Respect part 2: To whom much is given, much is required

The above phrase, while often attributed to John F. Kennedy is a condensed version of Luke 12:48. I’m not trying to get religious or metaphysical, but it’s an appropriate statement for many aspects of life, racing being one of them.

Let’s take the sole approach that fans go to see good racing. Now, I’m a believer it’s more than that, but the racing is certainly a major element if it isn’t the biggest one.

What happens on the track should amaze and astound. It should be something above and beyond the average person’s capabilities. There are always those who are “living the dream” but in most cases the drivers in the classes paying the most do things at a level the fan, nor I could do without a combination of serious practice, talent and money (or the ability to get it - a talent itself). Bottom line is, they are extraordinary feats and the further away from the reach of the average person the better.

And people pay proportionately for bigger and better in all walks of life.

I think one of the biggest mistakes promoters (and I mean all of them around here) have made is trying to promote the idea that no one class stands above another. In an effort to secure all that back gate goody, promoters - whether intentionally or not have been doing a good job knocking a David Copperfield illusion down to the level of rabbit out of a hat, just so not to offend the novice tricksters.

It’s due to fail for the simple fact that it’s not true. Get past the color of the money at the pit gate and four wheels on the car and the similarity ends. The fan sees this and any attempt to fool them is destructive behavior.

Asking for prime ticket and concession money to pay the expenses or running more and more classes is like watering down the booze at the bar. Pretty soon, it’s just plain ol’ H2O- something one can get anywhere and asking a premium is not just ridiculous, but offensive. Why go to the bar?

Why go to the track?

Entertainment (and paying for it) isn’t about watching what everyone else does. It’s about the magician, the actor, the larger-than-life character.

But with that comes higher expectations. For all the respect given by default there is an obligation to be filled in this implied contract. Simply participating isn’t allowed. Earning show-up points should be a bad night. Putting around the track isn’t acceptable, nor should it be. Racing to the level of your competition or just cherry picking to avoid tougher competition isn’t the way either - fans will see who the “also-rans” are pretty quick.

The risk must be greater, the cars faster, the racing more competitive. The machines never started out as something innocuous as a grocery getter. They’re pupose-built, or they’re modified beyond any practical purpose on the road. They aren’t driven to the track, they’re towed. They’re precise and every part is about going faster or safer. No extra bits. And the people who wheel them must have the skills, talent and courage to squeeze the most out of that. This is where the “heroes” reside and the fans want to see a house full of them.

The commitment level has to increase across the field as domination by one driver is as bad as ineptitude by all. Watching a rag-tag group of disproportionate competitiveness isn’t fair to the fans - they don’t want one hero, they want all of them to be heroes.

It’s that quest to continually elevate oneself - that is what is required and where respect is earned.

-Jason