I really do enjoy you saying that my son causes my husband to lose focus at a race. Actually that's the best comment I've heard on here so far. Yes, if Jerry raced locally all the time it would all be different. He would be home once in awhile and my son would get to see him instead of working in the shop during the day, and racing at night. And if he worked 9-5 that would be great as well, he'd be able to be home for dinner once in awhile instead of gone days or weeks at a time. But that's just not true. When we went to new Zealand you don't even have to have a pit pass to go in the pits, a ticket gets you anywhere in the facility. And amazingly enough I didn't see any of these children "running though the pits". In fact, everywhere I go I never do. I do however tend to see many adults in the way when drivers are trying to pull in to their pits, but never children... However it's all a moot point because the overwhelming majority of tracks allow kids in the pits, so if you would like to discuss the matter more I'll be the one in the trailer with my little red head.
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Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by finishline:
there is no place for a baby stroller in a pit area! Babys in a motorhome, babys kept close to a hauler, ect... But babys being carried or in a stroller in a pit area is a bad bad bad idea!!

only if your careless is it a bad idea.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by dirtshirt:
RACING IS A FAMILY SPORT . Most tracks in USA allow kids .Normally 1/2 price or free up to 12 .With signed waiver . Here is a USAC Champion's wife being drilled for stating her opinon on her family only.
Your being VERY UNFAIR TO HER.
Kids need to be with thier parents .Not at a babysitters........

are you kidding me? some kids are much better off with a babysitter than with "so-called" parents who would place them in perilous circumstances.......also, what 17 month old toddler gives a rat's @ss about seeing their mom's friends down in the pits? give me a break here folks......

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by racerdog45:
Did you go with your dad to work when you were a kid? Kids are allowed free or at greatly reduced rates into the stands, there is just NO PLACE for little kids in a pit area. It is a very dangerous place. Why for a few hours she can't sit in the stands while her husband does his job is beyond me. If he worked in a factory or office you wouldn't be able to do that. And most dad's have jobs that take them away for up to half a day and the family stays together.... Should be thankful of the fact they get to travel with him to work and watch him work. Don't worry tho, as soon as a kid gets killed the insurance companies will make the choice for you....... Kids don't need to be with a parent if that parent is at work and in a dangerous location....... we're not being unfair to anyone, we're being honest with our thoughts and feelings just like she was.....

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!

OSHA would flip their wig if my wife brought my kids on a jobsite to watch me work!!

Hey kids, come into this factory and sit here on a chair 5' from me while I'm in working in this hot 1600amp switch gear...remember, don't touch 'the shiny parts', and watch out for the fork lifts. And hey, stay away from the machines while they're running!

Yeah, no distractions there :17:

Mrs. Coons should be happy that she can sit in the stands with the little one and watch Jerry work. My wife and kids have never been allowed to watch me do my job -because it's too dangerous for them to be there-!!

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

If I were a track owner I would not allow children in the pits for this simple reason, you cannot sign a waiver of rights for a minor. None will stand up in court. A waiver for a child is worthless.

Originally Posted by Need For Speed:
EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!

OSHA would flip their wig if my wife brought my kids on a jobsite to watch me work!!

Hey kids, come into this factory and sit here on a chair 5' from me while I'm in working in this hot 1600amp switch gear...remember, don't touch 'the shiny parts', and watch out for the fork lifts. And hey, stay away from the machines while they're running!

Yeah, no distractions there :17:

Mrs. Coons should be happy that she can sit in the stands with the little one and watch Jerry work. My wife and kids have never been allowed to watch me do my job -because it's too dangerous for them to be there-!!

I can tell you your description is nothing like a night at the races?? It's more like sitting in the trailer playing cars or snackig during other classes and sitting in the grand stands during Jerrys race. But if thats your thought, that's interesting. Comparing it to a child sitting in a factory seems a little unreasonable to me, in a trailer and on a factory floor are a little different. Again, it's really a moot point because it's the race tracks decision, not message board posters.
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Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by SoIllSprinter:
If I were a track owner I would not allow children in the pits for this simple reason, you cannot sign a waiver of rights for a minor. None will stand up in court. A waiver for a child is worthless.

If waivers were worthless then race tracks would be out of Business you guys are getting insane with your comments! Taking race tracks and comparing them to Factory's and Job sites come on! Do what you want with your kids and others do as they wish!

Danny 24

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

I see alot of keyboard experts here in law and promotions .I have been going to dirttracks races since 1948 .Daytona Beach course to the last races I attended last nite in Vivian ,La.In between seen the tragic mistakes of human error .
As a parent i have tried not to place my child in a harmful situation .I have 4 kids .Oldest was raised watching races at Manzy every Friday And Saturday .The other three grew up in California ,Az ,Tx ,AR ,Ms and TN .If i went racing they all went.From 3 months on.All three worked with me weekends at tracks .At I-30 and Riverside and Southern All Star races.In the pits and grandstand areas.Now these wonderful children are all college graduates with degrees .
Here is the Pit Prices for July 3rd races at NAS

Grandstands Adults $15 Kids 12 & Under Free
Pits Adults $30 Kids 7-12 $5 6 & Under Free
See Y'll at the races ....

