Parking - The Real Story
 

I’m glad to have an opportunity to explain how racer parking works at most tracks. Most of you folks remember that I traveled with several cars/drivers for years across the country. My rig was used to provide electricity, air, and spare parts warehouse for as many as five team cars. We carried 3 cars in one rig, while the other two were towed either with a motor home or a pickup. I didn’t care where we were pitted, so long as we could pit together. Most of the time, we were parked out in the boonies, but we realized that as long as we were “inside the gate” we had an opportunity to win the race. We understood that we had no chance of winning if we were refused admission to the race.

One memory that I will never forget is when we pulled into the Dallas Motorplex at 8:15 p.m. The track recording stated that the racer gates would be open until 9:00 p.m. I made a wide right turn to get my long rig into the racer gate. If you’ve ever raced at Dallas, you know how sharp that turn is. When I got to the ticket booth to pick up my credentials packet, I was told that the “gate lady” had just shut down for the night, and that I would have to back my rigs out to the road and park in the spectator parking lot for the night.

Realizing that it would be extremely difficult to jack knife the toter home/trailer, I asked the guard to allow me to pull forward to make a U-Turn. He rudely shouted, “I told you to back that damn rig up!” My reaction was to shut off the engine before I abandoned the driver’s seat. The guard immediately called for the police when I stepped out of the rig. I sat patiently, with my arms folded, waiting for the officer to arrive.

As the lawman approached the ticket booth, the guard shouted, “I told him to back his rig up, and he got out to whip my ***!” The officer reached for his weapon as I began to explain, “Now calm down officer. I simply requested that I be allowed to pull forward to make a U-Turn because my rig is too long to safely back onto the highway. I only got out of the driver’s seat to let the guard hop in to back it up, since he thought it must be real easy to do.” The stunned officer frowned at the guard and motioned for me to get back in my rig and make the U-Turn. As I climbed back in I could hear him chiding the guard for being such a butt-hole.

We parked for the night in the parking lot, and then made our way into the pits the next morning. Word spread about my gate episode and I was led to a parking spot in the tall grass way past the scales. I thanked the parking attendant for giving us such a quiet place, and for not parking us with the rest of those loud racecars on the hot asphalt. “This is beautiful,” I exclaimed to the stunned attendant. “We have this pasture all to ourselves.” To make an already long story shorter, I had a smile a mile long on Sunday night when the photographer took my photo in the winner’s circle!

On another occasion, I was pitted for the Jeg’s All Stars in a rather low area at the Columbus racetrack. Being from Louisiana, and looking for parking on higher ground in case of a big rainstorm, I asked to be moved out of “the hole”. “All I have is parking you at the back end entrance gate,” came the parker’s reply. “That would put you almost a mile from the starting line.” I accepted the offer of higher ground, even though it was so far away. The next evening, several motor homes and trailers were flooded in the prime spot that I held earlier.

From a track owner’s perspective, you need to look at parking from the racer’s perspective.

Here is the track owner’s perspective on limited asphalt pit areas:
1. Race team sponsors (Lucas, Jegs, Mosier, etc)
2. Track Sponsors (Teuton, Hidalgo, Cummins, etc)
3. TAD & TAFC
4. Comp
5. Top Sportsman
6. Top Dragster

The track should work with teams that need to park together. Some racers use the same crew chief; others use one generator/air compressor for multiple pit areas. What fun is it for you to travel hundreds of miles to be with your racing buddies, only to be parked ½-mile away from your friends. That is why tracks should do their best to accommodate the racers. While one may give up a “prime” parking spot to be with his fellow racers, the fact that the event is more about pitting with your friends should be acknowledged, and accommodated if at all practical.

Most sportsman racers hold down full-time jobs. By allowing buddies to park and save a spot or two for their fellow racers who have to work, the racers have the opportunity to make an extra day or two of pay. There is give-and-take that needs to work to accomplish this: Give up a “prime” spot for arriving early so that you can take a spot or two for your working racers further back in the pits.

And, just so you all understand, parking is the most dreaded activity of a track owner’s weekend. I’ve heard the whole list:
Why can’t I park on the asphalt? (because you’re not racing one of the reserved classes)
My rig is leaning. Can’t you put me on some level ground? (use leveling blocks)
Why do I have to park on these rocks? (because you won’t like the mud when it rains)
Can’t I get closer to the starting line? (get you a comp car)
Why is that stocker parked on the asphalt? (because his daddy is one of our biggest sponsors)
Why can’t I park over there? (because you will have to be pulled out if it rains)
Why you let him save a spot? (because his brother has to work until Friday)
This spot is too noisy. (sorry… this is a race track… not a scenic lake)
You got to move me. I can’t park next to that prick. (flip a coin to see which prick has to move)
And the list goes on, and on, and on, and on….

