I'm with turn1efencefan, I'm guessing this is all about CT state taxes. The Speedbowl (and other venues in the state) lost an exemption from admission taxes when the state issued a revised 2012 budget. Here's the article from The Day that I have in my archives when news broke during this past summer.
http://www.theday.com/article/20110708/ ... 5/1070/nwsI figured a hike in gate prices for 2012 was coming when I first read this, so it was no surprise when I saw this thread... and it definitely sucks, but $1 increase isn't too crazy. Not great, but not brutal. Ctbill was on it - about $20 over 6-month season. The schedule I saw was only thru the Wings N Wheels show in August, but assuming the Bud Nats and Finale are the only 2 big shows after that, I have a count of 17 regular shows bumped a $1, and 9 remaining big shows with admission TBD. I'm thinking those shows might have a larger increase, but I'm also hoping the BOD has some sponsorship things in the works that could lessen the increase passed on to us for those big shows... and that's why the admission is still listed at TBD. At least that's what I'm hopin