How do we promote sportsman type racing?

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Blown68

Promote is the "KEY" word.
Have you guys seen what happened last weekend @
SGMP: Radial Revolution, "No Mercy" - Oct. 14-16th

This was done by a promoter from Fl.
Make up a set of rules and have a Race!

Just my thoughts

Rob Striegel

I watched that race on the net.

Not only does the promoter "get it" , but the announcers were really getting into the action as well.....heck, it had me pumped up !

I was super impressed with how well the track personnel worked to speed up eliminations and provide a hookin' track.

BTW: the younger gearheads love that style of racing. It is so easy now to make silly amounts of power.
What does it take to attract younger gearheads to class racing ?

[Jim Woods]

Terry and Alex, count me in if ever needed

[Mike Pearson]

Personally i think we as racers put on a great show right now. If you like cars, trucks trailers or anything mechanical than you would like the drag races. one of the main problems we have right now is the track owners are not promoting their product. It is easier for them to sit back and do nothing to advertise the major events at their facility. What has happened lately is the track operators want to raise the gate fees for the racers so they pay their own way. The promoters need to get the main stream media in the local area of the races to do some radio and TV advertisement. Such as local interest stories of the racers that will be attending the events. Show some footage of previous events on the local news sports section. I dont know when the last time I saw anything on the local TV sports section other than the "Ball sports"and maybe a little NASCAR. Last weekend when indy car racer Dan Weldon was killed it made the head lines in the paper. something is wrong when it takes someone getting killed to get racing into the headlines. First you have to inform the spectators when the event is happening then you have to get the spectator interested in what is happening at the event. 3rd you have to give them good value for the dollar spent. Reasonable gate fees, food and drinks. Then you have to have a really good announcer that knows the racers and the program and is able to entertain the spectators and teach them what is happening on the track.
Drag racing is the most friendly form of racing for the spectator. They can walk through the pits and see the cars up close and talk to the drivers and crew. A day at the drags is a full day of entertainment.

[Dwight Southerland]

One angle to promote is that St/SS racing is that it is an active history lesson of American/Detroit hp development. That would take savvy promoter(s), announcers and racers. '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s and current all had exceptional offerings and our racing shows what that is. It also is a venue where each time period can be appreciated and compared. Or you could divide up different eras and/or different manufacturers. There is lots of material to work with. The key is knowledge, action and excitement. The comment that was made above from the fan about still not understanding the Stock/SS racing is a telling point - if you don't know the rules to a football game, it will be hard to appreciate the action. KISS.

It can be done.

[57 Delivery]

I too was the Dutch this weekend. I never miss it. This year I was glued to the fence by the tower most of the day as usual. There is just something about Stock and Super stock. My nostalgia 57 Delivery was home on jack stands . I missed the 60's Junior Stockers . Rich was there then and now as was X tech and others. Not a day goes by in my mind where I am not trying to figure how "the House" could cough up that Stocker engine money so I could run with the hunt . It's on that bucket list for me. Thanks for these posts guys.

[KRatcliff]

This not "the" way to gain fan interest, but it is "a" way of doing it, IMHO. I drive a stock eliminator Firebird that I do my best to keep it looking clean and nice. It does get a little bit of attention when I am at the races and I try to make it inviting to look over the car.

If some one comes by and shows interest, I will stop what I am doing and take time to chat with them. I'll open the hood and doors encouraging them to check it out. Most people are quite respectful and try to keep their distance, but I try to get them more "contact" with the car than they expect.

I will go much further if I know them. I like to take them with me in the car when I warm it up. I have even taken them around the pits in remote areas after the race and before I have put it in the trailer. Or simply let them sit in the drivers seat. The kids especially get a kick out of it. I'll strap them in, put on the helmet, and watch as they imagine driving it. I may be getting more out of it than they do now that I think about it.

It seems to me that the newness and uniqueness of an activity is what generates the most interest. Watching cars race each other in a drag race in the early 60's was pretty new and unique. That may be what had the fans coming in droves. Today, drag racing is televised and has been around for long enough that it isn't so new and unique.

Getting them in the car and letting them "feel" the power, noise, and shake is new and unique. It is alleged that I "may" have whopped the throttle a once or so during a warm up and my guest went .

[Nathan Stinson]

Originally Posted by Blown68

Promote is the "KEY" word.
Have you guys seen what happened last weekend @
SGMP: Radial Revolution, "No Mercy" - Oct. 14-16th

This was done by a promoter from Fl.
Make up a set of rules and have a Race!

Just my thoughts

Rob Striegel

X1000 I was running in the X275 class down there this past weekend. 88 cars in that one class and all of the classes put on a hell of a show. Plus the Duck knows how to promote and he takes care of the racers and fans alike. they had free food everyday of the event for the racers and spectators. I would venture to say there was as many or more racers and way more spectators than any LODRS race they run @ SGMP.

[Nathan Stinson]

Originally Posted by ALMACK

I watched that race on the net.

Not only does the promoter "get it" , but the announcers were really getting into the action as well.....heck, it had me pumped up !

I was super impressed with how well the track personnel worked to speed up eliminations and provide a hookin' track.

BTW: the younger gearheads love that style of racing. It is so easy now to make silly amounts of power.
What does it take to attract younger gearheads to class racing ?

Yep Al Tucci and Chris were entertaining on the mic for sure. The SGMP track guys worked their butts off all weekend and kept the surface tight. You are right that people like the power but I think the thing that most enjoy is the fact that it is all heads up balls out racing all the time, casual fans get that. No dailing in, no bitching about what the other guy runs under the index or wether the car has a blower or carb on it, its grab a lane and race if you get beat find a way to make your stuff faster and do better next time. That is real heads up racing its that simple.

[Ed Fernandez]

Just some food for thought.S/SS has been around how long?
How long have these heads up options been around?
How long do you think it will be till they get stale?
Remember the Nopi srries?
How abouut the recent index classes at national events?
Top Stock/Jr Stock?
See a pattern?

[ALMACK]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

Just some food for thought.S/SS has been around how long?
How long have these heads up options been around?
How long do you think it will be till they get stale?
Remember the Nopi srries?
How abouut the recent index classes at national events?
Top Stock/Jr Stock?
See a pattern?

Good point Ed.
Although I do see Index Racing staying around for awhile. It's just a glorified form of bracket racing.
Yes, all of the heads up racing is all the rage right now. I have seen a surge of popularity in small tire heads up racing even at my local track.

Unfortunately, that type of racing almost always insures that some will be financially burnt-out in a short time. Some racers will even go as far as to get a second mortgage or cash in their 401K just to keep racing once they get the heads-up bug. That's plain crazy!

It's not what I want to do with my retirement fund, but I can understand the addictive nature of heads up racing.

I'll probably never win a heads up race, (even if I pair up with another H/Pure Stocker ) so I'll just keep bracket racing where I have an equal chance of winning.