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#1 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 963
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i was thinking of this the other day while I was sitting through the delay for daytona... why is it that daytona can be talked about every day, basically all day up until the race, and even after the race they talk about it every day until the next race. I've seen commercials every day about this race, and even in the local newspaper, but when it comes to drag racing, you dont hear or see anything about it until the day of the race. My local track doesnt promote the outlaw races that come up. You go to a local race here, and then a couple of days later you bump into a friend, and ask them were they at the races,and they look at you like they saw a ghost, well I didnt know there was race.. Why cant Nhra-ihra have telecast each day of the week or even 3 days a wk talking to the racers and finding out what they are goin thru to prepare for the event coming up. I honestly think drag racing will always take a backseat to Nascar!!!
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Coraopolis, Pa.
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I also remember SUNDAY,SUNDAY,SUNDAY......that phrase would always get my attention....I think the gradual decline in local spectator interest and the rising cost of radio advertising through the 70's and 80's all contributed to the current state of things....a rumbling V8 still turns heads and the cookie cutter automotive market sort of dulled everyone senses to the point of numbness.....with the explosion of big screen TV and the "video" society of the new millenium I would love to hear AND see a SUNDAY,SUNDAY,SUNDAY....commercial come screaming across the screen..... cable advertising is about the least expensive form there is and compared to the other media is darn cheap and a great bang for the buck...local tracks could really benefit from this.....if NHRA would put together a video package all of their member tracks could use it with their local event voice over and details.....
D L Rambo..... |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
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I've been on and off of the board today coming back to read the comments. Thought I would add to this mornings comments.
Today there are 6 or 7 drag strips within an hour ride from Raleigh. Most of these tracks, over the years, have seen some of the biggest names in drag race history. All of these racers started in the dirt pit area of some of these tracks. If a Track Owner would put together a program with Stock/SuperStock, Gear Jammers, Straight axle Gassers that people want to see race, and promote it, spectators will come. A couple of short radio spots, send a small note to the local newspaper. On any Saturday night, in most major cities in North Carolina, there is a classic car cruise-in at a hamburger or pizza spot near you. On some nights as many as 500 classic car and 3,000+ people who came to see the cars and eat. Print a flyer promoting your race hand it out, place it on the front seat of the cars. They will come to the race and bring there family and friends. When they are at the track they are going to spend money on food and souviners. Racers we will have to support the efforts of the Track Owner. Have your car clean and neat. Dress and act professional, remember you are not only representing you but also the companies which help you get to the races. Treat the spectators, who come to look at your car in the pits, like friends you are glad to have at your pit spot. Don't by pass the little ones, remember an adult brought them there to see you and possibly will come back again. Most of us have photo printers. Make a couple of sheets of photos of your car it doesn't matter what size. Put them out at your pit area and you"ll be surprise how fast they're gone. And maybe someone might just ask you to sign the photo. When it's time to race put on the show the people came to see. What ever class or race you are in give the spectators who did come the best you have got. At a local track which had a car show and nostalgia drag race, I was in the tower talking with the Track Owner. He said I came up hear to watch the races and I noticed something. Some of those people in the stands really don't know who won the race. They look at the starting line with a pair of cars Mustang vs Camaro, Camaro vs 'Cuda, the tree comes down, the engines roar, the wheels are up. The wheels touch the ground and they are looking back to see the next pair of cars. |
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#4 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Warrensburg, IL
Posts: 32
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Our local track here in IL had a big "exhibition" style race a few years ago that is now an annual deal, but they advertised it on the radio and I heard multiple people say that they did not even know that Central Illinois had a drag strip. Growing up in the area and in the sport I always just assumed that since I am 21 and know that the track is there, then everyone else in the area that has any interest in the sport must know that too. It really opened my eyes to just how poorly promoted several tracks have been for the past 15-20 years.
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#5 |
VIP Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Dunnellon,FL
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When I lived in AL the local track would get with the local Mall and sponsor a car show for the local racers. We would all bring our cars in thur. night after the Mall closed then they would be on display thru Sun when we would take them home.
Most of us would hang around and answer questions or just shoot the ***** with people that were interested. It was a great way to connect with the people, look at whatever was new, and expose the kids to the sport. JimR
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Jim Rountree |
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Paxton, Massachusetts
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All this sounds great, but billboard, radio and TV advertising, even a local newspaper ad is becoming very expensive these days....How much do you think Nascar is paying to promote their roundy-round events w/their people and their shows on speed channel and the espn networks? Believe me, it's plenty. Sadly enough, the Sportsman drag racers are paying for pretty much the whole weekly show at your local tracks, because the fans just aren't showing up on a weekly basis, and most blue collar families can't afford $20 per person admission charges to a local track, especially if they're bringing a couple of youngsters along....$8--10 admission fees might help, but the overall economy is ruining the sport as well....couple of yrs. back, EVERY big Nascar event was a sellout BEFORE raceday.....now you can get a good seat to every Sprint Cup race, and purchase it on raceday....Same thing w/National event 1320 races...the stands (and pits) aren't being filled because the people who have the interest, fans AND many Sportsman regular racers, don't necessarily have the extra cash to travel and attend these events....How long can this attendance drop-off go on before some of the track owners start putting the chains across the entrance gates? Just my .02 cents. WJ
Last edited by W J; 02-19-2010 at 08:22 AM. |
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Carthage, MO
Posts: 108
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I think the use of enclosed trailers has lessened the effect of natural advertising for the tracks. I can remember seeing cars on trailers and trucks in town, at resturants and on the highways around town and knew something was going on at the drag strip. Similar effect as the car shows only mobile.
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#8 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: columbia TN
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Although I am a die hard racer and race fan and support what is said 100%, I would like touch on an issue that is often overlooked in a discussion as this, which is a big part of the equation. Many racers are not viewing the races from purely the occasional spectators point of view. There are several factors, but I will only mention a couple. It has become a sport they cannot identify with. Secondly, it requires preminum time they may not be willing to regularily invest. Even going to a local race, you get to the races early afternoon, and if you go rounds, you will be there until 11-12 pm at night. Then if you have to drive a distance back home, by the time you get home, it is the wee hours of the morning. This puts a damper on the average racer trying to get friends or family to go with them; for many, it is too far and too many hours at the track to want to go. A loyal race fan is more than happy to devote this time, the average fan will probably not do so on a regular basis and want to do other things on their weekends. Even for local spectators it makes for a long night if you stay for the duration, especially if they bring their kids, and they need to be home before it gets real late. Then a lot of time is spent sitting around waiting. Spectators want to see constant racing action, not 30 minutes of down time between rounds, or unnecessay delays, when this happens they will get bored and leave. Much could be done to expedite the local racing program from unnecessary delays. Also, its hard for me to believe, but some people actually don't like all the noise and smoke for an extended period of time. A lot of the excitement of the "old days" is gone, that match racing and grudge racing from touring professionals brought to the program, that sparked outside interest and drew people to the track with slick radio advertising. Today, if you don't have a huge interest or connection in racing to begin with, the time, expense, and emotion investment required can be a major obstacle in developing new interest. Just a different persperctive...
Last edited by 68camaroSS; 02-19-2010 at 02:49 PM. |
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