Fan Favorites

 One of the most interesting aspects of last week’s NASCAR race at Atlanta Motor Speedway was the noise made by Chase Elliott’s fans at the track.

 The AMS crowd was kind of slim, something I attribute to running the race in the hot afternoon as opposed to under the lights when it was much cooler.

 Still, every time Chase made a pass for the lead or won a Stage, there was a noticeable roar from the grandstands.

 In his winner’s interview on TV, Elliott gave a shout out to his noisy fans.

 Chase, like his dad, has a way of making fans feel like he’s one of them. It helps that he’s good behind the wheel too, but there are a lot of drivers that are good behind the wheel yet draw more boos than cheers.

 I believe race fans at all levels of the sport are drawn more by the personalities of the drivers than the equipment they drive or the tactics and strategies of the races themselves. (Sports car racing might be an exception to that kind of thinking.)

 Now that I’m pretty much out of professional journalism, I go to Senoia Raceway on Saturday nights for two reasons: 1. Visit with my friends, and 2. Watch drivers I personally know.

 Most weeks I couldn’t tell you the names of the drivers who just won the races I watched.

 Occasionally, one of the drivers I watch wins a race or competes for the win. Some are lucky just to be within sight of the leaders. I watch them every lap, whether they’re in the front or bringing up the rear.

 Lately, I’ve been following one of my neighbors, Brad Betsill, as he competes in a class for newcomers at Senoia.

  I don’t think I’m the only one. I can detect a cheer from the grandstand when he’s introduced.

 Several of his friends and relatives have ponied up money to sponsor his racing.

 None appear to be seeking any new business in return. They’re just helping him race.

 No matter how he does in his race, Brad is laughing and happy afterward. He even jokes that his dad Keith has to keep his body hammer in the freezer because it gets so hot knocking out all the dents he puts in his race car on Saturday nights.

 Several, including me, have taken to calling him “Dale” as in Earnhardt.

 One of the challenges for racing promoters is to find a way to get people who come to the races to watch their friend or neighbor to be just as interested in the rest of the racing program.

 A good start would be letting fans know more about who the drivers are away from the race track. That’s also something the media could do a better job of.

Spending time away from the track with race drivers is one of the things I miss about my days on the road with NASCAR.

 I did get enough access to know that Jimmie Johnson is not vanilla, Tony Stewart is really a softie at heart, Ryan Newman is a pretty good farmer and that Richard Petty was and still is one of the smartest people in the NASCAR garage.

 




 

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