[SnuggleBunny99]

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

 

[FFighter_21]

I would have asked to speak w/the head of Security, or the Track Manager and had somebody else who was there to witness this injustice back you up and asked what they were going to do about it. I would have raised the roof!!!
That is terrible. Do what ever it takes to let everybody know what they did to you.
I would even go on the talk shows on the Sirius Radio and let everybody know what jerks they were to you. I am so sorry that you had a bad experience. For what those trips must cost you, that is a real heartbreaker.

 

[Geebi]

That really sucks Michelle, I would do like FF21 said, try to call in on the Sirius show, let em know. That would have really po'd me as well.

 

[FFighter_21]

The best show to call in about that would be the Driver's Seat. Old David Poole would grab that like a rabid dog and just rip NASCAR and Charlotte a new A$$ [email protected]!&!!!
Keep us posted on what you do and what happens. I will try to call as well.

 

[Mearsfan07]

That is terrible, not to mention the bs involved. I go to Lowes every year, and all I ever had to do was open the cooler, etc.
I've seen stupid secruity guards before but never to not let a person with medical problems that all they needed was a chair in. Knives, mabe not needed to be so much of a problem, but you definately hit the mark with the bomb or gun. Allthough I don't think that would pass, who knows with secruity guards as irresponsible as the one you encountered. That sucks that your husband had to miss part of the race too, when he paid for it. I hope there's not anymore inccidents like this anymore. Like Fighter said though, keep us updated. Especially if they write back.

 

[KK3869]

That is sad right there...

 

[harley2001]

Good luck! I would have started to raise hell if that happened to me or my wife!

 

[Ron3fan]

damn SB99, that sucks and i hope they get some really bad press from your incident. i wished i had known you were there, i would have loved to meet you and SB12. where were you guys located? i was in turn 2.

 

[selby92]

That really sucks for you guys. I hate the security before those races, a few years ago at Darlington we were going to the Busch race and we apparently weren't allowed to bring in our seat cushions or diecasts we bought before the race. So we had to go back to the car to put the stuff up. But thats not nearly as bad as what happened to you guys.

 

[taterracing]

I hope you get some compensation or at the very least a 'sorry'. That's not right at all.

 

[fishin4cars]

What's really bad is they let the drunks throw beer cans at the track, Banned for life but can't enforce. They can let a knife in someones pocket go thru but Oh beware you bring in something actually NASCAR related. SB has a medical condition and he can't bring a seat to help the comfort but The security can pick and chose who they want to harass. It is like they really don't look after the fans at all. While we were at Bristol My Buddy that has emphasima and is on oxygen was having an attack. We went to an ambulance that was parked just inside the gate and tried to get help. It took security over 25 minutes to get him some medical assistance. Once the paramedics got there they did a great job and we didn't miss any of the race but it surely wasn't from the security helping out. I really hope your letter gets heard by someone way up the ladder in NASCAR. It needs to be heard that the security at these races are pathetic! What would they do if an actual shooting or bombing took place?? Tuck tail and run!!!! :No:

 

[EarnhardtJrFan]

WOW!!! If I were you I would have been throwing a complete fit.
#1 You had a reasonble explaination of your medical condition
#2 WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THEY LET SOMEONE IN WITH A KNIFE!!!!!!

I would have definitely been talking with the Head of Security!!!
But unfortunately, I wouldn't have been able to see the race!!!!

 

[SnuggleBunny99]

Still Not A Word Since I Sent The Letters and Emails. O well!

 

[harley2001]

thats only a few hundred dollrs they will lose from you out of millions they make a race weekend! They don't care about us fans! I would resend a email & letter & phone call to them!

 

[BLACKER]

The drunks throwing beer cans are the reason you can no longer bring these in. Remember what they threw at Waltip when he won that race under caution? Seat cushions.

The gaurd was a jerk, a phone picture might help, but it will always be your word against his without some sort of proof.

The best recourse you have, as always, is to just move your money to another venue. If the security is that way for everyone at Lowe's, more people will also stop going and it will be fixed. Otherwise it is just a jerk being a jerk, it happens, and you can chalk it up to that and try again.

 

[Elliottfan9]

I've got to where I can't stand Lowes. I have noticed a steady decline in the the customer service since Nextel took over. When we used to go to the Winston Lowes was a really good place to go. Very friendly people who acted like they enjoyed their job. Since Nextel took over it seems like people just don't give a crap anymore which sucks. I used to really enjoy Lowes mainly because it was so close to home. But now I just go for autos and go to the house.