I won't say things change and get over it, but I will say that (hypothetically) when the first feature is sprint cars on a Friday and they have to pull to another show on Saturday you may not get a lot of cooperation, especially someplace where they run 5 or 6 classes and the Hornets don't finish up until the wee hours of the morning...
Maybe a compromise might be to set up some sort of a fan-accessible area along the pit fence where drivers would be required to loiter for a few minutes to sign autographs and take pictures before staging for their main.

I say open the pits up until hot-lap time or ten minutes before, I know there'd be policing issues but the people that need to be in the pits for work would be paying pit price anyway. for a half hour 45 minutes. Even if it was only a couple/three bucks. It'd be worth it to be able to get the interaction of fans and teams.

That or have all cars on the track and a half hour meet and greet before the features. for a family night. (If program is on or ahead of schedule)

The way gas city did it or does it, however you want to look at it. Buy a 50/50 ticket and that gets you into the pits before it starts, when drivers meeting is annouced you must leave the pits, you still gotta sign the waiver for insurance purposes and if you get there early enough, you can still get a good look at whose there and pick up any shirts you wanrt from the drivers

There are some teams that stay till everyone in every class is loading up and leaving. Always liked that the Spencers did this and a few others. Most are either loaded and gone by the time the racing is over.

Another thing Gas City did was the Sprints were in front and to the left so when their feature was over. You could go back to the sprint car area. When the Mods were over, You could go back there. When the SS were done, The whole pit was open. But you could catch em before they leave, But you would miss the other classes.

It's a good thing to let them be aware about roaming the pits but having been on that other side as race support no one should expect any team to just hang around. Unless it were a multi day event when we were done, we were ready to get it all loaded and head home/carwash or to unload and maybe even start in pulling the heads and/or etc. This is why mall shows, parades or things that are going on during the time frame of the event are best, not things to extend the time of it. I think we all have our hearts in it and want the best for the sport first and foremost.

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