Norwalk event a wake up call? 45,000 spectator day @ divisional.

[Todd Bailey]

This past week I received five, free tickets in the mail for next months' points meet at Houston Raceway Park. Twenty dollar tickets good for either Saturday or Sunday. HRP did this a few years ago for the ADRL race and the place packed something like 50 thousand plus. Parking fee plus the beer and shirts brought in a LOT of money for the track.

[W J]

All remaining NHRA Divisonals should feature free spectator admisson, or no more than $5 spectator admisson for the future 2010 Lucas Oil Div. races. Drop race entry fees $50-$75 as well for 2010 season remainder, to help the competitor a little....Fans will spend some $ on food, drink and a souvenier or 2. Track owners will make at least something.....and the racer will get at least some fuel or lunch $....the $25 each or more spectator admisson fee in this economy will not put hardly ANYONE in the stands.....that has already been proven for the last few years now.....Norwalk/Summit had the idea, let's see if the rest are smart enough to follow.....it could really help fill the stands most everywhere....almost like " back when".......there's another .02 cents worth of dreaming for everyone..... WJ

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Todd Bailey

This past week I received five, free tickets in the mail for next months' points meet at Houston Raceway Park. Twenty dollar tickets good for either Saturday or Sunday. HRP did this a few years ago for the ADRL race and the place packed something like 50 thousand plus. Parking fee plus the beer and shirts brought in a LOT of money for the track.

HRP did the same thiing last year for the points race.

[Todd Bailey]

Dang, they must have left me off their mailing list since I never got them!!

[Michael Galofaro]

It should be a wake up call for every track !! I was amazed to see the amount of people coming in and it never stopped ( well it did when the closed the gates and yes Summit gave away 15,000 tickets).
I remember standing in line for food, EVERY food stand was open and had a line of 50 people, forget the lb of ice cream for a $1 - that line was unreal.
So all track owners, managers or ?? is in charge or putting asses in the seats should take a look and learn.
I mentioned this idea (certain amount of free entry - bus load for 50 bucks etc etc) to a few tracks in DIV 1 and was basically blown off - so keep your 5 spectators in the stands and keep complaining. I would say that Mr Bader made AT LEAST a cool million from the food stands alone. Just do the math - 45,000 people they all have to eat and buy a coke right - one burger and coke is 10 bucks. One each and there's 450k - and fat asses like myself eat alot more than that

Anyway it is what it is and I am looking forward to going back next month - classy people - classy place to race !!!! What's the big deal if you let the people in for free or extreme discount - if they dont come you make zero anyway. And I dont agree everyone should get in free all the time but cmon track owners/ managers use your heads and be a little creative. Heaven forbid we are able to increase a purse - maybe a idea where everyone benefits ??

I could be wrong though

[CycloneFE]

Quite a while ago I used to run a bread route to an Amish community. One "Salvage Store" owner used to buy my "cheap" loaf @ .34 per and he sold it 3 for $1 or .33 1/3. He used this as a "draw". I sold a lot of bread and rarely had stale. I believe it is called good business. Mr. Bader must be cut from the same mold as my Amish fellow.

[Ed Fernandez]

For what it's worth I spoke to someone I've known for many years,who isn't a BS artist.He
is an employee at OBT Raceway Park(Englishtown).He told me they distributed about 10,000 free entry passes for last years divisional.Only about 300 were used at the gate.I think there's a story there.The NY area is a tough market for entertainment dollars.There's a lot of competition for your buck.Around here it seems the only market we do well in is the old geezers who grew up with the cars we race.The kids are familiar and comfortable with their FWD fart pipe cars and all the heads up/fast car venues.I don't make this up I just report what I see and hear.

[cicero819]

Hallelujah they've seen the light! Great to see initiative being rewarded! I hope that more progressive and enlighten individual such as Mr Bader come forward.

[W J]

Free admisson to the drags almost has to be splashed out there by all the radio stations that people listen to during the day and at night.....tv ads maybe just too expensive.....run the ads for 2-3 weeks before the event....Free, and they will come, Fart pipes, straight pipes, crack pipes, bag pipes, whatever.....WJ

[John Dinkel]

Bill Bader figured out that it costs more to keep ice cream frozen than it did to sell it for a dollar.
Treat the people well and the will come back.
Without the racers and the spectators there would be no drag racing.
What a novel idea.
That's all it takes to make to make the best points race ever.