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Friday, 06 June 2008 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
On Wednesday night, more than two-dozen of the best NASCAR drivers took part in the fourth annual Prelude to a Dream at Eldora Speedway.
While the racing was both thrilling and exciting, the multiple sorry excuses of humanity that existed on the other side of the catchfence was both abysmal and disappointing.
Never have I ever seen such a plethora of drunken belligerent people in my entire life.
Even more alarming was that these drunken fools, who barely had the motor skills to stick another Miller Lite up to their mouths, were doing so with their young children in tow. A fine example they set for the next generation of race fans.
Although the race sold out days in advanced, the track still sold general admission seats at the gate on race day.
To my knowledge those fans were to sit in the grassy areas at either end of the track.
Many of them never made it that far.
In fact, many stumbled and staggered their way in front of fans who bought reserved seats weeks, if not months ago.
When security wouldn’t move the people, fans in the reserved seating took it upon themselves to force people to move.
However, it wasn’t long until the idiots staggered back up to where they were.
Those that sat in the front row of the reserved seating in turn one likely never saw a single lap turned.
It got even worse. As we were leaving the track after the race, one hammered fan reached out with both hands and attempted to grope my girlfriend.
Don’t get me wrong. There were thousands upon thousands of real true race fans in attendance who showed up to watch a race and not to become a blabbering dolt. Unfortunately there were too many dolts in attendance.
There was one redeeming factor of the night however.
As we sat in the car in the parking lot, waiting to go, it was admittedly fun to watch the drunks stumble around in the wet mud in the pitch black parking lot, desperately searching for their cars in the dark while trying to maintain the ability to walk.
However, the humor of the event was quickly turned to tension as dozens of those who had just staggered by us were now swerving their way onto the roads — some with their young children on board I might add.
All told, it was sad sight to see. Grown adults, 30, 40, 50 years of age, acting like complete and utter morons.
For nearly all of my 24 years, and for the previous three Preludes, I have been proud to call myself a race fan.
On Wednesday night, I was not.
To see such a scene at an event that was run to raise money for the Victory Junction Gang Camp — a camp started by NASCAR driver Kyle Petty for terminally ill children, was a travesty.
As the race winded down I glanced around the section I was seated in.
Hundreds, if not thousands of people were paying no attention to the action on the track.
Many were guzzling back on their Millers, only stopping to slur some incoherent sentence to the person next to them.
What upsets me the most is that in all probability, there were hundreds of children in attendance who had never been to a NASCAR race; this was as close as they have gotten to see their heroes — and they were treated to those disgraceful people.
Simply put, I just don’t see why folks have to get sloshed to enjoy such a fantastic event.
To the two-dozen drivers who took time out of their immensely busy lives to come to our backyard for no payment, thank you — You are some of the greatest heroes of the sporting world.
To Tony Stewart, who tirelessly works to put on such an incredible event every year, thank you so much — You are one of the most generous people on the planet.
To the race “fans” who woke up Thursday morning without an inkling of what they did or saw Wednesday night at an event conceived to raise money for ill children, shame on you. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 07 June 2008 )
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