My last bit of advice…
Unless you are parked in an unsafe area (fire, flood, etc), get your race attitude in a winning mode. Don’t worry about where you are parked (or where the other guy is pitted). Acknowledge to yourself that you are “inside” the gate, and no matter where you are parked, you intend to win the next round. If you fill your head with anxiety and frustration, you leave no room for concentrating on your next round, which you need to do to wind up parking your ride in the most primo spot after the race… the winner’s circle.

Pat “No Problem” Joffrion
4308 SS/KA (retired from driving. Turned ride over to local bracket racer to have some fun)

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Pat, that should about cover it! Thanks!

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Why do classes that are allowed to be towed to the staging lanes get to park closer than classes that have to drive up? That never made sense to me, and especially last weekend when we were parked two miles from the starting line. (In fairness, they did allow us to be towed part way up to the lanes if you had ability to do so.) I would think those that can tow could be parked further away -as it is now, those of us who are not allowed to be towed are parked as far away as possible. Seems inconsiderate at best.

Other than that, a lot of good points. We never argue "saving a spot" as we have done it and had it done for us. IHRA is very liberal in allowing this and it's one of the perks we appreciate when we race with them.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Pat : I understand everything you have said although I disagree with some of what you have said. If I am one of the very first racers in line left work early to get a spot for pitting so my clients can come by and see a race , how come I can't get my choice pit spot ? I don't have a clue what situation your parkers may have with other racers , yet I am told to park in a spot I don't want to only to see the spot not being used until a another racer parks there that has no what so ever so called "special situation" then what?

or let me say this if you came into my friends restaurant and he sit you near the toilets after saying oh we are saving the other spots for another racer even not knowing if that racer shows up or when how would you feel? How does a track parker even know who is what ? Now here in the west the pits are very dirty. A track should have clean pit spaces period >

The flawed thinking on a track owners part is who is important or who is not ? who is going to show when ? and we don't know any thing about your situation with any racer only you know so a racer gets upset about where they are parked . ok so I know the winning attitude is what it is all about so let any one park where they want and let the "Special racer worry about the winning altitude" if he gets into the track late and see what happens ?

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

I was gone for several years. When did the comp guys get to be so important? And why? We used to all park together.

And top sportsman and top dragster? They are just dial-your-own bracket racers once they qualify. Does anybody ever not qualify?

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Pat, I understand the Sponsors getting the perks and I agree with those spots being saved but please explain to me what the difference is in the Sportsman Categories. Sportsman is Sportsman. I sort of understand the difference with TAD and TAFC but I have a hard time with the difference with the others.
Especially the NEW categories of TS and TD. What makes those categories special? Because they spend more money to go faster and that gives them special treatment?
I have skipped Division races recently because the tracks hold 60 spots or more for TS and TD and half that many show up. Then the Comp, TAD and TAFC racers use those empty spots for parking and storage. A total waste.
I have helped park at Divisional races before and I know what a pain it is and how some racer's can be on their parking spot. I am also one of those racers who looks at the Special Treatment of certain classes and I do not care for it. First Come First Served for the better spots with the exception of the Sponsors Spots would go a long way to have more Happy Racers.
Remember what NHRA stands for No Happy Racers Allowed!
Just My 2 Cents And Experience

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

I say all 32 cars fields in ever sportsman class's.except AFC/TAD, Then qualifying would mean something then nobody would qualify on the bottom deliberately.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

And something else that hasn't been brought up yet, but is becoming more and more of an issue as of late.

Parking classes together means they are all gone at once to the staging lanes, leaving rows of trailers and motorhomes abandoned at once. There is no need to pit classes together. We should all be interspersed so there are not complete vacancies of areas leaving unattended trailer after trailer open for those with ill-intentions ability to rob riot and loot in our absence.

