no spectators for sportsman racers?

Nova4301 · 12-11-2008, 10:24 AM

I am kind of new to this forum and I have been hearing alot about the problems with no spectator turnout at sportsman based races and no spectators wanting to watch bracket racing/.90 racing. This is not something new to me either...hardly anyone turns out at my local track for bracket races and the NHRA divisional spectator turnout is low too.

As a racer, I think it is amazing how close some of this racing is and how unpublisized that is. I mean, people love close finishes in Nascar, football, etc. So why can't we or somebody with the NHRA/IHRA organization really show/express that.

Examples:

why can't the finish line margin be expressed a little better...instead of saying the winner took the finish line stripe by 6 thousandths of a second, some math and software could be devolped to give an accurate reading so the announcer/TV program/magazine can say that the winner got there by 5 inches. I know they use this sometimes but not expressed all the time and I don't know how accurate it is (with acceraltions and decceration at the stripe and all). Plus replays on a big screen...people love replays showing how close it was...it would be nice to have big screens at more events.

just putting some ideas out there...people have probably already heard/talked about this.

Tim Wilson,

Freddie · 12-13-2008, 09:40 AM

Tim: racing is a numbers game, plain and simple. The track owners need car cound or spectators to pay so the event works, or even to keep the gates open, the racer needs a decent chance at a payout before most decide to go to a race, and the spectator needs a show.

I have been racing for many years now, and have even helped organize a few events myself. The spectators have become so used to assosiating drag racing with 300+ mph guided missles, that they really dont care to see anything else. More education is needed to show the spectators what real drag racing is all about, but niether sanctioning body is willing to pony up the funds needed to re-educate the fans. It is cheaper for them to just put on a bigger guided missle show.

Pinks all out, seems to be a craze that is educating some of the viewing spectators on how hard it is to not only have a competitive field of cars, but to win even at a 11 second level. Rich and his crew do a great job with advertising, and providing a show for thier fans.

NHRA from what I have seen could care less about the sportsman racers until enough sportsman racers decide enough is enough and stop going to the "National Events" or guided missle shows. Bottom line is without the support of the sportsman racer ,NHRA could not put on the big show, yet we still year after year allow them to treat us like dirt. I dont care what class you race, anymore the costs have way outgrown the purses.

I have heard some drivers say I dont race for the $$$ i do it because I enjoy it. Well I enjoy alot of other things too but you dont see anyone throwing $200K to go golfing a year, or dont see anyone throwing that kind of $$$ to go bowling. My point is this "Sport" cost big money to do, and we all do it in hopes that one day we will win one of these events we all go to. My question is when are the sportsman racers going to have enough balls to let NHRA/IHRA know how they feel? With all the fuel teams loosing sponsors, and this looking like a year where many "PRO" fields will not be full might be a chance for the sportsman racer to stand up and shout... "WHATS IN IT FOR US?....

X-TECH MAN · 12-13-2008, 10:36 AM

I hate to say it BUT.....Its NEVER going to happen. To many different personalities and thoughts on the subject. No one will ever stick together and NHRA knows it. Its either quit or use more greese on yer butts.

63corvette · 12-13-2008, 11:42 AM

We go to about 6 National Events a year to race. More some years less some years. We have been doing that for the last 7 years since I retired.
One thing I noticed this last year (2008) was that the NHRA personnel are getting a little more user friendly. The only exception was at INDY this year. The guy parking me was having a bad day I guess and he was very rude and crude. I really think NHRA had instructed the National Event Crews to be a little more user friendly this year. It was a noticeable change from years past in the stacking crew/parking crew and in the registration crew also.
This is not to say they are helpful just better this year than in years past. I really get tired of the NHRA hassles the sportsman gets at the National Events. Maybe I am just getting OLD.
My 2 Cents

Jeff Beckman · 12-13-2008, 01:00 PM

There are many more races for sportsman. Only twenty some National events. Yes, we take the back seat. Don't Go! But if you go, enjoy yourself and the experience of having access to the back round view of the Circus. If you want to be the star of the show, build a pro team. Or go to a race that fits your car and accept this, not that many people are interested. The only one that needs to be is you. If your treated that poorly, don't go back, race elsewhere. I wanna be a rock star with a full head of hair, but my dog sings better than me and I am bald. So should I get booked to play a gig and then bitch because everyone goes to get a hot dog? ENJOY YOURSELF, RACE FOR YOU. AND MOVE THE GRAND STANDS TO THE FINISH LINE please.

chebby2 · 12-13-2008, 05:16 PM

What Jeff says..

