Are you a race fan or just someone who goes to the races?

This is when I'd normally write about who won at Benton County Speedway Sunday night, how their achievements compared to the history of the speedway and which milestones were reached with the evening's racing program and blah, blah, blah. If you want results, they are included below, but that isn't what people were talking about after Sunday night's show.

And that's a shame.

There was some good, and I mean damned good, racing in Vinton Sunday night. Ask Sam Wieben how he won the IMCA Northern SportMod feature. Ask Benji Irvine how narrowly he beat Bill Bonnett in the IMCA Hobby Stocks. No, what I've heard or read since the end of Sunday night's show had little to do with the competitive racing or thrilling finishes.

Before I continue, no, I'm not upset. I'm not even mildly irritated. I'm just tired. Tired of dealing with so many people playing the role of the victim. Poor track conditions, expensive repairs, perceived bad calls, fighting with fellow competitors, car counts. It took me over 30 years of being a race fan to realize it, but I now understand that people just like to have a reason to complain.

And it isn't just about the track in Vinton. The negativity seems more widespread than ever. Just check out the message boards or the facebook newsfeed items from your racing friends. It's scary.

I was raised in a racing family. My dad raced. He had to put up with less than perfect track conditions on occasion, he was the victim of a "bad call" from time to time and my mom often saw dollar signs when repairs needed to be made to his race car. I understand the frustrations that come with that. I also understand that just because things don't go your way is no reason to blame or condemn someone else just to make yourself feel better.

The track in Vinton Sunday night was rough. I take that back, it got rough during the features. I spoke with many drivers in the infield following their heat races and they loved the surface. Despite rain nearly every day in the past week and incredibly cool temperatures, the track held up much longer than I, and numerous others, anticipated. Those opinions changed during the course of the features.

Everyone I talked to Sunday night mentioned how cold it was to be at the races. Many were bundled up in blankets, hats and gloves, yet there they were - the diehards were going to take in some racing. I think everyone in attendance would probably claim they have a passion for racing more than just that of the average fan based on the simple fact that they braved the conditions to be there. I'm not so sure.

Those who were there freezing yet still complaining about the track conditions forget that weather goes a long way toward track prep, too, and not just your comfort on race night. It's been wet, it's been cold and it's been less than ideal to prepare a race track. You were uncomfortable just sitting outside in the weather for a few hours? How do you think it is to try to work a racing surface in wet, cold conditions? 

"No! Not acceptable! We expect perfection or the closest thing to it! If things don't go as we expect, we will bitch and complain until every set of ears hears what we have to say! It may not change anything, but I'm the victim and I must be heard! I put a lot of money into this hobby so I expect better results! I pay a lot of money to watch the races so I expect a better show! I am the victim!"

Guess what? No promoter wants to provide a less than perfect racing surface. No promoter wants to see wet and cold weather prevent him from preparing that surface, either. No promoter wants to see a driver spend a lot of money repairing his race car. No promoter wants to lose the return business because his drivers can't afford to race, either. It costs them money, too. They risk losing out whether they race or cancel. Maybe it's about more than just your own misfortune.

Well, why not cancel if the track is going to end up like that? Sure! They did that in Marshalltown Friday night and I know Toby and his crew have received some negative comments on that decision. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. It isn't even a matter of not pleasing everyone. It's a matter of people not accepting the fact that things don't always work out the way you want them to work out. The track was good early Sunday night and everyone was hopeful that it would stay smooth all night. It just didn't work out that way.

"No! Not acceptable! If it's dry on race day you shall not cancel and we shall race on an ideal surface regardless what conditions were like during the week! You shall only cancel if it's raining at race time! To cancel for any other reason or to provide a surface other than ideal on a dry race day is not acceptable! I am the victim!"

Arguing among drivers has also always been a problem. The best solution in that situation is to run over to the person who you feel cut you off/took you out/bladed you off the track and confront them immediately after the incident in question, threaten them and risk being fined and/or suspended. This is, of course, unless you have the opportunity to drive through them on the track before even making it back to the pit area. You are the victim!

Seriously? Unfortunately, I think a great number of people believe that.

I will always remember what a driver told me many years ago about how he handled the frustration during that type of situation. He told me he always waited a week to cool down before he approached another driver if he felt they wronged him on the track. Chances are, the week to cool off did the trick and removed any desire to confront the other party. Cooler heads prevail? If he still felt the need to talk to his competitor, giving himself a week to cool down meant he was much more likely to approach the situation in a more respectful way and actually achieve some type of resolution. Cooler heads prevail. Thank you, T.H., for that life lesson I wish others would follow, as well.

