Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Glit

You have a point. I am too slow and the cars are too fast for me to read a name lettered on the other side cowl of the car. In the age of instant printing why not take the sign in sheet and print it out at the end of hot laps. Get a kid (That might be a problem) to sell the sheets for a dollar and pay the kid 25 cents a piece to sell them. Programs would be nice but I guess in these times they represent too much time and effort to produce. I can Remember getting a program with a separate loose sheet in it for drivers names and cars. I guess That was ancient history, but it seemed like promoters back then put a lot of time and effort into producing and selling adds for them. I wonder what their motives were? I know that they are expensive to produce but what if the customer got one with each adult ticket? I get all kinds of trade magazines in the mail for free because the publishers are trying impress their advertisers with circulation numbers. Could tracks do this?

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

For those of going to the Knoxville Nationals, you need to download thier app on your phone. It has everything that you would ever want to know. Qualifying, lineups, results, main event lineups., etc.

While I have bought line up sheets in the past, I would think that having an electronic media would be much better. I know that many of the national series twitter feeds will always have this information. It would be very easy for each track to tweet out all of this information. The POWRi format seems to be the easiest to read and understand.

I like the ideas to improve the branding of the driver. However that's done: announcers, name on car, or a lineup sheet I think it's a step in the right direction. I think branding and debunking the sport as being for "hobbyist" is key. Co-vocational does NOT mean hobbyist!

My thought is more towards what can I do to make any new fans around me have a better experience. Try to have small talk and find out what else they're involved in. Kid wearing a baseball jersey, tell him about KT Jr. and point out that helmet. (Branding 101) Dad wearing an HD shirt, tell him about Steve Butlers flat track days... Anything to bridge what they know to what they're seeing. Open myself to any questions they may have while humbly stressing to them i'm not an expert but I'm glad to help if I can. Point out the greats and up and comers. Who's hot, who to watch especially if they're starting in the back. Find out what racing background they already know. Love it when NASCAR comes up so I can contrast Bristol times. Now Chris Bell from Eldora last week is another tool we can use! Highlight non wing and wing characteristics and stress the risk these drivers are taking in open wheel cars.

I disagree that price is a deterrent for most new fans. We're talking about a demographic of adults that drink $5 coffee and pay for $200 little league bats and $125 basketball shoes. Not even going there on travel ball expenses. Friend posted his Brickyard ticket clipped the $100 mark this year.

When I'm not at the track, I wear my T-shirts out as often as I can. I buy a new track shirt every year so that even if the #15 on the nose seems arbitrary, the crispness should at least imply that particular track is open. I can always expand upon the great tracks of Indiana during conversation. I look for signs that someone might have a need for speed or appreciate motorsports in general. A quick casual conversation can be sparked by some guy wearing a Badlands or SuperCross shirt, or a couple putting golf clubs in their suv that has an HD decal on the back window. The best part about trying to make others aware that there's another event going on they might love if they'd try it is that its not a sales job. Sprint car racing really is awesome!

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Jarett

Make it relevant>>>>>>>>>>You know many years ago Chris Economaki held workshops up in Indy in the winter at the Speedway Motel for up and coming drivers to help them communicate better with the press. Why not do the same thing for race track announcers >>I know some are born but others need help to bring them along. A day or two discussing different techniques and style would sure help a lot of young kids just starting out. Most announcers depend on OJT but a little education could sure go a long way. No one thing is going to be the silver bullet that gets crowds back in the stands again but several small things in combination might help. Then we go back to the "ECONOMY" some kids play with high dollar bats others just sit home and wish. The crowd we would probably be catering to is the ones that don't travel all over t USA to watch their kids play ball (They wouldn't be home anyways to go to our races) so lets think on making it family friendly. Racers are competing for that ever shrinking disposable income part of the family's paycheck.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

You're right there! Seems like a tweak in multiple areas are warranted. A great announcer certainly does enhance the evening.

