Coca Cola 600 Burnouts Article And How NHRA Is Again Clueless (1 Viewer)

[Rat]

You would think from the article they would ask some Nascar people and teams what is was like to experience that, or even JEFF HAMMOND! Instead we are quoting Schumacher and Brown on how fantastic it is to do what they did. Does NHRA really have any clue at all? We are not trying to blend into nascar and read about what it's like there, we are trying to get nascar to blend into us and for them to see what the NHRA is like. I don't wanna read DSR driver opinions on what it was like being there I wanna read how people in the Nascar world responded to 2 dragster on pit road. NHRA missed the entire point!

 

[Toejam]

You would think from the article they would ask some Nascar people and teams what is was like to experience that, or even JEFF HAMMOND! Instead we are quoting Schumacher and Brown on how fantastic it is to do what they did. Does NHRA really have any clue at all? We are not trying to blend into nascar and read about what it's like there, we are trying to get nascar to blend into us and for them to see what the NHRA is like. I don't wanna read DSR driver opinions on what it was like being there I wanna read how people in the Nascar world responded to 2 dragster on pit road. NHRA missed the entire point!

I doubt NHRA had much at all to do with any of this! This was a NASCAR race, how does it benefit them Promoting Drag racing?

 

[jackass]

I doubt NHRA had much at all to do with any of this! This was a NASCAR race, how does it benefit them Promoting Drag racing?

Doesnt do anything for NASCAR.. its a way to expose the NASCAR fans to the Nitro side of things... to hopefully get them to come across the street to the Strip later in the year... only person or group hoping to benifit is SMI/ Brutons people...

And this isnt realy anything new... Back many ,, many moons ago when the oval had drag races on the pit road .. Humpy Wheeler brought in some top names at the Cup races to promote those drag races Current managment is using a play from Humpys book.... which worked before why not now?

 

[Rat]

I doubt NHRA had much at all to do with any of this! This was a NASCAR race, how does it benefit them Promoting Drag racing?

The entire point of doing anything over there is too hopefully get some of there fans to like another sport. It not important exactly who set it up. The only reason to get the DSR teams there was to make some publicity by showing people the power of these cars and trying to get a fan, driver, team, anyone of nascar interested enough to want to spent money at an NHRA event and attract some new fans. All the article even some is it was a "big hit". Why? Because it says that I am suppose to believe it?

How bout some feedback from a random fan, driver or team memeber who now is interested in the NHRA. More importantly, how about some feedback on Jeff Hammond about what he did and when he'll go to his next drag race?

If the point was to just bring the dragsters out and not attact any possible new fans, then it succeeded, but I think the goal was bigger than that and so where's the article or any follow ups on if the sport attracted any new fans from last weekend and the many time Kalitta did Bristol?

 

[FC138fan]

The event itself was the big attractor... I think an article written after the fact will have very minimal impact due to the problem that the sound and vibrations don't translate at all through text.

An article quoting a nascar fan oblivious to the NHRA might read like "Wow! It was so loud and I could feel it all the way in the stands!" That probably wouldn't attract a NASCAR fan to the NHRA.

A better quote would read "Man, that was so much more awesome then the entire NASCAR race! I should spend money on watching those instead of these wimpy stock cars!" -but I doubt they would allow them to quote that... even if it is true!

BTW I can't find a single video (other then a cameraphone view) of the big event, has ESPN banned it from youtube?

 

[MHayes]

It not important exactly who set it up.

Yet it is the NHRA that is to blame as usual, right Patrick? LOL!

I love it.....first NHRA is again clueless, someone corrects you and says that NHRA probably didn't have much to do with it and that it was more Bruton Smith, and now you say that it's not important who set it up.

Anything else you'd like to backtrack on??

 

[clwill]

Wow, this seems like a case of the drought-stricken farmer complaining because the rain is too warm.

Tens of thousands of NASCAR fans in person (and a larger TV audience than NHRA will probably get all year for all events combined) saw/heard a nitro burning car for the first time. And you're complaining about who they quote in the article that talks about it?

Imagine the NFL allowing a demonstration of Rugby on their field during half time. Not gonna happen. The fact that this happened at all should be celebrated.

 

[Nick Name]

With the size of some of those tracks, I would imagine only a small percentage were close enough to get the full effect.

I was at Ontario one year when they did that and from our seats in the stands, it was unimpressive.

 

[Rat]

The fact that this happened at all should be celebrated.

Yea....but it's happend before. Sure we can keep luggin them out there do do burnouts at times, but how bout some results. And Mike, you cant catch me into who set it up cause that was never apparant and I never once said anything about the NHRA having a hand in setting it up or not. Again, it's not the point who got them to do it. The point what kind of results can the NHRA show for it? That's where they fail.

I don't know if they already do this but they should. Bruton should be already cross promoting especially after Sunday. Paying customers that he has e-mail/phone info on he should be doing a follow up survey based on what they seen about how likely they are to go to an upcoming NHRA race. We can keep doing this forever, and it's pointless if no one is keeping track of the actual results. Without results they are just wasting DSR and Kalitta Motorsports time.

NHRA should be all over all the contact information they can get from ticket buyers who were there sunday in Charlotte's database. Instead im getting typical unfavorable results from fellow maters when all I am asking is where is the effective marketing? 2 Dragsters appeared at Charlotte. OK. And then what? The marketing just only began with the appearance. What good is all the increased NHRA promotion into different segments (walmart, nascar) if we are not seeing any results?

