A night at the track starts in the parking lot for many race fans, where they grill sausage, listen to music and socialize until the roar of the first heat. But, as race fan Loren Hogan of Shaftsbury points out, the phrase means exactly what it says. It's the sport's seemingly harsh eccentricies, like ear-splitting noise and mud flavored Budweiser, which keep the sport pure. Part of the sport's allure is its accessibility. Pit passes are available to spectators who wish to mingle with the race cars and drivers.
Fathers watch proudly as their sons race the cars that they built together.
In some races, overzealous fans can even take the old family station wagon out onto the track for a race. They don't seem to really know what they're doing until they wake up the next morning and have to explain to their wife why the car's smoking. The down-home, family atmosphere of a local dirt track such as the Devil's Bowl is also noteworthy because it's something of an endangered species. He too has felt the sting of commercialism. It's getting harder and harder for part-timers to compete because of the money, said Munger.