RPW Column: An Open Letter To The Race Fans As The 2021 Season Draws Near

Column By: DANIEL SANCHEZ / RPW – FREEPORT, IL – Hello, for those of you who do not know me, my name is Daniel Sanchez and I race UMP Modifieds across the country.

Let me ask you. How many times have you heard a race winner at a track whether it be Monster Jam, NASCAR, or your local dirt track, say, “We could not do this if it weren’t for all you race fans”?

They may even say, “You are all the greatest fans in the world”. 2020 has been a true testament to both of those sayings.

2020 has been a tough year for all of us. We have lost the ability to go out and about, some of us lost our businesses, and many of us lost loved ones. Even with how divided everything in our lives has become.

I think we can all agree that sports, specifically dirt racing, bring us all together and for just a few short hours makes us forget about reality.

It was absolutely heart wrenching to see empty stands at the race tracks across the country this year. We raced, we crashed, we won, and it was almost always in front of nobody. Yes, live feeds and pay per views have allowed fans to still watch, but for the racers, we could not see you, the fans.

Tracks lost money all year and some did not even open. Pit gate fees were higher, payouts were lower, everything became more difficult. Some tracks were forced to remain closed all year. The track owners and promotors put up a brave and valiant effort to stay open and I am not taking anything away from them. The race fans are what makes the race cars go around.

When we are at the track, us racers want to put on a great show for the fans. We love celebrating with you. One driver in particular who comes to mind is TMAC, Tim McCreadie, when he wins, the first thing he does is slap the roof of his car in celebration and then points out to the crowd. He has such excitement and thanks all of the fans, every time he wins.

Check out his victory lane the next time he wins. Now, when the stands are empty as you could imagine it takes some of that excitement away. Race tracks like Eldora Speedway hung banners around the track saying, “We Miss You! The World’s Greatest Race Fans!”.

Racers all have a passion to race and to win but it is just not the same without you all there.

Concession stands cannot keep going without the fans. Tracks cannot keep going without fans. Racers can’t keep going without the fans. I can whole heartedly speak for the entire racing community when I say, we need you. This year we looked at empty stands.

In the coming years I really hope we are not looking at empty tracks. As a racer, this is what we do, this is what we love, and we simply cannot do it without you, the fans, who happen to be the greatest fans in the world.

Happy New Year and WE THE RACERS look forward to seeing YOU and spending time together at the race tracks in 2021.

Cheers!