Nice dis, ESPN

[Baron]

I sent the "NASCAR editor" at Yahoo an e-mail. That's his title: NASCAR editor.
I will not give up.
Cheers,
Ed
Rocky Mountain Superchargers
Bye the bye . . . . Ernest Hemingway once said that there are but three sports: mountain climbing, bull fighting, and auto racing.
He didn't mention games or those faux sports in which the participants engage while wearing short pants.

 

[Kris]

As a reporter, I thought I'd mention that the way I was initiated into drag racing in 2004 was when I received a phone call from the folks handling Don Prudhome's PR for Skoal. Granted it was the Friday of qualifying of the Seattle race but they found me, reached out, and I've made sure to advance it ever since.
That's one of the reasons I visit this board regularly and ask for story ideas before the race so I can keep up with what's going on thus writing something that would appeal to fans and potential converts alike.
That, however, is the approach of a good community journalist. When you work at a weekly paper like I do you have to try and differentiate yourself from the mainstream media. You are used to writing about things that are ignored.
The reality is this is a PR issue... luckily I never have to dig around for a story and know before the race where to look for something different. But that all started because a smart PR person from a team sponsor tracked me down.
What is beautiful about covering NHRA drag racing, especially compared to other sports (which I also do and have done for over a decade) is how welcoming and easy to work with most of the teams are, particularly the pro teams. I never have to twist an arm to get an interview. When I get to the track, the teams treat me like royalty, and when I do interviews the drivers are *always* gracious with their time and insight.
Really, covering the NHRA is a reporter's dream. Dealing with the NHRA, once you figure out, isn't too bad. I generally prefer to go to the PR people for the teams.
So, I guess we need to figure out how to help these PR folks with the teams get a hold of reporters, connect them and get those lazy journos out to the track. We all know that once you see this for yourself you get hooked. If you don't, then you have no soul.
One thing I do know is that if you want me to write a story about the driver your client sponsors before the Seattle race, all you have to do is send me an e-mail, and I'll probably do something.
One trip to the track... but someone has to make the call. So, that's the challenge.

 

[Jon Asher]

Rich Bailey, you are incorrect in your statement about Indy. The parking lot behind the tower is NOT the Media Parking area. The area you're talking about is for the ultra-VIPs and yes, local TV remote rigs. The rest of the media have reserved parking spaces along the fence paralleling the pro staging lanes. There's plenty of room, and media turnout for Indy is usually pretty good.

Regarding the problem of PR and media coverage, I know for a fact, a solid irrefutable fact, that the vast majority of team PR people working drag racing bust their butts to get exposure for their clients. HOWEVER, it goes far deeper than that. In addition to working for their own clients almost all of those people are also "working" for drag racing. They're trying to "sell" our sport just as much as they are their clients. They'll do anything and everything they can to push the sport, and they're often successful. The story told by the gentleman from the Washington newspaper is typical. I'll wager it was Jay Wells, then Snake's PR guy, who did the reaching out.

That story not only helped Prudhomme, it helped drag racing.

The NHRA Media Department tries hard, but the bottom line is that without the team PR people devoting long hours to beating the bushes for story outlets, we'd have even less publicity than we get now.

Regarding the comments on TV about consecutive championships, all we can do is keep pointing out the things the media misses and hope that at some point they'll wake up.

The reality is that drag racing did a helluva lot better at the gate coming down the stretch than did NASCAR or the IRL. And the latter was truly a disaster. NASCAR had some very bad Sundays, too.

Jon Asher

 

[Kris]

I'm a girl, Jon.

It was in 2004... they set me up with Capps and his crew. I spoke with a woman from the PR firm based on the East Coast then when I got to the track I was well taken care of by um, he's known as PR Tom, if I remember correctly.

To piggy back on that point about letting the media know when they screw up, it's important to make sure you get the message to the right person, because frankly when I get a complaint if it's not for me, not my fault, or couched in hostile terms I tend to immediately send it to the virtual circular file because it's not worth getting in a fight with a reader over something I have no control over.

Now, just because someone complains and doesn't get a reply doesn't mean that the mistake that was pointed out isn't duly noted for future reference.

I know there are PR folks working their tails off to connect with reporters if they're contacting me. The trick is making that connection happen. The easier PR folks make it for us, the more likely we'll bite on the story idea. Especially if it's compelling.

 

[rocketman]

Wow one of my heros Jon Asher typed my name! Jon, I'd rather not be right and you have been to Indy a million times more than I but even you admit that area is also for news trucks and sadly the point was that not much was parked there. Would that have been the case at a NASCAR race? I wish but probably not.

For more amusement, opinions and controversial stories go to my web site Cap Racing home

 

[Super Mod]

Maybe things

would have been different today if NASCAR would have stuck with drag racing?
http://www.pittsburghinternationaldragway.com/images/67cover.jpg

Na........they would have totally F'd it up

 

[Huge]

Jimmy Johnson was just on Sportscenter, and they did a nice little story on championship teams that won 5 or more in a row. The Yankees, the Canadiens, the Celtics, who won 8 in a row, the most of any team or individual in professional sports, and Michael Schumacher, the only driver to win 5 in a row before Jimmy.

