April 14th, 2009 
T.C. If you’ve ever worked in the sport or have had the opportunity to get a pit pass for a race, you’ve no doubt encountered the overzealous track security guard. You know, they are the guys (and gals) positioned at various points throughout the track who have been tasked to make sure people have the proper credentials to be in certain areas. And in many cases, these folks take their jobs VERY seriously.
They are certain tracks on the schedule that are notorious for having particularly strict security personnel. One that comes immediately to mind is Martinsville Speedway.
If you’ve never been there, the pedestrian entrance to the infield is in turn four. You must first walk through a gate to get to the tunnel entrance. You are first asked for your credential at this gate, usually by local, uniformed police officers. Once through the gate it is a 15 yard walk to the stairs leading you into the tunnel. After you complete the 10 second walk to the top of the stairs, you are then greeted by as many as two track security folks who again ask to see your credential.
The interesting thing to note, is there doesn’t appear to be any other way to get to the tunnel. So I’m guessing the second set of credential checkers are there to ensure you didn’t pull a ninja move to get past the on duty law enforcement folks at the first gate. It’s a good thing too, because so many NASCAR fans have trained in the martial arts and use their talents to infiltrate race track infields.
I have seen (and heard of) cases where encounters with track security have turned ugly. You may remember one particular incident in 2007 involving Kasey Kahne and a security guard at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kahne attempted to enter the driver’s motorhome lot after a practice session and didn’t have his hard card with him. The guard would not allow Kahne through and somehow the encounter ended with the security guard on the ground and Kahne in handcuffs. Misdemeanor battery charges against Kahne were later dismissed.
There are also plenty of stories of crew members carrying equipment and wearing firesuits who were denied entrance to infield areas because they didn’t have their hard cards on them.
Now don’t get me wrong, I understand these people have a job to do, and it’s an important one. Obviously they can’t allow people to run wild through some of these areas and security is warranted. But the ferocity with which some of these folks execute their job duties can be ridiculous at times. Getting into a physical altercation with a uniformed driver over entrance to a motorhome lot is extreme.
As a result of some minor encounters myself, I’ve made it a habit to not only have my hard card with me at all times, but to display it before I’m even asked. Heaven forbid you walk past the same security for the 17th time that day and choose this time to not have it out. If you do choose not to get it out, you will no doubt hear “Hey! Let me see your pass!”
Related posts:
Posted in 
Tags: 
For some it’s likely the 1 or 2x a year the guard gets to “wear the badge” and he/she likes to take full advantage of the authority for the w/e. It’s kind of like airport security…common sense search procedures are more likely to deter a terrorist than predictable nonsense.
I kid you not, at Daytona every year since 911, no back packs allowed thru the gate. I simply place my bp in a clear plastic bag, hand carry it thru the gate, once thru, I pull the bp from clear bag and place the bp on my back for the day.
Where is the sense in that?
I have run into the same situation several times the past thirty years. Sears Point use to be horrable
It seems that when you give someone who has an 8th grade education and has failed the test to be a real cop,some authority, is when they abuse their posistion or power.
Oh you have definitely hit a raw nerve with this one for me. Kahne is my driver & since this fiasco came out I have been in numerous discussions on this. First let me say, I understand the need for Track Security, it keeps the nut bags away from the drivers. Heck I know a few of those people myself. The situation with Kahne was IMO blown way out of proportion. We never got the both sides of the story. What we got was the blown up side of a senior citizen security guard with a ambulance chasing lawyer smiling in front a camera. Kahne had been convicted before it even went trial. This was a waste of tax payers money. Yes, the charges have been dismissed when Kahne completes community service & donates some cash to their fund but there is still the suit pending. Not to trash my driver at all but Kahne is not John Cena, so how much damage could he actually do to a man that outweighs by at least 100lbs.? Yes, Kahne should have had his credentials handy, but a Track Official should have been able to recognize a driver with Kahne’s status. Sorry for the long rant.
Hey T.C.
I don’t know if pit passes have photo IDs but if they don’t I can understand a security guard asking to see someones numerous times. If there is no photo on pit passes what says a person can’t slip it to a buddy to allow them access to an area figuring if they are seen enough they won’t have to display a pass for themselves.
Could end up with people where they’re not suppose to be. With that said I’m sure you know who would be the first person officials would turn to if there was some kind of problem. Ok sometimes security does go to ones head, but give them a break. They’re there to do a job just like you are and I’m sure they want to do the best they can, just like you do. Now if pit passes are photo IDs then this all mute.
All very true, but I can tell you about the time in 1999 at (then named) California Speedway, my friend John was visiting from Virginia. Dressed in his Terry Labonte/Kellogg’s Corn Flakes uniform shirt, jacket and cap, he went down with his pit pass for a tour of pit lane. I remained in my wheelchair on the top handicapped row in my Jeff Gordon finest. Now, my friend has the full scanner/intercom setup, so we were talking to each other as he went down. A few minutes later he says, “Artie, I just tried going into the garage area. Almost made it til one of the security guards checked my credentials.” I laughed and told him “nice try”. About ten minutes later he calls and says,”I made in the garage area”. Now my friend is a minor practical joker so I say “Sure John, sure”. He says’Honest, I’m by Garage #5 standing next to the #11 car in the tech line”. I get out my binoculars and there he is, right where he said. “How?” I asked. “I walked in a different entrance, the guard looked at my get up and said I must be a team member and let me by”. He proceeded to walk around the garage, saw the drivers leaving the driver’s meeting and even exchanged pleasantries with Mark Martin before returning to his seat by me. Sometimes the system works, sometimes the uniform talks…
It is a small price to pay. You belong to the most coveted profession in sports. Your hard card is as much a part of your professional tools as an air wrench. I understand the frustration, but it is one of the prices in being able to do what you do.