I guess I bring up travel ball group because it seems like for every parent I hear loving it, I hear two others looking for a way out or at least complaining about it.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by JarrettFarms73:
You're right there! Seems like a tweak in multiple areas are warranted. A great announcer certainly does enhance the evening.

I guess I bring up travel ball group because it seems like for every parent I hear loving it, I hear two others looking for a way out or at least complaining about it.

Jarett

We had something like that also when I was growing up>>>We called it Quarter Midget Racing.. I can't count the number of Motels that invited us to never to come back again.:D Usually because of the parents shenanigans (Dads in Particular) instead of the kids. Thanks to FB I have been able to reconnected with a bunch of fellow racers I haven't talked to in 50+ years. The stories just keep on coming back.:)

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Picture a new fan and/or sponsor hearing about the wonderful, exciting world we call sprint car racing. What’s the first step they are going to do in the 21st century? They are going to go to the internet and find out what it’s about.

Have any of you done a Google search for “Indiana Sprint Car Racing?” I did and the first site that came up was Indiana Open Wheel.

So what do you think it does to a new fan or sponsor when they read some of the hate and venom that goes on here sometimes? Look at the post about USAC ruining midget racing because Poweri had a low car count. Do you think that will bring fans or sponsors to midget races?

To me, one of the best things we as drivers, owners and especially fans can do to bring new people into the sport is to be good ambassadors of the sport.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think we need the pits and grandstands to be full of a bunch of Pollyanna’s, but as I asked of a poster once that was trashing a certain race, “What are you trying to achieve?”

In my opinion, you will get better results e-mailing an organization, or track, or owner, or driver directly and expressing your displeasure. Be concise, be accurate, and be truthful. Don’t be hateful. And include your name. I have worked with several customer service representatives over the years and nothing makes them hit the delete button faster than an anonymous e-mail. If you truly believe in what you are saying, you should have no trouble revealing your name.

If you look for the good, you will find the good. If you look for the bad, you will find the bad.

Tom Paterson
PDP Racing

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

I would love to see tracks acquire a show car... not a new top notch ready to race car by any means... a tweaked 10 year old chassis, with enough parts to make it sit on wheels and tires and something to have headers bolted to. Put a new Earl Schieb paintjob on it and a little flashy vinyl advertising the track. Make sure that show car is on display somewhere every day of the week, at your sponsors places of business, any local trade show, car shows, festivals, ball parks on little league nights, etc etc. Beside that showcar should be a stack of flyers/schedules, a sign that tells what it is and how fast it goes, and a DVD playing some video of some wheelies, slidejobs, and yes even some flips on a 3 minute loop (basically any jac kslash promo commercail would work great). People who don't know what sprintcar racing is will see those big dang tires, some crazy action, and learn where to go see it live. If one viewer out of 100 comes to see the real deal and brings a family you have introduced hundreds of new potential fans to the sport each year.

When we started racing the winged outlaw karts in Missouri in 2003 we took a similar approach. Ran a couple local commercials during some nascar races, took karts everywhere we could to get people to see them. We grew our local active car count from 8 karts in the spring of 2003 to over 120 by the fall of 2005. Granted we were focused on growing participation, but we did attract several one off or regular spectators to watch a small scale motorsport. I have never seen actual "fans" buy tickets to any sort of kart or mini racing but we frequently had our limited bleachers full of folks who were there to check it out, not to watch their grandsons or nephews race like most kart races get.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Darnall

Just get a nice open trailer to go with it and haul it around town all week. Post a schedule and some action photos all around the trailer and let the car do the talking.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Valley Speedway uses this mobile app, Fans can get race line ups sent to their phone they are set and results are sent after the race finishes up. Full results of the nights action is sent to the web page after the races.

http://speednetdirect.com/mobile/

He also has an old school bus and at intermission loads the bus with kids from the stands and gives them rides around the track with the windows down, you should see them laughing and screaming and waving to the stands.
He hits all the car shows, fairs, the tracks sponsors businesses, and malls and has pretty good luck in getting local racers to bring out cars. One racer has a 2 seat Modified and the promoter just bought a 2 seat sprinter to take to the promotions as well as give ride a longs.
Early this year he worked out a promotion with the local hockey team and several local racers drove out on the ice with motors in full song and the crowd loved it.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Just thought of a couple of things.