This is becoming a big problem and the way we are parked is making it easier for those to come and steal when no one is around.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Have you ever noticed how qualifying sheets start with the number 1 qualifier?
Have you ever noticed how most press releases give the qualifying sequence of:
Top Fuel
Funny Car
Pro Stock
Pro Stock Bike
Pro Mod
Top Alcohol Dragster
Top Alcohol Funny Car
Competition Eliminator
-----------------------------
Top Sportsman
Top Dragster
Super Comp
Super Gas
Super Street
Super Stock
Stock Eliminator

Have you ever noticed how the top-eight of the above sequence gets the best parking area at national events?
Have you ever noticed that the remaining bottom-seven pretty much follow in order for the rest of the parking area?
Have you any idea how much the cost of a racecar operation gets higher as you go up on the list? (well maybe not so for super street, but some would disagree)
Can you draw a reasonable conclusion that the more you spend on your race car, the better parking spot you get?
Have you ever noticed how at a charity event, the largest donors get to sit at the front, closest to the stage?
Why is that so when everybody at the charity event paid the same price for the banquet ticket? (and the biggest donors who put on the banquet probably got in for free)

The comments about parking remind me about something I was told over 50 years ago. I remember once, as an innocent young child, asking our domestic Mammy, why it was that her skin was black, but the bottoms of her feet were white? She simply replied, “It just be’s dat way.”

The bottoms of her feet and pit parking have one thing in common: IT JUST BE’S DAT WAY. Fifty years later, the translation is simply: IT IS WHAT IT IS. Let the big boys have their concrete and asphalt. I always had more fun parking in the grass. Besides, my beer bottles don’t break when they fall on grass.

And Beth, you are so right about mixing the various categories. We’ve never had a theft incident at No Problem since we started mixing the cars on the asphalt and on the grass. That point needs to be addressed to all division directors and track managers.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Mr. Pat,

I heard that you and Linda were in a bad wreck on I-10 last month. Any update?

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

I would differ with you on the cost of most compettive Super Stockers (not mine, I'm doing it on the cheap) versus most .90 cars, and race results don't list them ahead of the Super Stock and Stock cars. Doesn't take much money or talent, to put a big block Chevy on a stick and run eights. Takes even less to take a big block and run nines. Near zero to run tens.

The alky cars, I understand. They actully race heads up, fast guy wins. They come closer to putting butts in the bleachers than the rest of us.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Ed,

I agree with that point. I know firsthand how much it costs to run even a slow super stocker.

Sally,

Linda and I were headed back to the track after a week home in Orange Beach. I stopped for a 6-car pileup right in front of us, avoiding hitting the truck in front of me. But a driver watching a cruise ship pull out of Mobile Bay hit us at full speed. I was knocked unconscious and taken by ambulance to the hospital. Linda and the pups got by with slight injuries, but I have been back and forth to doctors and therapy for a concussion, neck injury, and a torn right shoulder.

Linda has a pinched nerve in her back, but therapy seems to be helping. My short-term memory is getting better, but unfortunately, I still have a long-term debt on the racetrack which I can't seem to forget. :)

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

First Off Lets Talk Sportsman, Nothing Else
Pat," Have You Ever Noticed What Happened" in the past is not an answer to the issue.
Just because it is the way it happened in the past does not make it right just as you noted referring to blacks which some could take offense to.

You are one in a position to know happy racers show up to you track because of the way they are treated and they tell their friends. I have skipped races and continue to do so today as we trade posts I am skipping one because of treatment at a track. I will never go back there due to an issue several years back as long as the current owner/manager remains. I race for enjoyment and some tracks do not make it enjoyable and I can control where I go spend my $$$$. Being retired I can pick and choose anywhere across the country to go have fun. I do not know any Sportsman Racer who does it for the money or for a living and from your comments about working and saving a spot you must not either.

From Comp down (not including Comp) on your list there are cars in each of those categories which are worth about the same so justify to me why TS and TD get preference. Not just because it has always been that way or Have You Ever Noticed.
I have noticed!

I guess your philosophy on the issue is the guy with the most money in his car parks better.
That does not make it right, I am sorry.
Just My 2 Cents
Rick Cates
Canyon, TX

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Pat, your story was great about the scene at the gate. One fact remains--success is the best revenge. Your winning attitude kept you focused and enhanced your chances of winning rounds and the final. That was the reward for keeping the lid on. I've always laughed at how easy it is to outsmart the typical security guard. In fact,the only difference between the security guard and the janitor is the fact that one wears a better jacket. Decades ago, to the delight of a bunch of us racers at Orange County, a couple of El Toro Marines gave one of Charlie Allen's little big shots a real good education on manners, with a facial rearranging to boot. Your handling of your situation was classic.Good luck with the rest of your season!!

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

T/D and T/S are just another spectator "Class" (these cars are FAST at that means spectators) to push the stock and Super Stock cars further out of the picture. Just as the .90 cars did to the modified cars years ago and the associations and tracks will kiss their ***** to get them to come and be premadonnas for a little while. If it wasnt for the money collected the class legal cars days would be numbered. They are old news to the younger crowd. Look around.....we are OLD and getting older. Todays spectator doesnt know or care if the car has a 283 or a 426 Hemi under the hood. All they want to see is a fast show (entertainment). Its all about the easy entry money and associated expenses the associations are collecting. No real tech problems other than safety items and they dont have to have tech inspectors with the knowledge to do the job of tear downs. The Alcohol cars are there to keep the track from rusting.....

