Divisional spectator attendance?

[Ed Wright]

The big crowds we drew in the 1960s was due in part to Top Fuel Dragsters, Top Gas Dragsters, Funny Cars when they came along, and Pro Stock ran at divisional points raced. Stock & Super Stock didn't have brake lights at the finish line, and Modified Eliminator was popular. It's just frighin bracket racing now, unless your lucky enough to get a heads up. Nobody wants to watch bracket racing.

[Steve Sullivan]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

There is no need for more classes at LODRS races.

Have the facility, especially the track, in great shape.

Treat the racers and the spectators like you want to be treated, remember they are paying customers.

Run the program in a well organized, well thought out, orderly fashion.

Charge reasonable prices.

Do a decent job promoting and advertising.

That's it.

It isn't nuclear physics, or brain surgery, it is simply common sense and good business sense.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why people want to make this into something it isn't.

Because Alan, as Larry Morgan has said, "You can't fix stupid"

[Tom keedle]

Originally Posted by Don Whitmore

When I was younger (many moons ago), one thing everyone seemed to enjoy (and look forward to) was 'match racing.'

When Bill 'da Grump' Jenkins would come to my local track (Edgewater, Cincy, OH) to race Sox and Martin or when the 'Chi-Town Hustler' would show up to race the 'Blue Max' people would get to the track at 1:00pm in the afternoon, just to see these guys roll-in and set up. I know I did.

Has NHRA handcuffed the pros with so many national events, they can never 'match race' anymore? Would something like this spice-up a Divisional and attract fans?

I know I miss it. Just sayin'....

Don

maybe some "rivalries" and promote the hell out of 'em would help.

this "PC" crap of not wanting to offend anyone due to sponsorship ain't working...
look at all the "reality" shows on TV..

[cicero819]

Originally Posted by Steve Sullivan

Because Alan, as Larry Morgan has said, "You can't fix stupid"

Why must we fix the lack of buts in the seats, because if the owner makes more money not having anyone at his track, he'll choose to close it. CR

[barnca2010]

everyone needs to be part of the promotion team.. the track, and the racers..

[Dave Ribeiro]

* Maybe the other track owners should go to the Bill Bader's system of Drag-Racing & see why he's So Successful ? He & his son keep doing it year after year, they have a system that work's .. Both Racer's & Fan's and Sponsor's Love his track and his approach to Drag-Racing ... They are very interested in what the Racer's think & want people coming back again ...
They are very good Business people, keep your Customer's & Fan's happy &
they will keep coming back . Screw them & they will find another place to spend their money ... I think that's why most Drag-Racing Track's & Group's
are suffering today & that's why People have Stopped coming ? The Prices are Up & Service + Satisfaction Value's are Down ... Sound's like a bad
Dream , but that's what happens in business everyday ? Time will tell & it makes Stock - S/S Combo Races look even better than before !!! This is why Racer's need to be more supportive to Races like Michael Beard put on this year . I think that's where we maybe headed in the future, think about it?

[BKSG1198]

To put my thought in on this subject I think we definitely need to put more of an effort into promoting the sport on a divisional level. A few years back I sent off an e-mail to a very high-up in the divisional office. I volunteered my time since I was going to college for marketing to find ways to promote the divisional events using this as part of an internship. At the time we were going to about 5 D1 events a year (Missing VMP and LVD) and the spectator attendance was pitiful to say the least except Epping. At the time PC Richards and Sons has graciously stepped up and was giving away tickets at the local stores to these events so I went to a PC Richards store in my area to see about getting some. I didn't ask around I just figured that this would be something easily accessible, when I got there I searched high and low and could not find them anywhere. Now I worked in corporate life of restaurants for a long time and know how it is, you have soo much on your plate running a store the last thing you want to do is have to market a drag race also on top of that.

