How do we promote sportsman type racing? - Page 9

boostedf22c · 10-23-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irv Johns

Whats really amazing is how you boast about being a COMBO HITTER, How much Horsepower have you got the 5,7 engine with illegal pistons. I have no respect for you the way you and Lynch have destroyed this combo....

The last time I got it hit it was still a C/SA car, it wasn't me that made it an A/SA car.

How is it destroyed anyways? It can still easily run 1.20 under?

Sorry you feel that way. But that's your problem not mine.

Irv Johns · 10-23-2011, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boostedf22c

The last time I got it hit it was still a C/SA car, it wasn't me that made it an A/SA car.

How is it destroyed anyways? It can still easily run 1.20 under?

Sorry you feel that way. But that's your problem not mine.

Your right it is my problem I own a car you dont>>>You were the one to make it a C/sa from D/sa.

boostedf22c · 10-23-2011, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irv Johns

Your right it is my problem I own a car you dont>>>You were the one to make it a C/sa from D/sa.

And?

skills · 10-23-2011, 08:40 PM

Well since the racers are to busy fighting back and forth let the spectator comment. You don't have to play sportsmen verses pros, but you have to grow the sportsmen ranks to get better and more productive pros. Look how many of them came through the sportsmen ranks and some through the class ranks. Didn't it make you smile seeing jason line run in stock? First thing fuel has to be 1/4 mile that's what fans want who cares about the time at 1000 ft. Take fuel and power to slow them down do we care if they are only doing 310 instead of 330? Overhaul all class rules for cheaper ways which will pump up car counts which will make the purses bigger. In s/ss look for sponsors just for those classes, pay money for class records. Speed brings fans, personally I like shoe polish racing you have to have skill and can race just about anything. I was at the dutch and was just as impressed by the bender wagon and what it could do as I was by the numbers the new stockers put up. We need new blood in the stands I keep saying the friday night street racing at local tracks should be made into its own class. Run them at divisonals and opens purely street legal with registration and license. Has to be bracket so any car can enter you will have young and old at the divisional level. They get introduced to bracket racing at their pace and price. Some will move on to classracing buying more products which will give sponsors more customers and more money for everyone.

Michael Kilduff · 10-23-2011, 08:42 PM

One of the basic fundamentals of problem solving is to correctly identify the problem.

Is the lack of heads up racing the real problem in sportsman racing? There is evidence that heads up racing isn't alive and well. Consider the fact that one of the greatest heads up races in the country has died after about 17 years or so of thriving like mad. That's the Orlando World Street Finals (or similar).

The Orlando race was the 'heads up street car (I use that phrase ambiguously)' equivalent of NHRA's US Nationals. Competitiors from all over the country descended upon Orlando's hallowed grounds and spectators flocked to the place religiously year after year.

That race isn't being run this year. If heads up racing is what so many fans and racers desire why then did the greatest heads up 1/4 mile race in the country go down?

Another ugly fact that disproves the 'heads up is where it's at' hypothesis is the success of "Pinks".

Rich didn't seem like the biggest gear head on the planet to me. Matter of fact his lack of experience around serious drag cars was evident early on in his TV program when a pair of 7-8 second cars blasted by his arm drop. Looked like a deer in the head lights and his camera guy at the finish line dropped a Cleveland Steamer Bean in his drawers when the T/S style Corvette got loose on the big end and kept the hammer down.

Rich was/is a promotor extraordinaire, he made index style racing more popular than any other drag racing series in the country. Bigger than NHRA, bigger than ADRL, bigger than IHRA-and the cars were usually run of the mill bracket cars, or street/strip cars.
What other series fills up its qualifying fields in 15 minutes? No 32 car fields, 64 car fields, or 128 car fields either. This was 350 plus cars and the whole facility would be jammed with spectators. Granted he started out with some hokey heads up stuff that ultimately was manipulated by racers....the crowds still flocked to his events even when cars were spotted 'lengths' and then the gradual switch to index type racing. It thrived.

I think Dwight touched on something very appealing about Stock and SS racing....there are cars from every generation, a real live history of drag racing over many decades.