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by cecil98:
are you kidding me? some kids are much better off with a babysitter than with "so-called" parents who would place them in perilous circumstances.......also, what 17 month old toddler gives a rat's @ss about seeing their mom's friends down in the pits? give me a break here folks......

Are you kidding me? You do your thing with your kids! As others do with their own it's none of your business! Give you a break? Try giving other Parents a break all you want to do is stir up Shitz along with others If you don't like it buy all the tracks and change the rules!

Danny 24

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Teri,

The second you decided to name the thread "Bloomington Speedway Is Not Kid Friendly" you made whatever issue you had the other night or whatever point you were going to try to make twice as hard to make, because anybody who's spent any amount of time at all on the hillside @ Bloomington knows that more people probably take their kids to that track than any place. And it's been that way for many years. And if wasn't "kid friendly" that wouldn't be the case.

Jerry

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Good point, Jerry. OK, everybody take three deep breaths and relax. Now, doesn't that feel better? Tom

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by RacingGirl10:
I can tell you your description is nothing like a night at the races?? It's more like sitting in the trailer playing cars or snackig during other classes and sitting in the grand stands during Jerrys race. But if thats your thought, that's interesting. Comparing it to a child sitting in a factory seems a little unreasonable to me, in a trailer and on a factory floor are a little different. Again, it's really a moot point because it's the race tracks decision, not message board posters.
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Yeah, you're right. :17:

You have to walk through the pits to get to the trailer.

In a trailer there are things to trip over, things that are sharp, etc. - just like in a factory

In a pit area there are vehicles going in different directions, with the drivers thinking about what they have to do/where they have to go...a kid suddenly darting in front of them isn't on their mind. - just like in a factory.

A driver is focusing on set ups, what the track is doing/might do, etc, etc, etc (AKA doing his job), and doesn't have time to babysit. - just like anyone else working their job (unless it's daycare)

Yep, nothing similar there at all................

I played with my Hot Wheels, played in the dirt, and snacked as a munchkin too, at Eldora, Limaland, New Bremen, Salem, in the infield at Winchester, etc. And then I went in the pits after the races were over. Just like a lot of other kids!

I've had to travel 5 states away from home with my job, for a week at a time, home for 1.5 days, then gone again. Did I miss my wife and kids, yep, like crazy....called them every night. But they couldn't go with me and stay at the motel, or sit in the factory's parking lot, or hang out by the tool boxes while I worked.

Do what you want, but to act like a kid is completely safe in the pits is a joke.

BTW Mr Pollock: Any lawyer worth his salt will tell you a waiver isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Besides, like I said earlier to Mr. Nunn, why make people sign a waiver (supposedly meaning you have no INS coverage), then charge almost 2X the general admission fee to get in the pits? If it's not for ins costs, then what's it for??? And since it's for ins costs, why sign a waiver???

Anybody with a brain knows that these track owners/promoters have to have ins coverage on any person within the gates either in the stands or pits....WAY too much liability (AKA -LAWSUIT-) not to.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

go to motorsport memorial.org. click on to fatalities by year. click on to 1996 and scroll to the bottom, 3rd up from the bottom, lindsey mayden.if any parent could survive an incident like this, then by all means take your kids into the pits.:13: for a freak accident click on to 1931 and read about wilbur brink. i did forget one major piece of information. speaking with jeff mayden, he informed me that every time lindsey and her mother attened the races they always sat in the stands, except that one day.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by marko 66:
go to motorsport memorial.org. click on to fatalities by year. click on to 1996 and scroll to the bottom, 3rd up from the bottom, lindsey mayden.if any parent could survive an incident like this, then by all means take your kids into the pits.:13: for a freak accident click on to 1931 and read about wilbur brink. i did forget one major piece of information. speaking with jeff mayden, he informed me that every time lindsey and her mother attened the races they always sat in the stands, except that one day.

If you're using that example as a reason children should not be in the pits, then for the same reason auto racing should not be a spectator sport and fans should not be allowed to sit in the grandstands either. A tire could just as easily come off a car and go into the stands and kill somebody there. It has happened at Indy and at other tracks as well. If we stop doing things because something bad could happen, this sport would come to an end all together. People don't stop driving cars to work because they might get killed in an accident, and a child is much more likely to die in an accident on the way to the racetrack than in the pits once they are there.

