f@sth@tch89

iTrader: (3)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by exospeedAMcrx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

1000s of to Frank. I wish the Battle series would have gotten bigger, but at the size it is now. Its still a great series for local racers to participate in. Good classes for everyone and still focused on the Grassroots racers.</TD></TR></TABLE>


BOTI

i will be running fontana in july and bakersfield in october. i even may try to get to seattle in late august.

PNG

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by james111 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
#1 what is your background and future in racing

#2 what are you doing to make this sport better in your other world

</TD></TR></TABLE>

#1 - SFI-certified NHRA tech inspector, occasional bracket racer, writer/editor/photographer

#2 - Running the only magazine I know of that's exclusively devoted to sport compact drag racing.

Bloodline

I may be the only person who feels this way and I'm dont want to seem offensive, but the trading cards are lame. I think that money could be spent more efficiently elsewhere.

jeff

that SCION girl

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NDRATECH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Like I said earlier, we do more for the Sportsman racers than any other sanctioning body.

We offer a points championship, trading cards, and we do press releases on our website for any of the Sportsman teams that run our series.
We are even trying to get Speedchannel to cover some of the Sportsman racing at our events. Currently they do interviews on the Sportsman racers, we just have to keep pushing to cover some of the racing.

When we are on the east coast we generally have 300-400 sportsman, bracket, and open session racers, just if we go west of the Mississippi does the number start to fall off. Why is this?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I for one like the trading cards. It give the new generation of fans a way to know who the drivers are, along with a great excuse to go meet them. It's not as good as a magazine but hey NOPI is doing their part.

BoogieDownBrown

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bloodline &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I may be the only person who feels this way and I'm dont want to seem offensive, but the trading cards are lame. I think that money could be spent more efficiently elsewhere.

jeff</TD></TR></TABLE>

why exactly do you think the trading cards are lame? the trading cards are a good marketing tool for when you are writing proposals to hand out to potential sponsors. its just like a business card but with a whole lotta info and a better personal touch. i know a few teams that benifited from the trading cards and for some the cars help close or broker a deal.

the trading cards also puts a name,face and car to a specific person that the fans are interested in. I know my 9 y.o. son has all of the trading cards and when we go to the track he already knows who is who and what they drive. so in my opinion...... its a good idea.

oh and another thing. you say that the money can be used for other things. well i consider the cards a freebie cause its less money i have to spend to put together a decent proposal. try pricing what it cost to get those cards done and try to get it done your self. keep in mind that some proposals that are profesionally written can cost $2,000-$10,000 so less money i have to spend to beg for more money.

NOPIDRAGS

Hey everyone is allowed thier own opionions. But what you need to do is ask the racers thier opionion on the trading cards.

Just imagine if you will, You go into a potential sponsors office, You are asked to present anything you are in, that will get them better coverage in this market.
If you have not been in a magazine, or won a Championship while racing, what do have to present to them? Well, I go to this race and this race and this car show or do this or that? That is not going to work on gaining sponsors at all.

Now, with a trading card, You have tangible evidence that if you say you are going racing, they can buy into that. It shows them that a sanctioning body has taken what you have done and tried to help you grow from there, whether it be to attract fans or sponsors, that is something for them to look at and take you seriously. So, yes it may be a joke to you, but probably is'nt a joke to the racers who have had them done. Not only does it light up the little kids and teenagers eyes while getting them signed, but it makes the racers smile and realize that they do have fans.

Remember, without fans and racers, what do we have?

NOTHING.

BoogieDownBrown

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by allmotorgurl &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I for one like the trading cards. It give the new generation of fans a way to know who the drivers are, along with a great excuse to go meet them. It's not as good as a magazine but hey NOPI is doing their part. </TD></TR></TABLE>


also my point.

Bloodline

Like I said before. It may just be me.. and apparently it is.

jeff

james111

arkansas people like books with lotsa pictures why not the cards...lol

just had to , sorry

1 2 NV

dont want to clutter this post with quoted things but very very good points wil (second to the last post you made)

stealthmode62

The NHRA has those small poster cards, and we have trading cards. I'll accept that. I think they're cool. I couldn't see anyone having the cards though unless they have been to a race/show, so I don't think that they are one of the secret tools to getting more people in the gates.

And just for the hell of it, name one racer with a trading card that has never been in a magazine or won a championship.

