Dozen fans banned for life from Talladega Superspeedway

AP (via Breitbart) ^ | May 2, 2007

[Mr. Mojo]

TALLADEGA, ALABAMA (TICKER) -- A dozen fans who threw debris at race winner Jeff Gordon's car on Sunday have been banned from Talladega Superspeedway for life.

Talladega Superspeedway president Grant Lynch said Wednesday that he will ask all other NASCAR facilities and ISC sister tracks to issue similar bans to the individuals.

"This is not the type of behavior Talladega Superspeedway will tolerate and therefore, these 12 individuals have been banned from Talladega Superspeedway from this point forward," Lynch said in a statement.

"We are also working with our legal counsel on additional ways to ensure these individuals do not commit these acts again on Talladega Superspeedway property," he added.

It did not take long for Lynch's appeal to be answered. Las Vegas Motor Speedway Chris Powell said Wednesday that the fans banned from Talladega would also be banned from all events at his track.

"There is absolutely no place in our sport for that kind of behavior," Powell said. "Grant and I have been friends for a long time, and I have a great deal of respect for what he is trying to do. I think we all have the best interest of our sport in mind in making this decision."

A total of 14 fans in the track's grandstand were arrested at the conclusion of Sunday's Aaron's 499 on disorderly conduct charges. All but two were determined to have been throwing objects such as beer cans and toilet paper at the car of Gordon.

The crowd at Talladega Superspeedway usually includes a strong contingent of fans of the late Dale Earnhardt and his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. A rival of the younger Earnhardt, Gordon moved past the elder Earnhardt with his 77th career win Sunday.

The dozen fans arrested for throwing objects were released after paying a $500 bond. Six were from Alabama, four from Georgia, one from North Carolina and one from Florida.

Some of those arrested pled guilty upon their arrest. Others have court dates pending in Talladega County.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yesterday I read that the 14 fans in question were banned from purchasing tickets in the future, which of course couldn't prevent them from getting tickets through a third party. Today's news is that they're banned from the track altogether. (Unenforceable, I suspect).

[cripplecreek]

I wish it could be enforced. The behavior of fans is one of the things that has always made me proud to be a NASCAR fan and idiots like them give us a bad name.

[LongElegantLegs]

Six were from Alabama, four from Georgia, one from North Carolina and one from Florida.

And only three teeth between them.

Kidding, kidding. I know Nascar's a very populal "sport".

[Right Wing Assault]

Dale Earnhardt would really have been proud of these a-holes, I bet. /s

[ThomasThomas]

Dose Talladega have viking kitties too?

[Road Warrior ‘04]

I’ll have to be careful in July when I head over to Daytona. But, then again, I don’t throw stuff on the track. Each person is allowed to bring a twelve pack in with them, plus they sell at the venue. No glass bottles. Security everywhere.

[Calvin Locke]

Maybe if NASCAR would stop looking like they fix the races all the time, the fans wouldn’t get so bent out of shape.

[RedsHunter]

A dozen fans who threw debris at race winner Jeff Gordon's car on Sunday ...

Maybe Tony Stewart's WWF crack was more on target than anyone knew.

[randog]

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Chris Powell said Wednesday that the fans banned from Talladega would also be banned from all events at his track.

That should be comforting to the besieged decent residents (resident?) of Las Vegas.

[Tribune7]

If they get caught at one the places they are banned, though, they would be facing a defiant trespass charge.

[don-o]

Say what!

You forgot a sarc tag or sumpin'

[South40]

If only it were enforceable.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

Maybe if NASCAR would stop looking like they fix the races all the time, the fans wouldn’t get so bent out of shape.

Another disgruntled Tony Stewart fan speaks! LOL

[HangnJudge]

And only three teeth between them.