For what it's worth I spoke to a bracket race promoter in south eastern NC this past weekend. I asked him, during about one hour conversation, 'what will it take to get spectators to the aces again?'

His answer was to lower the spectator ticket to 5 bucks. 10-15-20 is too high in this economy when people have so many avenues for entertainment that are almost free-the web, NFL, WI, facebook, etc......

Rich C has, imo, laid down the blueprint for making drag racing popular. Hopefully someone within class racing that has the intestinal fortitude and the venture capital to risk will take a shot with it.

Charlie A · 10-23-2011, 09:00 PM

Back in the day all the local strips I attended were filled with racers and spectators and the only need for shoe polish was to mark your class and number, if your racecar wasn't a "real" racecar.

The index was the class record for the class you competed in and whoever could run closest to the number usually won that race.

Records were only set at divisional and national events.

The spectators all understood that and it was really cool if a local racer could run at or near (sometimes better than) the national record.

Top Stock was a big deal and the Super Stocks, Modified Production, Altereds and Gassers and anything else that showed up ran off until each group had a overall winner.

Pure/Stock allowed the local to become a participant. More fun than sitting in the bleachers!

A BIG race would then throw all the winners together for a Top Eliminator.

Great day of racing for all.

Lot's of local tracks.

Every radio station was running a "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday" ad.

That was then.

Would any of that work now?

brent flynn · 10-23-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSDA Hemi

Brent, I understand completly with what you're saying. Just not relevant here to me. I see this as promoting STOCK and SUPER STOCK racing.

My first racing job that payed was crewing on a Super Gas car when the class first came out. I loved Super Gas! In my opinion, the class has gone down a road that is not good for the spectators to watch. That is my opinion only and I will not own a super class car based on that opinion. I'm sure its a fun class to race in, but not for me. Different discussion for a different board...

If we could ever get a seperate organization running for Stock and SS, I see T/S and T/D as the classes to run with it. Also NSS as there are some organizations out there that know how to put the show on. And that is what it's about for the spectator. An entertaining show…

I may have gotten a little side-tracked... hehe, was just brainstorming...
IMO, Stock and Super Stock have gotten way outta hand, but thats what happens when aftermarket companies start lobbying NHRA/IHRA to make certain parts legal(for a fee, of course), and then everyone has to buy them to be competitive. Believe me, id like nothing more than to see STOCK/S-Stock flourish forever... and get the popularity it once had. WHat happened to SS&Drag Illustrated? Car Crap and Super Chevy and the likes could do more articles on S/SS cars, not just over-chromed new cars with 7 stage nitrous systems that never get used. If i ever get to the place that i can afford to run in CLass, i would be more than willing to go to the WalMart type parking lots for tech/show...anything to draw interest and talk about mine and
everyone else's cars... that is part of it... nothin better that someone wanting to know whats goin on under the hood, or whatever... TV/Mags/Internet/Car Shows/Contests are some good ways to promote(to answer the question at hand

)

brent flynn · 10-23-2011, 10:13 PM

Pure/Stock allowed the local to become a participant. More fun than sitting in the bleachers!

now, there's an idea!!! nhra still have that class? ihra did, but im not sure if they still do...

gonzo1066 · 10-23-2011, 10:43 PM

I went to the Seattle race this year as a spectator with a friend. This is the first national event I have watched in about 18 years. My friend is a FUEL fan and was stunned that I wanted to stay in the stands and watch the Stock and Super Stock classes run. He normally ran to watch the circus thrash on the fuel cars between rounds. I actually got him interested in WATCHING the sportsman races. Seems as though the public has been trained by TV that the only classes that matter are the Pro,s , Really sad that some of the best competitors have empty stands. I personally think the .90 classes are very determental to the people in the stands. It is hard enough for the average person to figure out why the two cars dont leave the line at once, let alone why the throttle stop cars dont even have a REAL drag race at all. Maybe if there was betting allowed in the stands??

