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Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com

Trends

Recent headlines spewed forth the glaring pain of Mike Skinner's family as they dealt with their son Jamie's drug problems with a major arrest. I wonder though if Mike Skinner weren't a famous NASCAR race car driver, and Jamie had never raced in a series, would Jamie have been such headlines? As with most limelights, the common sense in common courtesy failed to be present. Jamie's not racing in Nascar now. And Mike's a parent with a wife with a crisis in their family. Doesn't common sense dictate this is not a subject worthy of comment in an interview? Most admirably, as reported by Frontstretch, Mike Skinner responded firmly, "Jamie and I talked on the telephone but it was a conversation between me and my son that will be kept private." Bravo for Mike, that's class!

Another quote on Frontstretch by the King himself, Richard Petty, reinforces the lack of common sense in common courtesy among overzealous and determined race fans. Richard said, "They're not as discreet as they used to be. I guess it's just that society has changed, and they've changed along with it." This is one sad comment by a man most notably the "fan friendliest" driver/owner out there! Richard Petty set the standards for being fan friendly. Most drivers since have learned from his patience, his ever present smile (even in the midst of grief) and his never ending awareness that the fans made him as famous as he is, yet the fans now abuse that characteristic of one of the all-time greats. Just as our society HAS changed drastically, I guess the King is right: the fans have changed too. Instead of being grateful for the opportunities, and happy with something, fans want more and more of the drivers. With this behavior will come MORE and MORE restrictions to provide relief and control.

Are fans so arrogrant as to think they have the right to DEMAND someone's attention, autographs and time just because they are their fan or they're famous and anything from them is 'valuable'? Fans have changed. Fans view the value first and foremost. Some fans don't even like a driver but I have often heard many say, 'but it'll be valuable someday!'. Capitalizing on the popularity of someone is cheap and many fans have fallen for this marketing ploy. Viewing Ebay and other auction sites after the deaths of the drivers we've experienced in recent years (i.e. Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin, Greg Moore) prove that hardly anything is "sacred" anymore. Fan aggression appears to come from the glutting of the collectibles market of everything about a driver. And sponsors are to blame for most of this, since they know fans will buy everything, and more exposure means they will reap the profits.

Tony Stewart has recieved a great deal of heat for his "complaints" about a lack of privacy and the interference of fans in the garage area. Personally, I don't believe fans have any business in the garage area myself. Sure as a fan, it would be fascinating, but garage areas are places of business and team comraderie. Jobs need to be done, focus is imperative and distractions should be minimal. My experience in racing and the pits/garage areas is that fans hanging around and watching, chatting, seeking autographs etc. are a danger and a nuisance. Crews, drivers, owners all have to be aware of the "extra" presence and this is a distraction to their jobs and ultimately, to their safety and performances as well as the safety of the fans. Tony's attitude may have been an exaggeration on his behalf or a bad mood but nonetheless is noteworthy. Being "on stage" for all the world to critique is a drain on anyone!

Courtesy practically seems to be a lost art these days. Manners, discreetness, patience, being pleasant, kind spoken, and observing quietly all seem lost on todays fans. Drivers and their teams aren't the only victims of this "new" fan behavior either as fans in the stands complain about the outspoken and brash driver-bashing that takes place among each other! Even more fans who bring their families to this family-oriented sport, complain about the foul language, the drunkeness, the lack of consideration for children present. Seems to me all this is just another symptom of the lack of common sense in common courtesy. I surely hope fan behaviors will begin to turn around for the better. We fans need not take the same approach as the media has in recent years. The old saying that "you'll catch more flies with honey" is still true. The best interviews go to those the drivers respect for respecting them. Maybe, just maybe, we fans can reinstill the common sense in common courtesy. Now THAT would be refreshing!

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