Originally Posted by DonMoore10:
The most important person at a race is the FAN!!!!! Without the FAN, you have nothing. Without RACE FANS, there would be no races unless everybody pays to race and there is no return. Now, a very interesting observation regarding those who have posted in this thread and have supported the actions of the two teams that vacated the track after the practice/pill draw: VERY FEW MENTION ANYTHING TO DO WHATSOEVER WITH THE RACE FAN. It's all about this driver, a business decision, a race team and people dreaming up all kinds of scenarios to make this deal sound politically correct. This is the almighty ME society coming through loud and clear with no respect for the RACE FAN.
I will say one thing as an owner that HIRES drivers to race: Not in my wildest dreams would I ever, ever, ever suggest to a hired driver who has come to the track to race one of my cars that we load up after having presented ourselves to the public at a race track. Whe you come to a race track... deal with it.
I have been fortunate to have some of the best midget drivers in the business drive my cars and I cannot envision any of them suggesting that we load up and go home. If you show up at the track and present yourself to the public as part of the entertainment, IMO, you have an obligation to complete your part as an entertainer and deal with the circumstances that are presented to you.
Don, I have went round and round with posters over this same issue on trackforum. They seem to think the fans are of no importance to a race. They think races will go one as normal with
NO FANS. Now I have tried for weeks to wrap my mind around that and just simply can't do it. The fans are the people those names on the sides of the hoods, the signage and the programs are trying to get interested in their products. Without the fans, those names will not buy space on hoods, in the programs or be on the signage at the track. Without them the purse will not be worth racing for (if they even have an event). But still people think it absolutely all about the drivers and the car owners.
Now I am in no means ripping on team owners or drivers. If you have a doubt about how the evening will play out then don't go to the track.