Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

Hi all,

Spent some time this weekend watching Pinks and couldn't help but notice that the stands were packed with spectators at almost every event they showed. I'm talking about Pinks All out not the race where you can loose your car.

We have a Divisional Race and maybe we have 4-500 outstanding cars show up and we get like maybe 3 spectators to watch. Why? What is Pinks doing different to attract that many spectators?

I would think that if we got only half to show up that it would be a boost to everyone and everything involved including purse money.

Any thoughts or ideas that we can pass on?

Regards,

Pat I
SG1809

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

yea....self explanitory.....cut out the throttle stops.

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

I don't think it's just that, Look at all the Classes at a divisional that don't run stops.

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For a chance at 10,000$ you can run all out !

For a chance at 800.$ you run the T/stops...............

At div races your sure you'll get to race..

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

How much does it cost a spectator to enter the pits at a Pinks All Out race?

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At St. Louis last year it was $30.00 for the event pass.

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At Englishtown this year the entry fee for Pinks all Out was 0 and you also got a free T-Shirt, there was a small fee for Test & Tune on Friday.

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

Bob,

That effects us with cars, It still doesn't account for the appeal to the spectators.

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Never been to one of their events, but don't they bring in a show like jets or pro mods? Their races seem to have the feel of a Saturday nite street race, pretty cool.

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Its called PROMOTION!!!!!!!
Its all heads up and who gets there first.
NO STOPS NO SANDBAG DIALS
Its only 16 CARS and not all DRAGSTERS in classes.
IT LOOKS LIKE A STREET RACE.
HYPE and PROMOTION
My 2 Cents

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I think it's like Mark stated, the first year they had a NHRA Div. race at Norwalk they had all the hoop-la (jet cars and such) and the stands seemed full. Also part is the amount of publicity the track does,something Balder seems to be great at. And everyone want's to be on TV...............my .02

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I think T V has all to do with it, and the newness of it. It is not every weekend, does not go to every track once or twice a year. It's like seeing your wife every day, or seeing your girlfriend once or twice a year. Even is she isn't as hot as your wife, you will still be more excited to see her.

P.S. I don't agree with cheating on your wife, just using it as an example (my wife made me add this part!)

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I was at the U.S. Nationals this year, in the stands watching Comp Eliminator. There were a lot of people there. Then Super Comp came up and almost everybody left. I think it has a lot to do with throttle stops and breakouts. Also some people who are not around Drag Racing a lot do not understand that the first car to the finish line may not have won because of the breakout. I hear it all the time.

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I agree on the promotion aspect. If a non racer wasn't dilligent, he wouldn't know a division race was at his local track. Heck some may not even know they go on. They may just assume that you pay money and race at a national, then bracket race your car on a wekly basis at your home track. Shamefully there was a time I thought anyone with a legal car could run at a national event. I didn't know you had to earn points to go and compete. Another possibility is The P.A.L. has a diverse car count trying to get in. 8 second street cars to full blown race cars and anything in between. Street car being the key. It could be their friends car, or a car like they own and wanting to get their car to the same point.

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It's a couple of things which appeal to everyone who loves racing;

1) It's a fresh idea.

2) It's heads up and the first one to the other end WINS.

3) Door cars which the fans can relate to.

4) It's on TV every day! Pinks is in your face all the time.

5) Rich Christenson keeps coming up with novel ways to change the format SLIGHTLY.

6) The entry fee does not force you to mortagage your family!

7) The concept employs the KISS principle. It's simple for a part time drag racer!

8) It has appeal amongst the old school and the new school racer.

9) It FLAT puts butts in the seats!

I dare say Rich now runs as many or more races as the NHRA has national events. Quite an accomplishment for 5 years in existence.

Mike Ferstl
SG SR 6091

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I agree completely about throttle stops being a reason that people leave the stands when the .90 classes run; however I don't agree that the breakout rule has any thing to do with it. I am a hardcore fan and NHRA member, and have been for 47 years; I attend 8 or 9 National events every year, including Indy, and I also attend 2 or 3 Div.1 Lucas Oil events and Div.1 National Opens. I am at an event from Thursday (Wednesday at Indy) until it is over and I never leave the stands when cars are running EXCEPT when the .90 classes are running; I refuse to watch them because they are boring and senseless. Please explain the logic of building a car that can run 1-1.5 seconds faster than 8.90, 9.90, or 10.90; and then slowing it down with a throttle stop to run those numbers. That is the reason that people will watch Stock and Super Stock which are breakout classes, and Comp which does not have a breakout, but has CIC, but they won't watch the .90 classes. Comp., Super Stock, and Stock are performance based classes; you certainly can't say that about the .90 classes.
Bill Seabrooks - superfan1

