Do you agree with Jon Asher's article about NHRA Leadership? (1 Viewer)

[mikebcurve]

Updating the old NHRA PlayStation game with new drivers and sponsors would have kept me happy. It would have been a nice bonus to give out to youth with prepaid tickets. You don’t need to directly profit from everything to get a return! Get them interested young..............

 

[mikebcurve]

NHRA just announced their latest plan for racing. We just need to stand by and see what happens. Racing 4-5 weeks in a row is extremely hard on even the biggest teams and the logistics are a nitemare. It's success depends on which states allow racing and whether they allow the fans or not.
Best of luck, hope it works.

4 to 5 weeks in a row is tough on me as a fan, lol. I can only imagine how drained both mentally and physically they could be at the end of that.

 

[mike]

Mike,

I have all the respect in the world for what you have done, and what you are still doing. But there is no business on the planet that does business today the same way they did in the 70's.

Alan

You are right alan things change- but in the past a long time ago we had people like the hook and daniels and ferrall and doll they were available and discussions took place. Today it's our way or no way . Not sucking up but one of the best things NHRA never changed were the best announcers yourself Frey Mack and many more.The S--t needed to be stir-red and it was my turn. Ageing waiting to get back soon and see all my family.The American Flyer

 

[mike]

haven't read the article but I always agree with Jon...…………...

 

[swervin]

I kind of get the feeling from his response that Alan didn't really read the article and grasp it. To me it has nothing to do with NHRA seeing this coming but how they are reacting or not reacting to create a space for themselves when it all comes back. Staying out there in the motorsports space with press releases about NHRA, what some of the drivers might be doing to help etc is what I would expect to see if I thought somebody wanted me to come to their races. Almost every day I see some kind of link or read a post from all forms of motorsports that reminds me about it, except NHRA which is how I interpreted Jons article. The old saying"out of sight out of mind" still applies today. Acting like you have no sponsors to answer to and letting all the potential customers forget about you by getting rid of your PR and media relations people is not a good idea and a good reason for your sponsors to not come back.

Just my opinion from what I got from the article and least it got some people talking about it and by no means I am correct.

 

[none]

NHRA just announced their latest plan for racing. We just need to stand by and see what happens. Racing 4-5 weeks in a row is extremely hard on even the biggest teams and the logistics are a nitemare. It's success depends on which states allow racing and whether they allow the fans or not.
Best of luck, hope it works.

Just announced? That was announced over a month ago. If you don't ever go to their website how can you complain that they don't provide updates?

Alan

 

[none]

Does this count? You know, waiting until you actually have some news to report!

Alan

NHRA plans to return to racing with fans in the stands, access to pits

The president of the NHRA said the plan is for the drag racing series to resume racing in early June with fans in the stands and with access to the pits.

motorsports.nbcsports.com

 

[mike]

Just announced? That was announced over a month ago. If you don't ever go to their website how can you complain that they don't provide updates?

Alan

Going to the website is like trying to break or decipher some unknown code not the easiest to navigate

 

[Dragracer]

Does this count? You know, waiting until you actually have some news to report!

Alan

NHRA plans to return to racing with fans in the stands, access to pits

The president of the NHRA said the plan is for the drag racing series to resume racing in early June with fans in the stands and with access to the pits.

motorsports.nbcsports.com

As you said to me - the article is from a month ago, not new. NWhere is there a update. Quite a bit has changed in the month since Glen has said anything. NBC Sports just today referenced the month old info from Glen, not something new.

 

[none]

As you said to me - the article is from a month ago, not new. NWhere is there a update. Quite a bit has changed in the month since Glen has said anything. NBC Sports just today referenced the month old info from Glen, not something new.

No, the article you reference is dated today. RIF (Reading is fundamental) The schedule was released a month ago. This is a follow up that the plan hasn't changed. And the schedule was released March 25th. More than a month ago. Quote from the article, "NHRA is expected to offer an update on it's 2020 plan May 4th" That's current info, not month old info. Facts are friendly.....

Things may change again, but for now the schedule that was released over a month ago is still what we are hoping to do. Even if you weren't aware of it until today.

Alan

NHRA announces revised schedule for Mello Yello Drag Racing Series

In consideration of the COVID-19 global pandemic, NHRA officials have announced revisions to the 2020 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule. The series is tentatively planned to resume June 5-7 with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway.

www.nhra.com

 

[Nick Name]

If we lost the NHRA, would that really be a bad thing?

