Live vs On Time (1 Viewer)

[mastertone]

I enjoyed the live eliminations much better. In between, instead of so many interviews, how about running live TAD and TAFC and Pro Mod?

 

[Marchboom]

Nascar's attendance was down. Their cure was to build new cars that look more like the originals and are not as aerodynamic.

I think there was a lot more interest in FC when the cars looked like real cars (relatively). They all look the same now and there is no real identity, IMO.

 

[mike]

I think there was a lot more interest in FC when the cars looked like real cars (relatively). They all look the same now and there is no real identity, IMO.

I agree...getting the cars to look a little more relatable and a lot less identical would do FAR more for the popularity of drag racing than anything they might do with the TV show

 

[DrRocket]

I enjoyed the live eliminations much better. In between, instead of so many interviews, how about running live TAD and TAFC and Pro Mod?

The "pro" series is Yello Mello (Coke) sponsored. The "Sportsman" series is Lucas Oil.

Ain't gonna happen unless Mr Lucas ponies up money to become part of the broadcast deal. They have their own one hour show, and that's probably where they're gonna stay.

 

[d'kid]

I think there was a lot more interest in FC when the cars looked like real cars (relatively). They all look the same now and there is no real identity, IMO.

Just looked out my window at what is parked on the street. All those blobs parked out there look the same to me, except a 'stang and a camaro.

d'kid

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

Barry, I was at Houston, the stands weren't packed. They weren't even checking reserved tickets on Sunday when we went to our seats as there was plenty of room for everybody. Local friends in Houston were shocked at how bad Friday's crowd was. There was not the usual hassle getting in or out of the track.

And you are right ... But so is Virgil. The economy is down, people are more tight fisted with their dollars, which makes competition for those dollars tougher than ever. So NHRA has to try something to increase it's visibility, hence live TV and the attendant social media buzz. Increased visibility equals increased relevancy in our microwave society. Increased relevancy equals better ratings and more butts in the seats.

Hell, this site is way down from what it was 5 years ago in terms of number of active posters if you want to use that as some type of barometer.

Chris--- i was just going by what i saw on the sunday broadcast. it looked pretty packed. but you were there so i stand corrected.

 

[Paul]

Chris--- i was just going by what i saw on the sunday broadcast. it looked pretty packed. but you were there so i stand corrected.

It was pretty packed in the stands after the 1st round on the pit side, people were a little late getting into the stands. The Friday crowd was noticeably smaller than years past, even when walking in the pits it seemed like a ghost town compared to normal. The Saturday crowd was strong, especially given the weather conditions. I have never been stuffed shoulder to shoulder in the stands when PSM and PS were on the line like I was last Saturday. Sunday wasn't as packed as Saturday. I just watched the Sunday show on TV and the crowd on TV looks pretty good.

 

[vegasnitro]

It was pretty packed in the stands after the 1st round on the pit side, people were a little late getting into the stands. The Friday crowd was noticeably smaller than years past, even when walking in the pits it seemed like a ghost town compared to normal. The Saturday crowd was strong, especially given the weather conditions. I have never been stuffed shoulder to shoulder in the stands when PSM and PS were on the line like I was last Saturday. Sunday wasn't as packed as Saturday. I just watched the Sunday show on TV and the crowd on TV looks pretty good.

Sunday we were sitting in the last section of grandstands pit side, had the row to ourselves, could even lean back and stretch our legs out in front of us. There was plenty of room on the fence as we stood a while ... but it was too danged hot and we had to sit down. Saturday was a very good crowd to see 1 round of PSM and 5 pairs of Pro Stock LOL. And you are right, we definitely had the run of the place on Friday! Pits were wide open.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Zappy ... Get rid of the sidewalls in favor of what?

Chris just move them away from track side. Place them where a car needs to be stopped, not the edge of the track. The fans can't see the race cars.

All other sports go out of their way to make sure fans can see. Photogs sit on the floor or ground to NOT block the ticket buying fan. But drag racing puts them trackside (between fan & race car) then just in case the fan may still get a shot of his favorite, the photog gets on a ladder???

Other motor sports do not put a wall right on both sides of the racing surface.

 

[PJ]

One major thing that live could help with is better slot of TV time.

I was recently at a business dinner with a company that has been an associate sponsor for one team as well as a major sponsor for a part time team.

The owner was sitting at my table so I brought up drag racing. He said they loved doing it and being around it but, they didn't get as much back as they had hoped. Part of it is due to the industry they are in, but his main issue was "being on espn 2 at 11:30 at night we just were not reaching the people we needed to"

I think there are so many things that can go wrong that would throw off the schedule with two rounds of live racing. But if going live gives us a better time slot which could bring more sponsors for me.....errr I mean the sport, then it might be worth a shot.


I am curious if they will still do the post-race winner's circle party. If they have to adjust the schedule to make it live and bump sportman racing they will need to allow them to finish after the pro's.

I would like it if the showed the finals of the sportsman classes as part of that down time. It would show people how much more the sport offers (just don't show throttle stop, too much to explain to newbies).