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

Anyone who says Stock and Superstock are performance based classes just does not get it and does not know a real class racer.
All the stock and super stock racers I know are always bagging .1 to .5 of performance on every run unless it is a record run.
They run for consistancy just like the .90 classes.
I hear just as many newby's in the stands ask why does one car get a head start for the stock classes.
Everyone has their likes and dislikes and have their special class to watch at any type of racing.
I was at Indy this year and the stands were not nearly as full as years past.
The stands being full at any race has more to do with promotion and the cost to attend.
If I was not there racing I would not go to Indy on the last three days due to price of tickets alone.
Monday at Indy this year you could sit almost anywhere you wanted. There were more empty seats than full ones all day long.
My 2 Cents

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Bill,

Some pretty strong words regarding the .90 classes " they are boring and senseless". I have to take exception to your comments. This thread wasn't started to slam the .90 classes. I have brought many a new one to the track and after expalining how we dial, what we do, and how it's done I have never had anyone tell me it was boring or senseless!!

This has nothing to do with fans attending or not. Maybe free or discounted tickets with more advertising or even some TV coverage of the Sportsman catergories no doubt would improve attendance.

Try building a .90 car and see home many times you can run dead on.

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i believe the biggest reason for the crowd . is that at most of the races the majority of the racers entered are street type cars not class racers. and they usually bring a carload of buddy's with them to the track. it's the same way at our local track. street night packs the stands , and they are empty on sunday.

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Yep, Christensen counts the people, the cars, and the ideas.....the Glendora Bean Counters just count money.

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S/G1809, I think his board name say's it all super FAN 1 . These .90 cars are so easy to build and dial I don't know why everybody doesn't run them. As far as leaving the stands, I try to get back up to the starting line or go to the finish line to watch them as soon as I've made my run............................... Sorry to get off the subject !

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The Pinks thing is huge because of a number things and promotion is the biggest reason. They make you think that you are a part of something so big and all the focus is on the regular racer, not some multi-million dollar fuel team. They also make the fans seem like they are as much of the show as the racer. It is also appealing because as said in a previous post , it's on TV. When you watch ALL OUT you rarely see a class racer, it's all regular local bracket racers. PINKS makes these guys stars for one night in front off thousands of fans. The stands are packed with dreamers just like the racers themselves. The entry fee is free with a chance to win $10,000, it's like being one of the alcohol guys, you don't pay to get in and have a chance to win a chunk of change and who doesn't want to do that. The NHRA does NOT even come close to promoting their races like PINKS. Have we ever seen a Lucas Oil Divisional race advertised on a commercial ? No. PINKS sets an example for the NHRA that cars like ours CAN pack the stands and MAYBE the NHRA should look at this in more detail. Don't forget guys, PINKS is a contracted TV show and will end one day, but the NHRA is here to stay . NHRA needs a NEW marketing plan and when they decide to re-write it they should look at PINKS and for that matter NASCAR.

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Jim the entry fee is not free it was like 60 or 65 dollars. Just for your info...... Just ask your buddy nate pritchett. By the way are you still going to fla. with me in feb.???

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Yes I am still in for Florida Mac Daddy ! My bad on the entry fee... I did talk to Nate earlier today and all we talked about was partying at PRI...lol!

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Does anyone remember Virginia Divisional last year?? They gave a bunch of tickets and the place was jam packed! That's right, for a divisional, you know with those boring .90 cars. It's all about promotion. I'm not saying I know how to do it, but it is easy to see when it's done right.

As far as the track not making any money on tickets, you should have tried to stand in line for a soda @ that event, I'm sure they did just fine.

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That makes tons of sense, Why not give away the tickets or charge a few bucks for a carload. What the venders can make should more that compensate for ticket sales. The track owners should take the lead on this. When we used to run US 13 in Delmar, at eleven o'clock in the morning there were people in the stands! He advertised the event.

NHRA can learn alot from the producers of PINKS, IMHO

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Fans in the stands. It's all about promotion and the almighty dollar. The amount you can afford or want to spend vs. the entertainment you get in return. The less expensive the better.

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Well here comes my .02 cents....

