SRAC Meeting in Gainsville

[kmyers]

The Baders do an excellent job putting on a show along with promoting their events, that's what puts the people in the stands. They don't expect the racer to explain or adjust the classes for the lack of spectator knowledge. The Baders treat the racers as family and understand what it means to promote and operate a quality event. I thing or two could be learned.

I agree w/ the extended dating on belts, chasis, bell housing, ect........... Every little bit helps, even if it is just a year longer.

[Jeff Beckman]

Until someone can magically move the stands to the finish line for the sUPER cATAGORIES, we will not ever be a fan favorite.

I too have no clue if there are fans in the stands when I drive, I try not to think about a car next to me before 1000 feet either.

The only REASONABLE solution I can see for all who want to speed up the Super Classes would be to AD a 7.90 class. Maybe Super Eliminator, Super Duper, Super Stupid, sorry I want my post to be longer than Jason (soap box) Oldfield's!

I know that we would alll benefit from 5 year belts etc, just remember you are bucking commerce. Vendors and Sanctioning bodies, all make money from these reoccuring fees, so a lot of hard work and politicing would be needed. I fear we ask too much of our Sportsman Advisors as it is.

In MHO Pinks works because, it is on TV, the rules are simple for fans to grasp, the average American wants to be entertained without thinking too hard! Cold Beer, Get Ya Cold Beer Here.

[GaryGoFast]

Originally Posted by Jeff Beckman

Get Ya Cold Beer Here.

Maybe this is the sign we need to post in the stands.

[Bill Baer]

Mr. Oldfield,................ amen!,

[Jason Oldfield]

Originally Posted by GaryGoFast

Maybe this is the sign we need to post in the stands.

I can GUARANTEE you would fill the stands if that sign said "FREE BEER".

Heck, I might even fore-go racing and join the fans in the stands...

[Jeff Beckman]

Maybe the FREE BEER TOMORROW sign would keep the gullible ones in the stands, I mean just for looks.

Jason that post was tooooooooooo short.

AHHHHH cold beer goes good while watching those snowmobiles! Before anyone starts I have 2 of them, not hatin, just ride mine on SNOW.

[CBS]

You guys are funny.....the stands aren't filled for any of the sportsman classes....even alcohol....so its all about promotion.....if super street was all over the tv....people would be watching.....

Rock

[kmyers]

I agree Rock. I saw the 30 minute Pro Mod coverage yesterday, which was well put together, explaining the different types of engine configurations. Maybe they should do the same for the super classes and the stock classes, w/ the camera focused more at the stripe.

[Jason Oldfield]

Originally Posted by CBS

You guys are funny.....the stands aren't filled for any of the sportsman classes....even alcohol....so its all about promotion.....if super street was all over the tv....people would be watching.....

Rock

That's just not true Rock. The Alcohol classes get a fair amount of TV coverage, but as you stated the stands aren't packed when they're running? Why? I have two theories:

1. They're boring as all hell to watch, primarily the blown alcohol versions. They do three quarter track burnouts, then backup at 0.00001 mph to build heat in the engines. This results in LONG periods of time between races, not including the large amounts of downtime due to oil downs.

2. They're the little brothers of their fuel comrades. Basically the exact same car (as far as the spectator can tell), but they're 1 second slower. Why would somebody want to sit in the stands and watch the same cars they just saw run, but are slower?

Pro Modified and Super Gas / Street share a very important trait - diversity. But, there's certainly more diversity in S/G and S/St than there is in Pro Mod. Yes, the Pro Mods are 4 seconds quicker in the quarter mile, and that would certainly work against the popularity of S/G & S/St. But , people want to see cars leaving the starting line under full throttle! Don't believe me? Then why is it that every time I turn on an ESPN sportsman broadcast I see super slow motion shots of Stockers and Super Stockers leaving the starting line? Because people think it is cool.

Would moving the stands to the finish line help? To a certain extent it would. But again, for the casual spectator watching cars go by at 150 mph from a distance is not as exciting as watching them leave the starting line wheels in the air. We understand the skill it takes to drive the stripe well. The casual spectator doesn't, and NEVER WILL until they get behind the wheel and try it themselves, which MOST have never done and will never do.

You want a perfect example? Golf. We watch professional golfers on TV, and you see guys like John Daly and Craig Stadler waddling around the course shooting par or below. If you've never played a round of golf before in your life, I can GUARANTEE you that watching them on TV you'd probably walk away saying, "OK, that guy is pretty good, but I'm sure I could easily shoot 85 - 90 for a round." Then you go out and try it and your first time out you probably shoot 150. The commentators on TV and even at the event could have told you until they were blue in the face that you can't imagine how difficult this is and you most likely would not have believed them. Same goes for driving the stripe.

As I am sure you are all aware, I could go on and on and on about this subject (like most). But, I'll quit here since I've probably already lost most of you anyway. In the end, I look at it this way - if we need to "educate the spectator", then there's a problem with the current configuration of the class. If fans stopped attending NFL games because they perceived them as being boring, do you think the NFL would say, "Well there's nothing wrong with our game, we just need to better educate the millions of potential spectators so that they understand it better", or would the 32 participants (teams) make an attempt to change the on-field product?