Time for some middle ground

Outside of my coverage area there has been some, let’s call them interesting Facebook posts this week. I’ve seen a few drivers post they will not race at a particular track anymore after some on-track and off-track incidents. I’ve seen some fans really upset with tracks in their posts, too.

Conversely, I have seen several tracks post some guidelines/rules about driver, pit crew and fan conduct, at the track, and in some cases on social media. Some of the consequences include driver disqualification, suspension or fines. That can include disparaging the track or its officials on things like Facebook. I don’t blame tracks for doing this, as negative commentary (especially constant bitching and constant attacks), does affect attendance and car count. I don’t dispute that at all.

As a fan and blogger, I’ve been thinking a lot about this issue. It’s sort of a reflection of the world we live in today – we can’t seem to figure out a way to work through conflicts or disagreements. Look at our politicians, many (not all) are egotistical, power-hungry, incompetent clowns with no concept of how to accomplish something useful for their constituents. But I don’t want to wade into the weeds there too much…

And by the way, this is a generic photo with several cars in it that I happened to like, no meaning beyond that.

Racing is a sport where emotions run very, very high. Especially in the heat of a moment. Drivers invest a ton of money and time into their cars, and if they get wrecked or think they get screwed by an officials’ call, of course they’ll be pissed off – and in most cases they have the right to be. Drivers who spend all those hours in the shop, and $10,000s on their car, don’t invest all of that just for the heck of it. They do it because they love the sport but also want a fair shake.

Let’s remember, though, who works at race tracks. Many promoters have other full-time jobs and run their tracks because they love racing. Many folks who work at race tracks are either volunteers or work for very little money.  They put in a lot of time, some folks in very thankless jobs.

Keeping both of those things in mind – two things can be true at the same time – I think we need to find some middle ground here.   I also think most people on both sides want what is best for racing.

First, there needs to be better in-person communication, and not hiding behind a text message or Facebook post all the timet. That means talking through things and acting like adults, not like my 6-year-old and 9-year-old fighting for who sits where in the car. Constructive dialogue can be productive and a positive to make things better.  I think promoters can and should listen to drivers when they bring up issues in a civil, respectful matter.

Unfortunately, now the back-and-forth in racing, in several cases, gets very nasty and personal, and nothing gets accomplished that way. Calling track officials nasty names or insulting their family, well that shouldn’t be tolerated. It’s one thing to be upset, it’s another to take it to a personal level and attack people’s character, or even their families. That wears on people and makes them not even want to come to the track anymore.

I’ve also heard a few cases of track officials getting nasty or dismissive with drivers who’ve approached them with legit concerns. A lot of times, these drivers just want to be heard. They want to get their point of view across. If they got wrecked by someone or are the victim of what they perceive to be a bad call, or bent up equipment because a track is rough and poorly prepped – they should have the right to express their feelings to track officials. They may be pissed off, and jacked up after the deal, and a promoter or flagman or race director should understand that.  

There are even a few promoters who think their tracks can do no wrong and display an arrogance that completely dismiss when a driver or fan brings up an issue. Again, that is wrong. If the food is cold or undercooked at a restaurant shouldn’t a paying customer have a right to say so?

The issue becomes when it gets personal, or physically violent, or threats are made – those are lines that shouldn’t be crossed.  Period.

Like I said, let’s find some middle ground here, and that starts with adult conversation. Civility. Working to figure stuff out.

I try very hard not to personally attack people in the blog. I haven’t been perfect at it, and I try to focus my commentary on specific issues (too many classes, length of race programs, poor track prep, inconsistent rule enforcement, etc.) rather than personally attack people. I believe those things are fair game, and I also believe that as a blogger I want to see things improve at a race program. I want to see great racing, a lack of wrecks, and get home at a decent time I write from a fan’s perspective as someone who has gone to races since I was five years old. I compliment tracks that I think run a good racing program on a regular basis, for the record.

Right now the dialogue and some of the social media posts are t rending in a wrong direction when comes to trying to resolve conflicts or disagreements.  We can blame social media for all of this, but truth is, people choose their behavior and how they treat people.   If someone brings up something I can improve in the blog, and they aren't personally attacking me or ripping me to shreds, I will listen. I may not agree, but I will listen. If they call me names or an idiot or something, the message gets deleted.

Maybe the middle ground in all of this is for tracks to listen to drivers and fans, and vice versa. Let them speak their piece – civilly. Understand that we all in the end want the same thing – for a good racing product on the track.