Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I just read the news story on the suspension of Kurt Busch and one of his pit guys was sticking up for him saying that (to sum it up) at least he does not put on a face and he really lets you know how he feels. Really? This is right in line with the Schatz topic. Think about how long you would have your job if you treated a customer like the way Kurt Busch treated that reporter and Dr. Punch. And yes, those reporters are working for us, the customer. I know I deal with customers of ours everyday on the phone and it is very wise of me NOT to say what I am feeling. Trust me, my boss would rather I "put on a face" than express what I am truly feeling. Kurt, learn a lesson. Donny, treat the public (the paying customer) with some respect, even if you don't feel like it!

With respect to the Busch brothers, Sammy, et. al., I will always remember the good old days back in the 60s and 70s. When the USAC midgets visited Ascot Park in Gardena, it wasn't unusual to see legends like Mel Kenyon still talking with people and signing autographs a couple of hours after racing had concluded. It didn't matter if he'd had a great night or a lousy one. He was still available to the fans (without whom we wouldn't have a sport) and greeted each and every one with a big smile and time for them.

Tucson Osty

Never hit stationary objects!

I respect your opinion, but I will disagree with you. I think that many folks have jobs that are much more stressful than that of a sprint car driver. All drivers get into the sport because they are in love with doing it. They are not being jerks because they are stressed out. They are not being jerks because they had a bad night. The ones who are being jerks simply don't respect and appreciate the fans and feel they are better than those who approach them. Thank God this is a small minority and not the majority.

it is interesting to visit the pits of back gate racing events and compare the experience with professionals...particularly the ones that are under "so much pressure to win" they alienate fans and sponsors in the process.

Lincoln 1845 ft/.35 mile T1=118MPH 
Eldora 2287 ft/.43mile T3=135MPH
Port 2716 ft/.51 mile T3=TBD
Grove 2792 ft/.53 mile T3=135MPH
Selinsgrove 2847 ft/.54 mile T1=136MPH
"I didn't move to PA from El Paso in search of better 
weather." Van May

Who F-ing Cares!

If you don't like the way your treated or don't think you're getting your money's worth, find something else to do.

They don't owe they fans a thing and the fans don't owe them anything either.

Too many damn crybabies in this world! That goes for fans, drivers, athletes...whatever.

Their bad demeanor hurts themselves. Look at John Force. John raises more sponsorship money than anyone else because he ALWAYS has time for the sponsors, fans and press. It might be a good idea for all professionals to take a page from his book and do likewise.

John knows the power of marketing himself.

That reporter was digging a kurt with the kind of questions he was asking and got what he wanted! Kurt is a hot head plain and simple. I would rather him be real than just put on a face. Would you rather have all the drivers act like Jeff Gordan

Really?

Who F-ing cares? The sponsor cares. Pretty hard to find a sponsor that would "like" his driver or team to go out there and act like idiots.

We pay our hard earned money to see these guys race.

After the show is over I EXPECT the drivers to hang around and mingle with the fans.

We the fans support the teams, and alot of these guys seem to have forgotten that.

I am not a crybaby and couldn't care less how friendly the driver is to me to tell you the truth. Some folks do care and if they "find something else to do" (which it seems at some tracks and in some forms of racing, THEY ARE FINDING SOMETHING ELSE TO DO), i think that will inevitably hurt everyone involved. Me, you, the sponsors, the car owners, and the drivers. So, for the health of the sport that I love, maybe those that are acting like ass-hats to their fans, should start to wise up a bit and start kissing some butt! (though it seems to be a minority)

If I was a sponsor, would I rather have him act like Jeff Gordon or Kurt Busch? Is this a serious question, or are you being very sarcastic? I thought the reporter asked him a very straight forward question. It was about the race. Here a few very "real" things Kurt Busch could have said so that he could race this weekend:

1. Next question

2. No comment

3. I really don't want to answer that question right now.

or even

4. Give me a break. that's a dumb question. dont ask it again

Any of those responses, and he is racing this weekend and has a ride next year. You don't threaten to beat someone's ass because he does his job.

Jeff Gordan? Who is Jeff Gordan? And how the hell did Schatz get brought into another post? Jee, I wonder why.

Yeah, if all drivers acted like Jeff Gordon or John Force, it would be better for the fans. One grumpy egotistical never-my-fault driver is enough--Swindell. By the way, Force does not sign autographs anymore than anybody else at an NHRA event. The sponsors and NHRA require drivers to be available to sign autographs for set amounts of time and they don't spend one minute longer than they have too---they are very busy at an event.

Lawlessness + liberalism = HELL -  NYC, Detroit, Chicago, 
Seattle, LA  Who the H runs those cities. 

Yeah, an event which mingles the crowd with the pit area during work hours is a totally different topic. At this point, I think fans need to leave the drivers and crew members alone. They should be very focused on their upcoming race. So, it is cool that any driver would give you his or her full attention during the racing event. Way before the event, and after the event and at autograph sessions are where drivers need to lighten up. not during their work hours though.

Precisely the philosophy that helps sprint car racing maintain its bottom-feeder status while dirt tracks from coast to coast close their doors. There's a lot of worthless bravado in the "my way or the highway" mentality, but you'd better look around at what's happening and figure out that you get more flies with honey.

"I'd pay $15 to watch a sprint car sit still."

Sprint car racing is a bottom-feeder in the sports universe because of demographic change and the lack of the ability to see it by promoters. It has nothing to do with a driver not being all smiley-face when he signs an autograph for you or your kid. In fact, if you or your kids look to drivers as some sort of a role model or you get down because they don't acknowledge you, maybe the problem really lies in who you look up to.

Knoxville's attendance is crap at the weekly shows because, back in the day when Knoxville was considered to be "strong", they drew from the east and south sides of Des Moines and a bunch of towns from central Iowa. Now those towns are struggling to keep young people from the city and the city sections that used to provide fans are over-run with "minority" population, most of which don't speak english or have much use for whites unless they are using them as a caucasian pineta. (State Fair anyone?)

Bottom line is still that you buy a ticket to see a race. You shouldn't expect anything else. If you don't like it, voice your opinion by spending your money elsewhere. Maybe those in charge or those celebrity drivers will get the idea...or maybe they won't.

Do drivers' attitudes and conduct help or hurt their sponsors?

You'd better believe they can do both. I purchased Interstate Batteries religiously for my vehicles from the time the company started sponsoring racing operations until about three years ago when I stopped buying their products. Why? The on and off track antics of Kyle Busch. I've communicated that to Interstate; however, obviously their sales base hasn't been affected by his antics as they didn't bother to communicate with me.

Tucson Osty

Since Interstate's salesperson told me I didn't sell enough of their batteries in my store because I stocked two brands, I cured the problem immediately.Too bad we had to put some on the back seat. I'm between 2 national parts stores(100 yards,and 350 yards,respectively). I think it's a corporate attitude,these days....

There was a time in the past when you had to be part of a crew to be in the pits.The tracks wanted the $$$$, and they use it to pay the cars,so........the people pay a lot to "see" the pity action,and ,of course, they are gonna try to be involved.