1. Getting the show started on time and keeping it running is imperative. I have seen way too many families leaving a race track before the end because the show is going late. Don't ever let spectators leave without seeing the features/A-mains.

2. One of the most fun things I've done as a spectator is go through the driver meet and greet line for the Little 500. It would be great to get tracks to have more fan/driver interaction. One idea, and this can only happen if the show is started on time and moves along, is to introduce the drivers and then have them head up into the stands with hero cards and a Sharpie. Only needs to be 15-20 minutes.

3. A very important aspect of keeping racing healthy is to have young people interested in building and wrenching on the cars. If there are tracks that are near colleges you need to get with them to have students come out and see a night of racing from an engineering and mechanical standpoint. Tracks could even set this up with local high schools as they often have technical classes that are offered. Have them get to the track at 4:30 and go around the pit area until 6 when practice starts. At that point they head over to sit in the stands for the night.

4. Nice bathrooms. Can't say it enough. We took a newb to Anderson and he was appalled with the bathrooms and would never go back. We race crazy people can look past that, but others cannot.

5. It would be great to have driver and car sheets available. It took me about 3 nights of ISW to know who was driving which car.

6. Contrary to what an earlier poster said, having a good web presence is important. As somebody who traveled from WI for ISW, we checked the track sites a lot. However, I found Twitter to be very useful also for up to date information.

Originally Posted by hungthrottlepodcast:
It would be great to have driver and car sheets available. It took me about 3 nights of ISW to know who was driving which car.

At every single USAC National Midget, Sprint, and Silver Crown event, you can purchase an entry list featuring all the drivers' names, numbers, sponsors, chassis, and engine info. These are available for $1 at the USAC merchandise trailer.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

My fault for not looking hard enough at the USAC trailer. Guess I was more interested in the shirts!! :14:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Richie

Guess it is lack of advertising that is a hang up here. Nobody knows that they are there. It probably cost a nickle a copy to print them things and lets say they sell 50 of them. For $2.50 in paper and printing they made a $47.00 profit (a real cash cow) .

Now to Good Will. Lets say they print up 500 of them for $25.00 hire a couple of kids (there I go again wishing) maybe advanced age spectators might work and pay them $10.00 each to hand them out at the entrance gate as the fans came in. Would the good will generated by giving the fans free info sheets surpass the $47.00 profit made on sales of the darned things?

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

The big problem with the idea, is not knowing who will be showing up at any given race, you'd be lucky to have 50% of them correct, then what have you got, it would be indeed an asset, but with all the things that change in a moment, you would about have to wait til just before hot laps, to put together such an animal, yes, it would be handy, but practical, maybe not so much! Bob

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

One thing I hear from new fans is this, I go to a race and throw down $20.00-$25.00 per person, plus travel $$$$, plus buying concessions at the track, then the rain comes and the show is cancelled or PPD to a later date which they can't make for whatever reason, work, etc. Track reschedules to fit their schedule, new fans are left with a not so good first time experience and out their hard earned money.

I agree seat saving is out of control! I was at Kokomo and half the grandstand was covered with blankets and duct tape and not a person in the stands, what a joke.

We have to get kids more involved. We need to get them around the cars and drivers as much as possible. Autograph sessions are a great start. I remember as young boy being driven around the track by the street stock drivers after the races. The track organized this, I know this isn't possible with Sprint Cars and probably liability issues now anyway. My point is this was 35 years ago and I still remember it like it yesterday it was an orange car number 11. I was so excited!

I think USAC could print a color "Hero Type" card explaining a sprint car. Fast Facts about them.

One of the great things about Sprint Car racing is the accessibility to the drivers. In my opinion this is what killed NASCAR. When the drivers give autographs through slots in a glass window you have problems.

