Another offseason is about to expire and NASCAR racing will soon jump to the first green flag of the year at Daytona International Speedway. Fans got a jump start on that fluttering cloth this past weekend with the Thunder Fan Fest in the infield FanZone area at DIS at a bargain $15. The most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was there too.
“It always helps when the drivers are out and they're visible,” Earnhardt said. "We can be around the fans and give the fans an opportunity to be around us and have contact with us.”
Fan Fest consists of one night, one day where 28 NASCAR drivers rotate through question and answer sessions, autograph tables and media center appearances. Jeff Gordon explained the festive atmosphere.
"During these types of events, you really get to experience and see the most avid fans that you have, you know, and to still see the passion,” Gordon said. “That's what this sport was built on. That's what it's really all about. They're the ones that keep this thing going. It becomes so much more evident of what our responsibilities are back to those fans when you go through tough times in the economy, you're depending on your sponsors. But most importantly, it's all really depending on those fans up in the grandstands and watching at home, and this sport has become a very big business and expensive to do, and it all basically starts with the fan, the customer, and sponsors that see them as valuable customers and have an avid fan base.
“So to see them out there with all the cars and the shirts and standing in line and cheering and crying, it's always humbling and very cool to be a part of it.”
Kurt Busch welcomed fan moments with a realization too.
“It's good to be back and good to answer questions and get back in the groove, so to speak, and talking with the fans earlier in the Fan Zone," Busch said. "It hit me stronger today than it had in the months past, which is that Penske Racing is the only Dodge team, and that there are a lot of people that are following us even more closely because they were Dodge supporters but now they're Penske Racing and Dodge supporters. So that will be an interesting banner to carry."
David Ragan looked forward to the near future.
“It's a good opportunity for us to come down here and talk to you guys (media), see a few fans, sign a few autographs,” Ragan said. “Hopefully the end result is there's some extra buzz getting created around the Daytona 500 and everybody gets excited.”
Comments
This event wasn't "all for the fans" it was another way for the greedy heads of NASCAR to make money, this event should have been free because after all it was just to hype up NASCAR. Paying to see and get autographs from these millionaire drivers is a travesty. Maybe NASCAR should have donated the money to a deserving charity?
Dwight Drum has got to be on Nascar's payroll. All for the fans. Give me a break. Nascar hasn't given a damn about the fans for years. See the attendance figures for last year as proof. We are not as naive as you think Dwight. I used to go to 8-10 races a year. After the debacle at the Daytona 500 and the recent rule changes I will not spend my hard earned money on such a poor product where the powers to be couldn't care about me or my opinion. Have a great day.
AMEN to the above comments !
NASCAR sucks.
Correction....
AMEN to the COMMENTS BELOW.
The words of the writer of the article fall in line with the continuous barrage of NASCAR vomit.
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