 

[clwill]

Everyone who is thinking like Virgil that "drag racing is dying" needs to spend a few days at Norwalk with Bill Bader and his team. I've just spent all week here doing a timing system upgrade and the place, the Norwalk team, and the crowds are amazing. Just stunning. The place is modern, gorgeous, spotless, and runs like a Swiss watch. I was in awe the whole time.

We had to bust hump to get the timing system rebuilt in 2-1/2 days in time for their Wed night crowd. I thought, "oh, well, we'll get it working, but really how much will it matter?" They had 600 cars. For a Wed night "family fun night" (aka test and tune). The place was filled with cars, families, hangers-on, and so on. It was amazing. The Seattle national event doesn't have 600 cars.

And it's making money. The place is on the upswing, not the decline.

The problem with drag racing is not drag racing. It's the folks running the tracks, the teams, etc. They just don't get it. The Baders do. This summed it up for me:

 

[Larry jr.]

I guess I'm just an old guy now, but I would rather see the guys do they're thing in the pits and then go out and run the car, than see all the he said she said BS and jacking up the sponsors, yes we know it costs a ton of money yes we all know you're name is on the side of the car, I can't think of anything on a race car body that I buy.........ever, but that just me.

And how about some more storys about the guys who make it all possible , and I mean the crew guys, instead of the rich virginia cattle ranchers son who bought an F/C champoinship over at DSR or the top fuel driver who said some rude and stupid things.
Remember folks without the machinists, mechanics and fabricators who build, tune and maintain and the truck drivers haul the cars, there would be NO racing.

I think NHRA and ESPN are on the right track, (no pun intended) the show just needs a little tunning.

More Nitro, a few degrees of Mag, a little less Air in the tire, get from A to B and devolop a baseline, then go from there, that has always worked, its drag racing its what we love and do..................Fire the Next Pair

 

[rckymtn3]

Chris just move them away from track side. Place them where a car needs to be stopped, not the edge of the track. The fans can't see the race cars.

All other sports go out of their way to make sure fans can see. Photogs sit on the floor or ground to NOT block the ticket buying fan. But drag racing puts them trackside (between fan & race car) then just in case the fan may still get a shot of his favorite, the photog gets on a ladder???

Other motor sports do not put a wall right on both sides of the racing surface.

I think placement of the retaining wall is optimum for safety and viewing by design. Any further away and an out-of-control car has more momentum to slap it harder laterally or leap a short wall and cause worse injuries to drivers. I much prefer the low retaining wall trackside versus a 16ft tall mesh of cables and chainlink that surround most other types of racing where fans can be close to the action, but peer through that mesh. No more grassy run-offs and Armco from days gone by which was more fun for fans, but certainly more dangerous for drivers

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Just the opposite sir, the farther away the wall, the LESS the impact. Once the cars leaves the track the driver is no longet gaining speed, he/she is slowing. In many casses there would be no impack to the wall. No damage to the race car, no harm to the driver.

Another benifit, less down time. With blown engines, the driver, (when safe) can pull on to the grass, dumping the oil on the grass, not the track.

 

[d'kid]

Just the opposite sir, the farther away the wall, the LESS the impact. Once the cars leaves the track the driver is no longet gaining speed, he/she is slowing. In many casses there would be no impack to the wall. No damage to the race car, no harm to the driver.

Another benifit, less down time. With blown engines, the driver, (when safe) can pull on to the grass, dumping the oil on the grass, not the track.

Zappy...

Can you say: E.P.A. ? No dumping oil on Grass or dirt

 

[Dave]

Just the opposite sir, the farther away the wall, the LESS the impact. Once the cars leaves the track the driver is no longet gaining speed, he/she is slowing. In many casses there would be no impack to the wall. No damage to the race car, no harm to the driver.

Another benifit, less down time. With blown engines, the driver, (when safe) can pull on to the grass, dumping the oil on the grass, not the track.

Yeah except in those cases of a stuck throttle.

 

[vegasnitro]

Yeah except in those cases of a stuck throttle.

I agree, moving the walls out will probaly prevent some wrecks ... but it seems to me it would make the bad ones worse. Oh by the way, that would also mean the walls are closer to the spectators, so there is more potential for debris getting into the crowd.

 

[Paul]

Sunday we were sitting in the last section of grandstands pit side, had the row to ourselves, could even lean back and stretch our legs out in front of us.

I didn't make it that far down to take a look, my seats were in section 1 on the starting line. I wish I could have stretched out like that where I was at. That's one thing I like about Rt 66 on the spectator side of the track, you can sit anywhere you want and not worry about being packed in.

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

We've already got debris / bodys getting into the crowd without even making contact with the wall, regardless of where the wall is. Perhaps what we need is a debris fence / net aka nascar???

As far as the stuck throttle goes, there is no 100% fool proof fix. I'm just saying to put a cement wall just feet from a race car, when it's NOT needed to be there is asking for trouble. If we move that wall away from the track 50ft or so we may still have Eric Medlin.

We've all seen nascars slide all over the grass and hit nothing, why not give our drivers the same margin of safety when it exists??

 

[Silly Savage]

If we move that wall away from the track 50ft or so we may still have Eric Medlin

You need to dig a little deeper into what caused Eric's injuries....the wall is down the list a little....