As a Spotter for over 30 years

SlicedBread22 said:
What team do u work for now?
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I'm not doing much right now. I had been doing driver developement for a KN team but I was trying to cut back on the schedule. Its been a long road and I want to stay home some now and mow the grass lol. I still have lots of friends in there and try to make a few races close to home or if asked I might fly out for a one off occasionally.
 
Dr_B_UNC said:
@Spotter22 thanks. I don’t think I phrased that well. What I meant is how does knowing there are thousands and thousands of people, much less other teams, listening affect what you say or don’t say? Are spotters, drivers, and crew chiefs “trained” by teams as to what is permissible? How do you discuss a strategy call while everyone is listening?
Unless there’s physical abuse caught on camera or something, other sports participants and coaches don’t really have to worry about what’s said in heat of competition. NASCAR media even makes a feature of it every week.
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As a rule you try to temper your language knowing you have people listening in but when the race starts that thought usually goes out the window and you really dont think about it. NASCAR doesnt censor us, people know going in they enter at thier own risk and are really listening in to a private channel. Sorry about the misunderstanding.
 
clarkfn2284 said:
I spotted one time in all my years of being around the track. It was for a buddy in a Late Model event. 100 laps. I remember two things from it. I was exhausted after. It takes so much focus that you don't really understand until you have tried to do it. We were on a half mile and like you stated above you are trying to watch your car, as well as everything else going on around the track. The other thing I remember was a moment where we were two wide entering three and a car trying to run through the field made a desperate attempt at going three wide where you normally wouldn't. It caught me completely off guard and all I said when I queued the radio was "Oh Sh*t!!!! 3 wide middle" The last part came out late. Luckily my buddy was able to navigate it and we were able to have a laugh after.

My question is what is the biggest mistake you have made as a spotter, what was the end result and how did it go over?
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The situation you mention happens all the time, things seem to be going along fine and then BAM! Somebody makes a bonehead divebomb and it totally catches you off guard and you have to react quickly, then when you get a chance you walk down to his spotter and find out if he had brain damage ( the driver).

Biggest Mistake was Bristol and having a bad angle of Spencer going in to 1 and running him over Jeff Greens nose and shooting him up the race track. He didnt crash, he didnt say a word and I didnt get to apologise until the next caution. I said dude, I know I just about screwed us all back there, Sorry about that. he said forget it, its my job too. Jimmy is really a laid back guy. He's a good dude.
 
Snappy D said:
This is awesome, thanks for responding. Got one more for ya.... did you ever spot for a driver that raced Dale Earnhardt Sr and if so what was Earnhardt like?
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Oh yeah. We raced with Dale Jr at Myrtle Beach Speedway for 4 years and CP3 (the guy I spotted for) was already friends with Sr, his Dad owned Summerville Speedway in SC and Sr would come down and run the Tiny Lund memorial all the time. Sr was a Fun guy, loved to cut up and talk smack at the track but when you started talking about the race he got serious and was 100% involved with working on the car and giving his opinion on what to do to it.
 
Ventisca said:
Spotter Pod Of Tomorrow

One-person, egg-shaped, all-weather ****pit pods on rotational mounts lined up on the roof with integrated comm gear, Heads Up Display, auto-track, multi-digital displays, cupholder, zoom cameras integrated into gunner display/monitor, climate controlled, lightning proof, sleep sensor shock probe, with LED external lights to signal the stage/race winner.

All integrated with the multi-level Crew Chief Pit Box.
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That made me dizzy! lol
 
kyle busch 18 said:
What cup drivers and cup teams have u worked for? Being a spotter has gotta be one of the hardest jobs in racing
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Spencer was the main one, worked with him in Trucks and Busch. Worked with a long list of Late Model and Pro Cup drivers as well.
 
Spotter22 said:
Oh yeah. We raced with Dale Jr at Myrtle Beach Speedway for 4 years and CP3 (the guy I spotted for) was already friends with Sr, his Dad owned Summerville Speedway in SC and Sr would come down and run the Tiny Lund memorial all the time. Sr was a Fun guy, loved to cut up and talk smack at the track but when you started talking about the race he got serious and was 100% involved with working on the car and giving his opinion on what to do to it.
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Bad ass. thanks for answering and thanks for doing this, giving the members here an opportunity to pick your brain.
 
Snappy D said:
Bad ass. thanks for answering and thanks for doing this, giving the members here an opportunity to pick your brain.
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Well alot here would probably say there isnt much to pick but you're welcome and I'm just trying to do my part to right the ship because I know Ive played a part in some threads going off the rails.
 
Spotter22 said:
Well alot here would probably say there isnt much to pick but you're welcome and I'm just trying to do my part to right the ship because I know Ive played a part in some threads going off the rails.
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You and I have gotten along, I appreciate your passion for the sport and your love of it. Nothing wrong with that.
 
Cool thread, did you work with the race teams during the week or have a non racing job during the week?
 
