Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Is there any way to market Sportsman racing? I have to wonder with all of the current stand alone local organizations on this site why can't somebody come up with series that may include say Prostocks and Promods as the draw? It seems as though those two classes are sorta in limbo with the IHRA prostocks essentially having to "pay to play" the same for Promods with NHRA. Is so much regard given to these two entitys that racing without their "blessing" is not really racing. We raced a few local S/SS races this summer and we had a great time. I guess my question is is there a way to make this sort of racing draw a crowd? Joe

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

I believe so. With the high cost of Fuel Racing I think a better show could be marketed and cost the drag strip owner a lot less without the fuel cars. Lower insurance rates is just a start without the Forces and Shumachers.. All it takes is someone with enought "Gonads" to try it. Some of it would depend on some popular and some NOT so popular changes in rules from the status que. The way it is right now just "AIN'T" working. No spectator draw just for Stock and S/S by themselves. Just look at the ADRL.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Expensive Stock and SS bracket racing will not Draw anything but Rain.....see DIV 1

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

ADRL dose that accept no stock or ss

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

X Tech Man,
Sounds like the way the NEW IHRA is going to do things.
Jeff Ross

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

1. Evening show (so spectators aren’t baking in the sun)
2. Affordable ticket prices and concessions
3. Creative advertising
4. Educated Announcer that knows something about class racing
5. Less classes
6. Keep cars going down the race track
7. And maybe something thrown in for a few OOO’s and AAAH’s

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Joe,
If you get a chance check out an ADRL event. Free tickets for anyone who want to locate them, one of the best shows around and one of the best promoters in auto racing. I have crewed the last two seasons on the Bankston Boyz Racing Pro Nitrous(nitrous Pro Mod) and have seen record crowds and spectators turned away at many events. The National Guard and others have stepped up and Kenny has forged a new way to market drag racing to sponsors. We have had 36-40 nitrous cars at many events qualifying for a 16 car field and so have almost all the other classes except for Extreme Pro Stock. A very racer friendly and spectator savvy organization. They run Pro Extreme(blower/turbo Pro Mods), Pro Nitrous(nitrous Pro Mods), Extreme Pro Stock(mountan motor Pro Stocks), Extreme 10.5(outlaw 10.5 cars), Pro Extreme Motorcycle, and Pro Junior Dragster. Two day, great shows for fans. All but Pro Junior Dragster are heads-up classes so new spectators don't have a hard time understanding dial-ins and breakouts.
We runner-upped at Memphis and won at Houston and it was pretty awesome. Our first 3 second 1/8th mile pass happened in Houston and they had us come back down return road and had the crowd all into that fact. The winners circle at Houston was bigger than what I've seen for the pros at both NHRA and IHRA events.
If sportsman racers had a promotoer like Kenny then much could be possible.
JMT.
Ron

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Get rid of the shoe polish and fans will return. Some say that car counts will be down but the factoring will finally work so those racing will be serious about performance. Of course thats just my opinion but I've had plenty of fans tell me they didn't like the sandbagging and dial ins where a lower classed car gives the higher class car a head start. Now come on how silly is that?

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

A lot of the S/SS cars could be marketed in a nostalgia / musclecar venue. That would include late model Camaros/Firebirds and CJ's as well.
I have No idea what to do with FWD conversion Cobalts and Cavaliers.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

First thing that comes to mind with respect to dialed index cars. A few years ago we ran a Stick Nationals at Edgewater they paired up the cars for eliminations with the closest E.T.'s . This at least gave the illusion of some heads up runs. Second to get good participation you need to have a reasonably sized purse. I've seen this at the Buckeye S/SS races 1400-1500 to win at the trails not bad money in my opinoin. Of course if I had to travel 200-300 miles for that it would be less attractive. They would need to get some spectators to help the track make some money then maybe the tracks would WANT these type os programs.The thought of some Prostock or Promods is to sell the tickets, get people out watching and spending money at the trtacks... the track wins the racers win. As I recall WAY back in the dark ages there were plenty of match race circiuts that did very well. This would be a form of that. We have to understand that the average Joe isn't gonna come out to watch just S/SS cars they need something more to pull them in. From what I see there are alot of southern tracks that Book in "quick" what ever shows and make alot of money at it. What's quicker than Prostock, Promod and maybe 4 nitro harleys for good measure? Joe

