How is Auto Racing considered elitist?

Question

With the cancellation of the Detroit Grand Prix for 2009, I read that one of the reasons the race was canceled because Auto Racing was elitist.  Could someone explain this to me?  The race was canceled due to the economic situation for the city, which hasn't really changed over the last five years.  So Detroit could build new stadiums for the Suberbowl, but not maintain a race weekend?
  I thought the idea behind sporting events was to bring money into the city.  Now even if Auto Racing was elitist, so what?  wouldn't the city like to attract people with money?

Here's the article: http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/21590.html

Frankie Coletta · Accepted Answer

A paragraph cut and pasted from the article:

"The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau reports last year's event generated $55 million in economic impact for metropolitan Detroit and another $12.8 million in direct spending in Detroit and the surrounding tri-county area. But to expect the public to shelve out that kind of money for the 2009 event in such economically challenging times would have been foolish and arrogant."

I take it as.....the fact that it's in Detroit were the Big-3 just took billion's in government loan's is the only reason it was cancelled. Not being from or never being to Detroit, I can't comment on what the publics economic situation is, but I would imagine most are laid off or have no job's now and maybe the race organizers thought nobody would show up because they can't afford too. Therefore, at that point, the hurting people of Detroit, who build car's, would see people who make millions driving a race car seem Elitist.

It would kind of be like expecting someone who can't afford to eat, in a town that makes Hot Dogs, to PAY to attend a Hot Dog eating contest! The lucky few who get paid to fly into town and eat the Hot Dogs in the contest would be the Elitist.

How is Auto Racing considered elitist?

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