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Rick,

First, anybody that knows me well enough knows that I was not referring to blacks in a derogatory manner. I was explaining what my “Momma Jo” taught me about life. She and her family were intermingled with mine, and there is only respect in my writing about what actually happened. Momma Jo made every one of our weddings, my two sister’s funerals, and my mother’s funeral. And when she passed, she had seven white pall-bearers (me & my 6 brothers) and her grandson to carry her coffin. So please, let’s get it straight. It be’s what it be’s.

Next, it is not my philosophy that the guy with the most money in his car parks better. I don’t understand what would make you think from my postings that I agree with the way things are. I’m simply stating what I have observed. For the record, I have always refused to accept cash from racers for a better parking spot. Just this past March, one financially successful racer put $500.00 in my shirt pocket and asked that I park him on the asphalt. I politely put his cash right back into his hand, and told the gentleman that the parking was determined by NHRA, and that even the track owner cannot change that. I parked him in the next available spot, but not on the asphalt.

I always do the best that I can to accommodate the racers. Sometimes though, even my best efforts leave some feeling left out in the cold. I wish I had the money to pave the entire pit area. Several years ago I added an asphalt road and side lanes down through the sportsman pit area past the time slip booth. This project helped the racers get in and out of their pit area without the worry of driving through the dust or mud. If the proposed oil/gas well at the track comes through, I intened to use the black gold to add more black asphalt in the pits.

The sad fact is that some track owners just don’t give a damn about the sportsmen racers, or their pit areas. However, there are a handful of us that do. The entire basis of my post is to state the facts about why I allow friends to hold spaces for their working buddies, and to help racers realize that they can win the event no matter where they are parked.

By the way, if any racer would like to work on my parking crew for any of our NHRA events, give me a call. I am really serious! If a racer can come to the track on Tuesday to help out, I am willing to give him/her a free entry for his/her services. My cell number is (985) 665-7145.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

FWIW, we have two big dogs - you couldn't pay me enough to pit on asphalt and we have turned down paved parking in leiu of grass for their general comfort.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

The TS and TD car put nobody in the stands. If the do, where are they?? They must be hiding, they aren't sitting in the stands. The stands are always pretty much empty at div points races.

And nobody watches the .90 cars. At the national events, when they come up the last few people in the stands leave. No mater how fast they run at the finish line, there are several small block doors in Super Stock that run quicker, and they don't take off, almost die, then go again. They sell them a lot of pit passes and car entries, but not spectators. Not in div 4 anyway. Nobody care how close they may be at the finish line, that's not where they are sitting. It looks dumb as heck where they are sitting. That's racing dumbed way down. "Build anything you want, but don't run quicker than XX.90".

Divisional races used to pack them in, but Top Fuel and Pro Stock used to also run WCS races.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

No arument from me. I agree 1000% but the tracks and associations look at it in a different light. They are "filler" for the Pro junk at National events and easy to tech and squeeze more money (entrys, chassis certs, license, car numbers, memberships, friends and family with them as crew, and anything else they can come up with) from them at the points races. One reason is the grade points that are required at the National events. The only spectators usually at the points races and a great race like the Dutch Classic at Maple Grove are the real diehard (like me) stock/S/S fans, friends and family of the racers.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Pat, what I took from your post listing "The Real Story" and by how many times you used the quote "Have You Ever Noticed" was that you thought just because it was done this way in the past why change it. It is what it is.

I do not agree with the special treatment the TD and TS racers have been given. I have friends who run TS and have told them the same thing. I also have more money in my car than a couple of the friends have it their TS cars. They just took their SG cars and added the NOS system to run fast enough to meet the ET requirement for TS. I see no difference between any of the Sportsman classes other than the TAD and TAFC cars. All the other classes should be on a level playing field for parking. First come first served basis.

You mentioned the cost of the cars. Drooze on this site claims to have almost $140,000 in his stock Challenger. If you park by car costs he should be parked with TAD and TAFC as he is close in cost to their cars.

If we do not change we get left out as the world changes. I think that is what NHRA was trying to do with TS and TD but all they really did was rob from SC and SG. I do not see any new race teams in TD or TS. One track manager also mentioned to me that all it did for the Track Owners was add two more pay out classes to the Division races and no new revenue to support the payout. Change is needed in NHRA and drag racing in general to bring in new racers. Like some in this post has noted the current age of racers are getting older and there are few new and young racers to replace them.

