The Thin White Line

[croston71]

As I watched the starting line being sprinkled across the track at KC Speedway one October night, I thought to myself this is a business with a thin profit margin. A mishap on or off the track influences the outcome of the entire season or life time achievement !!! The ones closest to our hearts may struggle with finances cause of a lack of a retirement system in this form of racing( that I am aware of). The Bloomquist's & Moyer's may be considered at the top of the DLM game but who knows where they sit financially. I have not seen Billy in a few years after first meeting him at a 5'000 to win show in Crooksville, Ohio-Midway Speedway-Jim Dunn Memorial-a 750 or so/sew one way drive. I recall guys at the West Virginia State Championship Series at the now defunct Interstate 79 Speedway for $3,000 to win shows from the lower 48 states . The option of following the heart is ruled out cause of the cost of fuel. A man from my home town told me he had traveled to see George Jones a few times & he felt as though he had seen enough.
Are the Lucas Oil Shows only for local spectators or do we have a call of duty to sometimes follow our hearts so/sew hotel operators / fuel stations stay open to keep the economy running. I have read ten percent of all business are dependant upon the automotive industry !!!
I sure would enjoy bumping into Billy -Bob again !!!

[Bubba Smith]

YES...it's skeery if you stop and think about it. That's why we must all charge on forward in our lives.
Disreguard the past. Think about our young people and work for them. Racing sucks.

[ferd]

Racing as a business does have a very thin profit margin that can be erased in seconds during a mishap. Yet few race tracks have enough insurance or capital to weather such a storm. Even in 2012, many tracks are still running like fly-by-night operations. Then there’s the racers themselves, most of whom are spending – not making – money. Hobbies are great and I don’t begrudge anybody for spending their disposable income however they want. But the people who spend themselves into debt and have no money saved to fall back upon if needed are crazy. So are the ones who have no insurance, assume that track or organization insurance will take care of them, and still don’t use the best safety products available. One thing that favors tracks (and long promoted by NASCAR to the point of blacklisting drivers who threatened to unionize) is that racers do not work for them – they are privateers, and as such are solely responsible for their own futures (retirement). So I really appreciate all of the racers who put a lot on the line to entertain me, despite potential consequences. I just wish they’d trade a little emotion for some sense.

“do we have a call of duty to sometimes follow our hearts so/sew (sic) hotel operators / fuel stations stay open to keep the economy running(?)” No, we do not owe it to businesses to keep them profitable. They must earn our business, and deserve their successes and failures. Same with sanctioning bodies. If the show is consistently worth the travel and expenses to you then follow your heart. But as consumers we do not owe it to businesses to throw our money at them. Despite what all of the advertisers say, it’s your time and money and you need to be smart about it.

“Disreguard (sic) the past.” Bury your head in the sand? That’s a good way to repeat mistakes, and to get suckered by con men over and over again. Fine for you if you disrespect yourself that much. No so good for your family, and definitely not good advice for the masses.

[jchurch]

For 99%, racing is entertainment.....that goes for fans, participants and promoters.