Those words rang very true back then. You, the fans, were indeed what kept the motors running. You were what kept the racing venues open and what kept NASCAR in business. You were what made stockcar racing grow in popularity. You were the ones who steadfastly patronized the sponsors involved in the sport with a fierce loyalty unknown in other sports. You were the ones who all cheered or cussed or cried, depending upon the circumstance, but remained faithful to your favorite driver and to the sport in general, as it underwent severe growing pains.
NASCAR racing hit television for its first "flag to flag" coverage in 1979 when CBS took a gamble and broadcast an entire race for the first time. That was the Daytona 500, still famous today, which ended in a fistfight between Cale Yarborough and the Allison brothers, Bobby and Donnie. Sadly, that view of NASCAR racing as the brawling faction of motorsports seems to be what set the wheels in motion for what became a phenomenal growth spurt over the ensuing years.
Still, throughout the 1980's and into the 1990's, the major Cable TV channels that carried most of the races, ESPN and TNN, ran spots every week, in conjunction with NASCAR, thanking the fans for being there and for making stock car racing the rapidly growing sport that it was. It was still about you, the fans!
Back in 1992, Randy Owen and Alabama could not have known how hollow their words would ring twenty years later. One has to shake his head and wonder today, "Whatever happened to "You, the Fans?"
Today's fans are treated to many new racing venues it's true. Grand palaces compared to the old short tracks of the Southeast, many of which no longer operate, in the name of progress. Well, you say," That happens." Yes, sadly, it does. However, along with it, other things are happening which are definitely not fan friendly.
For the fans at the track, the traffic jams trying to get in and out of these 100,000 plus seating arenas are frustrating, maddening, and cause many fans to miss part or most of the race while sitting in traffic. Never mind how long it takes them to exit unsupervised parking lots with the same number of vehicles. In fairness, a few tracks have established some sort of new infrastructure to ease some of the traffic nightmares... at their own expense, of course.
Oh, did I mention that ticket prices have risen to at least double and sometimes triple or more what they were twenty years ago at most tracks? By the way, at many tracks now, you can't just buy tickets to the race you want to attend. Everything is done by "package deal", whereby you are forced to buy tickets to not only the NASCAR Cup race you want to see, but also the companion race, be it the Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series, Whelan Modified, or what have you. Okay, you say, I'll just go a day early and watch both races. Oh no, it's not as easy as that. Your "package deal" may also include tickets to other races at the same track throughout the year. These might include Indy Racing League events, perhaps ARCA events or any other sanctioned race held at your track of choice. Is your wallet starting to strain? And relieving yourself of any unwanted or unusable tickets in that little package is entirely up to you.
Then you are at the gate, overpriced ticket in hand, and ready to go racing. Not so fast! What's all that stuff you have with you? Sorry, your cooler is larger than 12 inches. You can't take it in with you. (But there are food and beverages for sale within the confines of the track. Your wallet is starting to groan.) That bag on your arm, holding your seat cushions, binoculars, stopwatch, rain ponchos, sweaters, sunscreen, earplugs, scanners and any other creature comforts you deem necessary is too large to be admitted to the track. (Most of these items are available for sale or rent within the confines of the track.) Please return these items to your car, which is parked approximately 3/4 of a mile from the gate and lock them securely out of sight or they won't be there upon your return.
Having finally gained admittance to the track, you are now a victim of the "vendors." Years back, things at the track were overpriced. Today, they are priced clear out of sight! There are no longer drinking fountains to be found, so that you may enjoy the privilege of paying $4.00 for a bottle of water, with no way to keep it cold. Do you remember the old grandstands that had roofs or canopies, so you didn't have to be in the sun for hours? You can still have that for the price of one of the "corporate suites" reaching to the sky around many tracks. Forget it! Your wallet just burst!
Now we come to the amenities surrounding each and every track on the circuit (save possibly Richmond Va. I know they used to have a law preventing this practice, but I don't know if it's still in force.) It has become common practice for motels and hotels in the area to raise room rates to an untenable level on race weekend, and beyond that, insist on a minimum four-day reservation. It ain't just Saturday night racing anymore! Restaurants throughout the area will change menus without warning, offering you only the most easily prepared dishes at exorbitant rates, simply because you are a race fan. Gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, doesn't it?
Next, let’s consider the fans that enjoy the races on TV, in the comfort of their own living rooms. Ah, you say," There's the way to get around it all. If the tracks have become unfriendly, I'll stay home and enjoy the race on TV." Think again! Those Cable TV stations I spoke of, that loved and thanked the fans, are gone, and for a while, your viewing pleasure was in the hands of folks who view stock car racing as the first cousin of the WWF. When FOX and NBC/TBS were awarded a six-year contract to cover NASCAR races, most fans simply couldn't believe it. Where was the loyalty to the networks that had done such an admirable job of bringing us the races all those years? Well, it seems that loyalty was for sale to the highest bidders.