The first thing that I think make PINKS much more popular then NHRA is the fact that it is in your face much more. I mean you look here on the east coast and we have about 2 NHRA national Events and 5 Divisional Events within about a 2 hour radius for me. PINKS may only come around this area once a year maybe. (Maple Grove in 07, E-Town in 08) and I think MIR is the closest they come this year to this area. So the supply and demand for PINKS is much higher then NHRA Races. Then you throw in the fact that PINKS is on TV almost every night. On any given night you can turn Speed on around 7pm and there is a episode on and on I think Wednesday night there is like 2+ hours on. I mean NHRA races come on Sunday nights when they recap the race (Which I think 3 hours is WAY TOO LONG!!) and unless your a night owl and are up at 3am you never see that race again. It comes on twice and that the end of it and the sportsman shows...AKA the Top Alcohol Recap Show is shown once and never seen again. I mean PINKS get's right to the point in 1 hour of time, show some highlights, show the 16 cars picked, Race them and do a quick little interview with the winner/losers and get down to 1 car left all in 1 hour. I mean NHRA races have turned way too much into NASCAR races, I mean how many angles do we have to show a car going down the quarter-mile (Sandtrap, 1/8 mile, starting line, finish line, slow-mo finish line, blimp view). So my point is anyone who is maybe new to the sport because they saw it on TV will be dissapointed if they go to a divisional event because their is no 4 second 320 mph cars. I mean yes there is TAD and TAFC but, it's just not the same if you have never been to a race. PINKS shows you the whole deal that you will expect when you go to a PINKS all out event. I mean Rich may not be the most mechanically inclined when it comes down to cars. Many of shows I've seen him call something totally wrong and look like a dope but, he has lined himself up with great technical guys to support him in these areas (Nate, Charles, etc). NHRA national events do everything they can to get the sportsman guys out of the way before the T/F, F/C. P/S fans come in because they are afraid they will lose those fans if they put Super Gas out in between P/S and F/C. Most of the time the sportsman guys are done by 11am or they run at 6pm at night when everyone is home and if they do try to squeeze them into the Pro Program all the fans are at the traliers meeting the drivers, watching the cars warm up, at the Powerade tent or doing Rock Climbing at the Army Area. When all you see on TV is all the Pro classes it's hard to try to understand that there is more to an NHRA event then just the Pro's. So when a Super Comp Car comes out to someone new to the sport and when they leave the line and shut off and takes off again many people are confused. Like Pat said people I have taken to the track and explained the index's and the pro tree and how we set up the throttle stops and they all say to me "Thanks, now I will watch it because I never understood it before". I know Atco does a great job in promoting any races they have, always ads on WMMR radio, up in the local Wawa's and when you go to any race they hand you about 5 flyers of upcoming events.
Speaking of Free Tickets just look what Kenny N. did with the ADRL, people said he would be flat-out stupid to offer free tickets to the fans to get in to a race free. They said no-one would come to the races but, it's turned into one of the biggest attractions in ages because he banked on if you got in for free you would support the vendors in T-Shirts, Soda, Food and it worked. I also think Lex did something like that this year at Maple Grove for the Divisonal race, something like for $25.00 a carload as many people as you can fit into your car. I think that is the way you need to go to attract fans in the stand for NHRA deals. Oh well that's about it, you can start calling me Jason O. Jr now...haha

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Any relation to Jason Oldfield? :)

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As far a filling the stands at a Division Race goes you need to see the stands in Denver at the Division Race. Bandimere gives away tons of tickets and then charges for parking. He makes it pay and should be an example to others putting on the races.
He also sticks it to the racers every chance he gets. Example one year camping fees if you have a motorhome, one year pit bike fee and the list goes on.
I do not go anymore because of the hassles to the racers.
Being retired I just do not need the hassles anymore. I can go race where there are less hassles.
My 2 Cents

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Yes, you are exactly right, especially with #4. it's on TV-so-it-must-be-cool... and the Average America Drone can figure out what's going on with simple heads up racing. It has nothing to do with anti-throttle stops, it has all to do with simplicity.

I've seen spectators totally confused at divisional and national races. Indexes and throttle settings are beyond their comprehension.

If NHRA had a TV show on a couple times per week (with sportsman or ET racers featured, that the general public can actually relate too) our audiences would be huge too.

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ok,heres a idea....i went to the adrl race at norwalk this year...the tickets were free...the stands were packed and the consession stands were packed...hence ..more people in the stands and more money brought in by way of food,shirts hats.etc.....just a thought,but if nhra tryed just one divisional with get free tickets,but pay for parking and concessions....the place would be packed.....just my .02

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Keep in mind that without fans of all types, both hardcore like me and casual like most, there is no racing at least at the National event level. Just imagine the NHRA's reaction if no one, or very few, attended a National event; you and I both know that they aren't going to foot the bill. I stated my opinion just as you or anyone else has the right to do; it was not my intention to ruffle anyone's feathers.
Bill Seabrooks - superfan1

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Huh...who knew I had a long lost illegitimate son.

