[apexonephoto]

I'd say if you are on this message board it's a way of life. Non-profit for who?

I like photography, but I still have a real job. Let's not stick to fancy catchphrases, those of us in the real world realize passion doesn't pay the bills. There is a reason Gordon, Stewart, Newman, Kahne, Yeley, Leffler, Stenhouse, and Whitt don't race in USAC anymore.

I'd say the original poster was implying they could do a better job of covering their events. Some of the comments are implying that other racing series do a much better job of promoting their events. It's not a secret that USAC could do a better job. Relying on their history alone isn't going to last too long.

If you think twitter is ridiculous, that's alright. It's a great way for a series to interact with and build fans who have disposable income and 20-30 years of racing left in them. This will help the health of the sport, which will help the older fans. Right or wrong some of you would agree. I've always felt (whether you hate wings or not) that nonwing cars (or traditional cars, if you can't get over change) have too little room for sponsors on them. I don't want the cars to change, so they need another way to reach out to people. Besides people on this board, who knows anything about USAC. Everyone knows Steve Kinser drives the No. 11, John Force drives a Castrol Mustang, but who knows anything about USAC? Dave Darland is a well known racer, but I still think there should be an easily identifiable car number associated with him. These are simple trivial things that say a lot about the health of non-wing racing.

USAC acts like a regional series with some national events, so I'm not sure if they want to be a national one. Before you press that ignore button and go all SuperD@$@ on me, just think about whether you want USAC to grow or allow the racers to earn a better living allowing them to stay with the series. I got to see Bryan Clauson win his first USAC Sprint car race (I live in Canada, and can't be in Indiana for all the great racing you guys see). Yet I almost expect to see him leave short track racing to race in the big leagues. Is that what we really want? Cole Whitt is doing great in the trucks, but has no crossover appeal as he only races 25-30 times a year, Stenhouse is leading the Nationwide points, and never straps into a sprinter anymore.

[BrentTFunk]

I don't think any of this helps promote the sport. It only caters to people who are already involved, and aren't there.

[Revolution Racing]

Originally Posted by deannalynn To some folks, racing is a product.... to others it's a way of life. I wouldn't go so far to say 600 racing and NASCAR are inferior to any form of racing, just different. USAC is a non-profit organization, so the market position discussion is irrelevant. Great racers need no pimps. ____________ As for the Hoosier Hundred and the marketing thing..... I sat with my mom and my 10 year old daughter. We didn't go because some fancy poster, radio ad, etc, gave us the idea. Race fans know where to find the races and they pass that knowledge on. USAC has no need to buy new race fans, we breed them!

Again, with respect..... The very thought that relative market position is an irrelevant issue for USAC - because it is a 'non profit', or because it is 'THE traditional American Motorsport', or just because 'Its USAC dammit'... This is the very thinking that has resulted in USAC becoming increasingly irrelevant over the past many decades.

There was a time, waaaaay back before the world got so competitive, when the above rationale was workable. Those days have only been over now for about three decades.

If we don't concern ourselves with relative market position we will find fewer tracks to run, fewer top shelf drivers competing, and fewer fans watching. Oh wait, we're already in that position, aren't we?

Here on the left coast, open wheel racing and Midget racing in particular are struggling for their very survival. You guys are in a little better shape out there and I'm glad for you but lets not kid ourselves. It's time to circle the wagons. I don't twitter myself - I'm one of those 50 year olds that still does it the old fashioned way and attends actual races - but if there are young fans out there that want to tweet (want to be twits?) then I say we tweet dixie out our butts if thats what it takes.

15 midgets at the BCRA show in Chowchilla last night. Not bad for these days.....

Originally Posted by Revolution Racing Here on the left coast, open wheel racing and Midget racing in particular are struggling for their very survival. ...

Here's a marketing strategy for you from a guy who liked racing. When Carl Fisher was developing Miami Beach, he initially had trouble selling property. What did he do? Pay for additional advertising? No. Put ads on the radio? No. Make T-shirts? No. Hire a pr/marketing department? No.

He raised the price and this attracted wealthy people to buy his property. Ever hear of Miami Beach? Crazy ol' Carl Fisher!

[Stagger]

I agree Chuck that $20.00 bucks is a great deal. What I am saying is they "USAC" does not bring anything to the show but a T shirt trailer.
My friends and I try to bring new people to the races all the time. But it is hard to keep them going when don't understand the format that changes all the time. All I am saying is they do very little promotion or stuff for the kids. I have heard many out east mention that USAC really did no promotion on that tour. Sure people like us will always find race dates and info but many newbies don't.
The diehards will always seek the information. Just seems to me that USAC might want to promote their events and what they have to offer. If I paid what you have to pay to get a USAC show? I would want them to help out on the promotion side.

