote the sputtering stock-car racing sport and make trips to the tracks more economical.

ISC, whose tracks include the home of the popular Daytona 500, is offering tickets at significantly reduced prices, free children's passes and "all-you-can-eat" tickets in which food and beverage are pre-paid.

"Over a 100,000 seats for next year will take a price decline," VanDerSnick said.

Speedway Motorsports, which owns several tracks including Lowe's Motor Speedway, is going a step further and offering fans a chance to mingle with the drivers by allowing them to visit areas they previously could not access - track surfaces before the race, and infield areas before and during the race.

Race-track operators are also counting on falling gasoline prices to boost attendance at tracks next year. The average NASCAR fan drives about 300 to 400 miles to a race.

"We are very excited that for the season coming up, the fans will have 60 percent less fuel costs to get to the events," Speedway Motorsports' Chief Operating Officer Marcus Smith said in a telephone interview.

However, in addition to smaller crowds, the race track companies also dealt with lower spending on concessions and merchandise by those who did come to the races.

ISC, for instance, saw at-track spending fell by as much as the low double digits at some tracks.

"Instead of maybe buying a T-shirt and a hat, they are only buying just the hat," VanDerSnick said.

NOT ALL GLOOM & DOOM

ISC and Speedway Motorsports are looking to NASCAR's long history and strong brand to avoid too much pain in 2009.

The sport still boasts a fan base of about 75 million, a large stable of corporate sponsors and TV deals worth almost $4.5 billion through 2014.

NASCAR has become the second-most popular pro sport in the U.S., with TV ratings trailing only the National Football League.

The sport, governed by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, encompasses more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in over 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico.

NASCAR also remains a popular sponsorship option for many giant corporations, despite the pullback by General Motors Corp and other automakers, as its enthusiasts are considered among the most brand-loyal fans in all of sports.

However, NASCAR Chief Executive Brian France told Reuters earlier this month sponsorship spending in the sport could decline in 2009.

GM is slashing its marketing and promotions budget, which includes NASCAR, by about 20 percent as part of its plan to survive the sharp decline in U.S. auto sales.

Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler are cutting NASCAR spending by about 20 percent and about one-third, respectively, while Japan's Toyota Motor Corp has said its budget will be lower.

NASCAR, which actively lobbied for Congress to bail out the distressed automakers, and the track operators do not expect any of the U.S. automakers to withdraw support.

"NASCAR fans are much more predisposed than non-fans to buy the vehicles of the brands on our playing field," NASCAR spokesman Andrew Giangola said.

Still, the Detroit Three are not large financial partners, both ISC and Speedway Motorsports said, contributing to less than 10 percent of the companies' sponsorship revenue.

And although the sponsorship woes might translate into fewer cars at the racing tracks next year, race-track owners do not expect that to disappoint fans.

"The headliners are still gonna be there... week in and week out," VanDerSnick said. "It will be other drivers, who are not as fully funded and are not as well-known, that won't be there."