Just my thoughts I hope I didn't insult anyone that was not my intention.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by JDK222:
I agree seat saving is out of control! I was at Kokomo and half the grandstand was covered with blankets and duct tape and not a person in the stands, what a joke.

We have to get kids more involved. We need to get them around the cars and drivers as much as possible. Autograph sessions are a great start. I remember as young boy being driven around the track by the street stock drivers after the races. The track organized this, I know this isn't possible with Sprint Cars and probably liability issues now anyway. My point is this was 35 years ago and I still remember it like it yesterday it was an orange car number 11. I was so excited!

I think USAC could print a color "Hero Type" card explaining a sprint car. Fast Facts about them.

One of the great things about Sprint Car racing is the accessibility to the drivers. In my opinion this is what killed NASCAR. When the drivers give autographs through slots in a glass window you have problems.

Just my thoughts I hope I didn't insult anyone that was not my intention.

I ve not seen empty blankets or duct tape during the sprint heats or feature.Certainly before the race or when the fenders are running there are empty seats.Many fans prefer watching sprints only.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

And for big races every one of those seats were empty with no blankets at 3pm when the gate open so that means those people were there and I've never seen em go unused at Kokomo. As others said they go out to the car or down to the bar for the other classes but their there when the sprints roll. Except maybe Pine and Aero. Sometimes they can't find the gate again :)

I agree seats were filled when the racing started. My comments are directed at how first time fans view this only. I am in the pit so this doesn't affect me. In my opinion if I came to a race for the first time and I saw all those "reserved" seats it would bother me. I would feel like everybody else knew something I didn't and I was an outsider not welcome. That's all I meant how it is perceived by newbies not long term fans. Thanks

I personally don't have a problem with seat saving, and I am one who doesn't usually get there in time to save the best seats. My only concern is don't save more than you need. Actually I like the idea of getting there early marking your spot, then go fire up the grill and enjoy a few beers and watch the cars and people come in. At least in my case, the idea of some "tailgating" helps sell the deal to some new comers. I have to disagree however that ticket prices don't play a factor. How can you charge adult prices for someone not old enough to drive themselves to the track. In my case at anyway, cost is always a consideration

Can see your point, everybody is different it's all about perception. I don't drink or party I come for the methanol and hard racing. I always went to the 500 I think 78 was my first race as a child. I stopped going when I felt I was no longer wanted at the track. I felt the grumpy old yellow shirts were just rude and turned me off. I couldn't sit in sections during time trials and practice I had always sat in since I was young now they were blocked off, can't park here, have to turn there. I felt as though I was an outsider an inconvenience so I no longer go. It's just how I perceive it I could be wrong. Respectfully

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

The question is do we want to see racing flourish again or tracks prosper? Back in the 50's pre Quarter Midgets I used to go to the Sportsdrome in Jeffersonville Indiana to watch dad race his cars. Best I can remember is they only raced one class Hard Tops that later morphed into Super-Modifieds. My memory is a little foggy but I can remember being just a little irritated when they brought in Stock Cars to race also. It made the night go on way long for a kid. I think they also had a week day race also for other classes but we never went to any of them.

Race tracks are too large of a piece of real estate to be left just setting around most of the time and earning little or no revenue for the operator. Race night are way too long nowadays many stretching way past Midnight in order to run all of the other various classes.

What if race tracks had a week day race for the support classes. They could run one Friday or Saturday night race with at the most 2 quality classes. Pick a mid week night for the support class races, and maybe filled in the rest of the week with Go Kart rental and races for the fans.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

I'm guilty of occasionally saving more seats than we need,when this happens I like to find someone that's arriving late and let them have the extra seats.That usually puts a smile on there face.....and mine!

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
And for big races every one of those seats were empty with no blankets at 3pm when the gate open so that means those people were there and I've never seen em go unused at Kokomo. As others said they go out to the car or down to the bar for the other classes but their there when the sprints roll. Except maybe Pine and Aero. Sometimes they can't find the gate again :)

As the starter of this thread it is great to see the civil discourse and positive ideas. As to the seat saving it is like many things in which a few misuse the privlege.

