We run at a track in the West that has anywhere from 3 to 4 support classes on any given night. The sprints are usually next to last to go out, and that seems to give the teams a chance to get back in the pits and get things organized before the gates are opened to the fans. Not sure it's by design, but that is how it works for us.

Some of the teams will load up and pull out the minute the gate is opened, but many will stay until the crowd thins down. Mind you - these are local drivers seeing the same fans week after week. We go so far as to leave the car just as it is - ready to race. RR stays on the car, wing(sorry - no traditional sprint cars up here) stays up, etc etc. I felt the fans should be able to get up close to exactly what they paid to see.

Our crew does a fantastic job of washing the car everytime its hits the track, and the last support class gives them a chance to clean it before the fans arrive in the pits. Then, as the driver is greeting the fans and signing some girls hand that she'll never wash again(he's 16 so it's OK:wink) we start packing the trailer. When what looks like the last fan has stopped by, the car gets pushed in trailer - usually with that last fan steering it in the trailer. It's a bonus if that fan has to stand up in the seat to see over the cowl.

I know we're not a national traveling team, and I hope it never gets old waiting for the last fan to arrive so we can load up and go to the car wash or motel - or home. But it takes all of about 5 minutes to change the RR, drop the wing, load the car, tie it down, and close the door.

The hour or so before that, and the look on someones face when you need their help loading a sprint car, is worth every single minute.

Ted