It is nice to read something that is not bashing us because we don't have the tires on the right way. It is also nice to see that someone actually sees what might need to happen to help change sport compact drag racing.

http://www.competitionplus.com....html

I do agree with what he has to say but I don't think this will change anything.

 

this guy just hit the nail right on its head with a frickin sledgehammer...

 

Damn I thought I wrote that article after reading. Nice to get different perspectives from people outside the industry, some will agree, some will disagree.

 

So does this mean I need to stop dying my hair and lose the piercings?

 

well its alot to criticize about our future becuase of how we look, but then again it is deffinately a good point, but who would want to change? or who will make the second face when they come to the track?

 

good article. He brought up some good points.

 

This guy makes some good points but I also feel like he is stereotyping.

I quote, "When a significant number of those participants are tattooed, body-pierced young men and women sporting hair in every color of the rainbow, whose musical tastes run to bands with names unknown by few over the age of 25" end quote.

Am I being to sensitive or are mentalities like this the same ones keeping our sport down?

If a potential sponsor reads this and has never been to an event or met us in person, are they going to think of us as professionals or even see us as a viable investment for their marketing campaigns?

Again, he makes good points on SOME stuff but.............

 

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

If a potential sponsor reads this and has never been to an event or met us in person, are they going to think of us as professionals or even see us as a viable investment for their marketing campaigns?

Again, he makes good points on SOME stuff but.............</TD></TR></TABLE>

There are plenty of outside companies who are looking to reach this specific market but having a tough time doing so. Bringing these types of companies onboard is just as important as mainstream. How many apparel / surf / youth based retail companies are potential sponsors that are often over looked ? It may be too late, but I'm suprised I've never seen a PacSun, Quicksilver, Famous, etc sponsored car. Sometimes Stereotypes are actually hints towards a more targeted marketing approach.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Paradise Racing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This guy makes some good points but I also feel like he is stereotyping.

I quote, "When a significant number of those participants are tattooed, body-pierced young men and women sporting hair in every color of the rainbow, whose musical tastes run to bands with names unknown by few over the age of 25" end quote.

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


Sounds like they just described SCOTTY CANNON SR. to me. And he runs Pro Mods and now TFC.

So why is it that everytime "old school" V-8 guys describe our sport,they always go with the "body peircings and wild hair" description.

I think that drag racing as a whole is the most diverse form of racing out there.
There is no "GOOD 'Ol Boy" mentality when it comes to drag racing.

It seems to me that they look at 1 persons appearance(Shaun Carlson)And assume thet everyone in SPORT COMPACT DRAG RACING looks that way.

So yea.... i see where its kinda stereotyped.

 

Your right, this is an audience prime for targeted marketing. I too am surprised that we havent seen a youth oriented apparel company sponsoring one of our many vialble prospects.

But even if your a company targeting our demographic and you hear someone with this guys media capability speak like this of our sport, your going to think twice before you do it.

Its just the way this guy says it that doesnt sound right.

 

There are lots of youth oriented companies already involved in the sport.

DVS, ECKO, XBOX, SONY, NOS energy drink, RED BULL, Pepsi.

I am sure I have missed some, but these pop into my head first.

Everyone of us needs to work together if we want to draw more interest in from the outside.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Paradise Racing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Am I being to sensitive
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I believe so. He didn't say anything that wasn't true.

 

very interesting article. I do agree with most of what was said. Sport Compact drag Racing is diversed. You have people of all races and cultures. I dont have spiked hair, tatoos, or piercings.

NHRA/NDRA/IDRC/BOTI need to come together at a round table and have a state of drag racing summit to discuss the future of our sport and how to improve things so that many more generations can continue our legacies.

 

Last year at the NHRA Pomona event the attendence was the most I have ever seen.
But there was a Scion autofest or something like that, A car show, bikini contest, radio stations, Vender Row selling parts at really good prices. If we had more of that at events then yeah there would be more attendendce.

 

I'm waiting to see how Vegas works out with NHRA/D1 event... i think the crowds are going to be huge...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Group Tenacity &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm waiting to see how Vegas works out with NHRA/D1 event... i think the crowds are going to be huge...</TD></TR></TABLE>

you are probably right. last week @ etown there was the lowrider sumerslam and sportcompact race. it was PACKED!!! i couldnt imagine how many more people woulda showed up for a drift/drag combo.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by f@sth@tch89 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">very interesting article. I do agree with most of what was said. Sport Compact drag Racing is diversed. You have people of all races and cultures. I dont have spiked hair, tatoos, or piercings.

