France Family Interested In NHRA? (2 Viewers)

[Alan]

TWO WORDS:PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT

PS: As far as worrying about Pit Access - The logistics of 200,000 attendees is a LOT different than the crowds Drag Racing has to contend with.

Biggest benefit is their PROVEN promotion/marketing ability.

Those two words are right. And the pit access is what makes NHRA unique, and I'm sure they know that.

 

[Dave]

If the France group buys the NHRA I'm done with Drag Racing. Bigger isn't always better. Years ago, I really enjoyed Nascar racing. They actually raced and the people involved were human. Now, I can hardly watch Nascar anymore. The France group has turned it into Hollywood with movie star drivers. Through one of my businesses, I used to work with some of the drivers and I have to say I'm still not impressed by some of them. They are not as great as they are built up to be and one of them is their current champion. If somebody is gonna come into Drag Racing and "Nascar" it, the sport will fail in the long run. Part of the draw of Drag Racing is that 99.9% of the drivers in NHRA are as human and down to Earth as you are. Granted, the current leadership of our sport could use a little help. NHRA does some things that do not always make everybody happy but how often in life is everybody happy. Drag Racing has grown quite a lot in the 30 years and I know NHRA has been involved in that growth. Our sport still has some room to grow but if you really think about it, it's pretty good over here. When groups like France or Bruton Smith bring their Nascar methods into Drag Racing it's going to get more and more expensive to compete. If you think it costs a lot to go Drag Racing now, bring the Nascar minds in and just watch the price climb. A few years ago, I was trying to put together a sponsorship deal for a well known Funny Car legend. I was told that this company had a $3million budget and they were sponsoring a suck Nascar Cup car for 5 races. They were not happy with the ROI but still wanted to be involved in Motorsports. I talked with this Funny Car driver and discussed the deal and the sponsor's budget. The driver told me, "Hell, I could run 2 cars with that money". It is beyond me what a Nascar Cup team needs with $20million a year from a sponsor. Drag Racing is still the best bargin for a sponsor in my opinion. Why do you think sponsors are leaving Nascar like AAA? It cost too much to be involved. Drag Racing doesn't need the Nascar way of thinking.

Dave

 

[marlin]

Two words

Bruton Smith ...

 

[club]

If the France group buys the NHRA I'm done with Drag Racing. Bigger isn't always better. <snip> Dave

What he said.

 

[Toejam]

The only possible reason I could ever imagine this scenario is this is a Powergrab to Keep Bruton Smith from getting too much leverage. But I don't believe for a second that the France family just magically developed an appreciation for NHRA.

 

[mike]

If the France group buys the NHRA I'm done with Drag Racing.
Dave

yup, me too...

the current folks running NASCAR have about wrecked the motor-sport part of NASCAR...and their "tender hand" has split sports car racing up almost as effectively as what open wheel racing did to itself.

...nope, I don't see any long term good out of having the France family take over the NHRA

 

[d'kid]

yepper, the sport will get on without me, just like nascar did... strange all the people at work that talked about it every monday, don't anymore... still can't get over people that look at my wallpaper at werk and say "I'm a nascar fan too" while looking at a picture of of one of Papa John's cars...

Walked away once, ain't gonna kill me to walk away again.... there's always cats like Justin, Randy, Kevin, Troy, Chi-town Brown, Gremlin Al, running the real deals without the drama of The Big Show... so I will survive, can still get a nitro fix...

Thanks MM for showing me the light... Chi-town Hustler and OCIR Forever!!!!!

d'kid

 

[john]

Talked to a NASCAR fan at work today. He used to go to 4-5 races a year, now he is so disgusted he won't even watch it on TV.

Is that what we have to look forward too?

 

[Baron]

I commute daily from Colorado Springs to Pueblo. Each time I drive past Pikes Peak International Raceway I am reminded how NaziCar does its work.
No thanks.
Cheers,
Ed Arcuri
P.S. to Jay: it's motherlode. Might your spelling have manifested a subconscious thought of some other load?

 

[Draw 3D]

Jay: it is obvious of your dis-pleasure of the NHRA management team and to throw info w/out naming a source sounds like made-up material to most...
And Jay: What is your website address?

Terry, don't question his sources, they are impeccable, although only known to him.

A source without a name makes this just another rumor.

Btw, IF NHRA went to nascrap, it would be the best thing to happen to all the other racing series like NFC, NTF, outlaws, etc, because, as some posts already stated, many racers would leave NHRA.

 

[mike]

I'm having voices from Seinfeld pop into my head....