Bloodline

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by james111 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">arkansas people like books with lotsa pictures why not the cards...lol

just had to , sorry</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm from TX originally, just happen to live here now. Must be something they put in the water here.

Guess I'm just way off base on the trading cards, but then again I was never into them as a kid either. All my extra money went to my MX bike. So NDRA = 1 Me = T3h lOse.

Now that we have that outta the way, back to filling the stands.

jeff

ExospeedAMcrx

The trading cards are cool and all, but its still not going after the target market, the racers, the consumer, the other enthusiasts that race the events, etc.

I doubt 20-30 y/o guys are collecting trading cards. I have respect for fellow racers, but i dont know any one that have these cards or even talk about them.

BoogieDownBrown

the trading cards are no different than collecting posters from your favorite racer at the track. its just a different avenue to peak others interest.

and even if we didn;t have the trading cards attendance is still the issue wether we have the card or not. like i stated before. i think its just the lack of knowledge that people outside of sport compact racing has about sport compact racing. we need to figure out how we can educate the common person and get them interested in 6,7,8 and 9 seond imports. i know 10 yrs ago or less. V8 guys were superstrict on believing that a 4 cylinder cant go as fast as we are going today.

we have to get them out of the mentality that "there's no replacement for displacement" attitude. oh and by the way........its called a turbo...lol

stealthmode62

It's possible that alot of "import" guys are just too damn selfish to go watch the races without being able to race themselves. If they aren't currently fans of drag racing (besides illegal ****) and they can't drive thier cars at the event, I could see alot of them not being interested. I think it's just the type of people into these cars.


My step dad always took us to NHRA as a kid, but I think it was the street legals at Pomona that made me really interested in watching others race. If they haven't felt that feeling themselves (street legals), it's possible that they look at it as "a car going in a straight line". After they get the feeling I think more would be interested in the technical stuff of drag racing (watching= entertainment)


......and the street legals seem to be super hot these days too. ::confused::

PNG

Part of the problem, I think, is that a gulf has developed between the fans in the stands and the pros on the track. It used to be that they could look at a racer and think, "yah, I could get a bigger turbo and run that class," but that's kind of out of reach now. They look at a car like Ed Bergenholtz's Mazda, or even the Skunk2 RSX, and it's like a moon shot.

There has to be a progression through the ranks so that the average fan in the stands can still identify with the racers, even if they never actually get there themselves. That's what makes Mustang racing work. They see the cars on the track and in the pits, and they say, "I could do that - I recognize that blower he's using" or something like that. It sells parts, and it keeps the spectators involved.

S13Sean

I disagree with domestic guys looking down on import guys to some extent. I believe that it's our responsibility to prove ourselves to the skeptics. Once that happens respect follows. Don't expect domestic heads to start building LS/VTECs but at least they can appreciate what we are doing, that being said we have to respect the road that they've travelled as well. When I take me 240 out I usually get these dudes asking me questions about the car and such because it's new to them, hell look at the rules for most of the classes in NHRA, a lot of them prohibit the use of electronics other than data acquisition.


I also agree with Scott in that we have to show value within our industry. That will go a long way in the end.

Maybe NDRAand others should be dedicating someone to investigate why events are poor in the mid-west and west coast. There's money and a market there. Man, if you guys can't get that turned around I'd be worried. If you don't do something your competitors will. What has been done to address those poor areas? This hasn't been addressed fully. Why aren't there races in Seattle? IDRC has a race in Hawaii but not Seattle

earl

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PNG &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Part of the problem, I think, is that a gulf has developed between the fans in the stands and the pros on the track. It used to be that they could look at a racer and think, "yah, I could get a bigger turbo and run that class," but that's kind of out of reach now. They look at a car like Ed Bergenholtz's Mazda, or even the Skunk2 RSX, and it's like a moon shot.

There has to be a progression through the ranks so that the average fan in the stands can still identify with the racers, even if they never actually get there themselves. That's what makes Mustang racing work. They see the cars on the track and in the pits, and they say, "I could do that - I recognize that blower he's using" or something like that. It sells parts, and it keeps the spectators involved.</TD></TR></TABLE>Paul, you can scream this until you are blue in the face but no one is listening or understands the problem and unfortunately, they never will. I just keep my mouth shut about the situation now.