Ready for my $0.02? The guys on Pinks are technical drag racing morons (they are learning though). But, Rich (or whoever is involved in that show) knows how to promote a race. All out, doorslammers, and no throttle stops.

Yes Pinks is on SpeedTV ALL the time, but that's also a reflection of its popularity. If it wasn't that popular, Speed wouldn't be showing it that often. Unlike the NHRA show, Pinks doesn't have to pay for their air time on Speed. NHRA is too pompous to stoop to the level of having their show on a non-premium TV channel as they fancy themselves as just as popular as NASCAR. Earth to Tommy-Boy - sorry, you're not as popular as NASCAR, and probably never will be. So, how about rather than spending millions of dollars every year for 6 hours of ESPN air time each weekend at 10pm EST or later, how about you put together two 1-hour shows in PRIMIE TIME on Speed? Pinks is more popular than you now, so obviously Speed has the viewship to be able to market to the masses.

Oh, and please give Kenny Nowling or Rich Christensen a call (heck, even call Aaron Polburn, as he has much more of a clue than you do).

Hope to see you at PRI!

Love,

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Pinks All Out is like old style class racing only difference is you run what you brung. You make qualifying passes, flat out. They record all of the times in a data base. They review all of the times whether it's 6.90's or 13's. The tightest group 16 cars within a couple of thousands of a second will more than likely be selected. Those 16 cars, old gassers, muscle cars, pro street, stock, superstock, they run heads up, no brake-out, all on the same et. You are disqualified if your time during the race is more or less than the times you recorded during time runs. That means you did not run all out during the time runs There are cars that are now making this a circuit. The fans are loving the wheels-up, no brake lights, first one to the line wins racing.

If you want to enter one of these events, you have to be quick. They advertise a date and a time of day to register and registration is by computer. Within a matter of a couple of minutes all 450 slots are taken. It is a ton of fun whether you are selected or only get to make time runs. By the way, you can get your car on TV even in the time runs, Pinks All Out and Pinks All Out takes.

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[QUOTE=SG1809;95603]That makes tons of sense, Why not give away the tickets or charge a few bucks for a carload. What the venders can make should more that compensate for ticket sales. The track owners should take the lead on this. When we used to run US 13 in Delmar, at eleven o'clock in the morning there were people in the stands! He advertised the event.

NHRA can learn alot from the producers of PINKS, IMHO[/QUOTE


From the various suggestions the idea of free tickets keeps coming up, In addition how about:

1. Make one day of an event a special day for the public, say Saturday
2. Put first round back on Sunday like it used to be and free up Saturday for Special Races
3. Go with a Top 16 for all the Classes and run it Saturday.
4. Have a great Announcer @ Lew Bloom explain things well and keep the excitement going.
5. Have a Midway for the fans. etc.

Just some ideas, I hope someone from NHRA is reading this thread.


Pat I.
SG1809

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

S/G1809,

I think most of the things you mentioned would go back to the track owner or manager wouldn't they ?

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Exactly, They are business men and the way the economy is I'm sure they would like to bring in more money. They need to take the lead on this. I'm sure the racers would back them 100%.

Pat I
Sg1809

Re: Pinks 100% - NHRA Races 0%
 

3. Go with a Top 16 for all the Classes and run it Saturday.

Jim Fordyce and I were going to put something together for the June D-1 race to have a Quick 8 on that Saturday for all the Super Classes. We acted kinda late on the issue and were turned down by the D-1 officials. We then were going to try to do one for the D-1 October race at Atco and we planned ahead and made the proper e-mails to the D-1 staff. We figured since there was no TA/D and TA/FC we should have no issues with getting it going. Anyways I was told that a few years ago during one of the Top 8 shootouts at a D-1 track someone crashed really bad and was hurt very seriously thus, due to that incident they decided to do away with any extra shootouts at D-1 races. So we will most likely never see a Shootout at a Division race again. Thats why Maple Grove went to the Bogey Runs on the 2nd qualifing shots of the Dutch Classic.

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I don't spend much time looking in the stands when I'm racing. Unless I wave at my mommy.They make enough off our entries',fans are just icing on the cake. If the tracks can't promote their race it's their loss.
i heard pinks was thinking of going to throttle stop racing so they wouldn't have to spend so much time picking a field...