The Weekly Reekie: The Importance Of Supporting Your Local Racing Business
By now you’ve probably seen the ‘Support Your Local Track’ T-shirt designed by Sick The Artist, Garrett Olsen. I love it. I bought one for every day of the week because you can never have too many black T-shirts and because the message is one that I care to spread.
Your track needs you! You only need to scour some of the recent headlines here to see that racetracks can and do disappear. Everybody loved Bandimere, Colorado, but it still had to shut down. Bradenton, Florida is facing an uncertain future with encroaching development. The new owners of the old Thompson Drag Raceway, Ohio just announced that it’s up for lease or sale.
I’m not gonna delve into which tracks have recently closed or which ones are endangered or even which ones are on the way back. That’s a different article for somebody with better knowledge of the landscape than me to write. This is more a call to you, anyone reading this who’s fortunate enough to have a track nearby: support your local track now or kick yourself later. Even if there are some things about it that are not ideal, don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s more important to look at the bigger picture. And the bigger picture could be of weeds growing over your dragstrip.
Here’s a list of suggestions for supporting your local track, some big and some small but all designed to help you avoid regret later on.
Do you support your local track?
- Socialize
We’ll start with an easy one. Follow your local track on social media. Engage with their posts. Like and share the good stuff. Be supportive in the comments section. Post your own content from the track and tag everyone involved. Write a constructive Google review. Hit send.
- Race
If you have the vehicle and the means then I don’t need to tell you to race at your local track as often as you can because you’ll be doing that anyway. Hopefully there’s nothing holding you back, like petty politics or stinky restrooms, because that would suck for all concerned. Life’s too short, don’t waste a chance to race.
- Spectate
Not a racer? Support your local track by showing up to watch. For added fun, bring along family and friends. For even more added fun, invite some sucker who’s never been to the dragstrip before. Introducing newbs to the sport is great because then you get to experience it afresh through their eyes. Get a beer from the concessions and cheers to the good life.
- Volunteer
Volunteer if you have the scope. Even a small race meeting needs a lot of staff, so an extra set of hands on race days and nights will always be welcome. Or maybe there’s opportunities on non-racing days to assist with upgrades to the facilities. If you have expertise in a specific area that could be beneficial to the track, maybe you could offer your services discounted or pro bono?
- Sponsor
If you own a successful local business, especially one that’s auto related, advertise it to race fans with a big sign at the racetrack. Sick The Mag just bought sponsorship of the right lane at Milan Dragway in Michigan, so there’s all kinds of opportunities out there. By supporting the local track, you are in turn likely to be supported by others who support those who support the local track.
- Promote
Racers need races. Maybe you’re the kind of go-getter that could help bolster the local racing community by organizing an event at the track? Reach out to the management with your own idea for a race meeting. Have a concept or a theme in mind, a list of classes you intend to run, find out what’s required, make it happen.
- Respect
Supporting your local track can come down to very basic stuff like being courteous to the staff and your fellow racers. Put your trash in the trash cans provided, clean up any fluids your car may have spilled, and don’t pee on toilet seats! Seriously, guys! Use the manners you were taught as an infant, it’s not that difficult.
Written by Matt Reekie.