We could have more spectators?? This is not going to be a easy thing to fix. IMHO

Robbie Welch · 10-24-2011, 09:42 AM

I've been reading this post with great interest. First back in the day there where alot less entertainment options available (internet,tv,resturants, moves, malls, ect) Secondly the price to spectate has gottin out of hand even for the weekly races, and the price for a big show (nationals) are crazy. As the ecconomy continues to stay weak these prices need to be reduced. The weekly shows need to promoted better as someone said I can remember the (SUNDAY,SUNDAY,SUNDAY) ads on the radio you rarely hear a race promoted anymore. Next to blame the demise of drag race on any one competion class is narrow minded,its the diversity in classes that make it interesting this encludes (stk,ss,comp and the .90 class's) and Mr.Gonzo 1066 if you believe that .90 racing is NOT A REAL DRAG RACE please give if it a try. I think you'll find out differently, its some of the closest racing you'll find just watch it from the finish line. Granted the throttle stops may make it a bit confusing to the casual spectator, the real race is after the stops come off.

10-23-2011, 08:40 PM	#84
skills Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Hershey,pa Posts: 187 Likes: 0 Liked 8 Times in 1 Post	Re: How do we promote sportsman type racing? Well since the racers are to busy fighting back and forth let the spectator comment. You don't have to play sportsmen verses pros, but you have to grow the sportsmen ranks to get better and more productive pros. Look how many of them came through the sportsmen ranks and some through the class ranks. Didn't it make you smile seeing jason line run in stock? First thing fuel has to be 1/4 mile that's what fans want who cares about the time at 1000 ft. Take fuel and power to slow them down do we care if they are only doing 310 instead of 330? Overhaul all class rules for cheaper ways which will pump up car counts which will make the purses bigger. In s/ss look for sponsors just for those classes, pay money for class records. Speed brings fans, personally I like shoe polish racing you have to have skill and can race just about anything. I was at the dutch and was just as impressed by the bender wagon and what it could do as I was by the numbers the new stockers put up. We need new blood in the stands I keep saying the friday night street racing at local tracks should be made into its own class. Run them at divisonals and opens purely street legal with registration and license. Has to be bracket so any car can enter you will have young and old at the divisional level. They get introduced to bracket racing at their pace and price. Some will move on to classracing buying more products which will give sponsors more customers and more money for everyone.

10-23-2011, 08:42 PM	#85
Michael Kilduff Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Carolina Beach, NC Posts: 281 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: How do we promote sportsman type racing? One of the basic fundamentals of problem solving is to correctly identify the problem. Is the lack of heads up racing the real problem in sportsman racing? There is evidence that heads up racing isn't alive and well. Consider the fact that one of the greatest heads up races in the country has died after about 17 years or so of thriving like mad. That's the Orlando World Street Finals (or similar). The Orlando race was the 'heads up street car (I use that phrase ambiguously)' equivalent of NHRA's US Nationals. Competitiors from all over the country descended upon Orlando's hallowed grounds and spectators flocked to the place religiously year after year. That race isn't being run this year. If heads up racing is what so many fans and racers desire why then did the greatest heads up 1/4 mile race in the country go down? Another ugly fact that disproves the 'heads up is where it's at' hypothesis is the success of "Pinks". Rich didn't seem like the biggest gear head on the planet to me. Matter of fact his lack of experience around serious drag cars was evident early on in his TV program when a pair of 7-8 second cars blasted by his arm drop. Looked like a deer in the head lights and his camera guy at the finish line dropped a Cleveland Steamer Bean in his drawers when the T/S style Corvette got loose on the big end and kept the hammer down. Rich was/is a promotor extraordinaire, he made index style racing more popular than any other drag racing series in the country. Bigger than NHRA, bigger than ADRL, bigger than IHRA-and the cars were usually run of the mill bracket cars, or street/strip cars. What other series fills up its qualifying fields in 15 minutes? No 32 car fields, 64 car fields, or 128 car fields either. This was 350 plus cars and the whole facility would be jammed with spectators. Granted he started out with some hokey heads up stuff that ultimately was manipulated by racers....the crowds still flocked to his events even when cars were spotted 'lengths' and then the gradual switch to index type racing. It thrived. I think Dwight touched on something very appealing about Stock and SS racing....there are cars from every generation, a real live history of drag racing over many decades. For what it's worth I spoke to a bracket race promoter in south eastern NC this past weekend. I asked him, during about one hour conversation, 'what will it take to get spectators to the aces again?' His answer was to lower the spectator ticket to 5 bucks. 10-15-20 is too high in this economy when people have so many avenues for entertainment that are almost free-the web, NFL, WI, facebook, etc...... Rich C has, imo, laid down the blueprint for making drag racing popular. Hopefully someone within class racing that has the intestinal fortitude and the venture capital to risk will take a shot with it. __________________ IHRA STK 932 O/SA