At the end of their contract, NBC, which never could do decent race coverage anyway, bowed out. Today, ESPN/ABC, familiar to the racing fan, share the duties with FOX, with a six-pack from TNT sandwiched in-between. But...even that is not the same ESPN the older fans remember so fondly. Gone are Bob Jenkins, Ned Jarrett and the loveable Benny Parsons. (R.I.P. my friend) Since ESPN's much heralded return, several combinations of anchors, broadcasters and color commentators have been tried and discarded. Much the same as many other things in life, once you've had the best, it just cannot be duplicated.
The new networks all seem to have taken the same approach to covering races. The fans at home see less and less of the actual race, but are treated to more and more glitz, glitter and technological toys each week. Do we really need bubbles on the screen to know which car is the leader? Has anyone else already grown weary of being treated to the underside of a toy car, or being taken on a simulated ride around the track? Does anyone really care what Chris Myers is reading from his ever-present legal pad full of notes and who is Marty Reid anyway? Let's not even bother to discuss the FOX coverage. You and I know who they are.
Race coverage on TV today has many fans running to their radios for the MRN/PRN broadcasts, and muting their TV's as the announcers prattle on incessantly about the good old days, how "I would done it" or how this or that part affects the handling/steering/braking or whatever of a car, while the race goes on without comment and too often without even a camera.
Then of course, there are the ads. Oh yes, commercials by the carload, that are repeated over and over ad nauseum throughout the broadcast. Back in the "good old days”, there were commercials of course. They are a necessary evil, since they pay the bills. When ESPN/TNN ceased broadcasting the races at the end of the year 2000, actual advertising time was running about 13 minutes an hour. That is less than 25% of the racing being lost to commercials.
Advertising time now runs a good 20 minutes out of each hour, which translates to over 33.3% of your race being given over to commercials. How long are the fans expected to remain brand friendly in those circumstances? I'm too lazy to calculate exactly what portion of any race is actually being seen, after accounting for commercials, gimmicks, tech explanations, jokes from the broadcasting booth and the like. My guess would be far less than half. Are they trying to drive us all into buying those overpriced tickets to a traffic jam?
Well, if live on-track racing or racing on TV doesn't fit your schedule, there's always the Internet, right? Not unless you pay for it! Nascar.com's little gizmo used to be free for the viewing. A fan could follow qualifying or the race while at the office or on his laptop. It wasn't like being there, but it was better than nothing. Seems NASCAR thought so too, since there is now a charge for that privilege. So you'll just settle for the MRN/PRN broadcast on the web? That one's no longer free either. NASCAR and Real Audio got together and figured out yet another way to separate your dollars from your wallet.
"He won seven at Daytona
It was STP and forty-three.
King Richard is a legend
And he's a hero to me.
When he wins he waves his hand
To the folks up in the stand.
He is dedicated
To all the NASCAR fans!"
That is the second verse of the Alabama song I cited in the beginning. King Richard was indeed dedicated to his fans, and never turned down an autograph request if he could possibly avoid it. Almost all the drivers who were around through the 1970's and 1980's were all too happy to accommodate their fans, realizing that if the fans didn't come, there was no reason to race. My guess is that most of today's drivers would like to do that too, but sponsor commitments have become so demanding that they have to ration their time. They attend scheduled sessions where they must sit and sign for an agreed upon time, without ever having a chance to actually talk to a fan beyond the words "Hello" and "Thanks for coming". A few of today's younger drivers though, have started a new trend, hiring actual bodyguards to keep the fans away from them. They say that the fans annoy them and hold them up from doing whatever it is they are doing at that moment, so these big bruisers are there to run interference for them. That leaves one to wonder how they'd feel if there were no more fans.
Well, to NASCAR, to the TV networks, to nascar.com, to the drivers who have no time for their fans, I would only say, “Remember us! We’re the fans. We’re the reason for the races. Consider for just a moment where you’d be without us.”
This column is most definitely dedicated to you, the fans.
Be well gentle readers, and remember to keep smiling. It looks so good on you!
RacersReunion®, the site where legends and fans unite, invites you to come and join us as a member. Whether you are a racer or a fan, young or old, there is a place for you here. Simply go to our Home Page and choose your style of racing, stock cars, dragsters, open wheel etc. Click on the link for that series. At the right-hand side of the page that opens, you'll see an invitation to either "Sign in" or "Sign up."
You'll find me on the stock car site. I look forward to seeing you soon.
