Kenny Nowling and the ADRL have set a wonderful example of how much some heart and savvy promotions can do. They give away a ton of tickets, and get a ton of people through the gate. Some tracks already do that and most have been successful. Other tracks just promote their event and SELL tickets. Go to No Problem Raceway at their divisional and try to find an empty seat for first round. They bring in about 5,000 fans each day.
It’s just bad all the way around for the racers to have an event the scale of a divisional and not have people in the stands. Just last weekend in Commerce, Ga., for the Division 2 race, there were 19 Top Alcohol Dragsters and 16 Top Alcohol Funny Cars on hand going for an eight-car field. On top of that, the Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship was going to be decided there, and was known weeks ahead of time. It wasn’t an if; it was a certainty that Jay Payne had to win the race to win the Championship. Jay didn’t get down the track in the first qualifier, then went to the top of the pack in the second session. Jay and Frank Manzo were No. 1 and 2 qualifiers. Jay ended up losing in the first round, but it was certainly a suspenseful day. Both classes were filled with heavy hitters, and most of the racing was close. It’s not that drag racing fans don’t care about the alcohol cars; it’s that they don’t know they’re in town. The same goes for the rest of the sportsman cars on hand.
Not even attempting to get spectators through the gate is unacceptable, and should not be tolerated by the sanctioning body or the sponsor. These events are an excellent opportunity for NHRA to develop and expand their fan base. Those that are running the NHRA are the custodians of our sport, and this is a serious problem.
From a media standpoint, how serious is a local reporter or paper going to take an event that has nobody in the stands. Then we wonder why our sport doesn’t get much ink. Hell, most local Little League games get more of a crowd than most divisionals. The problem isn’t the show; it’s the lack of promotion by certain track managers/owners.
There are too many distribution avenues available with the companies and sponsors involved in the sport to not take advantage. Even if you don’t spend the advertising money, partner with a local auto parts chain and do a massive ticket giveaway.
If a standard is set, it doesn’t have to be science fiction, but something real. I don’t think 2,000 to 3,000 spectators for a weekend is unrealistic. Racers and crew shouldn’t be counted in that total. That’s 1,000 to 1,500 per day. Shouldn’t be that hard of a sell when you have the caliber of cars a divisional brings to town.
If a standard is set, nearly everyone wins. The losers will be tracks that will either have to get off their ass and promote the event or lose it. Some tracks may not even bother and say, sure, take it somewhere else. NHRA wins because it helps the sport, their series, and yes, even big brother NHRA Pro Racing. It brings the sport more validity, more exposure, and lays the groundwork for the sportsman series to become a “Busch Series” equivalent. The tracks win because they’re making more money, even if they’re giving the tickets away. They may not make it at the gate, but the fans probably will buy a few $5 hamburgers and $5 cold beers that have just a little bit of profit built in. All of the sportsman racers win because it gives the series value once again. Being the big show in front of a crowd has marketing value. It’s also more enjoyable for the racers. Lucas Oil wins because it definitely increases the value of their sponsorship.
As stated above, the only losers in this scenario are the lazy track owners and managers that are content milking the series for their own gain. WHO wants to take their side of the plate? If you’re not trying to get a crowd, you’re not looking at the big picture of the sport, which doesn’t make you a ‘team’ player. If we’re not all in this together, why the hell should we look out for their interests?
If a track balks at this, take their divisional away and give it to another track. Maybe this means some of the divisions will go back to five race schedules instead of seven. I’ll take quality over quantity any day.
Well, now that you’re on the tire, go forth and spread the good word! Drop us a line, or stop by and comment on one of my websites: InsideTopAlcohol.com (Top Alcohol), InsideCompRacing.com (Comp Eliminator) or InsideFastBrackets.com (Top Dragster & Top Sportsman).
will.hanna@insidetopalcohol.com