Another hot topic this spring has been car counts. If there's one phrase I've never understood it's "full field." What is a full field of race cars, anyway? Is it 10, 18, 20, 24? Something else? I've been in search of this number for years and it continues to escape me.

Folks have been commenting how certain tracks are getting good car counts, how others are down and how other tracks fluctuate from week to week. Much like the double standard in how the weather relates to race night comfort versus track prep ability, race fans hold a double standard when it comes to car count and the desire for a full field (whatever that is).

It seems a lot of people think you need around 20 or more cars for a division to have a "full field" on a given race night. Failing to reach that number mysteriously means you'll also fail to be provided with ample entertainment for your dollar.

"I need at least 20 cars in five divisions to get my money's worth. Only 60 cars total? I won't be back! I am the victim!"

"Full field" is one of the most over-used, meaningless phrases in weekly racing and is extremely misleading when it comes to getting your money's worth at a race track.

I think most of my readers attend the races in Vinton on a regular basis so I'll use opening night from a couple weeks ago at Benton County Speedway as an example. Ten IMCA Hobby Stocks signed in that night and I heard before the races even started that the car count was low. If you were in Vinton that night, you saw a hell of a feature. If you weren't there, you missed out despite the "lacking" car count that didn't amount to a "full field." What it DID amount to was one of the best five car battles, yes, I said FIVE CAR battles, for a win I've ever seen. Did you need 20 cars on that track to make the five car battle for the lead worth being there? Absolutely not. I'll take a great race over a "full field" any day.

Besides, it's the same people wanting 20-plus cars per division who also complain about the slower cars who are "always in the way" and "always cause a caution" and "ruin a good race." Really?

"Really! I expect there to be a 'full field' of 20-plus mistake-free contenders in each of five divisions every night I'm at a race track! Anything short of that and I am the victim!"

I'm sorry, as much as I hate to say it, but I've rarely seen a 10-car field, let alone a 20-car field, where all participants can win on any given night. Hell, even the "good" guys make mistakes once in a while. (Although, I'm sure your favorite driver is always the victim in those situations.) If you want the "full fields," you're going to have to accept the fact that they come with some guys who may get in the way on occasion. Victim or not, that, too, is a part of racing.

Everyone is so caught up in what they feel is wrong with racing that they don't take the time to enjoy all that is good about it. I heard more complaining Sunday night than I heard how grateful people were to be at the races for just the second time this season after weather washed away four of the first five events. Were the conditions ideal? No, but we were where we wanted to be.

To me, a true race fan has a passion for the sport and understands what draws them to the track. A true race fan can take the good from any given race night and appreciate the atmosphere, the environment, the people and the family aspect of our sport. I realize there aren't as many racers out there as there were a few years ago and I know racing is more expensive now that it has ever been. I understand that those things can make us question the future of our sport.

I think there's a concern even greater than those two things. I believe the number of passionate race fans is decreasing and the number of people who simply go to the races is on the rise.

People with a passion and fire for racing wouldn't slam race tracks for the work they put into making a race program. Passionate race fans wouldn't spread negativity on social media. They wouldn't condemn someone else for every bit of their own misfortune. They wouldn't seek blame. They would support their local tracks by not simply attending the races, but by taking away and sharing the positives they experienced during their visits.

Yes, negative stuff happens at the track. That's true in all aspects of life, but the passionate fans don't dwell or thrive on the negativity. How do you look at people who have only negative things to say about their life outside of the track? We all have facebook friends who post nothing but negative, self-pity status updates. What thoughts go through your mind when you read it? Are you that person when it comes to racing? Are you always the victim? Those are the people who simply go to races and share the negativity because they don't understand the passion the rest of us have for the sport. If you're eager to blame, spread negativity and put our sport in a bad light are you really a race fan or just someone who goes to the races?

I'm honestly scared to think of the answer to that question. Then again, maybe racing just isn't as much fun anymore.

RESULTS
IMCA MODIFIED
Feature: 1. 57V Mike Van Genderen, Newton; 2. 00J J.D. Auringer, Waterloo; 3. 12D Joe Docekal, Dysart; 4. 10K Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 5. 26J Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 6. 17J Jason Seegmiller, Dubuque; 7. 80 Jerry Dedrick, Vinton; 8. 17R Derek Reimer, St. Anthony; 9. 7 Todd Jensen, Waterloo; 10. F7 Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 11. 20L Zach Less, Hopkinton; 12. 14 Tom Hanson, Vinton; 13. 71 Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 14. 23JR Nick Roberts, Des Moines; 15. 21K Kyle Brown, Kellogg; 16. 33D Scott Hogan, Vinton; 17. 7S Robbie Schmuecker, Vinton; 18. 22 Brandon Banks, Washington; 19. 505 Racer Hulin, Laurel; 20. 64 Casey Greubel, Lacona; 21/DNS. 18J Jake Strayer, Newton.
First heat: 1. Brown; 2. Flannagan; 3. Hogan; 4. Banks; 5. Seegmiller; 6. Reimer; 7. Schmuecker.
Second heat: 1. Cordes; 2. Roberts; 3. Lauritzen; 4. Less; 5. Hulin; 6. Dedrick; 7. Hanson.
Third heat: 1. Auringer; 2. Docekal; 3. Van Genderen; 4. Rust; 5. Jensen; 6. Greubel; 7. Strayer.