I work for a track providing security for the garage/pits so I’ve got an appreciation about what it’s like from the other side of this equation. I’m fortunate in that I can essentially volunteer for the job because I love racing and it gives me access to areas I wouldn’t normally be allowed in. However, a significant number of my co-workers do it for the pay, which isn’t all that much. Most of these folks don’t know much about racing or who is considered a VIP, they’re just there for the paycheck and occasional leftovers from catering. In most cases, the overzealous ones are just projecting the attitudes of their superiors.
If you put yourself in the shoes of the person doing security, it’s not as simple as it appears. Just about everyone is wearing some piece of clothing that has a sponsors logo on it. Not everyone has a beer in their hand or is obviously drunk. A lot of fans have equipment (photo, video, scanner) that looks like professional equipment. There are also a lot of similar looking passes for specific access – garage, pit, hospitality, suites, press, catering, track employee, etc. The track I work for has one badge that covers several different areas, with individual stickers on the badge for each area. Just flashing the main badge is usually not enough for security to make a determination if you are “allowed” in a given area. Finally, people will try to gain access by looking like they belong or fast talking their way past you, especially during the busiest times. While I know a lot of faces associated with Nascar, I don’t know the spotters, PR people or even the tire changers. As a result, I’ve got ask for an ID, even if you were supposed to be on the spotter’s stand 5 minutes ago. We do appreciate it when people have their credentials available. It makes everyone’s life easier.
Having said that, I agree fully with the idea of “I’ve shown you my ID 15 times in the last hour, you should know me by now”. Personally, I try not to be a significant barrier to people who are just doing their job, but I’ve got a job to do also. During the month of May, when there is a LOT of activity at “my” track, recognizing people is easier because you’re around them for a long period and there is a fair amount of down time without a ton of people around. You get a feel for who’s supposed to be where. It’s a different story when it’s a three day show that is go-go-go the whole time. So T.C., if you think you’ll have some time this summer, I’d be happy to let you try the job for a while.
Dan: Thanks for your comments. This is exactly why I love doing this site, because I can write something like this and get a response from somebody on the other side. And while I appreciate the offer, the job is all yours!
Please keep in mind though, I’m not saying all security folks are like this. I do realize that it can be a very difficult job and many security people do a good job. But there are some who take it way too seriously and abuse the small amount of power they are given.
Hey Dan,
We don’t get to come to your work and say, “Hey, you can’t go into your office – show me your Office ID!”
Not to mention, the countless times I’ve heard of team members being harrassed when they’re in their crew uniforms or even their firesuits. Plus, Kasey Kahne is not the only driver who has has issues with getting in the motorcoach lot. If your guarding that lot, at least no the faces of the drivers.
ATS: I am required to wear my badge at all times at my job. I can’t get into my office without it.
I’m quite certain that the night security guard who doesn’t know me from Adam would let me into the building without my badge.
That said, the Kasey Kahne thing was extreme and silly.
Try going to a Formula One Race. 15 checks and we were in a van with a crew of 6. Now how we could get that far into the track without credentials was beyond all of us. So much so, the last guy almost lost his head in the sliding door of the van.
I know this is an older topic, but last weekend I had an interesting conversation with the sister of one of the crew chiefs….
She essentially told me that she’s used her brother’s old hard cards numerous times, and nobody has even questioned her. She also said that she knows that a lot of girls get in because they walk in like they belong, and a lot of the security guards are scared of stopping the wrong person’s wife/girlfriend/sister, etc. Thought it was interesting, because I’ve had the complete opposite experience that I’ve seen guys walk into the garage with jeans and just regular shirts on with just pit passes, and with a hot garage pass I have been restricted when the garage was ‘cold.’
Guess it depends on which guard you run in to. I’ve had some great experience, and had a security guard literally chase me down pit road (I was WALKING, and he ran full force up behind me.)(where I was completely allowed to be) and scream in my face. Good times.
In the August 2009 Pocono (rain delayed) Monday race all those fans that had purchased pit passes at $50 a pop were denied access to pit road hours before the race was scheduled to start. Pocono personnel told us that Nascar made pit road “hot” at 6AM that morning and nobody was allowed access (unless you had a Nascar “hot pass”). Obviously plenty of race fans were upset and wanted to know about refunds or other compensations. After a crowd of 30-40 people had formed the Pocono “strike force” arrived along with another Pocono employee. The track employee told the crowd that…”you have two options. You will be escorted off the track grounds by security or you can go back to your seats”. Not a real cozy warm attitude from a track that prides itself on professionalism, friendly and caring service.