NHRA/NDRA/IDRC/BOTI need to come together at a round table and have a state of drag racing summit to discuss the future of our sport and how to improve things so that many more generations can continue our legacies.</TD></TR></TABLE>

over time, the people that really want to be racing sport compacts will continue to do so, and the people that are just on for a thrill will move on to the "next best thing" or just plain old grow up. there are many people that have been trying to make it for years, and dumping tons of their "personal change" into a racing career. it seems like there isnt enough sponsorship $ to go around. and even potential sponsors. look at other sanction such as NASCAR. look at everyone of those cars...... MAJOR SPONSOR. the team/car everythng is very profesional. its gonna take some time for "us sport compact racers" to perfect what we are doing, to a level similar to that of those teams which have been racing for years.

there are soooo many people who havent even been on the track with their new cars (Rj simrock, rodger scalise, adam sawatauri) its cars like this that dont make us look good. these guys build cars, obviously had a good sponsorship or something(i dont see another reason to plaster a car with a banner) and i havent seen any of these 3 for over 5 yrs.... does anyone remember these cars...... where are they? this is just one reason why a potential sponsor would be "steered" away from our sport arena

i dont have spike hair/tatoos or piercings either? does that not make me a "sport compact racer" ? lol.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NDRATECH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There are lots of youth oriented companies already involved in the sport.

DVS, ECKO, XBOX, SONY, NOS energy drink, RED BULL, Pepsi.

I am sure I have missed some, but these pop into my head first.

Everyone of us needs to work together if we want to draw more interest in from the outside.</TD></TR></TABLE>


exactly. I was even considering places like 84 lumber, lowes, etc. Honestly our demographic are the ones building homes, moving into new homes, or spending the money at places like autozone to buy oil or whatever. Those are the outside companies that we could use in the sport that would ultimatly raise attendence by fans and open new doors for the drivers out there or new drivers to step up

 

I don't think the gimmicks will work in the long run. If you appeal to the "lifestyle" fan then you'll survive only as long as the trends. The racing is the content, it's the main attraction, and the sport will last only as long as people care about the racing.

 

Hmm, a very interesting article indeed.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NDRATECH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There are lots of youth oriented companies already involved in the sport.

DVS, ECKO, XBOX, SONY, NOS energy drink, RED BULL, Pepsi.

I am sure I have missed some, but these pop into my head first.

Everyone of us needs to work together if we want to draw more interest in from the outside.</TD></TR></TABLE>

There are already many youth-oriented non-endimecs now:
Matix, Broken Clothing, Oakley, Alpine Stars, Monster Energy Drink, Ecko, DVS, Sony, Xbox, Red Bull, Audiobahn, etc

formerly: Circa Shoes, DC Shoes, Pepsi, Reactionwear, Diligaf, Rockstar, Boost Mobile, Circuity City, Kicker, Rockford Fosgate, Memphis Car Audio, MTX Audio, Redback Boots, Smirnoff

there are more that i missed... but you get the idea

what people should be doing, is making sure you SUPPORT those that support us by buying their products



Modified by fieldafm at 5:21 PM 7/5/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by f@sth@tch89 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
NHRA/NDRA/IDRC/BOTI need to come together at a round table and have a state of drag racing summit to discuss the future of our sport and how to improve things so that many more generations can continue our legacies.</TD></TR></TABLE>

i think that this is a good idea and they should try to make it happen...it was a very good article and some points he made were very true

 

Everyone needs to realize that domestic racing been around before 60's where import racing has started in last 15 years. Most domestic guys are older generatoin and situated in their lifestyles. Young people like us has other things to worry about besides racing.

 

Maybe we shouldn't lay all the blame at the feet of the different race series, maybe the racers and the race teams need to take some of it as well. The more that the racers get out there the better the series can get.

 

Wow this is good Our sport is young.We still have a ways to go yet.if we are going to pull ahead we first must pull ourselves together.

 

baggy Fubu jeans???? who still sports those?Im just asking...