Damn DO, you sure can make a guy feel old. I wish I could say I remember those days, but in truth, I don;t think I say my first Sprint car race until the 70's. All I knew about racing was from the Bootleggers and the Local Road Races. These generally started out as Drag Races and ended up running for miles over State and County Rds in Ky, Ohio and West Va... Nothing legal about it, but it did get the blood running.
I can agree with about all you've said, especially about getting the Fans involved with the Drivers. That has to start with the Drivers, The Fans are ready, they just need the chance to meet these guys. Give them something to root for besides a number. Don;t just take for granted that they had enough money to come watch a race, or that they will have next week.
One of my favorite stories is about AJ Foyt at The Action Track. As they say, back in the day local guys used to volenteer to help out on the cars. I guess back in the 60's or 70's they helped him out and sure enough, he took the lead. So he comes out of turn 2 and flips them the Bird and the next lap there up on the fence, returning the favor. So a few laps latter, they stand on the fence and flip him off with both hands. Sure enough, next time by, AJ is up in the car, driving with his knees, giving his crew a Double Bird. That story has to be 40 years old and still these guys laugh everytime they talk about it.... We just don;t get those kind of things anymore, do we.
How about this one. Some of these teams need to start going into the stands and "recruit some help" before the races. I'd bet that Jiggs and Mike Miles and some of the others would help them out with the pit passes.
Money is the Problem. Not just in what it cost but as Steve Stabb? said at the Storytellers, everyone is busy trying to keep up with the Jones's. I have thought for a long time, that if a Promoter, would have some races, and perhaps promise or gurantee just a small amount of money for the purse, but offer a Percentage of the Gate on top of that, it would help out everyone. For one thing, tracks wouldn;t have to fill the pits with support classes, instead they could have just 1, not 2 or 3 or even more. These classes, all deserve to race, but if you did the same for them, they would still come out and support the track.
The Tracks and The Drivers both need to get more involved in there Local communities. At Terre Haute, for instance, other than the diehards and local racers, the Fan Support is nearly all from out of town. The Promoters, no matter who they are, have got to get involved with the Local Community, with the Schools and with local Charities. If your Track Supports and is Involved with its Community, then that Support will be there for them on race night as well. Then at least when they have to Pay 20 Bucks to watch a USAC show, they know the track will do something for them too.
I,m not sure how too go about things, but I really believe, Racing needs to Take a Giant Step Backwards. Back to were the FANs are. Think about how much better Indy would be, if we kept the safety improvements but Lost the Turbos and Computers and such. Back to something more naturally asperated. Back UP so that guys like Mel Kenyon and Bill Puterbaugh and those guys can build cars again...
Those were the days werent they.........Wolfe-e