Divisional spectator attendance?

[cicero819]

I love going to the Divisional 1 races, my suggestion since there is no fan except us old timers, why not make it free, charge $10 bucks for parking, and make it on you food and beer sales, where can you go and be entertained all day, see some great action for such a low cost. I was at a Camping KOA where they once had many full-time resident and now they have hardly anyone in their parks, same problem there, overcharging their full-time tenants at $3.500 for the season, instead of lowering their prices and having the place full bringing in income they're wondering what happened? Business 101 if your charge too much for your goods and no ones buys them, it means you're too expensive and not competitive. Why not allow tuners at Divisional's, they would bring a large crowd of young people to the stands, no reason not to have them at this level, just imagine the new blood coming into our sport, forget the Unleash program NHRA tried to institute, it was just window dressing. I talked to Div 1Director Lang about allowing a Showroom stock class at divisional(for new Cars) there's is no new idea coming from Glendora. Remember that Honda Civics are our Camaro's and 55,56,57 Chev of our times so make room for them or our sport will die with us Baby Boomers. Claude Ruel

[Alan Roehrich]

There is no need for more classes at LODRS races.

Have the facility, especially the track, in great shape.

Treat the racers and the spectators like you want to be treated, remember they are paying customers.

Run the program in a well organized, well thought out, orderly fashion.

Charge reasonable prices.

Do a decent job promoting and advertising.

That's it.

It isn't nuclear physics, or brain surgery, it is simply common sense and good business sense.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why people want to make this into something it isn't.

[Ed Wright]

The big crowds we drew in the 1960s was due in part to Top Fuel Dragsters, Top Gas Dragsters, Funny Cars when they came along, and Pro Stock ran at divisional points raced. Stock & Super Stock didn't have brake lights at the finish line, and Modified Eliminator was popular. It's just frighin bracket racing now, unless your lucky enough to get a heads up. Nobody wants to watch bracket racing.

[Steve Sullivan]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

There is no need for more classes at LODRS races.

Have the facility, especially the track, in great shape.

Treat the racers and the spectators like you want to be treated, remember they are paying customers.

Run the program in a well organized, well thought out, orderly fashion.

Charge reasonable prices.

Do a decent job promoting and advertising.

That's it.

It isn't nuclear physics, or brain surgery, it is simply common sense and good business sense.

I cannot for the life of me figure out why people want to make this into something it isn't.

Because Alan, as Larry Morgan has said, "You can't fix stupid"

[cicero819]

Originally Posted by Steve Sullivan

Because Alan, as Larry Morgan has said, "You can't fix stupid"

Why must we fix the lack of buts in the seats, because if the owner makes more money not having anyone at his track, he'll choose to close it. CR

[barnca2010]

everyone needs to be part of the promotion team.. the track, and the racers..

[Dave Ribeiro]

* Maybe the other track owners should go to the Bill Bader's system of Drag-Racing & see why he's So Successful ? He & his son keep doing it year after year, they have a system that work's .. Both Racer's & Fan's and Sponsor's Love his track and his approach to Drag-Racing ... They are very interested in what the Racer's think & want people coming back again ...
They are very good Business people, keep your Customer's & Fan's happy &
they will keep coming back . Screw them & they will find another place to spend their money ... I think that's why most Drag-Racing Track's & Group's
are suffering today & that's why People have Stopped coming ? The Prices are Up & Service + Satisfaction Value's are Down ... Sound's like a bad
Dream , but that's what happens in business everyday ? Time will tell & it makes Stock - S/S Combo Races look even better than before !!! This is why Racer's need to be more supportive to Races like Michael Beard put on this year . I think that's where we maybe headed in the future, think about it?

[BKSG1198]

To put my thought in on this subject I think we definitely need to put more of an effort into promoting the sport on a divisional level. A few years back I sent off an e-mail to a very high-up in the divisional office. I volunteered my time since I was going to college for marketing to find ways to promote the divisional events using this as part of an internship. At the time we were going to about 5 D1 events a year (Missing VMP and LVD) and the spectator attendance was pitiful to say the least except Epping. At the time PC Richards and Sons has graciously stepped up and was giving away tickets at the local stores to these events so I went to a PC Richards store in my area to see about getting some. I didn't ask around I just figured that this would be something easily accessible, when I got there I searched high and low and could not find them anywhere. Now I worked in corporate life of restaurants for a long time and know how it is, you have soo much on your plate running a store the last thing you want to do is have to market a drag race also on top of that.

My idea to them was to have Gary, Pat, Paul and the boys and maybe a few other racers bring their cars out to a few locations before the divisional events within a 30 mile radius of the track and give away free carload passes and actually show people what they are going to see rather then just throwing something in a bag that more or less someone if just going to throw out because they are too excited to play with their new TV or PS4. Anyone knows if some little kids see a racecar more or less they want to sit in it or take a picture and will beg their Mom and Dad to go see the racecars on the weekend. Plus PC Richards has some very stock looking cars that run fast that could almost be just like your everyday daily driver that the parents could get into. Anyways my idea was pretty much shot down and was never brought up again but, to be honest it is quite sad to see some of these tracks and attendance. I'm not saying bring in Nitro Cars and Pro Stocks because once you add them unless 10,000 people are showing up you are losing cash right there for the track. To be honest anytime you add Alky & a Small Show you lose money because the crews get in free and I think the purse might be on the track (Don't hold me against that). I mean the free carload passes are cool but, I rarely ever hear about them being handed out. Jack will come on here and say he has a pile of them but, to be honest 90% of us are already going to the event. We need to his markets that people don't know about it. Atco does a great thing at the National Opens where they invite students from Penco Tech to come down and watch. I saw 4 school buses roll into an event that might draw 20 people if that for spectators and they had about 150 kids in the stands for an Open.

Just my thoughts

[Pete Beau]

Originally Posted by Dave Ribeiro

* Maybe the other track owners should go to the Bill Bader's system of Drag-Racing & see why he's So Successful ? He & his son keep doing it year after year, they have a system that work's .. Both Racer's & Fan's and Sponsor's Love his track and his approach to Drag-Racing ... They are very interested in what the Racer's think & want people coming back again ...
They are very good Business people, keep your Customer's & Fan's happy &
they will keep coming back . Screw them & they will find another place to spend their money ... I think that's why most Drag-Racing Track's & Group's
are suffering today & that's why People have Stopped coming ? The Prices are Up & Service + Satisfaction Value's are Down ... Sound's like a bad
Dream , but that's what happens in business everyday ? Time will tell & it makes Stock - S/S Combo Races look even better than before !!! This is why Racer's need to be more supportive to Races like Michael Beard put on this year . I think that's where we maybe headed in the future, think about it?

I've commented that track operators should be taking Bader & Co. to the most expensive steak house in town and pick his brain.