 

[none]

Patrick,

If they didn't get positive results with this program in the past why do you think they would still be doing it?

I think that's it's kind of funny that you are telling Bruton what he "Should" be doing. I would say that judging by his successes he know's what he is doing. Nobody does more surveying or follow up than the SMI tracks. Also, all his tracks are run as independant businesses. They talk and share ideas and information, but what works in one market certainly doesn't guarantee success in another.

For example, I know of programs that in Las Vegas are huge, but flopped in Bristol. That doesn't mean they did it wrong in Bristol, just that it's a different market that has different marketing needs. I also know that if they decide to try something in Texas all the other tracks look at the program and then decide if it would be worth trying in their market. But the final call in Charlotte is Marcus Smith's, just as in Vegas it is Chris Powell, and Jerry Caldwell in Bristol. Bruton doesn't micro manage. He hires smart people and let's them lead the way.

One more thing, I don't think Charlotte Motor Speedway, would give their contact/mailing list to NHRA anymore than NHRA would give theirs to CMS. I could be wrong, but I doubt it (in this case)

Alan

 

[None]

Patrick,

If they didn't get positive results with this program in the past why do you think they would still be doing it?

I think that's it's kind of funny that you are telling Bruton what he "Should" be doing. I would say that judging by his successes he know's what he is doing. Nobody does more surveying or follow up than the SMI tracks. Also, all his tracks are run as independant businesses. They talk and share ideas and information, but what works in one market certainly doesn't guarantee success in another.

For example, I know of programs that in Las Vegas are huge, but flopped in Bristol. That doesn't mean they did it wrong in Bristol, just that it's a different market that has different marketing needs. I also know that if they decide to try something in Texas all the other tracks look at the program and then decide if it would be worth trying in their market. But the final call in Charlotte is Marcus Smith's, just as in Vegas it is Chris Powell, and Jerry Caldwell in Bristol. Bruton doesn't micro manage. He hires smart people and let's them lead the way.

One more thing, I don't think Charlotte Motor Speedway, would give their contact/mailing list to NHRA anymore than NHRA would give theirs to CMS. I could be wrong, but I doubt it (in this case)

Alan

Makes since to me.

 

[none]

I forget, what are the current rules? Am I supposed to name my sources? Or just claim that they know more than you even if I won't identify them?

I just don't want to get yelled at again...........

Alan

 

[d'kid]

I forget, what are the current rules? Am I supposed to name my sources? Or just claim that they know more than you even if I won't identify them?

I just don't want to get yelled at again...........

Alan

As long as you keep setting up interviews like the one with Eric Lane, you can do what you want...

d'kid

 

[George.]

Do you think the crowd is full of people who have never seen a fuel car?
Maybe some haven't, but if some were actually were drawn to drag racing, they would come without the commercial prompt of a burnout in the pit area.
If the burnout is all that's left to sell the NHRA, then some major re-focusing needs to be addressed because the burnout has been around for years, seen by millions, and the selling mileage is getting old..

As a race fan to would rather watch Nascar. I don't come and watch the NHRA for the burnouts, I come for the race.
I don't come anymore because there is less and less race, and more and more team BS to cover up less and less product on the track..
JMO.

 

[none]

Not sure what to make of that post but I am sure it is negative..............

 

[Mike]

As a race fan to would rather watch Nascar. I don't come and watch the NHRA for the burnouts, I come for the race[/QUOTE]



George, one can assume then that you show up just before the race starts and go home at the drop of the checkered flag?

 

[Toejam]

Do you think the crowd is full of people who have never seen a fuel car?
Maybe some haven't, but if some were actually were drawn to drag racing, they would come without the commercial prompt of a burnout in the pit area.
If the burnout is all that's left to sell the NHRA, then some major re-focusing needs to be addressed because the burnout has been around for years, seen by millions, and the selling mileage is getting old..

As a race fan to would rather watch Nascar. I don't come and watch the NHRA for the burnouts, I come for the race.
I don't come anymore because there is less and less race, and more and more team BS to cover up less and less product on the track..
JMO.

My ticket rep in Vegas told me they see maybe a 6-8% crossover in ticket sales between the Cup race, and NHRA! Sounds to me like Drag racing is the Moon to a Vast majority of NASCAR fans!

And I bet that gap is wider is Southern Markets!

 

[George.]

My ticket rep in Vegas told me they see maybe a 6-8% crossover in ticket sales between the Cup race, and NHRA! Sounds to me like Drag racing is the Moon to a Vast majority of NASCAR fans!

And I bet that gap is wider is Southern Markets!

It's just two different style of racing.
My response wasn't to sound negative, it was to give my opinion that drag racing is NOT the moon to a Nascar fan, but rather not interesting.
The burnout now seems to be the calling card, with the actual race as a 3.9 second wrap up with the winner usually picked before the green light. That's why there is only a single digit crossover.

Nascar fans don't really care about drag racing to the least, as it sits along side of other pre-race spectacles like school bus jumps, and the combine demolishion derby. Cool to watch as long as it's free.

Just so it doesn't sound like I'm picking on the NHRA, all of the major motorsports are drowning in a bad economy, and only the strong survive. Take away the independent team and driver, and replace it with the big business team concept, makes it more difficult for the average "Joe" to identify with any driver in any motorsport. That driver-fan connection used to be the foundation that never cracked. Now there is a new driver to the same car almost every year.