Divisional Attendance (1 Viewer)

[NitroIntern]

I attended the Div 2 points race in Commerce, Georgia this weekend. On Friday, I was one on only 3 cars in the "spectator" parking lot. On Sunday, there weren't more than 30 cars in the lot. In the stands, there were probably less than 100 (and I wonder if most of those were racers and there families). I don't understand this, considering that there were at least two National Championships that we decided based on the results here.

The question is: Should we take a page out of Kenny Nowling's book and give away a ton of tickets to these Divisional events? Kenny does it with ADRL and like he says, "I fill up the seats". He makes his money off the T-shirts and the track makes their money off the concession stands.

I understand that newspaper, radio, and TV advertising is expensive. So I can see why we don't do that for Divisionals. But, if we gave a bunch of tickets to Auto Parts stores, radio stations, and even to NHRA members in the Division, would we get enough folks in the stands that NHRA and the tracks could make a profit based on increased concession sales and T-Shirts, etc.?

I am looking for your input before I draft a letter to the Division 2 Director.

 

[Gary H]

Same way for div 7 race at firebird. Thurs and Fri there are usually 10-20 people, at the most. But after the big crowds the week before for the nationals, it's kinda nice.

 

[stanman]

Most tracks do absolutely nothing to promote the divisional races and it shows. They are happy making their limited amount of money from the entry fees of the racers.

A question: What happens to divisional racers attendance when HDP changes the national events?

As much as I despise Dave Smith at Sacramento, I have to give him credit. He advertised the heck out of the divisional races there and packed the house on Saturday nights... 10,000 plus in the stands.

 

[Gregg Pickens]

Denver does a great job promoting their Lucas Race in June. I'm not good at estimating crowd sizes but the stands are about 75% filled on Saturday night and Sunday when the weather is good. They work with a local oil change chain that sells discounted tickets.

 

[Boo]

Maybe its regional thing but the divisional we have down here at No Problem Raceway is always packed. The track normally does some limited advertising on the New Orleans area TV stations which I'm sure helps. And of course we have no national events here. Not including the nearby Houston event and the Sportsnational we have here(which is also normally packed).

 

[Dave]

Writing the division director probably won't do much good. NHRA doesn't get any of the profits from spectators or concessions at divisional events. The track gets 100% of those profits.

National events tracks have a very hard time drawing spectators while the smaller tracks seem to get several hundred to a couple of thousand spectators. Giving away tickets has been tried with limited success at some events. When you give away tickets you automatically lose profits made from selling crew member passes.

 

[blackbeard]

must be a marketing flaw. here at no problem raceway, the stands are P-A-C-K-E-D for div. 4 meets, and especially the SPORTSnationals.

 

[Joker]

Div 4 has been giving out free passes this year and has had a decent turn out but you guys have to realize is the average fan doesnt care, if its not nitro they aint going to waste money on going. The alky guys put on a decent show, but its not ground pounding excitement like the average fan can see when the big guys are in town.

And as for the ADRL goes, it would be packed even if alot of them werent free tickets. Thats the best race on the planet right now.

 

[.]

The stands in Brainerd are usually empty during the DIV 5 race. This year the race fell on Memorial weekend which is already a HUGE weekend for the Brainerd lakes area with boating,fishing and golfing...... not to many people are hanging out at the race track when there is plenty of other stuff to do on a holiday weekend.

 

[mick]

this year BIR purchased radio a week ahead of their larger
events - i'd like to think it made a difference; as brian stated
this years div. fell on mem. weekend and the weather was
questionable, but i'd have to say there were 200-300 in stands
on saturday. i've seen more at same event in years past.
it's usually a fairly well attended event.

 

[Randy]

Most division events are on the list of 10 best kept secrets. The back door is where the tracks hope to make money.

I ran a division race in Bakersfield back in 1991. On the way to the track we stopped at Denny's for breakfast. We had on racing t-shirts.

The waitress asked if we there was racing going on. We told her it was the division 7 points meet. She asked if Brad Anderson and cars like that were going to be there and we said yes. She was upset that she knew nothing about it and got on the phone to her friends to round up a group to go out there when she got off work later in the day.