No I don't hate USAC, I just think they could do so so much more and do it better. Kevin Miller has had enough time to do such things but has not. Time for a change at the helm. Somebody who might actually give a damn about the sport I love.

[Frady33]

Originally Posted by JstAbvVMC I agree to a point. However, your logic only works assuming everyone can GO to the races. I live 2,000 miles away on the left coast. I have family and friends in competition at Milwaukie tonight and they do not have time to “update” me. They are trying to win a race… My only insight to the action is the updates provided by the wonderful postings by IOW regulars and UASC’s Twitter page. Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to keep refreshing the page to get the latest update! “Five laps to go so and so leads”….then 30 minutes later the results are finally posted. To USAC, I appreciate your efforts very much, but a few more timely Tweets would be appreciated by those of us who would be there in person if only we could.

I understand your point, but when your goal is to get butts in seats...you can't just give all of your product away in an instant message (aka tweet). I get that that it's frustrating but it is just not the best practice with regards to what USAC needs to do.

There are plenty of race fans who are too far a way or just plain can't make it to a race. That's a huge bummer and I'm sympathetic to you and others in that situation, but USAC is going after fans who are able and would want to come to the races. Give them a taste of what is going on without giving away the important details that they could get at the track.

Twitter is a great way to promote yourself, your brand and your product. But, just as promos don't deliver the entire product, Twitter isn't a place to broadcast your event. USAC isn't going to get people into the stands by posting updates about everything that's happening through the whole event. Why would a new fan go to the track when you can just read it as it happens and get instant info about the races? That is where I'm coming from and I think it's pretty sensible.

[Dick Monahan]

Originally Posted by Frady33 ... Why would a new fan go to the track when you can just read it as it happens and get instant info about the races? That is where I'm coming from and I think it's pretty sensible.

Are you kidding? On line text reports in any format are a poor substitute for being there. They are only worth while to us who have been there often enough that we can imagine what's actually going on, and to those of us who follow particular drivers/cars and want to know how they are doing. I don't believe any new fan would have the interest to follow a text stream.

I know I can read about it in AARN when it comes in a week or so, but in the 21st century, I should be able to read about it as it happens. And the USAC race reports are so stripped down to the essentials, there is very little feeling of the event at all.

[Sickfan]

Long, long...time lurker, first time poster. I first have to say THANK YOU to Apex and Revolution for their posts.

The thing some of you old school guys are missing about twitter is exposure. You say you can wait to hear the results a couple days later, which is fine. The thing twitter may contribute to is getting new fans by following say their nascar or indycar heros that tweet about dirt racing or dirt racers. What happens next is, young kids will go to youtube (I wish I could say SpeedTv) and check out sprint cars and midgets.

Another thing I don't get is when you guys say oh well they are giving the product away...really? Because I use twitter, but getting updates isn't like what I saw last week at Indiana Midget week. Seeing a midget week race to me is like watching the super bowl an hour from my house, because this is the sport I love.

We have to take every opportunity to get new fans, I don't care whether they are into motocross, drag racing, atv racing, snowmobile racing..spreading the word cannot hurt!

We all know as soon as kids get an idea into their head (and if their parents have the funds), growing 1/4 midget numbers all the way to full midgets and sprint cars will happen.

Why can't USAC do something simple like if you bring X number of people to the track that haven't seen a race before you get X number of dollars off your ticket or so many tickets to upcoming races for free.

Sorry this was a little long, I could say much more, but maybe this will make sense to some.

[Frady33]

Originally Posted by Dick Monahan I know I can read about it in AARN when it comes in a week or so, but in the 21st century, I should be able to read about it as it happens. And the USAC race reports are so stripped down to the essentials, there is very little feeling of the event at all.

That's the attitude right there that new fans, aka young fans, would most likely have if USAC posted every little thing about a race. Why should you be able to read about something as it happens? I can follow the Cincinnati Reds Twitter feed and imagine every home run, every double play, and every pitch without the Reds getting my patronage at all.

Remember, race reports are not media releases. Race reports are supposed to be the bare essentials and are meant to be used for reference.

Twitter is 140 characters per update. Tweeting quick, entertaining tweets that the green is out, the yellow is out, and the checkered is out with a top 5 results list is plenty. Give the reader a taste of what's on track and make them want to actually come to the next race.

It makes no sense to give detailed, instant updates through every corner of a race. It's better PR-wise and promotion-wise to create incentive rather than fill a need.


Now, if USAC's media releases and advisories are poor...that's a different subject. This thread is about the original poster's view of USAC's use of Twitter.

[monkeyboy]

I always appreciate updates since I have such an aversion to actually going to a race.They are just such dusty,loud,and downright drunken affairs. sincerely roughly fifty percent of pos(t)ers on this board