BillK · 12-14-2008, 09:22 PM

Tim,

Your original question was about getting spectators to watch sportsman racing. I am assuming that you are talking about stock, super stock, and the .90 classes ? Personally, I am 58 years old, have been a drag racing addict of sorts since I was around 15 or so, took my brand new 71 Chevelle to the track when it had less than 1000 miles on it, raced it for 7 years, built an high 10 sec 67 Camaro bracket car and raced it for almost 15 years, but ...... I still cannot stand actually watching bracket racing of any type, including S/SS and especially the .90 classes. I can watch about 5 runs, then its time to go to the snack bar

I love Pro Stock, and like both the fuel classes a lot, but watching a bracket race just is not very exciting to me.

I think that the only way you will get more spectators interested is if the classes were made to be heads up racing. Look at what Top Stock did in IHRA ! Now that was some neat racing to watch. Wheels Up stockers running heads up, first to the finish line wins. That is what most spectators understand. Try to explain to a Nascar fan why a Super Gas car leaves the line, then basically shuts down for a second, then comes back to life for the rest of the run. They will look at you like you are crazy and say that is absolutely the stupidest thing I have ever seen !!!!

Just my opinion,

12-11-2008, 10:24 AM	#1
Nova4301 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Moore, OK Posts: 54 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	no spectators for sportsman racers? I am kind of new to this forum and I have been hearing alot about the problems with no spectator turnout at sportsman based races and no spectators wanting to watch bracket racing/.90 racing. This is not something new to me either...hardly anyone turns out at my local track for bracket races and the NHRA divisional spectator turnout is low too. As a racer, I think it is amazing how close some of this racing is and how unpublisized that is. I mean, people love close finishes in Nascar, football, etc. So why can't we or somebody with the NHRA/IHRA organization really show/express that. Examples: why can't the finish line margin be expressed a little better...instead of saying the winner took the finish line stripe by 6 thousandths of a second, some math and software could be devolped to give an accurate reading so the announcer/TV program/magazine can say that the winner got there by 5 inches. I know they use this sometimes but not expressed all the time and I don't know how accurate it is (with acceraltions and decceration at the stripe and all). Plus replays on a big screen...people love replays showing how close it was...it would be nice to have big screens at more events. just putting some ideas out there...people have probably already heard/talked about this. Tim Wilson, __________________ Tim Wilson HR/SST 4301

12-13-2008, 09:40 AM	#2
Freddie Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Tampa Fla / Anderson SC Posts: 334 Likes: 12 Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Re: no spectators for sportsman racers? ( kinda long re[ly) Tim: racing is a numbers game, plain and simple. The track owners need car cound or spectators to pay so the event works, or even to keep the gates open, the racer needs a decent chance at a payout before most decide to go to a race, and the spectator needs a show. I have been racing for many years now, and have even helped organize a few events myself. The spectators have become so used to assosiating drag racing with 300+ mph guided missles, that they really dont care to see anything else. More education is needed to show the spectators what real drag racing is all about, but niether sanctioning body is willing to pony up the funds needed to re-educate the fans. It is cheaper for them to just put on a bigger guided missle show. Pinks all out, seems to be a craze that is educating some of the viewing spectators on how hard it is to not only have a competitive field of cars, but to win even at a 11 second level. Rich and his crew do a great job with advertising, and providing a show for thier fans. NHRA from what I have seen could care less about the sportsman racers until enough sportsman racers decide enough is enough and stop going to the "National Events" or guided missle shows. Bottom line is without the support of the sportsman racer ,NHRA could not put on the big show, yet we still year after year allow them to treat us like dirt. I dont care what class you race, anymore the costs have way outgrown the purses. I have heard some drivers say I dont race for the $$$ i do it because I enjoy it. Well I enjoy alot of other things too but you dont see anyone throwing $200K to go golfing a year, or dont see anyone throwing that kind of $$$ to go bowling. My point is this "Sport" cost big money to do, and we all do it in hopes that one day we will win one of these events we all go to. My question is when are the sportsman racers going to have enough balls to let NHRA/IHRA know how they feel? With all the fuel teams loosing sponsors, and this looking like a year where many "PRO" fields will not be full might be a chance for the sportsman racer to stand up and shout... "WHATS IN IT FOR US?.... __________________ NHRA: Comp 2200 - S/C 2201 NMRA 2012 Outlaw 10.5 #10

