How would you SAVE CLASS RACING ???

[Michael Beard]

Hi Dan! Glad to know you're still out there.

I do think you hit the nail on the head with media coverage being crucial -- for both the sponsors and the racers. Guys like to see their cars in print and on the screen. Even some bracket races are starting to figure out that a little ink goes a long way. Sponsors need that same coverage to leverage the support that they provide to racers to make it a viable means of advertising. (Good example, see pg 22-23 of the new Drag Review, online at www.ihramag.com)

People *do* pay more attention to the smaller segments of racing than you might imagine. Everywhere I went last year, I heard from bracket racers and spectators at small local events, "Man! I've seen that Duck Tape car in about every magazine this year!" The real kicker for me was getting my truck inspected at the local NAPA last month, and afterwards the guy says, "You must race a lot", noting the decals in the back window. I gave him a card with the Volare on it, and he stared at it for a second and said, "This car looks familiar.... Hey! I saw this car on TV last year!" How cool is that?

In terms of marketing to the hardcore racer vs a throng of fans in the stands, it may depend on what you're trying to sell, how big your business is (or needs to be), and the makeup of each audience (as you can have VERY different demographics involved in the fans at different types of events or even at different venues for the same type of event) My Staging Light graphic design and printing business targets the hardcore racer market, and has grown to the point of being overwhelming -- competing at the race track *is* my marketing. I think the same goes for Jim Bailey's FINISHED, CAM2 Oil, etc. Then you've got crossover companies that need to market to both hardcore racers and casual fans to varying degrees, like Mickey Thompson and K&N Filters. You have companies that have different segments that complement each other, like Southland Speed (hardcore) and Southland Dodge (hardcore & broad-base consumer). The Duck brand is a line of consumer products, including everything from the obvious Duck Tape to mailing/packaging supplies, things that everyone can use, so they look for the widest possible base. They have found that the hardcore racer has been an effective branding tool to help reach the consumer base, and we're now going into our 9th year together, showing that they have indeed found value in our marketing partnership. Every business model is going to be a little different.

Despite its bracket racing attributes, Class Racing is most certainly performance driven. I think you've got guys who will buy a lot more parts than your average bracket guy. I *am* a bracket racer, but my bracket car admittedly gets upgraded few and far between, while the two Stockers get new toys for them on a semi-regular basis.

Unfortunately, I think the "sleeper combination" guys are dwindling, as we see more and more "Stocker in a box" cars. Both the perception and reality of competitiveness along with the unintended(?) consequences of several rule changes over the years has created a major shift into the kinds of cars that people choose to build or buy.

Enough random thoughts for now...

[Adger Smith]

Ken,
Very good!
Information is a powerful tool and there is alot of mis information about Stock and Super Stock floating around.

I really agree with part of this, & I Quote "someone just needs to step up and start using Stock and Super Stock as an asset, not a liability".

Sportsman racing, including Stock and Super Stock, really isn't a liability to NHRA.
That is part of the misinformation I speak of.

[LXguy]

Well, here are some perceptions from the outside looking in...

Some of these are probably complaints about racing in general, but I thought an "interested outsider's" opinion might be helpful.

I'm interested in this kind of racing, more because of the challenge of getting the factory parts to run than in the actual eliminator, but anyway, here are some things I've noticed.

The rules and the way the eliminator is run are clear as mud. I've only been drag racing since 1998-discovered my life-long love at the age of 30. But I have been serious about it in the intervening period. My car won the 2003 Pure Street title with the NMRA (that's a true heads-up, no breakout eliminator).

It is VERY HARD to get into this sport because the way the rules are written, even someone who is very interested can scarcely figure it out. The rulebook is written by people who already know the rules for people who already know the rules.

Seriously, imagine you're a newb who's never seen a Stock race in person. Try to figure out what kind of tree the class runs (.500 full? .400 Pro?) -Its in there, but hidden. How often am I going to run heads up vs. bracket? Who knows!? How can you build a car if you don't know.

As best as I can figure out there's nothing in there at all about class eliminations versus the standard index format.

If NHRA wants people to spend the real $$$ required to get into this class they need to talk it up, and present the way the classes run in an obvious place. It won't ever be basic, but if someone cant figure out how it works, they're not going to get involved.

Next, the grey areas are a mile wide. I understand its class racing, but give me a break. Half the fun is figuring it out. Is building a car really just about writing a blank check for "guru dollars" to one of the engine builders with a good reputation? Seriously?

There are a hundred other things. What do I have to do to run a '74 Challenger as a '73 exactly? What do I have to do to run a '71 Dart as a '70? Its not so much that I want an answer, but I want to be able find the answer in the godforsaken rulebook.

Class racers are closemouthed SOBs. I've been there and I know you want to protect your hard work and research, but there's ALL kinds of things you can share that only make the difference between someone being able to field a car and not.

If you've been doing it for 20 years, helping out a newbie is helping out the sport you love. It seems many racers are so worried about racing against someone they've helped, soon they might not have anyone to race at all.

Once people feel they've got no chance to win, their interest drops to zero or below.

Some other basic facts that may or may not be useful:

.400 pro tree is much more interesting to racers and spectators of my generation.

The no trans-brake rule is just plain stupid. The net effect is that now you need a guru converter to go with your guru motor, heads, and carb.

The holy grail is to have a class where people can easily run there cars at non-NHRA races and events (note that there is a BIG difference between this and dumbing the class down enough for people to be able to run generic bracket cars in the class).

Bracket racing is only for the benefit of the people doing it. Spectators (and thus sponsors) don't give two shakes about bracket racing. It is not accessible to casual fans. However, people are easily fooled, and index racing with a heads-up start appears to most people to be a heads-up race. This form of racing is making serious money for tracks in my area, much more than their regular bracket programs.

Anyways, here I am, interested, with a pile of parts and some classic Mopars, but having real problems convincing myself to actually put one of them together to run Stock. especially when I can run an 11.00 index class for 10% of the cost with no teardowns, cheaper entry fees, not bad prize money, and no motorhome required.

My .02

Steve