Drunks In The Stands (1 Viewer)

[Butch]

Today Haley and myself took a friend to Firebird. This was a first for my friend to attend a drag race. Thanks to all the stupid A$$ drunks it put a bad view on a first impression. I drink but when I go to a sporting event I'm there to see the action not get falling down drunk. By the time the finals came around the two guys by us could not stand up. I say if you want to drink to the point of intoxication stay home, and let the real racers and fans enjoy the day.

 

[rocketman]

I here you Harry, Many drunks have chased a lot of good would-be fans away, instant A-hole just add alcohol. It must have been a bad scene for you to be writing about it.

Fortunately, this isn't as bad of a problem that it use to be in the 70's and 80's. In Seattle it wasn't the noise that almost closed the track it was the drunks. The drunks didn't do us racers any favors in Portland either.

The best cure for the is to make it known that the cops will be lined up to pull over drunks after the race. Then line up the cop cars after the race and stop'em once they get on the highway. Another thing they need to do is not sell beer in the popcorn containers. That's like giving a chimp a loaded shot gun.

 

[Gary H]

I thought there were more drunks this year than in past years, a couple by us were pretty rude.. to say the least..

 

[The Counterfeiter]

Today Haley and myself took a friend to Firebird. This was a first for my friend to attend a drag race. Thanks to all the stupid A$$ drunks it put a bad view on a first impression. I drink but when I go to a sporting event I'm there to see the action not get falling down drunk. By the time the finals came around the two guys by us could not stand up. I say if you want to drink to the point of intoxication stay home, and let the real racers and fans enjoy the day.

Harry - I'm not sure when the "no alcohol in the pits" rule disappeared, but we saw fans (?) with beer in hand in the Pro pits a 8:30 am! In past years, fans leaving the stands were not allowed to enter the pits with beer, and the beer area in the pro pits used to be fenced in with security - it's now wide open. What happens when a drunk that was sold beer in the pits gets injured or killed?
Drunks in the stands? - I don't even think about providing customers with tickets to NHRA or NASCAR events after so many similar experiences.

 

[waco flash]

I don't go anymore on sundays because of the drunks,instead I take the day off on friday,and go then.it's a better laided back atmosphere on fridays and you get to see everybody run!! then watch it on tv on sunday.Motorplex in Texas used to be dry,but they got around it,and now you have a lot of people walking around drinking making a fool of them selves on sunday.

 

[.]

It wasn't too bad where we were sitting but I know what you guys are talking about.

 

[rocketman]

"I don't go anymore on sundays because of the drunks,instead I take the day off on friday,and go then.it's a better laided back atmosphere on fridays and you get to see everybody run!! then watch it on tv on sunday."

That's pretty damn sad. I don't let them bother me.

One thing I would do though if I were king, is the first DUII you get 30 days in the slammer. The second one year. The third three years.

 

[TooTall999]

One of the worst races for this is Brainerd.I'm hoping the new owners really enforce the alcohol free areas in the stands.

 

[Just Paul]

One of the worst races for this is Brainerd.I'm hoping the new owners really enforce the alcohol free areas in the stands.

LMAO yaaaa. Don't matter anyways, the camper is only a short 4 wheeler ride away. The worst drunks don't make it to the stands at all. There are people that go and never watch a car run.

 

[Kellee Bradley]

I don't go anymore on sundays because of the drunks,instead I take the day off on friday,and go then.it's a better laided back atmosphere on fridays and you get to see everybody run!! then watch it on tv on sunday.

We do the same thing. It is a much better atmosphere on Friday.

 

[Rich]

I guess I've been lucky. I've been going to the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle for years and have never encountered a problem.

*knock on wood*

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

I see two problems with this:
First -- Who's driving these clowns home? Who's going to die because of them.

Second -- Why do I have to apologize to my family, women and children all day for their behavior and language? My only fault is buying seats surrounded by a bunch of folks who seem like they just tasted liquor for the first time and can't control their intake.

Prior to their killing our friends and family on the road home however, they can, at times, provide a measure of entertainment. Paul, Buzzz and I got to hear about the vastly superior Toyota 500 inch Top Fuel Motor that Scott Kalitta was running. Our wavering informer went on to tell us all that this Top Fuel Toyota power plant is also in his pickup in the parking lot? Who knew. When they called Comp to the lanes he proudly proclaimed that Pro Street was next up! He went on to make it clear that Pro Stock had a 568 cubic inch limit! Wow, is my rule book out of date! His stellar information flowed for one entire Pro session.
This lush was entertaining - almost to the point that I could stand being near him -- no, not that good.

 

[na]

I invited a friend to the Autolite Nationals in Sonoma in 2004 on a Saturday and at the end of the day he told me "interesting crowd here, not what I expected..but the cars were awesome!"

 

[Toejam]

As most of you who know me know I luv my Beer at the track. But I do police myself as far as how much I drink. However I still Maintain that every track should have a family/alcohol free section.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

As most of you who know me know I luv my Beer at the track. But I do police myself as far as how much I drink. However I still Maintain that every track should have a family/alcohol free section.

Sorry Joe but you don't qualify in the category of drinker we are speaking of. I've been around you in enough venues to know you are responsible. These clowns of whom we speak are in another blood alcohol level entirely!

 

[rocketman]

Rich, you must not have been around for"woodstock west: 64 funny cars" But yes I haven't noticed any drunkeness at Seattle in years. Ask force about the beer bottles and streaking back during the Wendy's days.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Seems like the only way you're going to keep anyone from drinking too much is to not allow it at all. That's a friend's rule at his bracket track for liability reasons. He pays off duty cops to walk around. One beer and you're outa there.

 

[Rich]

No, can't say I was around for the "woodstock west: 64 funny cars". And with beer bottles flying as you describe, perhaps I should be glad I wasn't.

Back in the early 90's I attended a couple of baseball games in Milwaukee. They had a program back then where designated drivers registered at a booth and were given identification tags. There was a real party atmosphere in the parking lot prior to the both games I attended, and the beer was certainly flowing freely, yet it all seemed pretty orderly. I noticed that the police were filtering among the tailgaters checking for designated drivers. During the game there was a drawing for the designated drivers and the winner received tickets for a future game (as I recall). If drunkeness is becoming a problem at some races perhaps those tracks should consider implementing a similar program.

 

[DLB]

I've only been to Bristol and Atlanta, and anyone who has been to both of those facilities can tell that Bristol is the nicer of the two.

BUT, Atlanta is a dry facility on the pit side as far as I know. I have never seen any drinking there.

The first year I went to Bristol from Atlanta and the people in front of me plopped down with a 12 pack I was about to freak. Then there's signs on the wall of the tunnel that says no beer on the pit side. WHAT DOES IT MATTER? A drunk is going to get hurt over there whether there is beer in hand or not!

So, Atlanta is preferred really for that reason.

DLB

 

[Carol Rix]

Seems like the only way you're going to keep anyone from drinking too much is to not allow it at all. That's a friend's rule at his bracket track for liability reasons. He pays off duty cops to walk around. One beer and you're outa there.

Now there is the answer! I know some people can control their intake but all are going to get in their cars and drive home!

Carol