If a track does not charge to have children in the grandstands, I don't think they should charge to have them in the pits. The long term survival of this sport depends on developing the interest of the future fans and racers. Any effort made to get them to the track and make them feel welcome is an investment in the future. As a parent and paying customer, I would suggest that you treat a racetrack like any other business. If you aren't happy with the way you are treated, take your hard earned money somewhere else.

Originally Posted by Need For Speed:
Yeah, you're right. :17:

You have to walk through the pits to get to the trailer.

In a trailer there are things to trip over, things that are sharp, etc. - just like in a factory

In a pit area there are vehicles going in different directions, with the drivers thinking about what they have to do/where they have to go...a kid suddenly darting in front of them isn't on their mind. - just like in a factory.

A driver is focusing on set ups, what the track is doing/might do, etc, etc, etc (AKA doing his job), and doesn't have time to babysit. - just like anyone else working their job (unless it's daycare)

Yep, nothing similar there at all................

I played with my Hot Wheels, played in the dirt, and snacked as a munchkin too, at Eldora, Limaland, New Bremen, Salem, in the infield at Winchester, etc. And then I went in the pits after the races were over. Just like a lot of other kids!

I've had to travel 5 states away from home with my job, for a week at a time, home for 1.5 days, then gone again. Did I miss my wife and kids, yep, like crazy....called them every night. But they couldn't go with me and stay at the motel, or sit in the factory's parking lot, or hang out by the tool boxes while I worked.

Do what you want, but to act like a kid is completely safe in the pits is a joke.

BTW Mr Pollock: Any lawyer worth his salt will tell you a waiver isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Besides, like I said earlier to Mr. Nunn, why make people sign a waiver (supposedly meaning you have no INS coverage), then charge almost 2X the general admission fee to get in the pits? If it's not for ins costs, then what's it for??? And since it's for ins costs, why sign a waiver???

Anybody with a brain knows that these track owners/promoters have to have ins coverage on any person within the gates either in the stands or pits....WAY too much liability (AKA -LAWSUIT-) not to.

I don't know Jerry, Amy, or their son from a bale of hay, but of all the times I've seen Jerry racing, I've absolutely never seen him late getting to the car cause he was "babysitting". Good grief, you all are absolutely mental when it comes to this stuff.

Comparing a racetrack to a factory is beyond weird. Sure, danger is involved, but pretty sure a kid playing in a trailer is just as safe as doing it at home. Pretty sure Jerry and his crew aren't going to have his son hold a damn air hose while they are mounting up a tire. Like I said, I don't know Amy or Jerry from a bale of hay, but I commend them for being a family, in a family sport. I can't blame them for doing that, nor can I blame the thousands of other families across the country for the same thing.

Amazing that good parents get **** on, but the parents that ARE letting kids run around get off scott free. All because he's a small child?

Also, in a lot of cases, tracks pay insurance depending on how many people are in the pits. When I promoted a few races in 08, that's how the deal was for us, and each person on those sign in sheets and waivers was accounted for.

And to say those aren't worth the paper they're printed on is garbage too. Those forms are an "at your own risk" form, and the only way around that is negligence from the track. Prove that, and maybe.
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Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

My comments are not insane. Let me rephrase so you can better understand. An adult, whether a parent of the child or not, cannot in reality sign away a childs rights. Waivers for children are not reconized in court systems. Therefore, if a child is hurt in the pits, a suit can and probably will be filed in court. The waiver a person signed will be worthless in court. An adult, of which I can only assume you are, can sign their own rights away, just not the rights of a minor child. I hope you have been sufficiently educated in the law, now you can add that to your obvious talents in the area of psychiatry.

---------- Post added at 12:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:04 PM ----------

And by the way, I think we all are more than willing to let parents do what they want with their children. It is when they do things with their child that potentially impacts others that causes the problems. Everyone wants rights, no one wants responsibility. As an example; before an accident, "By God it is my right to have my kid in the pits!"; after the accident, "It's not safe in the pits for my kid, they should have never let me bring him/her in here! By God I'm going to sue!" I believe in to each his own, but in todays society no one wants to take the responsibility once they have made a decision. Therefore, if I ran a track there would be no way I would allow minors in the pits, it would be a recipe for my business's demise.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

This is a "no win" situation for a race track.

Allow kids and you're open to a lawsuit.

Don't allow kids and you're viewed as not being family friendly.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

I don't know if its right or wrong, Unfriendly or whatever you want to call it.

Without getting personal. I believe it is the parents decision if the track allows it.

That being said, I've seen some very dangerous incidents or near incidents in the pits. Cars breaking and vearing into trailers. Wheels go flying through the pits (From the track) and some very tight situations like Fremont where I couldn't believe they actually let cars drive through there under power.

I've seen drivers flip into their own hauler . Seen drivers fly off the track and fly through the pits about 70mph until getting stopped *Jeff Gordon*

Seen cars chase other cars at high speeds through the pits without regard to anyone elses saftey just to *HAVE AT IT*

Seen sheet metal and bars hanging several feet of to the side of a car that even if you thought you were clear, You didn't expect that!

