RACE FANS: HEADS UP

As I sit reflecting back on this very Silly Season in NASCAR,
the pit/garage area fans keep popping up in my mind. The wonderful, die-hard,
dedicated fans!! Although the following article does not apply to most of the
responsible and sane racing fans, some are teetering on the brink of silliness.
You know who you are, and for the rest of you lucky fans, enjoy your time in the
Pits!!

True, the following tips are unsolicited, but I wanted to
share a few of my observations as a member of the press covering racing from the
inside looking out.

I, too, am an avid racing fan, but a writer first, after all,
it’s my profession to try and remain totally objective when it comes to the
drivers and crews. Although, I must admit, when it comes to Sterling Marlin and
Bobby Hamilton, it’s a little difficult not to root for the home state boys!!

Oops, became sidetracked, back to my list of Do’s and Don’ts
for fans while visiting the pit area at the tracks.

#1. I realize how exciting it is to be inside the garage area
with your favorite drivers all waltzing around and able to rub elbows with them.
The anticipation of seeing your guy, the camera cocked and ready
to fire, Sharpie pen in hand aimed at getting that special autograph, but the
SCREAMING must stop! There has been more than one occasion where a driver (and
I) thought someone was dying and contemplated dialing 911. One hysterical woman
was screaming and chanting her drivers name incessantly and her body was shaking
uncontrollably!

Just try to keep the excitement level to a small yelp, but
please, do not scream at the top of your lungs! Not good, very scary stuff!!

#2. Please do not enter the garage stall while the driver is
present. Geez, he’s working!! He is not there to chat. It’s equivalent to
someone barging into your office, unannounced, interrupting your important
meeting and totally taking you away from the work at hand. Your concentration is
broken and it can take several precious minutes to regroup! Not good.

The driver will occasionally stroll through the area, willing
to pose or sign his name, otherwise, he’s WORKING! By all means, attend the
autograph sessions, they are strictly for the fans.

#3. Physically grabbing a driver is a big no-no. It’s very
nerve-wracking for everyone concerned! I’ve actually witnessed a near mob
scene around certain drivers, their clothes being tugged at and even their hair
being restyled! I imagine their hairdresser would not take a complimentary
approach to messing with the hairdo! It must be quite alarming to have twenty
hands all grabbing for anything unattached or worse yet, attached!! Not good.

#4. Some fans seem to forget the media is there in the pit
area trying to earn a paycheck. The media brings the fans the news and the
photographs they all enjoy. It is not very profitable to have a strange hand or
head pop up in an otherwise great shot! If you see a media representative with a
driver, just give them a little space and a few minutes to get the goods for
you. There’s nothing worse than taking a nice shot of Jerry Nadeau and then
discover upon development of the film, Jerry suddenly has the head of a strange
woman! Not good.

#5. By all means, you MUST have eyes in the back of your head
in the pit area! Safety is the key issue, including the ever-growing number of
fans present in the work area. People step out in the path of an oncoming car
without doing the 360 degree scan, it’s just sheer luck more fans are not
injured. Just because you do not hear the roar of that big, old engine does not
mean a car isn’t approaching you. Remember, sometimes the driver has killed
the engine or the engine may have stalled, but they still coast in very quickly.
One cannot get so entranced by the excitement of seeing the flurry of activity
that they forget to look before leaping! Not good.

STOP…..LOOK…..LISTEN

#6. Chasing a driver, at full sprint, is another big no-no!
If you are in hot pursuit, you are more likely to let your guard down and risk
your safety and the safety of others. If a driver is walking away, especially at
a quick pace, odds are he does not want to be disturbed. He may be having a
really bad day at the office. His car blew up, he crapped out during qualifying,
his dog died, he’s just generally not in a talkative mood. Again, not good.

#7. If, by chance, you had a full alcoholic breakfast,
chances are you do not need to be in the pit area! It’s a recipe for disaster.
You need your full faculties in order to safely survive your special day and be
a responsible "pit person".

#8. If you get the opportunity to ask a driver for an
autograph, please do not shove 50 items in his face! He may take the time to
sign one thing, but the limited time he can spare does not allow him to sign
your whole collection! Some people actually bring their carry-on suitcase on
wheels chocked full of everything from the rookie card to a full body cut-out
poster! Don’t bombard the guy, it’s not good!

As the sport of auto racing becomes more and more popular, we
must all find a way to co-exist in the pit/garage area safely and respectfully
to each other’s needs. It’s wonderful to see the reactions of some of the
fans after their first experience in the pits, but for the others, GET A GRIP!!
After all, it’s just racin’. And that’s GOOD!!