Racing fairness versus Circus attendance

X-TECH MAN · 09-21-2010, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adger Smith

Yea, Terry it was so hot you thought it was August instead of July...
Are we too old to stand the heat, now...???

I think so Adger. I usually do what I want to do here before noon and take a nap in the afternoons in the A/C.....heh heh. 10 years does make a difference and Im glad we did it when we did. Everyone worked their butts off in that heat but it was something kind of like "WoodStock".

Adger Smith · 09-21-2010, 09:49 PM

How about another Class Racer "Woodstock' at Cordova??? I would like to return to the track where I died!! Might bring me luck... Can't get any worse!! Hey, May in Cordova is nice and cool..

Michael Kilduff · 09-21-2010, 10:07 PM

Getting spectators in the gate will go a long way to increasing payouts and making the event profitable. Maybe free admission and no coolers allowed for spectators, stay reasonable on prices at the concession stand.

Whereever the event(s) are held it would be a good idea to entice racers to put their cars on display where they can be visible to the public. A day or two before the race put cars on display in shopping centers, malls, auto parts stores, etc...give away free tickets where the cars are, people love the word FREE. The promoters could offer the businesses that agree to a display a free banner at the track, advertising on flyers, etc.....A live radio remote at the track on saturday morning would be an idea as well. I have been to a divisional NHRA race at Richmond when free tickets were offered at NAPA stores or somewhere and the place was packed almost like a national event.

Get creative and just get people there. 3000 spectators spending 8-10 bucks on food/drinks is better than 100 spectators paying 10 bucks to get in the gate.

You could entice racers to put their cars on display with things like premium parking (ie pavement) and that in itself would be attractive with 400 plus cars on the property.

A track where spectators can get fairly close to the action should get special consideration. I've been a spectator at over 50 national events over the last 20 years, fans are much more energized if they are closer to the action.

FED 387 · 09-21-2010, 10:30 PM

Cordova would be OK Also more lodging in the vicinity for racers to stay if they do not have a RV-- Byron has a CURFEW situation that severely limits the hours of racing when you get lotsa cars.

Bernie Cunningham · 09-21-2010, 10:41 PM

HUH, I thought everybody wanted SPORTSNATIONALS and we got 'em, isn't this discussion about the same kind of event ???????? What the hell happened ???

Now I'm confused ??!!

Bunkster · 09-21-2010, 11:03 PM

One driver...one car.

None of that dual entry crap that the likes of Cotton Perry used to pull.

SS Engine Guy · 09-21-2010, 11:36 PM

Let someone like Nitro Joe do the factoring and sell weight bars at tech. Use procedes to fun payouts.

Alan Roehrich · 09-22-2010, 01:48 AM

With regards to the idea of having an event or events at Bowling Green:

I don't know of anyone who has complained about Bowling Green being exceptionally expensive to rent.

Bowling Green has been extremely supportive of Stock and Super Stock, they've run a combo series for the last couple of years, with support from Comp Cams. The track prep has been pretty good too, and I honestly can't say that about every track we've been to.

Bowling Green hosts the big Buick event for a 3 day weekend, that's a independent group that has come back there every year for a really long time. So evidently Bowling Green is doing something they like, a lot.

The biggest problem with Bowling Green is it gets really hot in the summer, but then most places in the south do. The solution to that is to try for a date in April, May, late September, or October. The next problem is the fact that NHRA is the sanctioning body at Bowling Green. That actually could end up being a bigger problem than the heat in the summer.

If they can put on a couple of big foot brake bracket races at Bristol, then the two biggest obstacles to doing a big class event at Bristol, Norwalk, or Charlotte, would be the sanctioning body and getting the racers to "walk the walk" and show up.

Adger Smith · 09-21-2010, 10:42 PM

Dick,
We had to deal with the Byron curfew at the first US Class Nationals.. just made it!!
I would think in this economy the next USCN's will only draw around 300 cars instead of the original 400.

