Divisional Spectator Attendance

[James Perrone]

Give away tickets to racers
Great idea but ain’t happening
Free and Nhra are like oil and water
They don’t mixl
Also crew passes are no longer discounted
Pay $20a day Like spectators
Zero favorites. That’s how you make $$$
Everyone pays

[Mike Bassin]

Keith Mayers is right. The 2016 VMP Lucas Oil Race was free to race fans except for a parking fee. We had a great spectator turn out. The Alcohol cars were fast, no down time from them, the usual hard launching wheel standing stock / super stock cars put on their usual great show. Big lines at the "Hot Rod Grill' food stand went on all day long. It worked for them. As an announcer it is much more fun to have a nice crowd out there. A very fun and successful event.

Mike Bassin, track announcer, Mason Dixon Dragway

[rognelson777]

Originally Posted by 427FE

The .90 stuff is very hard to watch.

So is bracket racing stock and superstock. I only watch when they have heads up class runoffs.

Also like watching 8.50 heads up no electronics.

[Bob Don]

For the last couple of years, New England Dragway has combined its "Night of Fire" with its LODRS Divisional. Jet cars, wheelstanders, and some radio advertising along with the divisional cars has resulted in great crowds and an almost national event atmosphere.

[4543]

I think the main reason there are no spectators at divisional races is the track owners/promoters have gotten lazy. There is really no promotion of the events. Raise entry fees and crew fees but don’t try to get a spectator in the gate.

[BigBlockBill]

I don't think 100% of the blame should be dropped at the doorstep of the tracks and promoters. The racers ourselves are as much to blame for lack of asses in the seats as the track owners. Why do I think that? Remember when we were kids and saw a racecar on a trailer going down the road or at a stoplight or sitting in an auto parts store parking lot? Remember your life goal at that very moment was to look at it as closely as possible? How excited you would get checking out the slicks, the rims, the body lines the open headers popping out from under the car? Damn good times and memories right? What have today's kids (and kids over the last 25-30 years for that matter) got to get excited about.....seeing a big white enclosed trailer being pulled by a motorhome. It could be the greatest racecar in the world or it could be hauling a few four wheelers and whatnot for a family vacation. It could even be full of garage sale bull**** heading for the next flea market. I know, many racers don't want their cars rained on or fear someone messing with their stuff or whatever, but we are as much to blame as anyone else. How about volunteering to take your racecar to the local highschool autoshop to talk to the future of our sport...um, I mean talk to the kids about every little thing about the car? The shopping mall in Flatrock Michigan use to have a racecar show inside the mall every year where the cars would be on display in the corridors and it was fun watching the little ones just drool over them.

[Ok stocker]

Honestly they could give the tickets away and make the money on concessions and make a killing.

[M120]

[Mike Pearson]

Originally Posted by BigBlockBill

I don't think 100% of the blame should be dropped at the doorstep of the tracks and promoters. The racers ourselves are as much to blame for lack of asses in the seats as the track owners. Why do I think that? Remember when we were kids and saw a racecar on a trailer going down the road or at a stoplight or sitting in an auto parts store parking lot? Remember your life goal at that very moment was to look at it as closely as possible? How excited you would get checking out the slicks, the rims, the body lines the open headers popping out from under the car? Damn good times and memories right? What have today's kids (and kids over the last 25-30 years for that matter) got to get excited about.....seeing a big white enclosed trailer being pulled by a motorhome. It could be the greatest racecar in the world or it could be hauling a few four wheelers and whatnot for a family vacation. It could even be full of garage sale bull**** heading for the next flea market. I know, many racers don't want their cars rained on or fear someone messing with their stuff or whatever, but we are as much to blame as anyone else. How about volunteering to take your racecar to the local highschool autoshop to talk to the future of our sport...um, I mean talk to the kids about every little thing about the car? The shopping mall in Flatrock Michigan use to have a racecar show inside the mall every year where the cars would be on display in the corridors and it was fun watching the little ones just drool over them.

You are dead wrong on this one. Its not up to the racers to try to promote the races. That is the job of track owner to promote the show. The ship has sailed on the open trailer thing. Most of us have motorhomes, toter homes of LQ trailers and stay at the track during the events. We all have enclosed trailers and would not go back to the old days of a flat trailer. Some of the local bracket racers might use open trailers. I keep all of my racing equipment in the trailer all of the time and that is separate from my tools in the shop.
The track owners/promoters have gotten lazy and it seems like it is easier to rise the entry fee and the crew fee than it is to try to get some spectator interest in what is happening at the racetrack. You would think these track operators would be all over the social media advertising their shows. That cost nothing except some time to make the posts.
The NHRA is a pretty good show. Lots of different types of classes and cars plus its a full days entertainment for one ticket.

[Jim Caughlin]

Originally Posted by rognelson777

So is bracket racing stock and superstock. I only watch when they have heads up class runoffs.

Also like watching 8.50 heads up no electronics.

Yeah, big spectator draw to watch Stock and SS cars slam on their brakes at the 1000' mark trying to jockey for position.