I have not been to your track but I hear very good things about it and how friendly it is to race there. I will plan to visit you in the next year or so as long as I can keep the racing going. As I mentioned in the earlier post I am retired now so I can pick and choose where and when I race. It is just all for fun and when the fun is gone so is the race car.
Rick

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

I think that most sportsman racers know that we are not going to get a good parking spot.
It would be a lot easier for us to swallow if the parking attendants wouldn't scream at us and treat us like farm animals after we have busted our asses to get to the race. Just a little bit of courtesy and kindness extended at this time by the parking people will go a long way to stop some of the tension.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

I even agree to a certain extend if a racer is a sponsor of some sort ,but I have seen a "racer sponsoring the parking people "to the extend that the parking person called this racer to see if a racer could park in a certain area??? what is this all about hmm looks like some sort of under the table assistance or in some areas it is called a bribe? One race track we were first in line and the parking person actually had to the nerve to call the Drag strip manager to see who could park where and the manager had the nerve to say on the radio ,as we heard it hold on let me call the other racer to see if we can park this racer there > wow Were we blown away , if we had not towed 800 miles one way to race I would have simply left but after a fight we got to park where we wanted to . Now this is not the way to run a track especially if the track only has minimum amount of so called " clean" pit spaces meaning no dirt, no hills etc. Now that is another story about the pit parking .

In My opinion the Number One problem and responsibility of a track strip is to make sure the racers have a good pit space .cause the very first thing just about everyone wants is a good pit space , if this wasn't not true then why does everyone get there early ??? NHRA and The drag strip personnel always says why does everyone get to the track early dud your track does not have enough "clean" pit space for YOUR customers ,very simple take care of your customers to make sure they are happy seems to me to be a sure thing to success with more income coming in for your business >

another situation that really cracks us up is how the parking person saids follow me to the pit space and then proceeds to guided you in between the lines like we as racers can't park our selves ??? I don't like a person to be my so called guider as i had a bad guider one time on my new Goldrush and he caused as i was so called relying on him to watch well he guided me right into a scratch in the side of my trailer , so parking people say this racer park between the lines no overhang into the other person pit and leave go get some one else to park is very simple, NO Overhang of your kick outs into the other racers pit space ,you move your rv in your space don't make me hit your kick out in my pit space is just common sense

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

a+

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

Pat

First off i would like to say, I hope you & your wife are on your way to a full recovery from your accident. I know back pain can be very serious.

I'm from Div. 1 & yes you cannot save spots for your friends if you can't get there early like they can. One of my friends is retired & he gets to a points race on a wed. because they have test n tune on thursday & the race starts on friday.
In most cases the places are packed by the time i get there so then i'm parked way up top end which really i don't mind, but i do mind when my truck gets a flat tire at 1 race & the next race my trailer gets a flat tire.

Now i think the track owners should make sure there are No nails or glass in the area that you have to park in. As fast as they want you to park your rig because the next guy is waiting for you to get done, you really don't have time to scope the area for things that will give you a flat tire.

Well, take care Pat & hopefully you & your wife are doing better.

Pistol Pete
1374- Stock

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

parking accord is just as tough as getting class racers to agree on anything...everyone has his own agenda... everyone thinks thier circumstance is different and deserves special treatment. i am surprised pat actually treid to talk sensibly about it, hell he should know better than ANYONE on here you cant make everyone happy.

with that said i agree with several items mentioned
1. save the spot for a freind - why not ?
2. sponsors should get perks
3. if youve got a spot, quit bitchin'
4. mix the classes so areas are not empty at any one time
5. keep me away from the pros
6. guys with small open trailers can fill holes, use them

jack mccarthy

last two rules :
a. you dont own the pits, youre just a weekend renter
b. dont piss pat off he'll pit you with the alligators :)

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

As a sportsman owner (Brackets) I agree with everything except saving spaces. I try to get as close to the staging lanes as possible. I have health problems and cannot walk far. I am not asking for special treatment because I get there very early to make sure I get the spot I want or close to it. I have told friends I will not save spots because I do not believe in it. I believe if you get there early you can have any spot you want as long as it fits the tracks rules. ;)

But if someone has the spot I wanted and stops me from parking next to them because "I'm saving this spot for a friend". Thats not fair to others and is pretty much being a jerk in my book.:mad:

I'm sorry if this hurts someones feelings, but this is how I feel.

Re: Parking - The Real Story
 

I pretty much agree with everything Steve Prado just said.