[DirtTrackTherapy16J]

Great thread here started by Nathans in my opinion. Yes I realize the screenshot is a different person. There's many ways to look at this but here goes my thoughts.

I don't feel drivers have to make time for fans and/or autographs. Most pro athletes dont. They didnt sign any paperwork saying they would. Is it awesome and even a good idea in my opinion to sign autographs and have things such as meet and greets, yes absolutely. Do i wish they would do it more often, absolutely. Thats a big deal to kids and even some of us adults. I think it all starts with the person/driver. Each has his or her own personality wether it comes to racing or not. Some people just aren't super socialable people. Some are. Some will even hang out and party with you. The next thing I believe is it depends on the series. USAC Midgets? USAC Sprints? USAC SC? High Limit? WoO? Then add in what's their schedule like, previous races or the next race? Where did they travel from, where are they about to travel to? Are they tired and exhausted? Are they in a hurry to get back home or the shop or the next track? Are they staying at that track for a multiple day show? Are they on a bad luck streak? Are they on a great run and streak? Did they have a bad night? Did they have a good night? Did you catch them at a bad time or good time?

I haven't seen a WoO show for 3 or 4 years. High Limit was just at Kokomo not too long ago. Kyle Larson did a meet and greet and it was even advertised on one of our local radio stations. I think some are personable and some aren't. USAC drivers however in my opinion is a completely different story. I cannot remember back to the 80s and 90s as a kid, but any time since 2017 I have not had 1 single problem with any driver signing anything. Brady Bacon in my opinion may be the best at this. Always at his Merch trailer at some point. Even has announcements made about it. Kyle Cummins is great about it. Robert Ballou is great about it. CJ Leary is great about it. Justin Grant, Chase Stockon, Mitchell Moles, KT, TMez, Logan Seavey, Jake Swanson, Matt Westfall, Matt Goodnight...so many of them are so good about autographs and saying hello and talking for a few minutes. Alot of the young kids in Midgets feel honored if you ask for their autograph.

I even had 4 interactions a couple years ago that I thought was real awesome that I will never forget. 1st I was out at the Merch trailers at Circle City Sprint Week 2022. Chase Stockon's boys said hey golf cart rides for $5 and I said okay I'll do it if mom says it's okay and they was like yes mom we got a rider let's go, so we took a cruise all over the property and I gave them $5. After the race Chase comes up to me in the pits and says hey man your the golf cart guy and I laughed and said yeah man I enjoyed that and had a fun ride with your kids and wife and he says man thats awesome but here's your $5 back and I said h*ll no man give that to the boys, that was the deal lol. We both laughed and he said man I appreciate that, thats real kool. Then next was Justin Grant...gave me his Hoosier neckband at Circle City and signed it Happy 40th Bday Josh, Justin Grant. Anogher night, had both Brady and Robert's respective shirts they made about each other during their feud. Had both guys sign both shirts. Robert said h*ll yeah Josh, I'll sign them, that's history and memorabilia. Brady at first kinda gave me a look and I explained out of respect those shirts are a piece of history and he looked at me and said yeah man I get it, I'll sign them, I just wasn't sure at first if you was trying to p*ss me off or not. Had a night a Smackdown, Jake Swanson accidentally kept my sharpie and kept signing autographs after he signed mine and I just walked on as I had more sharpies in my pocket. Next night Jake sees me in the pits and literally stops what he is doing on the race car and comes over to me and sticks out his hand for a handshake and says hey man I'm sorry I stole your sharpie last night, after the race come back and I'll give you a sharpie...I laughed and said Jake I hope it runs dry from you signing so many autographs with it, especially for kids and he said man that's really kool, some people would get sh*tty about their sharpie and I said nah man I'm not like that and he said yeah I see that, after the race we will have a beer together out in the campground. Multiple times I have held Charlie while CJ has signed autographs and anyone that knows CJ knows he loves Charlie dearly, yet trust fans to hold him/pet him.

You become fan favorites and people's champs by being kool, nice, signing autographs, meet and greets, etc. As mentioned above, DoubleD and Rico are 2 of the best at it. Unfortunately though no matter how anyone feels including me, at the end of the day they don't have to sign anything, do meet and greets, hang out, or anything else.