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You are right. Racing at one time was considered great entertainment for everybody. It was an inexpensive way to take the kids out for a night of thrills and spills. As time went by they invented things like TV, Pizza party shops, Putt Putt golf and on and on. Fans started finding more and more ways to spend their recreation dollars. Race tracks kinda of fell back and did not compete as much as they should and the front gate kept getting smaller and smaller. Us baby boomers are getting older and older and we just didn't have as many kids as our parents did. Consequently the front gate kept getting smaller and smaller and older and older.

Gas city has a great set up for racers and fans alike. With the pits located next to the stands it is possible for the racers to go up in the stands and watch the race with the fans if they are having one of them rare good nights and nothing breaks. I got that chance the last time we raced at Gas City. I am kinda of an observer, not only the races but the people in the stands. What I observed was a lot of older people forty five years old and above. These are great fans, they know what is going on out there on the track and truly loyal fans. What I didn't see was a bunch of young kids, teenagers and younger couples with kids. They were home watching TV or going to the Pizza Parlors I guess.

For racing to continue we have to replace our fan base. Our fans are literally dying off and not being replenished. You fans out there know that racing is addictive or you still wouldn't be coming to the races year after year and reading boards like IOW. I mentioned bringing a race car that could sit behind the grand stands for the kids and even grown ups to have pictures taken in. First we need kids to sit in these race cars. Why don't some concerned fans go out and invite some younger people to the races. Like I said racing is addictive, once these kids see what they have been missing we might just cultivate some new fans to fill our seats when we are gone. Stop and think back to your first race. How did you manage to get to the race track? You didn't have as many choices as young people do today, but I bet it was a parent or friend that brought you to that first race.

It would help if us older race fans went out and recruited some young blood. Race tracks can't afford advertising any more so to grow we are left to using word of mouth, this is after all is still the best form of advertising. Maybe promoters should take lessons from the local corner drug salesmen and offer some discount tickets for first time race fans or even older fans and try to make the money back in the concession stands and suviner stands

Honest Dad himself