1. No seats should be saved until the gates are open to all.

2. Saving more than one needs is unfair and unethical. For us who stand in-line prior to gate opening this seldom presents a problem. However, for the person who shows up at 5 or 5:30 why should they be presented with a vision of the top half completely covered by tape/blankets often which go under utilized. I do not like to use anecdotal evidence to make a generalization, but it seems clear from observation that this happens far too often ex. people who save 10, use 4, people who even cover the row in front of them so they have a place for their feet. As a person who saw Parnelli win a sprint car race, I can assure you this is a practice that has blossomed in the last decade.

3. Ban any folding seat that interferes with the leg room of the person behind.

The ultimate answer is for people to think of others, which may be difficult if not impossible since we seem to have lost the concept of the social contract that should exist between us all.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

The seat saving thing is just plain inconsiderate to other race fans..Try saving a place for someone in line at Disney and see how that goes over. If you want to save a block of seats someone should at least stay with the seats. What would be wrong if a group of people arrived at a race track and decided to rip up the blankets and throw them over the top of the rail and on to the ground and have a seat Not often are seats at such a premium but at the chili bowl if you sit in the #2 turn bleachers get there early with your friends and have them save your seat when you need a break from racing. The early bird gets the worm and he had darned well better protect it.;) Would a few signs posted stating "no seat saving" posted at the top rail help people to understand just how rude this practice is put an end to it?

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

A lot of good answers, as someone that has been going to the races for over 50 years. Here is my simple answer to many Damn classes. Growing up in the Springfield area they had three classes at Joe's. Sprints, Latemodels, and sportsman or street stocks depending on who was talking. Jacksonville had Late models and street stocks and then added sprints. Now where ever you go to the races there are five or six classes. if I cant win in a 410 lets start a 360 class if I cant win there lets start a 305 class in I cant win there lets start a 602 class. Now we have a midget class that has so many different types of cars running it you cant keep track. Instead of 30 to 40 a class or more now you have 10 to 12. A year ago or so I was at Leaders Edge picking up a rear end and the conversion came to this, why is everyone grey headed at the race track. LoL except the drivers. Well I hope somebody has the answer. If there is a answer it should come up on here. LoL JMO

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by kart31rac:
A lot of good answers, as someone that has been going to the races for over 50 years. Here is my simple answer to many Damn classes. Growing up in the Springfield area they had three classes at Joe's. Sprints, Latemodels, and sportsman or street stocks depending on who was talking. Jacksonville had Late models and street stocks and then added sprints. Now where ever you go to the races there are five or six classes. if I cant win in a 410 lets start a 360 class if I cant win there lets start a 305 class in I cant win there lets start a 602 class. Now we have a midget class that has so many different types of cars running it you cant keep track. Instead of 30 to 40 a class or more now you have 10 to 12. A year ago or so I was at Leaders Edge picking up a rear end and the conversion came to this, why is everyone grey headed at the race track. LoL except the drivers. Well I hope somebody has the answer. If there is a answer it should come up on here. LoL JMO

kart31rac is correct , division splitting hurts the racing , then you get little to no fans !