12-13-2008, 10:36 AM	#3
X-TECH MAN Banned Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Lake Placid, Florida Posts: 3,203 Likes: 1,047 Liked 235 Times in 110 Posts	Re: no spectators for sportsman racers? I hate to say it BUT.....Its NEVER going to happen. To many different personalities and thoughts on the subject. No one will ever stick together and NHRA knows it. Its either quit or use more greese on yer butts.

12-13-2008, 11:42 AM	#4
63corvette Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canyon, Tx Posts: 552 Likes: 128 Liked 359 Times in 103 Posts	Re: no spectators for sportsman racers? We go to about 6 National Events a year to race. More some years less some years. We have been doing that for the last 7 years since I retired. One thing I noticed this last year (2008) was that the NHRA personnel are getting a little more user friendly. The only exception was at INDY this year. The guy parking me was having a bad day I guess and he was very rude and crude. I really think NHRA had instructed the National Event Crews to be a little more user friendly this year. It was a noticeable change from years past in the stacking crew/parking crew and in the registration crew also. This is not to say they are helpful just better this year than in years past. I really get tired of the NHRA hassles the sportsman gets at the National Events. Maybe I am just getting OLD. My 2 Cents

12-13-2008, 01:00 PM	#5
Jeff Beckman Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 308 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: no spectators for sportsman racers? There are many more races for sportsman. Only twenty some National events. Yes, we take the back seat. Don't Go! But if you go, enjoy yourself and the experience of having access to the back round view of the Circus. If you want to be the star of the show, build a pro team. Or go to a race that fits your car and accept this, not that many people are interested. The only one that needs to be is you. If your treated that poorly, don't go back, race elsewhere. I wanna be a rock star with a full head of hair, but my dog sings better than me and I am bald. So should I get booked to play a gig and then bitch because everyone goes to get a hot dog? ENJOY YOURSELF, RACE FOR YOU. AND MOVE THE GRAND STANDS TO THE FINISH LINE please. __________________ Jeff Beckman 318J ET, SG 318T SC

12-13-2008, 05:16 PM	#6
chebby2 Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 256 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: no spectators for sportsman racers? What Jeff says..

12-14-2008, 09:22 PM	#7
BillK Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Waldorf Md Posts: 230 Likes: 12 Liked 30 Times in 17 Posts	Re: no spectators for sportsman racers? Tim, Your original question was about getting spectators to watch sportsman racing. I am assuming that you are talking about stock, super stock, and the .90 classes ? Personally, I am 58 years old, have been a drag racing addict of sorts since I was around 15 or so, took my brand new 71 Chevelle to the track when it had less than 1000 miles on it, raced it for 7 years, built an high 10 sec 67 Camaro bracket car and raced it for almost 15 years, but ...... I still cannot stand actually watching bracket racing of any type, including S/SS and especially the .90 classes. I can watch about 5 runs, then its time to go to the snack bar I love Pro Stock, and like both the fuel classes a lot, but watching a bracket race just is not very exciting to me. I think that the only way you will get more spectators interested is if the classes were made to be heads up racing. Look at what Top Stock did in IHRA ! Now that was some neat racing to watch. Wheels Up stockers running heads up, first to the finish line wins. That is what most spectators understand. Try to explain to a Nascar fan why a Super Gas car leaves the line, then basically shuts down for a second, then comes back to life for the rest of the run. They will look at you like you are crazy and say that is absolutely the stupidest thing I have ever seen !!!! Just my opinion, __________________ Bill Koustenis