 

[Dragracer]

Alan I don't understand why you felt the need for your 6:26pm post about my 3:39pm post. My post was made after reading the NBC Sports article about their exclusive interview with Glen Cromwell who told how their plans were evoloving and what had to be considered to race in the future and that they would be updating the 2020 plans on May 4th. I did not say anything negative and was positive about what had been said. I knew what the schedule was as I do pay attention to the NHRA site and had read Glen's letter a month ago.

 

[robinjackson]

FWIW, I've been following drag racing from the opposite side of the Atlantic for more than 50 years, and I'm bound to say people have been grousing about NHRA's leadership for all that time. I'm not taking sides in the present debate, just making that observation.

Racers over here have been running a weekly online competition for several weeks. Here is their Facebook page:

Rip Rap Racers Club

Rip Rap Racers Club. 560 likes. Online Drag Racing

www.facebook.com

and there is always more news at Eurodragster.com:
www.eurodragster.com

 

[Notch1320]

My guess is the May 4th up-date will be that the Gators will be "Postponed" until the Fall date. I live in Florida and there's no way the state is going to open to mass-gatherings in time for June 7th.

 

[mgty3whlr]

It's gonna be a mess for a while.

 

[Mike]

Alan, just a couple questions-
1) Could you point out specifically what Jon Asher was incorrect about at the time his article was published?
2) Is it true or untrue that a number of sports leagues, including motorsports leagues NASCAR and IndyCar, were on a call with the President while NHRA was absent?
3) Is it true or untrue that Sports Business Journal has been publishing updates from numerous sporting leagues, but per Asher's research as of last Friday, NHRA had nothing to say for 22 days?
4) Is it true or untrue that NHRA furloughed PR personnel?

Regarding motorsports, while NHRA will never get the live, in person attendance of the Indy 500 or Daytona 500, I've been to NASCAR races in recent years where a Friday NHRA crowd would be larger than the Friday NASCAR Xfinity race crowd, and if one combined the Friday/Saturday Nascar crowd and compared to the Friday/Saturday/Sunday NHRA crowd, the total NASCAR crowd may be larger, but not necessarily as much as one would think (depending on the track). Outside of Indy 500 and road/street courses, I'd wager NHRA outdraws any other IndyCar oval track for a weekend.

My point is similar to Asher's point- If NHRA is the "major league" of drag racing, and in the top three or four of all US motorsports organizations, then the amount and frequency of media output should match that (alleged) status.

 

[Pete]

Just announced? That was announced over a month ago. If you don't ever go to their website how can you complain that they don't provide updates?

Alan

Alan,
I agree they have updated their website, but as Ashers comments stated, they have not pushed it out to the masses or if they have, it’s not being run by any of the standard new organizations. The most important thing NHRA can do right now is to stay in front of faces. I visit often and they’ve done a great job filling in the gaps with content (I.e., videos), but I am a diehard and unless I goto their website, I don’t see anything...so for the casual fans it’s “Out of sight, out of mind”

 

[none]

Alan I don't understand why you felt the need for your 6:26pm post about my 3:39pm post. My post was made after reading the NBC Sports article about their exclusive interview with Glen Cromwell who told how their plans were evoloving and what had to be considered to race in the future and that they would be updating the 2020 plans on May 4th. I did not say anything negative and was positive about what had been said. I knew what the schedule was as I do pay attention to the NHRA site and had read Glen's letter a month ago.

If I misread that post, then I'm sorry. I read it as you saying NHRA had "Just" announced the schedule when is fact they had announced it March 25th.

I get press releases from pretty much every team out there, some of the PR people seem to think that everytime they wash the hauler it's news worthy. I have one who sends out a pre-race report, two updates Friday, two more Saturday, a Sunday morning raceday preview, a Sunday evening post race report, then a Monday or Tuesday race recap. It's white noise. If you have news, tell me. But if you're just generating news releases so you can claim to be generating press releases, it's a waste of time, and I feel that when you actually have news to report it doesn't have the same impact.

It's like the car dealer (and we all have one of them in the neighborhood) that has a HUGE SALE every week. Do you even listen to his adds anymore? If you have news, tell me. If there's no news to report, then you don't need a press release telling me that.

Alan

 

[mick]

My guess is the May 4th up-date will be that the Gators will be "Postponed" until the Fall date. I live in Florida and there's no way the state is going to open to mass-gatherings in time for June 7th.

bob, i thought the june gators would take place, but unfortunately there is a very slim chance that it will. by mid summer, i think something a little more important will be taking place

 

[mgty3whlr]

On a positive note, we had the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds do a fly over to pay respects to our 1st responders and medical workers. really Awesome!