Switchback said:
Cool thread, did you work with the race teams during the week or have a non racing job during the week?
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Had my own business and would fly out or drive ( anything under 5 hours we drive) So I would be at track Thursday night through Sunday, sometimes Monday. But I was lucky most of the time cause I got to fly with Jimmy.
 
This has been a most enjoyable read. Thanks Spotter22 for the insights and info. Good stuff.
 
I really dont have a question for you as any that I would of asked you have already been done, but good on your for doing it.

:cheers:
 
What is your opinion on the direction of stock car racing right now? Up, down, steady?
 
Ever had a tense moment in the stand with another spotter? Biggest race win you have been a part of?
 
Spotter22 said:
I'm not doing much right now. I had been doing driver developement for a KN team but I was trying to cut back on the schedule. Its been a long road and I want to stay home some now and mow the grass lol. I still have lots of friends in there and try to make a few races close to home or if asked I might fly out for a one off occasionally.
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That's cool.. A friend of mine does some spotting for Norm Benning when they come to MoSport.. just volunteer stuff but it's cool hearing the stories.. I got to go the one year and be a tire carrier
 
Spotter22 said:
Between 1500 and 2000 per race. It also depends on bonuses for top 5s and wins and also what they do at the shop IF they work at the shop.
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Wow. That's not nearly enough to justify the travel and time away from home on the weekends. At least not IMO.
 
Matthew2470 said:
Wow. That's not nearly enough to justify the travel and time away from home on the weekends. At least not IMO.
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Your travel is paid and you get a per diem also. I know you are talking about time and not money but remember not all spotters were like me, some work in the shop and some are pilots like Joey Meyers
 
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If a current Cup team saw your long history as a spotter and decided they wanted your services, which team do you hope that would be and why? :)
 
@Spotter22 How personally do the spotters take what their drivers do? Meaning, say your guy moves or wrecks another guy, do you worry about his spotter coming after you up there? Or do you all realize that you had nothing (usually) to do with it?

Ever had a moment where your driver did something “stupid” and you had to dread coming down possibly by fans? Or do y’all remove team gear then come down incognito?
 
How does one get into spotting as a career does it start you volunteered and then it takes off
 
Fun thread, thank you for sharing.

Is there a code among spotters on the stand to not eavesdrop on each other, or do you use whatever information you overhear?
 
Great thread.

@Spotter22

Did you ever consider trying to hook up with a race team in a position other than spotter, say as a member of a pit crew.
 
AuzGrams said:
What is your opinion on the direction of stock car racing right now? Up, down, steady?
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We have a long way to go but I think we can get back to numbers of the 90's. I dont really want to get in to it but people who think we had crazy side by side racing back in the day (90', 00's) are fooling themselves. Its never been that way and as long as 2 cars are on the track aero will come in to play, but that doesnt mean you cant pass them.
 
clarkfn2284 said:
Ever had a tense moment in the stand with another spotter? Biggest race win you have been a part of?
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Loudon , Rusty Wallace spun us to get a caution beacuse he was about to go a lap down. Even though his spotter had nothing to do with it I let him know I wasnt happy about it. We flat got dumped so he didnt even want to argue it. Gave me a wave. I walked from the Spotters stand all the way to the tunnel to the infeild pissed off. When I got there Jimmy seemed to be ok with what happened and aksed why it took me so long to get back to the pits, I told him my ride never showed up( usually a team golf cart would pick you up) and he flipped out on the crew chief. Weird day.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
If you were looking to hire a spotter for your team, what attributes would you look for?
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Lets see, cautiously aggressive. In other words, he needs to be able to make a call instantly and be sure its the right call ,meaning, When you clear someone you arent looking for a foot, you are looking for inches and have to be confident to make the call. if you arent aggressive enough to make the call you have no business doing this.
 
Dr_B_UNC said:
@Spotter22 How personally do the spotters take what their drivers do? Meaning, say your guy moves or wrecks another guy, do you worry about his spotter coming after you up there? Or do you all realize that you had nothing (usually) to do with it?

Ever had a moment where your driver did something “stupid” and you had to dread coming down possibly by fans? Or do y’all remove team gear then come down incognito?
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Great question UNC. Most of the personal ( fight) moments as a spotter took place in the lower series, some of those guys dont undersatnd racing. When you get to Xfinity or Cup series most spotters have learned that what a driver does has no bearing on you. Back in the Late model or Pro cup day I had spotters come up to me mad and wanting to fight. I told them that I didnt drive the car so if they had a problem they could come with me to the hauler and discuss it with the driver. Ive never had a go with the fans, thats a no no. You represent the sponsor and the team, many spotters dont wear team uniforms, just hats or shirts with an emblem.
 
SlicedBread22 said:
That's cool.. A friend of mine does some spotting for Norm Benning when they come to MoSport.. just volunteer stuff but it's cool hearing the stories.. I got to go the one year and be a tire carrier
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TV makes it all look fun doesnt it? ;)
 
What was your reaction to Jimmy Spencer punching Kurt Busch? Anything you remember from that day that never came to light?
 
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