IMCA STOCK CAR
Feature: 1. 99D Damon Murty, Chelsea; 2. 47 Scott Pippert, Elberon; 3. 7H Phil Holtz, Manchester; 4. 67 Justin Stander, Vinton; 5. 15 Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 6. 52 Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 7. 76 Mike Galli, Urbana; 8. 8B Scott Beauregard, Brandon; 9. 74C Cole Mather, Dundee; 10. 8 Curtis Roster, Vinton; 11. 4JR Russell Damme Jr., Waterloo; 12. 99 Erick Knutsen, Cedar Rapids; DNS/13. 38 Matt Brown, Marion.
First heat: 1. Roster; 2. Damme; 3. Pippert; 4. Murty; 5. Galli; 6. Mather; 7. Brown.
Second heat: 1. Knutsen; 2. Chesmore; 3. Holtz; 4. Wood; 5. Stander; 6. Beauregard.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD
Feature: 1. 198 Sam Wieben, Dysart; 2. 3R Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 3. 95 Mike McDonald, Cedar Rapids; 4. 72 Brett Lowry, Montezuma; 5. CH19 Colby Heishman, Brooklyn; 6. 10S John Schaefer, La Porte City; 7. 22H Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 8. 19J Jenae Gustin, Marshalltown; 9. 4 Ryan Maitland, Waterloo; 10. 3T Tyler Soppe, Sherrill; 11 57R Ryan King, Montour; 12. 49 Brandon Smith, Quasqueton; 13. J2 Dave Schulze, Keystone; 14. 22 Matt Petrzlka, Norway; 15. 7D Dakoda Sellers, Vinton; 16. 199 Dave Burrell, Dysart; 17. 3B Brian Anderson, Garrison; 18. 00 Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 19. 42L Lonnie Mercer, Urbana; 20. 7SR Shawn Ritter, Keystone; 21. T17 Tom Rawlins, Kellogg; 22. 19G Jenae Gustin, Marshalltown; 23. 16K Brandon Morris, Ely; DNS 36 Jacob Salisbury, Dunkerton.
First heat: 1. King; 2. Dvorak; 3. Heishman; 4. Petrzlka; 5. Morris; 6. Ritter; 7. Rawlins; DNS Salisbury.
Second heat: 1. McDonald; 2. Schulze; 3. Gustin; 4. Hilmer; 5. Wieben; 6. Buhlman; 7. Anderson; 8. Burrell.
Third heat: 1. Lowry; 2. Maitland; 3. Schaefer; 4. Soppe; 5. Gustin; 6. Sellers; 7. Mercer; 8. Smith.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Feature: 1. 79 Benji Irvine, Stanley; 2. 19 Bill Bonnett, Knoxville; 3. 07 Jacob Keiser, Marengo; 4. 17K Kyle Parizek, Belle Plaine; 5. 78 Matt Brown, Dysart; 6. 46 Brian Happel, Vinton; 7. 35B Shawn Kuennen, Hazleton; 8. 23 Andrew Torkelson, Lisbon; 9. 88 C.J. Dall, Marshalltown; 10. 19B Jim Sheldon, Marion; 11. 45 Justin Wacha, Vinton; 12. 29 Nathan Ballard, Marengo.
First heat: 1. Parizek; 2. Ballard; 3. Happel; 4. Bonnett; 5. Kuennen; 6. Dall.
Second heat: 1. Keiser; 2. Irvine; 3. Brown; 4. Wacha; 5. Torkelson; 6. Sheldon.

IMCA SPORT COMPACT
Feature: 1. 22 Nathan Chandler, Norway; 2. 00W Bill Whalen Jr., Riverside; 3. 99J Jeremy Lerch, Vinton; 4. 3S Craig Streeter, Vinton; 5. 44 Troy Scott, Fairfax.
Heat: 1. Chandler; 2. Lerch; 3. Whalen; 4. Streeter; 5. Scott.