Fan Commentary

Get the Boneheads Out of the Garage

by Grandstand Bob

Boneheads screw everything up for those of us with at least minimal common sense. As my mother always said, “It takes just one bad apple . . .”

While NASCAR drivers remain some of the most accessible professional athletes around, and the sport gives fans tremendous opportunities to meet their favorite drivers and get close to the action, some fans take these privileges for granted. As I’ve said before, this lack of appreciation and subsequent abuse of privileges will eventually change the access fans have to drivers.

I hope to hell that this isn’t the fallout of Tony Stewart’s alleged assault of a fan after the Bristol race. I’m sure that you have heard the story by now; Tony allegedly pushed a female fan in the garage area following the Bristol race. Tony and the Gibbs people around him swear that nothing happened, while a sheriff’s deputy said that he witnessed the incident. When it comes to specifics, no one is really saying much, because the authorities are investigating the incident.

If Tony did assault this fan, he’s in pretty big trouble. Since he’s already on probation and Home Depot has shown that it is less than impressed with his behavior, Tony’s career could be in trouble. And if this did happen, there really is no excuse for this type of behavior, especially for one who knows that he’s under the microscope.

On the other hand, if this didn’t happen, it’s symptomatic of some of the reckless and shameful behavior by fans in the NASCAR garage area. Those fans are eventually going to cost average fans access, and that will be a sad day for NASCAR.

For the record, I have been in the garage area on a few different occasions, and I believe that there is no harm to permitting a few fans into the garage, provided those fans follow the rules.

When I am in the garage, I am mindful of my visitor status. Drivers, their crews, officials and the media all have a job to do, and they don’t need me making that job any more difficult.

When I am in the garage, I mostly just hang out in low-traffic areas and watch the work going on around me.  Even doing this, it’s not uncommon for me to have chance face-to-face meetings with drivers, and most are pleasant, especially if they have the time. Ironically, one of the most pleasant drivers I’ve interacted with is Tony Stewart. I was standing by a stack of tires when Tony came by and stopped and chatted for a minute. He was very easygoing and the kind of guy most fans would like, if they got to know him.

Aside from these encounters, I find it fascinating to watch what’s going on around me – who is turning the most practice laps, who is constantly under the hood, etc. Plus, being in the garage gives you an insight into which drivers are involved with the mechanical aspects of their cars. Many guys, like Rusty Wallace, routinely jump out of the car and immediately go to the tool cart. You don’t see that sort of stuff on TV.

Getting back to the rules, I am also careful to stay cognizant of the area around me, especially if I’m walking through an area where the cars are. In all that noise and commotion, cars can sneak up on you, and I don’t want to become a hood emblem for a Winston Cup car. Many others aren’t as careful, and I constantly worry that a disaster is just a race away.

Though most fans in the garage are as considerate and non-intrusive as I, there are a few who act with total disregard to anyone else. You can spot this crowd running around frantically when a pen in one hand and something to autograph in the other. These people often don’t care who they trample, if the right driver walks by. Drivers like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. must either run or push their way from the back of their haulers to the garage, and even in the garage, they are sometimes besieged. I have seen more than one idiot put a pen in a driver’s face when he was getting out of his car.

The result of behavior like this is irritated drivers fearing for their safety and NASCAR wondering how to keep everyone safe, boneheads included, while keeping sponsors and fans happy with access.

My solution is simple. First, I would ban autographs, except in designated areas during designated periods, i.e. once the crews are finished working for the day. Second, I would encourage NASCAR officials to revoke the garage passes of anyone accosting the drivers or otherwise not following the rules, e.g. wandering around in restricted areas.

Fans with an appreciation of the value of a garage pass won’t have any trouble with these restrictions, and the boneheads would either give up or conform. This would result in a more relaxed, pleasant and safe environment for everyone in the garage. In Tony’s case, it would have greatly reduced the chance of someone creating a confrontation with him.

Grandstand Bob Profile and Past Columns

note: This opinions expressed in this column are those of writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of ARS Racing Outlet or its parent company, amI, Inc.