KID: "This guy's a Commie. He's spreading propoganda." Lol

Seriously though, all I want to see in this sport is more sponsors come in. I don't want it to be 'HUGE' I was happy with the way it was when I was a kid, and I don't want to see a 'big' change now. Other then that, have the NHRA opening it's ears, and listening to people such as Bill Miller and a range of others, not just 'one' or two people would be the icing on the cake. Then I'll be happy. Hmmm

 

[d'kid]

36 years to go from 230 to 330
35 years to go from 6.43 to 4.42

25 years to go from spending 175,000 to 3mil a year...

30 years ago I could see what the car was doing and read the plugs to see how the engine was doing... today we need instant replay, video and a computer to tell what the car did because our mind can't work that fast....

I got more enjoyment out of watching a 7 flat flopper than watching a 4.75 pass... brass tacks time for Glendora, you want a really great show? Then slow the dang things down where the rubes in the stands can really see what is going on... more time on the track means more sponsor time on the boob tube, quicker turn around time between rounds, so you have a show that could run live on TV...

and STOP trying to sell the show with Crash and Burn footage... the people That brings in the gate are not what we need... Makes us all look like a bunch of Uneducated Thrill Seekers...

d'kid

 

[BF]

Sounds like the sky may still be falling. The only thing I can say for sure is that Brian France is slowly but surely killing the goose that laid the golden egg (NASCAR). If you want to see what NASCAR fans think of him, you should read some of their message boards or the letters to National Speed Sport NEWS. It might surprize some of you. Still, he would really have to screw things up on the NHRA side to get me to stop going. Maybe he'd do away with the Countdown. HeHe

 

[Jay]

I certainly see that there are varied opinions about this, and I think they are all with a lot of merit....I am just thinking that if you look at the situation as it is today in the NHRA, that overall, taking the good with the bad that steps in, that whether it is the France family, Bruton, or even another entity that has been able to grow a sport over the last several years, that I do strongly feel that the positives will outweigh the negatives in this case.

As far as my sources, there are a few people on here that know where I get my info and how, and respectfully, there are many of you that are aware that if I state something on here, that there is always truth behind it, of which still comes out even if the issue changes or is a bit "altered" after the info that I spoke of comes to fruition.

If I say something that you don't agree with, then please, voice your opinion the same way that I did, and let's have a normal, courteous, and respectful discussion about it like the adults that we are. I will, however, not participate in a pissing match with anyone. Not to say that it has happened in this thread because it hasn't, but it has in the past.

Please remember that I have nothing to gain at all by posting here. I do it to inform my fellow maters when I come across something that I think you would like to know, and I thoroughly enjoy these discussions (when adults are speaking like adults).

Also, it is important to remember that my information is simply that the NHRA has the attention of these people, and they have apparently started to think about whether or not the NHRA would make sense for them...Its a far cry at this pont to think that they are going to buy it...

Here is something interesting to think about....I am in sports marketing and I love every bit of it, but once, I looked at buying a KFC...lol...what the FU#K was I thinking....!!! lol

That being said, my investigative due diligence in that case was about 2 hours long before I decided that it was a stupid idea, as very well may end up the case here, but I still looked into it...

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

The thought of Nascar owning NHRA is HORRIFYING. I hope I never see that in my lifetime. I've said it many times--Bigger is not better!!!!!

 

[Whipster]

Can anyone say "bidding war?"

 

[none]

The thought of the France family doing to NHRA what they have done to NASCAR scares me. Look at NASCAR in the old days before Brian France turned it into a corporate marketing machine instead of a racing series.
There was innovation like you would not believe (think Smokey Yuniks 7/8 scale chevelle, some of the stuff Junior Johnson pulled off,etc,etc) Drivers could beat & bang each other with out going to a penalty box. You used to be able to get drivers autographs,see them at hotels & restaurants etc.
Now look at it. NASCAR has done away with any innovation with the advent of the COT. All that thing is is another name for the IROC series. Drivers are holed up in their motorhomes or the transporter lounges.You never see them at the ropes schmoozing with the fans. I for one would hate to see Brian France ruin the NHRA like he has done with NASCAR. I'm sure Dale Sr is turning over in his grave at what's happened to NASCAR.

 

[Mike]

Look at NASCAR in the old days before Brian France turned it into a corporate marketing machine instead of a racing series.

Brian France is the biggest mistake in NASCAR

 

[The Swegian]

Brian France is the biggest mistake in NASCAR

Another example of nepotism not necessarily being a good thing.

 

[hellfirejim]

I have been thinking about this in another way. The HD deal was big news in the motorsports community because of the low price and of course the possible ROI [return on investment]. Perhaps the nascar thing is just sniffing about and that is ok. What I am thinking is it might push others to take a longer look and maybe do something. Of course Bruton comes to mind. But there maybe others.

Is the sky falling??? hell it hasn't even clouded up yet....