If one of the cars is to loud, should they be forced to shut it off?

[Horsepower & Heels]

RG, as for the MOnster trucks, I think you bet Ticket prices have a lot to do with it!

That and they market the personalities. Its not just Sponsor XYZ, but Grave Digger, Turtle, etc. Think back to Snake vs. Mongoose, etc. rivalries and how popular it was back then.

I think NHRA would do well to showcase and help promote the PEOPLE of the sport, not just the corporations. The automatic association tie-in would already be there for the sponsors

 

[MM]

That and they market the personalities. Its not just Sponsor XYZ, but Grave Digger, Turtle, etc. Think back to Snake vs. Mongoose, etc. rivalries and how popular it was back then.

I think NHRA would do well to showcase and help promote the PEOPLE of the sport, not just the corporations. The automatic association tie-in would already be there for the sponsors

Another thing I think that the Monster Jam does right is that they do not try to spread the same show over 3 days. It's a only a Saturday night deal. So many times I hear fans say, "I can't go all three days, so I am only going to come Friday or Saturday." If you condense a weekend crowd at an NHRA race into a single night, you could fill stadiums the way Monster Jam does. Now I don't think you could stage a full NHRA race in a single day, but I do think it could be done in 2, Friday night and Saturday night. I have always been of the opinion that any form of auto racing, but especially drag racing, is a Saturday night sport, not a Sunday afternoon sport.

 

[rckymtn3]

I have a theory. In the old match race days the stands were packed. The rivalries were huge. The drivers communicated their intension of ripping the throat out he guy in the other lane out by outdoing his burn-out, oudoing his dry hops, mouthing off to the media about winning the race, and anything else that would allow him to get in the heads of the other drivers and fans. When all that went away, so did the fans.

I sort of agree, sort of don't.....guess that makes me a compliant, compromising fence sitter?

You might as well have compared drag racing to football....

I never much went for the pro-wrestling/monster truck mentality...where your theory suggests monster trucks are popular due to the fake hype (it IS fake, you do know this?) where as drag racing is real racing, and in fact does have personalities that occasionally clash....I understand your meaning...I don't much go for Betty Crockerized ANYthing....

Monster trucks and drifting....entertainment, not sports....anything that relies upon a judge(s) to score it, isn't really a sport (yup...ice skating is only a sport if I'm talking to my mother) and yes, I understand there's two portions of a monster truck rally, but still....

Most likely, monster trucks are so popular because it's well into it's second generation....the kids drawn to it in the 80's are now taking their kids in the 2010's.....in the 80's, they came to almost every small town, arena, or fair....huge grassroots exposure.....like drag racing used to do, and no longer is the case....

I was at the drags as soon as I could walk....because my father loved drag racing, I love drag racing...

Racing....not the typical drama-filled days of our lives tweeting schmuckfest sideshow stuff, but then I understand a lot of Americans are into that....

Wouldn't mind Tom Petty at 10pm, just please don't start talking about the undertaker or grave digger....THAT would cause me pain

 

[HEMI6point1]

That's one of the reasons why I don't like to watch Monster Trucks anymore. The outcome of the "race" is known beforehand just like a WWE matchup is fixed.

Heck, I'd rather watch a tractor pull over monster trucks....

Does it draw the crowds? Yes. Should it be compared to NHRA drag racing just because it draws crowds? No. If that's the only criteria for a comparison you may as well compare it to a football game.

 

[mike]

That and they market the personalities. Its not just Sponsor XYZ, but Grave Digger, Turtle, etc. Think back to Snake vs. Mongoose, etc. rivalries and how popular it was back then.

I think NHRA would do well to showcase and help promote the PEOPLE of the sport, not just the corporations. The automatic association tie-in would already be there for the sponsors

generally I agree, but Monster Jam doesn't promote the drivers much at all, like you say they market Grave Digger, Monster Mutt, etc. The drivers are pretty interchangeable; I mean how many different Grave Digger drivers are there now?

IMO drag racing should promote the teams and CARS again...

 

[Greg]

These days this sport absolutely blows at the professional level for a number of reasons. This is my second year of not watching a single national event, and I can tell I haven't missed much. When I first got into drag racing in 1990, looking back, I now realize it was fast approaching the twilight of an amazing era. I am thankful that I got in when I did. While there were still people with personality participating. How people get hooked on it now, via TV or national events, is completely beyond the realm of my comprehension. I think you had to be a part of the old order to fully appreciate how bad it is now.

 

[Papa Duck]

Yup...happened. Whit was up in Force's face on the top end in 2001? (don't quite remember) and wouldn't get out of the way. Robert nailed him with the body pole. Either him or Force got fined $2000.

Don't put the blame on Whit for that. I was right next to Whit when it took place here in Vegas. Whit was standing at the top end after his run watching John's car pull in. Robert ran past Whit and hit him in the back with the pole on his way to John's car. Whit said something like "hey that's not necessary" just as John was coming out of the car. John jumped on Whit for admonishing his crew not knowing what happened and it went from there. Graham came down to ask everyone what happened and handed out the fines. Whit had no blame for what took place.

 

[Toejam]

Once again another thread turns into if NHRA did this and that, the Stands would be packed and the TV ratings would triple!

Why do soo many here feel they need to see 35-40,000 at every track, every day to validate this sport??

 

[Rajunz]

.....For example...Here is a grandstands shot from Anaheim Stadium I took a couple of months ago at a monster truck race held within a few weeks of the 2012 Winternatiionals. Anaheim Stadium is about 25 minutes from Pomona. It was cold that night. I am in the upper deck beyond the foul pole. It was SOLD OUT. Why? Because these guys know how to put on a show for their fans, they have huge rivalries, have trashed the political correctness and are out for blood. the fans love it...............

