Race-Attending Etiquette

I’ve attended a fair amount of races in my time (granted, I’m only 22), and it has occurred to me that many people are… inconsiderate.

*It should be noted that I considered using a much less delicate word in place of inconsiderate.

I know this may seem like I’m being overly sensitive to what others do, and you may even think I’m the one being rude for pointing this out.

But the things I’ve seen people do at races, both NASCAR and NHRA, have blown my mind.

In June, my mom and I sat behind some of the rudest people I have ever been near at an event.

Because of this, it lead me to believe that some people could use a resource for proper race-attending “etiquette.”

So, here it goes:

This is not okay.

1. Do not stand during the race. For a NASCAR race, it’s perfectly fine to stand during the first and last few laps. Cheer on your driver! That’s partially why you’re there, after all. Even stand during cautions. Try to find out what’s going on. Stretch, go to the bathroom, walk around—not much is happening during cautions laps. But when the race is in full action, sit your butt down. If you’re standing, the people behind you have to stand. The people behind them have to stand… and so on. And if those behind you decide not to stand (I’m that type of person because I don’t want to stand for the whole race—that’s why I purchased tickets for a seat), then that means they probably can’t see. I like to be able to see what I paid for, and I didn’t pay to see your back and butt. For a NHRA event, the same rule applies. Sit down. All it takes is a couple of people at the finish line to stand, then pretty much everyone needs to stand. Life would be so much easier if everyone just sat down!
   
   
2. Keep your trash to yourself. Too many times now, my favorite driver has been screwed over from winning a race because trash was on the grill of his car. I know accidents happen and things can get away from you, but I see way too much trash flying around. Yeah, yeah… it may be funny to cause a caution or to wreck someone’s chance at winning. But it’s really not. I don’t see trash flying around as often at NHRA events, but keep your trash to yourself there, too. If it gets on the track, the Safety Safari will have to pick it up, and it slows down the flow of the event.
   
   
3. Do not smoke in the stands. My father smokes, so I am used to it. I’m used to people doing the whole “fake cough” thing because they don’t like smoke getting blown in their face. I can see how it is rude to smoke in a grandstand full of people, especially if there are young children around. I fully understand that it is your right to smoke, but I suggest you just go down under the stands to smoke. You won’t miss much of the racing action.
   
   But keep in mind that the “fake cough” is rude, too.
   
   
4. Be patient in the parking lot. There are a lot of people at a racing event, but it might not always seem like that until you are actually trying to leave. When my mom and I went to Pocono Raceway, we waited nearly 30 minutes to get out of our parking spot just to get into the line to leave the track. Practice the rule of letting one person into the line. I know, I know. If you don’t let anyone in line, you may get out sooner. Trust me—you’re going to be waiting for a long time anyway, so you might as well be polite.
   
   On the flip side of this, also don’t be rude if you are the one trying to get into the line. If you see someone let a person into line, don’t make them let you out, too. I point this out because, sometimes when I let people into line, a lot of people try to take advantage of that opportunity.
   
   Long story short, everyone just wait your turn. You will get out of there eventually!
   
   
5. Be mindful of little kids. I mean several things with this statement. If you are the one with children, keep track of them. It’s difficult for those around you to enjoy the race when kids are running all over the place. I know they have a lot of energy, so take them underneath the stands and let them play for a little bit so they aren’t distracting everyone.
   
   If you don’t have kids but there are kids sitting behind you, try to make it so they can see. As mentioned previously, it’s not fun to have your only view be the back of a person’s head. When we were at Pocono, there were kids next to me. A man in front of these kids stood nearly the entire time. Those poor kids could not see, and that is not going to be a memorable experience for them.
   
   And finally, let kids go in front of you when you are in line for an autograph. This isn’t always necessary if it’s an organized autograph session (with wristbands or something). But if the driver(s) kind of seem to be in a rush, make sure the kids are able to meet them. This goes back to making the experience memorable for the kids. :)

That’s all I have!

Moral of the story—just remember to be courteous and thoughtful when you are at the track. I know it’s important to have fun (tons and tons of fun!), but that doesn’t mean you have to be rude to those around you. After all, they want to have fun, too!

What tips do you have for those going to an upcoming racing event?