My idea to them was to have Gary, Pat, Paul and the boys and maybe a few other racers bring their cars out to a few locations before the divisional events within a 30 mile radius of the track and give away free carload passes and actually show people what they are going to see rather then just throwing something in a bag that more or less someone if just going to throw out because they are too excited to play with their new TV or PS4. Anyone knows if some little kids see a racecar more or less they want to sit in it or take a picture and will beg their Mom and Dad to go see the racecars on the weekend. Plus PC Richards has some very stock looking cars that run fast that could almost be just like your everyday daily driver that the parents could get into. Anyways my idea was pretty much shot down and was never brought up again but, to be honest it is quite sad to see some of these tracks and attendance. I'm not saying bring in Nitro Cars and Pro Stocks because once you add them unless 10,000 people are showing up you are losing cash right there for the track. To be honest anytime you add Alky & a Small Show you lose money because the crews get in free and I think the purse might be on the track (Don't hold me against that). I mean the free carload passes are cool but, I rarely ever hear about them being handed out. Jack will come on here and say he has a pile of them but, to be honest 90% of us are already going to the event. We need to his markets that people don't know about it. Atco does a great thing at the National Opens where they invite students from Penco Tech to come down and watch. I saw 4 school buses roll into an event that might draw 20 people if that for spectators and they had about 150 kids in the stands for an Open.

Just my thoughts

[Mile High]

Originally Posted by BKSG1198

My idea to them was to have Gary, Pat, Paul and the boys and maybe a few other racers bring their cars out to a few locations before the divisional events within a 30 mile radius of the track and give away free carload passes and actually show people what they are going to see rather then just throwing something in a bag that more or less someone if just going to throw out because they are too excited to play with their new TV or PS4. Anyone knows if some little kids see a racecar more or less they want to sit in it or take a picture and will beg their Mom and Dad to go see the racecars on the weekend. Plus PC Richards has some very stock looking cars that run fast that could almost be just like your everyday daily driver that the parents could get into. Anyways my idea was pretty much shot down and was never brought up again but, to be honest it is quite sad to see some of these tracks and attendance.

Just my thoughts

The track or division should do this. Instead of racers stacking at the track days ahead of time to get that "good" pit spot. The car show racers would get "Primo" pit spots. That way they would be easy to find. Right now it's "out of sight, out of mind". Stock/Super Stock is like a car show except they really run.

Jeff

[Pistol Pete]

I think alot depends on where the race is being held first of all.
Lets use Englishtown for an example. Alot of things to do in Nj/NY areas.
You have major league baseball, you have Great Adventure, Beaches, just to
name a few things to do.
It doesn't seem like the people that use to go to watch do not go anymore,
for whatever reason. Maybe people lost interest or just do other things now.
I know P.C. Richards gives away free tickets for the Englishtown Div. for Saturday
The place is never packed with spectators for this race, but loads of people
will go to Wed nite Night of Thrills show that they have there every year.

Just my 2 cents

[FED 387]

Example!!! I have offered to pay and host one or several of the sports writers for the 3rd largest newspaper in Illinois at any race divisional /open/weds nite test n tune/weekly bracket racing at Rt 66 raceway in Joliet, Ill.--- their reply (newspaper)is we (reporters) cannot accept any type of "gratuity" from anyone other than the stadium/team etc it causes all kinds of financial/legal problems-- I have tried to get Rt 66 to provide "free" passes to the reporters and I would/will meet the reporter at the track, "escort" the reporters around the pits,staging area and up around the starting line areas and try to explain what is going on how the race functions purpose of a burnout etc. the different types of cars (Comp/Stock/Super Stock/Bracket cars/ etc.) and the equipment or modifications to the different cars that put them into the classes they are in. My intention for doing this would be that just maybe the reporter will write a story about his/her experiences and why it might be a great form of entetainment for the readers. Guess what??? NO REPLY FROM RT 66 !!!!!!! Not a drop dead/not interested/go to hell nothing NO RESPONSE from the track whatsoever---Now if you can give a FREE pass that essentially costs you ZERO and you are going to get a newspaper article with pictures published in a paper that has a daily circulation of HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of papers for FREE,you gotta be some kind of dummy not to do it ---You can't buy advertising space for that for less than SEVERAL thousands of dollars for that kind of space---I don't know what it takes I'm out of ideas!!!!! FED 387