[Rory McNeil]

I think that the locale and access to a NHRA National Event can also contribute to spectator turnout. Until a few years ago, I lived in Western Canada, and the Divisional races at Mission Raceway usually drew "Full house" spectator numbers. Now, Mission Raceway did advertise the LODRS races on TV, and called it the "BC Nationals", and over the years, had several different special attractions, one year they had a 3 car Pro Stock shoot out, which included Warren Johnson and Ritchie Stevens, other times they had wheelstanders, jet cars, Pro Mods, Nitro Harleys, Nostalgia Funny Cars, etc. For me, the best ones were when they had several years of Hemi Shootouts, which usually had at least 8 cars, and included Bucky Hess and Ray Barton making the long long from the East Coast, as well as the "West Coast Hemi" group, and the "Race for the first 9 second Stocker pass", was a really big deal, for 2 years until Bobby DeArmond did it in 2001, at Mission. There were cars from pretty much every division in attendance . Considering that the closest NHRA National event for people from the Vancouver area, is Seattle, which is 3 1/2 - 4 hours (and a border crossing) away, if they want to see anything other than the weekly bracket racing program, this was as close as they could get. If a track holds a National event, as well as a points meet (or 2), the casual fan that may only go to one race a year, will likely gravitate to the "big show", and skip the LODRS race. I am assuming that that would explain why the Divisional races at Woodburn Oregon also had decent spectator turn outs, since again, Seattle`s National event is 3 hours away. I acknowledge that many of the younger generation are not into cars, and many don`t even bother to get a drivers license when they are old enough to do so (if ever), so I really doubt that those types would show up regardless of any special features.