Drivers chastise fans throwing trash on track
SCENEDAILY
TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers are universally condemning the growing practice of fans throwing beer cans on the track to express their displeasure with a race's outcome.
After Jeff Gordon's 76th career win at Phoenix International Raceway led to a rain of debris from the stands, Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggested fans use something softer, like toilet paper. That isn't happening yet, though, at least two any large degree.
After Gordon won once more Sunday in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, notching career victory No. 77 and passing the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth on the all-time win list, the driver once more was pelted with debris. Others were also the target of the fallout.
"You hate for somebody to get hurt," Gordon said of the practice of throwing cans. "We're going to paint the car anyway. There are dents in it. But you think about people sitting on the front row getting hit with those cans.
"It's really for the fans protection and the NASCAR officials standing down there. I don't know what you do. If you get enough people there to watch it, but there are so many of them I don't know what you do to stop it. It is dangerous."
Gordon added that NASCAR and drivers have discussed the problem.
"If you can't bring cans in the stands anymore, then they'd do it to themselves, maybe they'd use paper cups. Maybe that's the next step."
Gordon wasn't the only driver questioning the practice. Kasey Kahne said he was thankful to be behind the items being thrown onto the track. Jimmie Johnson, Gordon's teammate, termed it "terrible."
Earnhardt Jr. weighed in on the issue once more, saying that it doesn't seem to be something that can be controlled.
"When you see the idiots throw stuff on the track at Talladega, you wonder what in the world some fans are thinking," he said.
Johnson went a step further.
"They're going to hurt somebody," he said. "I just can't believe that people who love this sport would take the chance to hurt a kid, hurt another person. I'm sure there were cans that didn't make it to the track that landed in the stands ...
"On one level, that's disrespectful, and the other side of it, throwing them at the race cars and damaging our race cars, that's not a way to show that you support our sport and our racing."
Fewer than 10 people detained for throwing debris
SCENEDAILY
TALLADEGA, Ala. - Talladega Superspeedway officials said fewer than 10 people were detained after the Aaron's 499 for throwing debris on the race track.
As Jeff Gordon circled the track both under caution and after the checkered flag, debris in the form of bottles, cans and other items flew from the grandstands.
Track director of public relations Kristi King said fewer than 10 people were detained. King also added that no injuries were reported.
"Throughout the weekend, we have warned our guests through PA announcements, my prerace remarks and media interviews not to throw debris on the race track and the consequences of such actions," track president Grant Lynch said. "Additional security was brought in for the grandstands, and we had a plan in place should such actions take place. I was personally in the grandstands at the conclusion of today's Aaron's 499, and as promised, we enforced our policies and took the appropriate action on individuals that we were able to accurately identify.
"We aren't going to let less than 1 percent of our fans spoil this record-setting weekend here at Talladega Superspeedway."
Attendance at Sunday's race was estimated at 160,000. Earlier in the week, fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. also implored fans not to throw cans or bottles if Gordon won and instead throw toilet paper.
That didn't stop several fans from pelting the track with debris after the race.
"It's very unfortunate a few unruly fans can ruin things for a lot of people," NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter said. "The track put a lot of effort into preventing this type of behavior. Our fans are passionate but this type of behavior doesn't represent a majority of our fans."
Drivers were upset, too.
"It was real disappointing at the end to see how some of the fans were acting," Matt Kenseth said. "It's disappointing to have your $150,000 race car being pelted by full beer cans at the end of the race."
This is getting old and childish :-","xx
Talladega track bans 14 fans for life
Associated Press
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) - 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.
The fans were charged with disorderly conduct Sunday and posted bond at the track's jail facilities, Talladega County Sheriff Jerry Studdard said. Track officials can't prevent the 14 fans from buying tickets through a third party.
A number of fans began throwing beer cans after Gordon won the race under caution, passing the late Dale Earnhardt — a Talladega favorite — in career wins.
Talladega officials had issued warnings before the race that fans caught throwing objects over the fence separating the grandstands from the track would be arrested.
Superspeedway president Grant Lynch said identifying other fans who threw objects was harder than he had imagined.
"At a baseball game where everybody is sitting down, it's easy to see someone stand up and throw an object onto the field," Lynch said. "I was looking at a section that probably had 300 people in it, and they were all standing up, waving their arms and their caps, and I couldn't pinpoint where any of the objects were coming from."
Track officials added security following a similar incident after Gordon's victory in 2004, and said they will review Sunday's incident to see if more changes are needed.
Fans are allowed to bring small coolers into the track, and also can buy canned beverages at concession stands.
Talladega officials had issued warnings before the race that fans caught throwing objects over the fence separating the grandstands from the track would be arrested.
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