Seen multiple instances of cars catching fire in the pits while the crew were out on the track taking a few minutes to respond.

Even fully aware of the danger and doing everything I can to stay out of the way. I've almost been clipped twice.

Dangerous, Well I rode a tricycle down a flight of concrete steps at 4 years old. My brother fell through a open cold air return crawling thorugh the kitchen at 14 months falling all the way to basement floor. the one time dad had the cover off it.So the racetrack isn't the only thing dangerous.

Stay safe all.

I will say this. A good lawyer a lame a*s judge, and a waiver isn't worth the paper its written on.

As for having to pay? Every person is subject to make a claim at some point. Right or wrong should that person have been covered if they didn't pay? Kid or not?

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by Jerry Shaw:
Teri,

The second you decided to name the thread "Bloomington Speedway Is Not Kid Friendly" you made whatever issue you had the other night or whatever point you were going to try to make twice as hard to make, because anybody who's spent any amount of time at all on the hillside @ Bloomington knows that more people probably take their kids to that track than any place. And it's been that way for many years. And if wasn't "kid friendly" that wouldn't be the case.

Jerry

Exactly, Jerry! I have often made the comment that I see more kids at Bloomington than any other track I regularly attend.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

The crazy part of this is the big "debate" over whether kids should be allowed in the pits when the original complaint was not over that issue at all; it was about the complaintant being charged $30 for a pit pass....which BTW, is clearly stated on the Bloomington website and does not list any exceptions.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

I would like to say the most meaningful events in most of our lives is the raising of our children. I mean absolutely no disrespect to anyone. Mr. and Mrs. Coons should be commended for trying to maintain a "normal" family in a unique form of making a living. Jerry has been and will always be one of my and my sons' favorite competitors. He has always been a class act and I appreciate his participation in a sport meant to entertain. Thank you to Mrs. Coon for her sacrifices to make that possible.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

:deadhorse: Whatever the track managment decides, it's his/her risk! Bob:)

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

I promote over 30 shows per year and I can say racegirl10 you are very rare. Most of the places we are at, allow kids in the pits. Majority of the parents do not watch there kids. Its nothing to see kids running around trucks and trailers. Most of our cars come in on open trailers.... Several of the parents that think they are doing a good job, let the kids run around on the trailers. You would not believe all the injuries this casues. Kids fall thru trailers, fall off the edges, slip on slick surface, cut themselves, or break a leg running down the ramps. Racegirl10 I commend you for watching your little one, but majority of people do not. In my opinion, if your not old enough to help work on a car, you should not be back there. Sorry to sound crude, but there is nothing worse than driving back to your trailer and a kid darts out infront of you, it is happened to me, thankfully I did not have break problems and stopped. Pit passes are full price for 1 reason to discourage parents from bringing kids into the pit area.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by SoIllSprinter:
My comments are not insane. Let me rephrase so you can better understand. An adult, whether a parent of the child or not, cannot in reality sign away a childs rights. Waivers for children are not reconized in court systems. Therefore, if a child is hurt in the pits, a suit can and probably will be filed in court. The waiver a person signed will be worthless in court. An adult, of which I can only assume you are, can sign their own rights away, just not the rights of a minor child. I hope you have been sufficiently educated in the law, now you can add that to your obvious talents in the area of psychiatry.[COLOR="Black"]

Somewhat off topic, but then what do parents sign when they let their child race? What's the difference of a child being in the pits at a micro sprint, quarter midget, or TQ race? My dad had to sign me in wherever we went when racing because of my age. So in reality, that form means nothing? I could have gotten hurt in a racecar, then turned around and sued the track, that doesn't make much sense. When a guardian signs that piece of paper that allows them to be in the pits, they are just like an adult.

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

Originally Posted by thebus79h:
Somewhat off topic, but then what do parents sign when they let their child race? What's the difference of a child being in the pits at a micro sprint, quarter midget, or TQ race? My dad had to sign me in wherever we went when racing because of my age. So in reality, that form means nothing? I could have gotten hurt in a racecar, then turned around and sued the track, that doesn't make much sense. When a guardian signs that piece of paper that allows them to be in the pits, they are just like an adult.

Page 2 of this thread...raceway video's post should help...the value of those track waivers [adult also] can be shown with the Doug Wolfgang case also:15:

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

So far nobody's asking for monkey bars and swingsets in the pits or a paddle boat in lake Paragon.... yet. I want to thank all the male posters for your interest in the women and children who also make sacrifices for the sport in their own way. See you at the races :)

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

I suggested a water slide but was overruled. :13:

Re: Bloomington Speedway is not kid friendly
 

This thread reminded me of this picture I took (meant to post it earlier, but never did). It was taken at the burg.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...2/DSC_3188.jpg