The Trial and Tribulations of Being a Drag Racing Fan

It can be exhilarating to watch or be involved with drag racing. You're able to view it on television without many of the delays that happen in person and if you have a DVR, it can be downright fun. When viewing TV, if you have surround sound and a big screen in HD, it's almost like being there ... almost. So to really be able to enjoy drag racing, you truly need to be at the drags. The ability to see and hear the sights and sounds combined with smells, are unlike any event known to man. I've been lucky enough to stand between two ground-pounding Top Fuelers and nothing, I mean nothing, can compare. The hair stands up, the goose bumps are like mountains and if you can breath, the smell is well, there's no drug that could possibly compare.

With that said, in truth, a drag racing fan has more delays watching an event than a foggy Winter day at O'Hare. If you want to watch a televised race, you'd better hope the heck the women's ping pong championship from Beijing isn't on. And when you set that DVR for a NHRA drag race ... good luck enjoying that preliminary soccer match from beautiful Bogota. Now you decide to see it in person - that's what real drag racing fans do for real drag races, right? OK then, just sit back relax, enjoy that expensive hot dog and beer because the track cleanup could take a awhile and God-forbid you're at a divisional meet or maybe Nostalgia meet, oh the humanity! Yes, tens of thousands of fans came everyday for last years March Meet and the fast approaching meet reminded me that patience was pushed to the brink and is the impetus for this story.

Trying to be a drag racing fan is both a love and a miserable existence all rolled up into one. But unlike other sports and endeavors, the lure and draw is more like your first car; you love it with fond memories but when you think of all the hassles and troubles, you wonder why you'd even care - but it is your first and you have a special place in your heart forever, regardless of the tribulations. Thank God, drag racing fans are the most loyal in all of marketing because they are abused more than any other fans.

Now pardon me, I have to stop and listen to a Top Fueler warm up - yea, it's only a few feet away ... cough cough. Aaaaah, could that be why these consumers keep coming back for more?