09-21-2010, 09:49 PM	#2
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,446 Likes: 575 Liked 880 Times in 311 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance How about another Class Racer "Woodstock' at Cordova??? I would like to return to the track where I died!! Might bring me luck... Can't get any worse!! Hey, May in Cordova is nice and cool.. __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)

09-21-2010, 10:07 PM	#3
Michael Kilduff Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Carolina Beach, NC Posts: 281 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance Getting spectators in the gate will go a long way to increasing payouts and making the event profitable. Maybe free admission and no coolers allowed for spectators, stay reasonable on prices at the concession stand. Whereever the event(s) are held it would be a good idea to entice racers to put their cars on display where they can be visible to the public. A day or two before the race put cars on display in shopping centers, malls, auto parts stores, etc...give away free tickets where the cars are, people love the word FREE. The promoters could offer the businesses that agree to a display a free banner at the track, advertising on flyers, etc.....A live radio remote at the track on saturday morning would be an idea as well. I have been to a divisional NHRA race at Richmond when free tickets were offered at NAPA stores or somewhere and the place was packed almost like a national event. Get creative and just get people there. 3000 spectators spending 8-10 bucks on food/drinks is better than 100 spectators paying 10 bucks to get in the gate. You could entice racers to put their cars on display with things like premium parking (ie pavement) and that in itself would be attractive with 400 plus cars on the property. A track where spectators can get fairly close to the action should get special consideration. I've been a spectator at over 50 national events over the last 20 years, fans are much more energized if they are closer to the action.

09-21-2010, 10:30 PM	#4
FED 387 VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 3,429 Likes: 564 Liked 336 Times in 183 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance Cordova would be OK Also more lodging in the vicinity for racers to stay if they do not have a RV-- Byron has a CURFEW situation that severely limits the hours of racing when you get lotsa cars.

09-21-2010, 10:41 PM	#5
Bernie Cunningham Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Southern California Posts: 561 Likes: 46 Liked 52 Times in 17 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance HUH, I thought everybody wanted SPORTSNATIONALS and we got 'em, isn't this discussion about the same kind of event ???????? What the hell happened ??? Now I'm confused ??!! __________________ Bernie Cunningham 7053 STK

09-21-2010, 11:03 PM	#6
Bunkster Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 307 Likes: 0 Liked 43 Times in 10 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance One driver...one car. None of that dual entry crap that the likes of Cotton Perry used to pull.

09-21-2010, 11:36 PM	#7
SS Engine Guy Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: usa Posts: 256 Likes: 1 Liked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance Let someone like Nitro Joe do the factoring and sell weight bars at tech. Use procedes to fun payouts. Last edited by SS Engine Guy; 09-21-2010 at 11:39 PM.

09-22-2010, 01:48 AM	#8
Alan Roehrich Veteran Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Murfreesboro TN Posts: 5,144 Likes: 1,623 Liked 1,952 Times in 439 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance With regards to the idea of having an event or events at Bowling Green: I don't know of anyone who has complained about Bowling Green being exceptionally expensive to rent. Bowling Green has been extremely supportive of Stock and Super Stock, they've run a combo series for the last couple of years, with support from Comp Cams. The track prep has been pretty good too, and I honestly can't say that about every track we've been to. Bowling Green hosts the big Buick event for a 3 day weekend, that's a independent group that has come back there every year for a really long time. So evidently Bowling Green is doing something they like, a lot. The biggest problem with Bowling Green is it gets really hot in the summer, but then most places in the south do. The solution to that is to try for a date in April, May, late September, or October. The next problem is the fact that NHRA is the sanctioning body at Bowling Green. That actually could end up being a bigger problem than the heat in the summer. If they can put on a couple of big foot brake bracket races at Bristol, then the two biggest obstacles to doing a big class event at Bristol, Norwalk, or Charlotte, would be the sanctioning body and getting the racers to "walk the walk" and show up. __________________ Alan Roehrich 212A G/S

09-21-2010, 10:42 PM	#9
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,446 Likes: 575 Liked 880 Times in 311 Posts	Re: Racing fairness versus Circus attendance Dick, We had to deal with the Byron curfew at the first US Class Nationals.. just made it!! I would think in this economy the next USCN's will only draw around 300 cars instead of the original 400. __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)