Now, now, now
bad boy, baaaaaad stereotypes, BAD

I live in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and
I defy you to find many communities, anywhere
with a higher average educational attainment
or a better public school system

http://www.ornl.gov/
http://www.orcc.org/
http://www.hermitage.com/oakridge.html

[BurbankKarl]

I dont know...if those fans bought their tickets with credit cards, it wouldnt be a small task to ban their names and credit card numbers. Maybe they did credit reports or background checks on the people.

[cripplecreek]

Maybe if NASCAR would stop looking like they fix the races all the time, the fans wouldn’t get so bent out of shape.

It sure does look that way. However Tony Stewart complaining about it is pretty funny coming from a guy with a history of throwing things out the window for a caution when he needs one.

[South40]

NASCAR FANS

Gender distribution
Male 60%
Female 40%

Age distribution
U.S. pop. NASCAR fans
18-34 32% 32%
35-44 21% 26%
45+ 47% 43%

Income distribution
U.S. pop. NASCAR fans
$30-50,000 22% 29%
$50-75,000 18% 22%
$75-100,000 12% 12%
$100,000+ 9% 8%

Regional distribution
U.S. pop. NASCAR fans
Northeast 20% 20%
Midwest 23% 24%
South 35% 38%
West 21% 19%

Ethnic diversity
% of NASCAR fan base (18+):
1999 2002 Trend
Hispanic 3.6% 8.6% +139%
African-American 4.9% 9.1% +86%
Source: NASCAR

Delaware Online: Feb 2004
http://www.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/local/2004/02/15daytonaushersin.html

---

There are also some NASCAR demographics in pie chart form here:
http://www.jodyfolice.com/dash2.htm

---

NASCAR DEMOGRAPHICS (8/1/04)

HOUSEHOLD INCOME
Average Household Income for NASCAR fans is $68,267.00

AGE DEMOGRAPHICS
11% of NASCAR fans are age 18-24;
21% of NASCAR fans are age 25-34;
26% of NASCAR fans are age 35-44;
19% of NASCAR fans are age 45-54;
15% of NASCAR fans are age 55-64
9% of NASCAR fans are 65 or older.

GENDER
59% Male,
41% Female

MARRIED/SINGLE
60.6% of all NASCAR fans are married.

ETHNIC
24.5% of NASCAR fans are African American

EDUCATION
60% of NASCAR fans have some college education.

Racing Limos
http://www.racinglimos.com/motorsports_popularity.phtml?id=26#1

---

NASCAR Demographics
Compiled by Racing West

Gender
Female 38%
Male 62%

Residence
Rent 28%
Own 72%

Education
Some H.S. 12%
H.S. Grad 88%
Some College/College Grad 38%

Employment
Full Time 72%
Part Time 10%
Retired/Unemployed 18%

Occupation
Professional/Manager 27%
Tech’n/Clerk/Sales 21%
Craft Precision 13%
Unskilled Labor 10%
Retired/Unemployed 12%
Other 17%

Age
Under 18 3%
18-24 15%
25-34 29%
35-44 25%

Marital Status
Married 64%
Single 22%
Divorced/Widowed 14%

Sources: Simmons Market Research Bureau, Inc. and Performance Research

http://www.catchfence.com/html/advertisingrates.html

[blogblogginaway]

Apparently a misleading headline from AP. Looks like the article was pulled. They are banned from buying tickets to the track

Here is a more accurate description (although they get the headline wrong also) ..

“Talladega Superspeedway has permanently banned 14 fans from buying tickets at the speedway following their arrests Sunday for throwing objects on the track after Jeff Gordon’s victory in the Aaron’s 499.

..... Track officials can’t prevent the 14 fans from buying tickets through a third party.”

http://www.volunteertv.com/sports/headlines/7301506.html

[FReepaholic]

...Today's news is that they're banned from the track altogether. (Unenforceable, I suspect)....

Plaster their mugs on posters at the tracks. Might deter others.

[LdSentinal]

I remember, one time, Earnhardt crashed at the start/finish line at Charlotte. Fans were spilling beer on his car. Pretty funny.