Ganassi nods to workers, says media should, too

THATSRACIN.COM OPINION

Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010

Given that racing is a team sport it’s obvious that success is never produced by a single person. It is a result of the efforts of many.

But it’s the drivers who bask in the glory. They’re the ones who hear the cheers and get drenched with liquids and confetti in victory lane. They’re the ones who are the focus of the media and whose words are heard or read by the public.

Speaking of heard or read, how many times have you noticed a driver say this?

“I’d like to thank all the guys back in the shop.”

Or:

“The guys in the shop worked real hard to give me a great car.”

I’ll be honest. Members of the media have heard them, and variations thereof, so many times they’ve been known to roll their eyes and make gagging noises.

Every driver who accomplishes anything – or sometimes fails to – says things like that every weekend.

There’s a reason for it, however, and it’s all about the team concept. Every driver knows he can’t be successful without the assistance of others, be they crewmen, engineers, fabricators, engine builders and maybe even the guy who sweeps the floor.

So they willingly acknowledge them.

There’s at least one individual who thinks that sometimes those who work behind the scenes don’t get enough notice, especially from the media.

Chip Ganassi, co-owner of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, said, during his team’s portion of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Sprint Cup Media Tour, that he wished the media would give more attention – and credit – to those who work diligently toward success without notice or fanfare.

Those individuals, he noted, were just as instrumental for the surprising success his team achieved in 2009 as anyone else. They deserve recognition.

No argument here. But then, do they really want it?

“It doesn’t matter about me,” said Steve Hmiel, competition director at EGR. “But I admit I’d like to see the guys on the floor get more credit.

“The idea of thanking the guys in the shop is very important to Chip, Felix (Sabates, co-owner), Tony (Glover, team manager) and me because we’re just the guys who ask, ‘Did this get done?’ ‘Did that get done?’ ‘Here’s an idea and let’s try it.’

“The guys are the ones actually doing the work.”

Glover agreed.

“We are fortunate at our place to have a lot of guys I call true racers,” he said. “A lot of people are in this sport just to say they are in racing. We are lucky to have a group of people who eat, drink and sleep racing and are proud of the product they put on the track every weekend.”

Hmiel stressed that the vast majority of those who work behind the scenes in racing are not in it for the notoriety, even if it be deserved.

“They’re in it because it’s what they absolutely want to do,” he said. “They are a motivated and energized group of guys.

“There were a high number of people at the shop over the winter who worked from 5:30 in the morning until 7 at night. There were guys who worked over the weekend, even over Christmas.

“It’s a special group of guys at Chip’s shop. You don’t really have to tell them what to do. They volunteer.”

With all due credit and recognition to the folks at EGR, they aren’t the only ones who work diligently and willingly over long hours. Such people are part of every successful team.

Which is something Hmiel and Glover know well. It’s not lost on them.

“All race teams have guys like that,” Hmiel said. “It’s what it’s all about.”

“Do other teams have the same thing we do?” asked Glover. “Right. Certainly. Yes, absolutely.”

Consider all of them now given their due.

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