Attendance at Atlanta

[NitroIntern]

I have been going to the Southern Nationals for some time now. Usually on Friday, the first session is not very well-attended, as most people come out after they get off of work.

After hearing the controversy about having a NASCAR race (Talladega) and an NHRA event in the same region in the same weekend, I was VERY pleasantly surprised today to see the stands packed full at Atlanta Dragway.

The parking lots were full and there were a lot of school buses with vo-tech-enrolled teens who were there on field trips.

I had timed my arrival to coincide with the first session of Pro Mod. Because of the lines to get in, I missed that and almost missed all of PSM.

YAYYYYYY for us!!!!

 

[BurkartFan]

Fantastic news! Thanks for letting us know that NHRA is drawing a really big crowd this weekend, even on the "light" day! It's nice to hear that a lot of kids are getting out there to see the sport too.

 

[Toejam]

Like Guy Kelly's thread, Drag racing and Nascar are different crowds. Our sport will always have it's own following.

 

[pete]

Frey just said SRO for 1st round of Pro's. Talledaga is killin' attendance .

 

[NitroIntern]

Today was no different. There were so many people there that I heard some of the racers and sponsors were unable to sit because fans were having to go into the "Racer/Sponsor" stands at the end of the track.

The NHRA demographic is getting better also, I believe. I saw a large number of women there, along with a larger percentage of Latinos and African-Americans.

I agree with the other thread about NHRA leading the way in motorsports diversity. As I have written before, "Everybody can relate to drag racing. Practically everyone has drag raced from a stop light before. Not many of us have competed against Dale, Jr. at Talladega".

 

[Toejam]

Frey just said SRO for 1st round of Pro's. Talledaga is killin' attendance .

What's SRO's mean?

 

[willy]

What's SRO's mean?

That would be 'Standing Room Only' Joe.

 

[DLB]

Yesterday was packed out too.
I don't think anything affected attendance this weekend too bad.

DLB

 

[chop]

The only problem the Talladega Nascar race caused NHRA was the fans coming from Atlanta to Birmingham on I-20 was the "parking lot" a full 6 hours after the race. I live 50 miles from Talladega and I do not go to any races there,too hard to fight the "mullet nation".

 

[tiny]

I work on a Alcohol Funny Car, when we were in the staging lanes for 1st round qualifying Friday around 1pm the stands were already packed. They looked like they do when the pros are running. I was getting stage fright.

 

[onfire]

"The NHRA demographic is getting better also, I believe. I saw a large number of women there, along with a larger percentage of Latinos and African-Americans." ---Quote By Bruce Braxton

How long have you been going to National races, Bruce? Drag racing as a whole has always had the most diverse crowd of ANY of the motorsports out there. I started going to "National" races in 1967 and believe me, the crowds were as diverse back then as they are now. The Bobble heads in Daytona would love to have such diverse crowds as the NHRA does. And don't forget the strong Asian contingent!!

Late................Mitch

 

[cephus]

Never said our attendance would suffer just made a suggestion, anything to increase the revenue for teams and vendors, if Talladega wasn't running bet ya my paycheck we would had more at the race i'm a race fan not just NHRA so i go and watch racing be it roundie round, cycle
and go karts, i've actually watched lawnmowers racing, i'm interested in any avenue to increase funding for the racers and sponsors. The problem is NHRA
will never be a Nascar with their arrogance that is just a fact
and my first love is straight line!! Look how they promote up and coming drivers and teams with the Busch series and then compare to our alcohol
teams not close, if it wasn't for Evan Knoll and Lucas we would be #*%$^$

Bama Boys

 

[Toejam]

"The NHRA demographic is getting better also, I believe. I saw a large number of women there, along with a larger percentage of Latinos and African-Americans." ---Quote By Bruce Braxton

How long have you been going to National races, Bruce? Drag racing as a whole has always had the most diverse crowd of ANY of the motorsports out there. I started going to "National" races in 1967 and believe me, the crowds were as diverse back then as they are now. The Bobble heads in Daytona would love to have such diverse crowds as the NHRA does. And don't forget the strong Asian contingent!!

Late................Mitch

Actually Mitch I don't think the Drags got many women in the older days. Not like now anyway, Black americans have been following this sport long before I ever started going.

 

[onfire]

I don't know, Joe..........There were alot of females in the crowd at my first "National" (Indy '67). Maybe 'cause I was in 7th grade and the hormones were on their way to kickin' in that I noticed. Back in the day, there were quite a few females in the stands at the local tracks that I went to. My wifes first date (1970) was going to Detroit Dragway for a match race (F/C), of course she couldn't remember who was racin'!!!!!

Late................Mitch

 

[Al smith]

i'm a race fan not just NHRA so i go and watch racing be it roundie round, cycle
and go karts, i've actually watched lawnmowers racing, i'm interested in any avenue to increase funding for the racers and sponsors. Bama Boys

How bout... Belt Sander racing? its diverse. its weird. its. standing room only. No ive never been to one.


YouTube - BELT SANDER RACING

more sanding goin on

"belt sander racing" - Google Video

Then theres bar stool racing. I think the guy crashing on the outside of the turn has had some Alkyshine before this heat

YouTube - Bar Stool Racing Black Hog Saloon Aruba

more bar stools

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

 

[NitroIntern]

I would strongly agree with this comment. I was just referring to the INCREASED numbers compared to other National Events that I have attended.

Now, I just want NHRA to put some money into Atlanta Dragway and build some real grandstands. (Going to Vegas a few times has spoiled the heck out of me. I don't think that there is a bad seat there because of the angled-relative-to-the-strip layout of their grandstands.)