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

No....the IHRA still wants a circus show with the top oilers. Screw those damn things. They just keep the race tracks from RUSTING and take up space.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

From the last 2 IHRA Nats. I attended you could run every car down the track twice in the time it took to send 6-8 Top fool cars smoking the tires and oiling the track. Again which would the average fan want to see? Some fast door cars with a bit of Sportsman Mixed in Or the IHRA's non show? Joe

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Pinks All Out successfully markets 10-sec bracket cars. So, absolutely it can be done. It's all about TV, and how it is packaged. If Pinks wasn't on TV, their events wouldn't draw anywhere near what they do. (see 1320X)

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Mark, Put them back in Comp! Jim

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Michael, you have the idea, problem is you used that ugly word "Pinks All Out." The attraction is the publicity. If no one other than on these boards know that you are racing no one is going to show up. An example being I was at the Drag Race Reunion in Henderson. A group of "old guys" were talking about the "no crowd" at the US Nationals at Indy and the massive crowds at "Pinks All Out." We were talking about how the tracks do not have promotors nor do they promote races. We were talking about a track here in North Carolina, been racing for years. A lady over heard our conversation and asked if that track still was racing. This track is open every week-end and people don't know it. Someone that could put together a group and actually promote it will draw spectators.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

The York US 30 Reunion race @ Beaver Springs brought back alot of old cars mixed in with the new in a combo race{stock/superstock} that went over real well. Fans packed the place to see the old stuff and got a good look at the new. The wheels up action and car bodys they could relate to was well received. Alot of people stopped by in the pits with all kinds of questions many being when & where can we see you again.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

I still remember when brett kepner used to do the commentary for Modified years ago his intimate knowledge of the cars and racers made for a great job of anouncing. He had a way of making the fans take interest as he knew most all of the combos indexes ect. which made it more entertaining for the fans.Most all of our freinds who ran the ROD classes would make sure they were in the stands when Modified ran. Heck I can still remember the mad rush when they would anounce Factory Modified was about to run, hearing those guys screaming those motors gave you chill bumps. Joe As a side note I don't really think it's the actual racing of Pinks that attracts the people as the prospect of maybe being seen on T.V. so yes the T.V. coverage without a doubt makes Pinks what it is.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Tim/Michael this is what I've tried to discuss here before. That is what people want to see. Look at the race tomorrow night at Z-Max. The Good Guys Street Rod Show is a Lowes Motor Speedway so Z-max has a race tommorow night and guess what? You can see old Pro Stock cars match racing, as some one said. "Hemi Fred" with and original Sox and Martin Duster up against an original Bill "Grumpy" Jenkins monza. There are other groups of cars running also. My guess? There will be a crowd here for this.

I just saw the post about Brett Kepner. If you got a chance to see "Inside Drag Racing" on Sunday you would see that this gentleman is an walking memory bank when it comes to drag racing. I have had the pleasure to talk with him at the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame. The shown on Sunday was from Henderson and the Hall of Fame event. Brett did several interviews and talked about several of the cars on display.

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

Run the cars off the index and raffle off a ride in Jim and Joe's Chevy 2 :D

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...8/Traction.jpg

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

A couple of years ago someone posted a video of an 1/8th mile IHRA race in Steele, Ala, maybe?
Brian Olsen was the announcer and I think Myron was in it.
It was a perfect example of what a good announcer can do for S/SS.
Does anyone know of this video or how to access it?

Re: Marketing Sportsman Racing
 

I'd be interested in seeing the video as well. thats our home track


Stephen Johnson #2162
Horace Johnson #2167
SS/D 427 Ford Fairlane NHRA-IHRA