Fixing things
 

I am just a fan and don't have any skin in the game, but love sportsmen racing. This isn't a bit cheaper session I would like some ideas if possible. I was wondering how we can improve the sportsmen experience at national events for the racers and the fans. People love muscle cars, look at all the rebuild shows and the ratings for Barrett Jackson. How can we improve the racing at live events to get more people into the stands and perhaps get more sportsmen coverage on tv. A lot of non live event racing fans don't realize there are more going on at the track than nitro. Perhaps a more pure show on tv will draw more fans. More fans is more money for sponsors and racers alike, everybody wins.

Re: Fixing things
 

Come up with another sanctioning body JUST for the sportsman ranks. NHRA will NEVER allow a Sportsman show. It would never want or let ANYTHING possibly upstage the pro ranks..... You will never get NHRA to Co-operate. They dont even let people shoot unauthorized photos much less video.
Good luck on a new organization, thats the only way it would work.

Re: Fixing things
 

Several years ago Nhra was going to go to a Nhra Pro concept. Would have been only pros at those events. They should have done it. Sportsman get piped all the time. Nhra wont do it because we are their cash cow. Pros and their crews dont pay anything to enter. Sportsman should have 6-8 sportsnationals around the country each year.

Re: Fixing things
 

Ed they don't pay entry fees but I bet you'de like to have what they collect for pit spaces and the vig they get on shirt and memorobilia sales from the pro teams. We're all their cash cows.

Re: Fixing things
 

Personally I don't want a pro only show. It doesn't feed my need for more cars and different classes. I like the whole show from super street to top fuel. Sure some classes are more enjoyable than others, but the show on a whole at a national event is worth the price. If they are going to get more people and younger fans you need a sportsman show. The new Camaros, Mustangs and Challengers are very popular. Give us more of what we want.

Re: Fixing things
 

At the Seattle "show", I quit going on Sundays several years ago. I love Stock/SuperStock racing and would much rather take a vacation day to watch sportsmen on Friday and Saturday, than spend the additional $$$ to watch the big show on Sunday. I wouldn't even consider going to an all pro show.....

Re: Fixing things
 

The fix, finding a funding source outside of the NHRA(that's not their responsibility) to invest money into all of the purse's for sportsman. If you find that, it fixes quit a few things for everyone and helps cars come back because there's more incentive.

Side bar: I'd love to see an economic breakdown of the NHRA and how they accumulate funds to settle the idea of who brings more value financially. I would love to know that and see evidence to back up whatever stance comes from it.

Re: Fixing things
 

I don't think you have to look any further back than the original ADRL to see why that scenario isn't practical from a "business" standpoint. It was a great idea for both the racers (who got free entry) and the spectators (who only paid for parking), but even a multi-millionaire like Sheik Al-Thani got tired of losing money every year.

IMHO, the NHRA has a very simple business model -

• Provide a safe venue for the racers (and spectators) to participate at -
• Provide a competition structure that is exciting for the casual fan, and -
• Deliver a plan to provide a decent return-on-investment for its business partners (the sponsors)

The reality is that the majority of the spectators at most National Events, and those who tune-in to the Fox Sports broadcasts, are there to see the competitors that make the most noise, smoke and flames. These are also the folks that spend their money on the products that NHRA's business partners sell, both on and off the property. That's what matters to the corporate bean-counters. Coca-Cola needs to sell a whole lot of Mello-Yello or they'll put their millions elsewhere.

The NHRA has had many, many opportunities to provide the sportsman classes the national exposure that they should be getting, and other than the Alcohol classes and maybe 5 minutes on the "other" broadcast each week, that's it! And it's not like Bob Frey, Alan Rinehart and Lewis Bloom haven't tried to spot-light some of us!

The bottom line is that the coverage (and the money) goes to the competitors the casual fans and sponsors want to see.

Drag Racing Online (www.dragracingonline.com) has been publishing the NHRA's tax returns for the last few years. They might answer a few questions.

Re: Fixing things
 

in ref to Sportsman cars or Professional cars;

in my opinion, for the casual or diehard spectator, a National even setting is not the place to showcase Sportsman cars.

Why, because the spectators are too far away from the cars.

One of the most successful bracket programs in the Nation for many years was Texas Raceway in Kennedale TX. The car count was high AND the spectator attendance was high.

In my opinion, one reason for good spectator turnout was because they were close to the cars. A low fence lined both sides close to the starting line and folks were hanging on to see and hear the action.

During a booked in Pro Stock or Pro Mod show, same story, spectators up close to the cars.

Re: Fixing things
 

another thought, when we bracket race at the Texas Motorplex, [a National event track] the stands are empty even though some spectators are in attendance. [true, the spectators are mostly crew and family with a few casual fans]

Point being, everyone is hanging in the lanes, staging and starting line areas.

Why, close to the action.

Re: Fixing things
 

In regards to financial breakdown, this is what I mean. The tax return identifies sum totals. What I want to see is the true economic value in dollars of the pro categories vs. that of the sportsman. So, this would include, financial investment from teams, sponsorship dollars from those teams, sales influenced by those teams(tickets, merchandise, parts, etc), exposure to the NHRA brand cause by those teams. This would identify. The sum total economic impact all of the categories.

This would answer this question of which brings more value and where marketing bias can be applied. It will either verify that a strategy has worked or that a strategy needs to be modified. At the end of the day, the marketing budget has to be allocated to bend towards the thing that brings the most value so the ROI is maximized. I'm not a business major but I would assume you would always place an emphasis on the things that maximize value. What's unclear to me is what actually brings more value?
We read opinions but I haven't seen or read many facts that validate one or the other. Regardless, it not about an us vs. them deal, but more so optimizing the strategy to maximize value.


As to my statement regarding an outside funding source. I just believe that it can't be NHRA's job alone to source funding. Their resources and ability only extend so far and the racing climate now seems to be proof of that. This is based on the assumption that no money is being wasted unnecessarily and that the budget they've allocated and put together is actually based upon the money available. Whether that is the correct assumption, I do not know. Regardless, to me it seems evident that the budget is tight. So how could one assume that purses should increase without a way to fund them? Or for their to be an increase in financial commitment when the commitment is probably near it's max? The only place I've seen a significant increase in payout is in some of the annual one race events. There aren't very many multi-race series that are increasing their financial commitment. I would even venture to say that those events with the most popular classes(ie today's outlaw racing classes), don't need to be included because its harder to do when your not the newest class on the block. How many series with classes that are 10yrs or older are able to increase their financial commitment? Simply put, that's hard, especially with an ever changing consumer base.

I guess to me and this may be naive, its not that simple. The problem is complex given today's economic climate and depending on NHRA has yielded a result that for most is below par. At least that seems to be the feeling from the comments I read. I guess I would like to see a different strategy of some sort utilized to help source more funding.


I don't have the answers nor am I the authority on all things drag racing, just another opinion, and another perspective to add his few cents whether right or wrong.