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Racing as always been dictated by local or regional activity. Each particular local market had an idea of what racing should be like often dictated by what was available to work with. In the 50's the west cost raced a lot of what I think they called track roadsters built from old 30's era Ford roadsters. In the mid west they raced hard tops comprised mostly of 40 era Ford coupes. That is what was available for that particular region to race cheaply. There were a lot of regional Midget racers also. They also varied greatly from coast to coast. There was one National sanctioning body AAA and all of the regional racers wanted to join that very exclusive Fraternity. Now We spend way too much time worrying about the big races and not enough time cultivating what we are trying to grow in our own back yards.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by DAD:
Racing as always been dictated by local or regional activity. Each particular local market had an idea of what racing should be like often dictated by what was available to work with. In the 50's the west cost raced a lot of what I think they called track roadsters built from old 30's era Ford roadsters. In the mid west they raced hard tops comprised mostly of 40 era Ford coupes. That is what was available for that particular region to race cheaply. There were a lot of regional Midget racers also. They also varied greatly from coast to coast. There was one National sanctioning body AAA and all of the regional racers wanted to join that very exclusive Fraternity. Now We spend way too much time worrying about the big races and not enough time cultivating what we are trying to grow in our own back yards.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Even in SoCal in the Fifties Edelbrock & Ward got rid of the Midget division splitting (V8 60 & Offy's) by pouring nitro in Vic Sr's V8 60 Midget & Roger Ward commenced to kick the crap outta the Offy's @ the Time , we should encourage more local racing by getting the stuff especially Midgets that could be used to facilitate more of the Old Skool way of doing things !

You should have been sitting in the turn 4 seats with me at Putnamville during ISW. I was surrounded by duct tape and blankets and no one showed up to claim their "reserved seats" all evening. These were the top three rows of seats that went wasted and I counted 16 unclaimed seats. The practice needs to be stopped.

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by Roy Bleckert:
Even in SoCal in the Fifties Edelbrock & Ward got rid of the Midget division splitting (V8 60 & Offy's) by pouring nitro in Vic Sr's V8 60 Midget & Roger Ward commenced to kick the crap outta the Offy's @ the Time , we should encourage more local racing by getting the stuff especially Midgets that could be used to facilitate more of the Old Skool way of doing things !

Roy

That little V8 60 with the Nitro is probably where the term "HOT ROD" came from. The Flat head wasn't know for it ability to run cool thus the big grills and over sized radiators and that shot of Nitro had to warm things up just a little bit more.;)

These little automotive motors have got plenty of spunk but I don't think they left enough meat in the head to make them purpose built race motor beaters. There will always be people willing to spend huge sums of money to race up front and there will always be people that race with what they can afford. A very good example would be up at Montpelier Indiana. On any given night you will find anything from the latest Esslinger to several Motorcycle chain drive cars. We race a motorcycle car and can run mid pack but we don't stand a snow balls chance of wining a main. If we do not dilute the field by splitting the class perhaps we could make a distinction form the first tier cars in the front from the second tier cars racing just as hard in the back and pay the top finishing second tier car some extra cash over and beyond his finish position.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...5050878&type=1


Guess to the racer back in 1950 this would be very comparable to a new Esslinger?

Nope I was wrong according to the inflation calculator $1000.00 in 1950 would be equal ti $9900.00 in 2015 money. But come to think of it $9900.00 is a bit out of my price range also for a race motor. Bet 10 grand would not come close buying a little 110 Offy today?

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Thoughts on creating new fans
 

Originally Posted by DAD:
Roy

That little V8 60 with the Nitro is probably where the term "HOT ROD" came from. The Flat head wasn't know for it ability to run cool thus the big grills and over sized radiators and that shot of Nitro had to warm things up just a little bit more.;)

These little automotive motors have got plenty of spunk but I don't think they left enough meat in the head to make them purpose built race motor beaters. There will always be people willing to spend huge sums of money to race up front and there will always be people that race with what they can afford. A very good example would be up at Montpelier Indiana. On any given night you will find anything from the latest Esslinger to several Motorcycle chain drive cars. We race a motorcycle car and can run mid pack but we don't stand a snow balls chance of wining a main. If we do not dilute the field by splitting the class perhaps we could make a distinction form the first tier cars in the front from the second tier cars racing just as hard in the back and pay the top finishing second tier car some extra cash over and beyond his finish position.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

There is meat in the Honda head to have it flow 370 CFM , enough flow to get close if not equal today's top of the line Midget engines if the sanctions would let the darn thing run EFI like it was meant to run, it could be done eventually to get the rules were all these combos could work together as one division , will I see it happen , probably not !