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Letter I just sent to Lowes Motor Speedway. For any of you going to the 600 PLEASE be careful.
I have a comment/ complaint about the “security” that Lowes Motor Speedway had on Saturday night for the All Star Race.
My husband and I have been going to the Charlotte races for many years. We love them so much that we have driven all over the east coast to attend them, no matter how far away we were currently living. This year we drove from Va Beach, VA last year it was from Montgomery, AL. I think you get the idea that we are die-hard All Star Race fans.
That was all before Saturday night when the “security guards” stopped us and told us that we were not allowed to bring my seat with extra padding that I have to use due to medical problems. He said that it was “against the rules” and if they “bent them for us they would have to bend them for everyone”. Which I understood. Then not even 10 seconds later the “security guard” that would not let me in with a medically needed item told the guy behind me the he needed to move the 6 inch knife to the other pocket so its “not so noticeable” and waved him to go through the gate. When I told him that I didn’t think it was fair that he was bringing a lethal weapon into the track the “security guard” told me “SO WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT?” All the other “security guards” was laughing like that was the best joke ever. I wish to God that I had been able to get what he said and did on video camera or had been calm enough to take his picture so I could have photographic evidence of this event and a picture of the jerk in question. A number of first time Lowes Motor Speedway visitors told me that this would be the first and last time they visited the speedway since the “security was such a joke”.
I remember in previous years you had to open coolers and backpacks and they always took security very seriously. There was no checking of ANYTHING except for the chair strung on my arm. My husband had to walk back to the car to put my chair up while the guy with the hunting knife got to walk right in. My husband missed the first half of the first race since he had to walk to the car. Meanwhile the guy with the hunting knife didn’t miss a beat.
We have bought 2-4 tickets for the race every year that we have attended and I am quite sure that my 14 inch chair is far smaller the most of the bottoms at the race. I will be publishing this letter on a number of racing fan sites, newspapers, and anywhere that I am able to get the word out that Lowes Motor Speedway cares NOTHING about the security of the people filling their seats this year.
If people can walk into the track with a knife what’s stopping them from bringing a gun? I have friends from VT that would be shocked at the lack of fortitude that you are showing. You could have been responsible for the taking of 30,000 lives had it have been a gun or bomb. We all know how passionate NASCAR fans are and how serious they take pulling for their drivers and hating the rivals… mix that will lots of alcohol and you have a disaster. I sincerely hope that you are able to fill in the security gaps before the race this weekend.
You have succeeded in losing a number of “seat fillers” over this incident.
Michelle Beckwith