D . I . COLUMNIST The Real Deal with Tommy D ' Aprile
As I travel from race to race I always closely observe the race tracks I ’ m fortunate enough to visit : some are a little nicer than others , some with fancy towers and suites , some with extensive paved parking , some more grass , some mostly dirt . But what we see up front typically represents only the extent of a facility ’ s budget . I mean , you can buy the biggest and best drag strip in the country or the smallest little hole-in-the-wall track and both can be fun places to visit and race . But if I ask what ’ s the difference between the two most people will talk about how nice one is physically compared to the other . We compare things , but how many of us talk about the people we encounter at these places ? The fact is that people matter much more in the success of racing facilities than fancy control rooms or paved parking lots .
I remember visiting a tiny track with an equally tiny budget , but for some reason this place was packed every time I went . I wondered why , until I met the staff . They were like family to everyone they came in contact with , going out of their way to make everyone feel important and valued , and if there was ever a problem they would solve it immediately , free of any drama or runaround . This little place has been and continues to be very popular with racers and fans , and when people are asked why they keep coming back ; the answer is universal and simple : “ Because we ’ re always treated so well here !” Unfortunately , I ’ ve also visited some very large drag racing facilities with huge grandstands and only the best of the best in amenities , only to have been treated like a number with very little value attached .
Here is what I see in a nutshell . There ’ s no question we have very talented people doing tough jobs at various race tracks throughout the country , but unfortunately some have no people skills whatsoever . Time and time again I encounter the wrong attitudes running our racing facilities and frankly it ’ s pretty upsetting . It ’ s so frustrating to spend hard-earned money and give up time with loved ones and friends to participate , only to get treated like trash . Some of our tracks and management , even at the highest level of our sport , need to take a long , hard look at how they ’ re interacting with fans and racers .
Maybe some of you are track owners or work at a track . If so , ask yourself , are you there because you love it and want to do what ’ s best for everyone ? Or is it just an income generator or a job ? The answer is important because we really need more people who absolutely love being there . We are in the entertainment business and we need to be entertaining . This lack of personality in some quarters is costing our sport and its future .
Now I know racers will go racing even if they are treated like crap ; we just want to race . But I say loudly to please share this with track owners and workers , who although we appreciate what they do , we know it would be a good idea for them to step it up in the area of entertaining racers and fans . A great example of this can be found at Summit Motorsports Park up in Norwalk , Ohio , where the Bader family knows how to make their customers smile and feel good . A pound of ice cream for a dollar or coffee and donuts being delivered around the pits makes everyone feel good , and at the end of the day that ’ s something practically every track could manage .
I still remember the day I met Bill Bader Sr . He was president of IHRA at the time and he came through the pits and thanked us for coming to an event . I was shocked that he cared or even knew our names , but the impact was huge . So go the extra mile track owners ! Maybe even smile occasionally . It ’ s the simple things that people remember and we seldom see racers and fans being shown genuine appreciation . As a racer I go out of my way to make our fans feel special , so I ask that all you track owners and employees of these facilities do the same . The result will be a wonderful new experience that money just can ’ t buy . As always the choice is yours to make .
Email Tommy at tommyd @ dragillustrated . com
June 2017
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