Divisional Spectator Attendance

[Maverick]

Lot of people watch it on u tube, nhra tv
In Florida, I asked why I never saw my fellow racer ip by the starting line , and he said it easier to watch on TV in the motor home. WOW, I never thought about that.

[B Parker]

Everyone has some good points. There don't seem to be many promoters in drag racing in general. Years ago when drag racing got going the need to promote was not as important as it is today. It was a different time in our history when cars and Hot Rods were a big deal especially with us younger crowd. We were a performance car Country back then. Today it's a whole new ball game. The younger crowd would rather sit inside and play games all day. Mike said it shouldn't be up to the racers to do and I agree but if we don't get involved, we have just as much to lose as the tracks do maybe even more. I don't know how some of the tracks remain profitable with the low turnouts for events. We can't afford as racers to lose to many more tracks.

Things that I have seen in the last few years that brought more cars in and also helped get more spectators.

Double up the races when you can. There is no doubt this increases car counts. Not all may like this but the numbers don't lie!!!

In the Northeast Lebanon Valley Dragway has consistently had more spectators than any other track. They do this with FIRE WORKS and Jet cars. They put on a show for the fans more than just watching us. And they advertise it on the radio.
Track owners have an Association and the Owners need to reach out to other tracks that are having success bringing in crowds. We are the greatest Traveling Car Show maybe someone will capitalize on that.
Tracks Need to Promote
The old saying of Build it and they will come is not going to work

WHEN TRACKS CLOSE WE ALL LOSE
It would be great to see NHRA start a New department that's in charge of promoting the sport from National's to the Divisional's and down to the local levels. They must have one but it looks like it could use a lot of help Get people involved that have been around and understand what could be done to help keep our sport healthy. Not just college grads that don't really understand what we do and how to help the tracks get more fans in the seats BP

[Ron Ortiz]

Best way to get new people to come out to the races.
1. Go to your local high school and offer free entry to all the seniors and juniors who have a drivers license. Could be for an event or a T & T.

2. Make it a challenge between students and faculty.

As a side note, it is always in the best interest of everyone involved to have a good concession stand. Nothing worse than going to an event for the first time and get crappy food.

[Jeff Niceswanger]

National Trail has done that for years. Every Saturday of the point meets a couple dozen yellow school buses show up and all the kids walk around. Even at that, it looks like the place is empty. When a place holds 20 thousand people, a few kids don't make much difference.

[Ron Ortiz]

That's great Jeff, but we need them kids that have drivers licenses to come out, then they will bring their friends, kind of like investing in the sport.
If you ask a couple of track owners what brings them in, it's the import crowd. No tech, just kids having fun. They buy food, spend money.
If we don't get new blood, the sport will continue to decline. There are plenty of racers who have their kids racing, and have friends, but we need way more.
The stands are packed for all these different import events they now put on, the reason is the kids have all these different cars to pick from, but most are imports.

Just my opinion, but NHRA is going to have to put imports into Stock if they want new blood. it's kind of happening now with the new EV classes that some tracks have.

Spectator Attendance. You got to make people want to come to a race while competing against all the other events in the area for that weekend.

Track owners have to make a profit, it's a business. What's it cost to do a Divisional. What does NHRA want out of it.

[4284spd]

It's all about the money! Young people can't afford this sport. Being at the Vegas double the last few days, the only young people are the children of people already established in the sport and are financially set.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by 4284spd

It's all about the money! Young people can't afford this sport. Being at the Vegas double the last few days, the only young people are the children of people already established in the sport and are financially set.

You got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NHRA's "entry-level" classes (Super Street and Stock) are now full of 150/160 MPH cars! That's not "entry-level"!

[BILL TAYLOR]

Originally Posted by Ron Ortiz

That's great Jeff, but we need them kids that have drivers licenses to come out, then they will bring their friends, kind of like investing in the sport.
If you ask a couple of track owners what brings them in, it's the import crowd. No tech, just kids having fun. They buy food, spend money.
If we don't get new blood, the sport will continue to decline. There are plenty of racers who have their kids racing, and have friends, but we need way more.
The stands are packed for all these different import events they now put on, the reason is the kids have all these different cars to pick from, but most are imports.

Just my opinion, but NHRA is going to have to put imports into Stock if they want new blood. it's kind of happening now with the new EV classes that some tracks have.

Spectator Attendance. You got to make people want to come to a race while competing against all the other events in the area for that weekend.

Track owners have to make a profit, it's a business. What's it cost to do a Divisional. What does NHRA want out of it.

IMPORTS? I'm not so sure I wouldn't rather see it die than allow that. I've been at events where imports were there, came away with a hatred for those buzzbombs. They may be even more irritating than having Jr Dragsters at a Divisional. Just my 2 cents. Bill Taylor B/S 1005.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by BILL TAYLOR

IMPORTS? I'm not so sure I wouldn't rather see it die than allow that. I've been at events where imports were there, came away with a hatred for those buzzbombs. They may be even more irritating than having Jr Dragsters at a Divisional. Just my 2 cents. Bill Taylor B/S 1005.

Not to mention, all the imports that I have ever seen at the track, usually just go for the local "street legals" event, or maybe a test and tune, and have zero interest in class restrictive "rules", or handicap racing. Almost everyone that I have seen , has either a turbo, or NAWS", and all kinds of "Mods" that would never fly in Stock. There may be a FWD Ricer that would possibly enjoy working with most of the factory issued components, and find satisfaction in finding incremental gains by experimenting, but it seems most of them would rather slap a nitrous kit or turbo on their Hondas.