"Why didn't they advertise the race?" she asked. I said "Because blown alcohol is so popular you don't need to."

Right...

 

[d'kid]

Got to remind myself when the points meets at Richmond next year...

Let's See, 3 days until The Race this weekend, no adds on TV... heard a couple of radio spots on FM Rock... they even were giving away tickets for Friday... but the DJ's had no clue what was going on... 90 miles from the track here....

Last month, for the fall Cup race in Richmond... was wall to wall spots (as if you could buy a ticket) The same FM stations have weekly pick the winner contests for the whole Cup season... TV stations send reporters to both the spring and fall race... They also send reporters to Daytona...

Heck, we didn't even hear about the Divisional Race here in town when it was held at Suffolk... Guess there's a reason the turn out ain't great... or maybe I was spoiled as a kid....

 

[Smiley]

I believe Maple Grove does a $20 or $30 per carload deal on Saturday night of the Div 1 race with Fireworks - Pretty large crowd this year even with rain threatening.

 

[Toejam]

Scheduling does play a role, some Divisional's are a week apart from the natl. event at the same track. But you can't expect people to follow something they know nothing about! 2 years ago at Denver the track did a promotion with a local auto parts store, maybe Carquest but not sure. It was a buy one get one free deal, plus they gave away some tickets via a radio station deal. I saw a picture of the stands that looked like a Natl. event! Bruce Kamada said in the Mile-high newsletter they had 15,000! I bet the vendors loved that!

 

[Professor Dave]

I attended the Div 2 points race in Commerce, Georgia this weekend. On Friday, I was one on only 3 cars in the "spectator" parking lot. On Sunday, there weren't more than 30 cars in the lot. In the stands, there were probably less than 100 (and I wonder if most of those were racers and there families).

Bruce,

How did you like that little red 32 bantum that won comp? If you forget what it looks like, look in the upper left hand corner of this response.

As for the problem of attendance at points races, some tracks get folks to come (Lebanon Valley draws well on certain days and the maple grove promotional seems to be working as well-fireworks at both). Norwalk had a good turn out for their points race, but I bet the Baders could fill the stands if they had people reading the yellow pages at the starting line.

Professor Dave

 

[NitroIntern]

Writing the division director probably won't do much good. NHRA doesn't get any of the profits from spectators or concessions at divisional events. The track gets 100% of those profits.

I was thinking "Division Director" because Atlanta Dragway is one of the few NHRA-owned tracks (along with Pomona, National Trail, Gainesville, and a few others). Therefore, I reasoned, the Div. Director has a vested interest in seeing it make money.

And, Professor Dave, that Bantam was really nice. I wish I had had the opportunity to get over and meet you. Are you gonna be at the Reynolds meet in 3 weeks? As far as I know, it's the last Divisional to be held.

 

[Darryl]

...As much as I despise Dave Smith at Sacramento, I have to give him credit. He advertised the heck out of the divisional races there and packed the house on Saturday nights... 10,000 plus in the stands.

He also books in other shows to go with the points race. It might be jets or if could be nostalgia(after all he DOES own a front engined TF car), but all in all you just HAVE to consider Mr. Personality when you compete there! Yeech!

 

[dave]

Quite a few tracks are starting to book in exhibition cars for a Saturday night show/ Night of Fire at their divisional events. They use Fuel Altereds, Jets, Wheelstanders and other Nostalgia cars. We had Fuel Altereds at 4 divisional races this year. Bill Bader used Fuel Altereds and Jets at Norwalks divisional race this year and had a great crowd Saturday night. Now Friday and Sunday the crowds were weak.
Dave Hough
Nanook AA/FA

 

[Mike]

Dave, will you be at the reunion next weekend?????????????

 

[sharkman]

Back in 05' the div 4 race at No Problem Raceway was moved to Ennis the weekend after the Fall Nats there (due to Katrina) anyway I mopped up on NHRA T-Shirts on Sunday, they were $5.00 each, I bought like 10, great work shirts, There was a decent crowd due to free admission.