Same thing Bill Stevens tried to address last year.

Once again another thread turns into if NHRA did this and that, the Stands would be packed and the ratings would triple!

Why do soo many here feel they need to see 35-40,000 at every track, every day to validate this sport??

I agree, why does every seat need to be sold out, people need to be careful for what they wish for.

The thing is, people say Nostalgia races pack them in, but in actuality, Bakersfield might seat 1/4 as many butts as Pomona. Places like Vegas or Charlotte were built during the heyday of filling NASCAR stadiums. Those tracks are no longer selling out either, it's a sign of the economy.

 

[Bross Hawg]

Don't put the blame on Whit for that. I was right next to Whit when it took place here in Vegas. Whit was standing at the top end after his run watching John's car pull in. Robert ran past Whit and hit him in the back with the pole on his way to John's car. Whit said something like "hey that's not necessary" just as John was coming out of the car. John jumped on Whit for admonishing his crew not knowing what happened and it went from there. Graham came down to ask everyone what happened and handed out the fines. Whit had no blame for what took place.

I'm sure Whit's mouth didn't have anything to do with it leading up to this incident...

 

[Silly Savage]

That's the problem with most things in life. A "position somewhere in the middle that makes the most sense" is like a fence sitter. Some day you have to come down. Doesn't work.

Randy the majority of current NHRA "fans" never saw the original version of what this sport was. It's like explaining to my 7 year old what a vinyl record was...

 

[Nick Name]

Does that make you feel old. The newer fans couldn't imaging a fuel show every Saturday night at their local track.

Speaking of old, We were in an antique store a couple of weeks ago and they had old rotary phones rigged up to work in a modern phone jack. Printed right on the face of the phone was instructions for using a dial type phone. "Put your finger in the hole over the number you want, then move it to the right....."

 

[Toejam]

Places like Vegas or Charlotte were built during the heyday of filling NASCAR stadiums. Those tracks are no longer selling out either, it's a sign of the economy.

Vegas 2 sure packs them in!

 

[You!]

Does that make you feel old. The newer fans couldn't imaging a fuel show every Saturday night at their local track. /QUOTE]

Never mind the fact that these were often 32 car top fuel & funny car fields. And not every car on the grounds qualified!

We'd roll in the gates at 10 am, qualify throughout the day, first round at 7 pm sharp, and the show was completed typically by 11 - 11:30 pm. All on a single Saturday.

 

[Silly Savage]

Does that make you feel old. The newer fans couldn't imaging a fuel show every Saturday night at their local track. /QUOTE]

Never mind the fact that these were often 32 car top fuel & funny car fields. And not every car on the grounds qualified!

We'd roll in the gates at 10 am, qualify throughout the day, first round at 7 pm sharp, and the show was completed typically by 11 - 11:30 pm. All on a single Saturday.

Bill, the real shame here is that although the "big show" is well beyond 1 day events, so to are the nostalgia events these days.

 

[Randy]

So how many people have to die or get hurt before you think a safety issue is worth discussing? What percentage of today's rule book would you throw out because it's too "wussie"?

My vote for the most idiotic post of the year. CLW, I've reread everything said here three times and I can't find where one time anyone has said anything about compromising safety. Time for you to become a spectator in this thread unless you can improve your reading comprehension skills.

Some have hit the nail on the head here with their comments. I would submit to you that the Monster Truck marketing model in terms of motorports fan appeal was originally taken from the early days of the funny car match race series.

 

[glofria]

Once again another thread turns into if NHRA did this and that, the Stands would be packed and the TV ratings would triple!

Why do soo many here feel they need to see 35-40,000 at every track, every day to validate this sport??

Your right, the sport needs no validation with a large spectator count. What will give it validation is the number of people involved with a race car and how often they take it to a track. The hobbyist, the sportsman etc. In two weeks one of the biggest and fastest growing drag racing event will take place here in California. Last year there were over 500 cars entered and more than 5000 spectators came to watch this one day event known as Eagle Field. Home Page

Mr. Goodwin, though we both live in So. Cal. we travel in different circles in this small world of drag racing. Someday I hope to meet up with you and buy you a beer or Pepsi (which ever is more politically correct here.)

 

[Wes]

Some have hit the nail on the head here with their comments. I would submit to you that the Monster Truck marketing model in terms of motorports fan appeal was originally taken from the early days of the funny car match race series.

While this might anger and infuriate many, could you imagine the power of a JFRA (John Force Racing Association) match race series on the scale of Monster Jam? Think about it...have Feld Entertainment (or another well-known, live event marketing/promotion company) pay JFR to field 8-12 funny cars with different body makes, different drivers, car names, and even a few sponsors here and there. Drag racing entertainment...not NHRA national event series. Talk about a profit-making, stand-packing, three-ring-circus!! For my money, though, The Baders would have to spearhead this fantasy event company.....

And to add to this original intent of this thread...

What if drag racing became too fast and they shortened the length of the track to 100'? Oh, wait....

 

[Ugly one]

Randy the majority of current NHRA "fans" never saw the original version of what this sport was. It's like explaining to my 7 year old what a vinyl record was...

The newer fans couldn't imaging a fuel show every Saturday night at their local track.

A+ for these 3

 

[Leebone]

Yup...happened. Whit was up in Force's face on the top end in 2001? (don't quite remember) and wouldn't get out of the way. Robert nailed him with the body pole. Either him or Force got fined $2000.

Wow, this would've been well before Hight was driving. Didn't Capps slug Bazemore one time?