NOPIDRAGS

Don't mis-understand what the trading cards are for. They are put in place for the drivers and thier teams to help promote themselves outside of the sport. The cards are not put in place to draw a gate or to gain any monatary value for the NDRA. Hell, we give them away at the races, so it is more of a racer promotion, than an event promotion in our eyes.

The money spent on that does not come out of event promotions or anything like that. The money it took last year actually was contributed by the owners of NOPI.
to the Meyers. They are awesome people to work for.

ExospeedAMcrx

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by earl &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Paul, you can scream this until you are blue in the face but no one is listening or understands the problem and unfortunately, they never will. I just keep my mouth shut about the situation now.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well thats the great thing about this country that we take for granted. To be able to voice out our opinion whenever we can. It may not do anything in the short term, but at least our voices are heard. If nothing is said, then no one will think anything of it and everything will think all is running smoothly with no complaints.

BDL IND

I think the trading card deal is a great idea, remember its the little things that go a long way too.

As for attendance, The cards really don't have anything to do with that, only a marketing tool for the racers.

Plus I almost got the first series so I will trade anyone on here my double of Leslie Durst for a Saverio Leone....c'mon anyone.

There is a bit of a disconnection between the racer/fan, but it hasn't gone away. This is not a spectator sport it is a participant sport, unlike the NHRA(I do mean the Big Boys Top Fuel Cars). But if the NHRA is more of a spectator sport and they pull ahuge crowd where is the connection of "hey I can build that same car" there isn't.

I have noticed something about this Industry I do not like. As new faces get involved it seems they are working for the moment and not taking it too seriously. The Old Schoolers built this Industry, maybe an educational course is needed........if you know what I mean.

Turbo Ric

I do not know how much radio adds cost. But the past 2 weeks all I heard were adds on the last IHRA race here.

Hearing an add make you want to go see what the hype is bout.
It make you cu re us
It remind you when, so you can get yo **** redi, get off work, get a baby sitta etc,
u remind friends and invite yo bouy or yo biach or 2.
If y a dum s tick guy, hearing bout 6 sec 6 bangers, u will want to see if its pos eh bull, or to laugh at the backwards rice wak ers.

either way they are dur and paid. I for one get tired of reminding fools bout de races. I said it b 4. De best spectator turn out I ever witness here was on a IDRC event, with radio adds 2 weeks prior. Event the Monday turnout was great.

Radio adds

2FastxEg

Here's a totally different perspective that I see.... at least for the California Area people.
One Problem I see:

There arent enough Open track days where anybody can just go run their cars.

Reason:

I understand that there is Palmdale thats open all the time, which is too far for the average Joe drag racer and there's Irwindale which is not so motivating to run at since its only an 1/8mile track, besides that, there isnt enough days for a guy with a regular job go run his car except once a month at Fontana. I think in southern cali back in the days, drag racing was successful because there were many days and many tracks that people can go to race. It makes it worth somebody's time to build up a race car or make it more interesting to the average guy to do more with his car. Of course, this does not apply to the hardcore drag guys around here because it wouldnt matter, they would wait any lengths to race their cars. But to spark an interest for the sport as a whole, i think we have to get more people in general to get into SC racing. Maybe thats why SC drag racing is so successful and big on the East Coast, they have lots of days where people can go run their cars, makes it more worthwile to race.

My Solution:

NHRA, NDRA, IDRC and other bodies, if they can sponsor a non-competitive event like once every month or something like that, and still have Fontana have their once a month test and tune days, i think it would spark more of an interest for people to get into drag racing again. Maybe cut down on advertising and stuff like that and use that money to rent out more track days, it would manipulate more interest in drag racing, and that would help this sport get more attention. If we get more people getting more serious about drag racing, you get more race cars, and when you get more race cars, you get more people that follow drag racing, which in turn would bring more people to the competitive Events. I think that if you can get the regular old joe racer to get even more serious with his street car, its really going to make a bigger difference. If you spark a big interest in southern cali, it spreads up to Nor Cal, and then it sparks friendly rivavlry which would make people get into it more and hopefully it can spread out to the other west coast states. You guys know how it is, once you get one person interested, their friends get interested, and family get interested, and then you get a bigger crowd of enthusiasts. Although we dont have that any NDRA events in California, maybe you guys can kick some of that marketing moola over here and sponsor a " Run what ya Brung" non-competitive race. Im sure with somethign like this, you guys can also feel out and see if its worth throwing a NDRA series event here ! Same goes with NHRA, but at least they have some events in cali or west coast, so im digging it so far ! $2500-3000 to rent out a track and other cost is worth the marketing money i think .... get a rebirth of SC drag racing going !

