Parking - The Real Story

[Jim Cimarolli]

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.

[Don Kennedy]

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

[dartman]

a+

[Pistol Pete]

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

[Jack McCarthy]

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

[Steves68Nova]

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.

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

[Bobby Zlatkin]

I pretty much agree with everything Steve Prado just said.