10-23-2011, 09:00 PM	#86
Charlie A VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast Posts: 2,483 Likes: 68 Liked 87 Times in 63 Posts	Re: How do we promote sportsman type racing? Back in the day all the local strips I attended were filled with racers and spectators and the only need for shoe polish was to mark your class and number, if your racecar wasn't a "real" racecar. The index was the class record for the class you competed in and whoever could run closest to the number usually won that race. Records were only set at divisional and national events. The spectators all understood that and it was really cool if a local racer could run at or near (sometimes better than) the national record. Top Stock was a big deal and the Super Stocks, Modified Production, Altereds and Gassers and anything else that showed up ran off until each group had a overall winner. Pure/Stock allowed the local to become a participant. More fun than sitting in the bleachers! A BIG race would then throw all the winners together for a Top Eliminator. Great day of racing for all. Lot's of local tracks. Every radio station was running a "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday" ad. That was then. Would any of that work now? Last edited by Charlie A; 10-23-2011 at 09:59 PM.

10-23-2011, 10:13 PM	#88
brent flynn Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Middletown, IN Posts: 593 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: How do we promote sportsman type racing? Pure/Stock allowed the local to become a participant. More fun than sitting in the bleachers! now, there's an idea!!! nhra still have that class? ihra did, but im not sure if they still do... __________________ 1968 Bird/TRW 455/Home ported 13's, '70 Qjet,Holley Street Dominator manifold, Comp Solid FT, 10.817/122.30/1.440 Workin' on E/SA combo 3119 E/SA

10-23-2011, 10:43 PM	#89
gonzo1066 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NW Washington state Posts: 61 Likes: 1 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: How do we promote sportsman type racing? I went to the Seattle race this year as a spectator with a friend. This is the first national event I have watched in about 18 years. My friend is a FUEL fan and was stunned that I wanted to stay in the stands and watch the Stock and Super Stock classes run. He normally ran to watch the circus thrash on the fuel cars between rounds. I actually got him interested in WATCHING the sportsman races. Seems as though the public has been trained by TV that the only classes that matter are the Pro,s , Really sad that some of the best competitors have empty stands. I personally think the .90 classes are very determental to the people in the stands. It is hard enough for the average person to figure out why the two cars dont leave the line at once, let alone why the throttle stop cars dont even have a REAL drag race at all. Maybe if there was betting allowed in the stands?? We could have more spectators?? This is not going to be a easy thing to fix. IMHO

10-24-2011, 09:42 AM	#90
Robbie Welch Live Reporter Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Golden Beach Maryland Posts: 1,234 Likes: 55 Liked 262 Times in 124 Posts	Re: How do we promote sportsman type racing? I've been reading this post with great interest. First back in the day there where alot less entertainment options available (internet,tv,resturants, moves, malls, ect) Secondly the price to spectate has gottin out of hand even for the weekly races, and the price for a big show (nationals) are crazy. As the ecconomy continues to stay weak these prices need to be reduced. The weekly shows need to promoted better as someone said I can remember the (SUNDAY,SUNDAY,SUNDAY) ads on the radio you rarely hear a race promoted anymore. Next to blame the demise of drag race on any one competion class is narrow minded,its the diversity in classes that make it interesting this encludes (stk,ss,comp and the .90 class's) and Mr.Gonzo 1066 if you believe that .90 racing is NOT A REAL DRAG RACE please give if it a try. I think you'll find out differently, its some of the closest racing you'll find just watch it from the finish line. Granted the throttle stops may make it a bit confusing to the casual spectator, the real race is after the stops come off.