Advantages:
With these extra Open track days, they should welcome all the Pro racers to test or run their cars too. This would help those guys dial in their cars better, making their cars more reliable for the future. IT would also be beneficial for them because they dont have to rent out the whole track, they can just pay for a tech card and on top of this, you have regualr weekend warrior racers to come out and be motivated by these pro guys. On top of this, their sponsors get more exposure which would make more sales(hopefully), which makes those sponsors feel more comfortable in pouring some more money into this Sport ! Win WIn Win Situation i think. It also gives the regular guy a sense that he can also build a crazy *** car and with the Pro racer being there, regualr joes can ask questions and so forth. Everybody benefits, and the Sponsoring bodies also benefit by being able to promote a coming Competitve Event thats around town or in the area. i Seriously think that is a way that you can get more people to these events.
Disadvantages:
Theres no more tracks, sound ordinances.... and who knows what else, but im sure something can be figured out...........

Cliffnotes Version:
Stimulate the market by getting the regular joes to get more interested into drag racing by having more test and tune days for street and race cars. Which would make it more worth it for someone to go out and spend money to build a race car. Creating friendly rivavlry can also create a larger interest in drag racing, whatever happened to representing your crew and stuff like that......

So you guys see any flaws in this idea? let me know what ya think


Modified by 2FastxEg at 12:16 AM 4/7/2005

RevenantAE

I put a lot more thought into this subject over the weekend, and it occurred to me to ask myself why I don't go to sanctioned races anymore, and have no plans to. I see attendance dropping, but if you look at local street legals (or illegals), events are still packed. The interest in the sport is still strong, just not at the upper echelons

I discussed this with some friends, and here are the things we came up with.
1: Convenience. Here in South San Diego I can get to the Q or Otay for racing in 30 minutes or less. For any sanctioned events, I've got a 2 hour drive minimum. I know someones going to pull out the "2 hours is too much to see THE BEST RACERS IN THE COUNTRY", and I'll get into that in more detail. The short answer, however, is yes, it is way too damn much.

2: Price of Admission. We just don't like the prices being charged. $25 is basically our limit to watch drag racing, and no, we don't give a what slap WHO is racing. It could be John Force, or my neighbor Bob, but $25 is still the limit to watch either of them.

3: Interest. The root cause of 1 and 2 is that we're just not all that interested in where the pros have gone. If we still cared about them as we did in the olden days, you'd be right: 2 hours would not be too much driving, $45 would not be too much to pay. But it is.

I think it all started with wheelie bars. When Team Bergenholtz slapped them on their CRX for the first time is when *I*, at the very least, started to lose touch. There can be no doubt that technical innovation has dropped ET's again and again. Tube frames, Lenco's, wheelie bars, etc. etc. Yay. However, this is where the sport lost contact with why I cared about the sport.

I was into SC drag racing because it was DIFFERENT, and RELEVANT to me. If my primary interest had been low ETs and high trap speeds there were already plenty of options in the NHRA. SC drag racing had a completely different, run-what-you-brung feel to it. That has been completely lost. In the old days, you might very well see a car competing that was DRIVEN to the event. Doesn't happen anymore. CAN'T happen in fact. That's why I'm disconnected.

In the old days, I could feel much closer to the racers. "If only I stripped my interior, got a bit bigger turbo, and FINALLY got around to getting a good set of slicks, I could run with that guy." I remember that. Drag races weren't about marveling at untouchable tech for me, it was more a practical guide of what works for going fast. I saw parts on racers that were IN MY CAR.

To me, that feeling of connectedness was much more valuable than "Hey, that guy just ran a 7." Okay, racing is faster now. It damn well ought to be, it costs a hell of a lot more.

No 3. Is really the most important point... it makes 1 and 2 true. I'll think about it some more, and try to articulate better why I feel more excited watching a 2003 RSX with IHE make an 1/8th mile run in a stadium parking lot than I do watching Lisa K. run a 7.

NOPIMAN

Although it took me most of the day to read this thread, A lot of good issues have been discussed. NOPI is everchanging in the way we market our events. All serious ideas and input is appreciated.