Holy crap. John Force was AT the NASCAR race Sunday, for petes sake.

I bet John, Bob and Tony(did I forget anyone?) are really happy with the attention.

Remember your talking about Sportscenter. If it's not a BALL type sport, then their lost.

 

[Toejam]

Remember your talking about Sportscenter. If it's not a BALL type sport, then their lost.

Eugene, NASCAR isn't a Stick and Ball sport anymore than Drag racing!

 

[Huge]

Eugene, NASCAR isn't a Stick and Ball sport anymore than Drag racing!

I didn't say nascar was a stick and ball sport. It seems like when I watch sports center that they spend most of their time talking about football-basketball or baseball, and it seems like they know more about ball sports than racing. Darn it, now I dropped my turkey leg. I knew I shouldn't multitask while devouring a drumstick.

 

[NYNitro86]

drag racing is like the NY Mets, it will always be looked at as the red headed stepchild of motorsports Nascar, Indy, F1, even USAC Sprints, SCCA AMA Superbike and motocross even DIRT Modifieds are ahead of Drag Racing.

 

[flapjack]

drag racing is like the NY Mets, it will always be looked at as the red headed stepchild of motorsports Nascar, Indy, F1, even USAC Sprints, SCCA AMA Superbike and motocross even DIRT Modifieds are ahead of Drag Racing.

What about WRC? I only see that on Speedvision. I've never seen it mentioned on ESPN. And... WRC drivers are nuts!

 

[Z28LT1]

Whoever is in charge of PR and Media relations is not doing their job.

At NHRA? YEAH! I've never seen such a pi$$ poor marketing program as NHRA's. We do more with less and get much better results.

 

[Huge]

I'm suprised that at some of our top tracks, that nhra or the track promoters themselves havn't had a fan appreciation day at the track. For the October race at California speedway Stater Brothers food chain sponsors a fan appreciation day on Thursday the week of the race. The parking is free and and there is no admission fee. They have all the souvenir trailers open and a lot of the team drivers signing autographs beside their cars. On a large stage they have a selection of pretty good bands that take turns playing. They have a pretty good selection of drivers that come up on stage and get interviewed. During the day they have the nationwide hauler parade and at night they have the cup cars hauler parade. A lot of the food stands are open. There are a lot of other cool things there too and it packs a pretty large crowd. Now they have cancelled the October race and nascar will only have one cup race here in southern California next year, but nhra will still have two, so maybe nhra is doing better than we give them credit for.

 

[mick]

I'm suprised that at some of our top tracks, that nhra or the track promoters themselves havn't had a fan appreciation day at the track................

i don't think nhra considers BIR one of it's 'top' tracks, but this track has
developed it's zoo/reserved camping into a spectator friendly environment
that delivers every nite of the event and then some; IMO well managed
chaos that has morphed over the years into an event that yields very little
or no injury, property damage, theft or vandalism.

BIR nats. will be celebrating 30 yrs. next august, 7th longest annual event
on nhra calendar

 

[Huge]

i don't think nhra considers BIR one of it's 'top' tracks, but this track has
developed it's zoo/reserved camping into a spectator friendly environment
that delivers every nite of the event and them some; IMO well managed
chaos that has morphed over the years into an event that yields very little
or no injury, property damage, theft or vandalism.

BIR nats. will be celebrating 30 yrs. next august, 7th longest annual event
on nhra calendar

Oh yes, the zoo. Been there a few times. Brainerd will always be one of my favorite tracks.

 

[john]

Eugene..... everyday at an NHRA event is fan appreciation day! Fans enjoy access to the pits that they don't enjoy anywhere else and getting autographs and photos with the drivers is extremely easy. The only way they could do it better is set something up downtown or at a big shopping mall the day before qualifying and promote the heck out of it!

 

[Huge]

Eugene..... everyday at an NHRA event is fan appreciation day! Fans enjoy access to the pits that they don't enjoy anywhere else and getting autographs and photos with the drivers is extremely easy. The only way they could do it better is set something up downtown or at a big shopping mall the day before qualifying and promote the heck out of it!

John, I agree with you one hundred percent. I have always felt that a fan gets more bang for their buck at an nhra event over any other racing event. Nhra does put on a lot of autograph sessions in the citys of the races they are at. You get a lot of bang for your buck at the nostalgia races too. All I was saying is that I thought the fan appreciation day that nascar had was pretty cool, but it didn't seem to help them any because they still had to drop that race.

 

[haagar]

They also failed to mention that Sebestian Loeb has won seven championships in a row in the WRC.

 

[clwill]

At NHRA? YEAH! I've never seen such a pi$$ poor marketing program as NHRA's.

Just read an article that said NASCAR recently had a consulting firm in to do a four-month evaluation of their marketing/pr teams. Following those recommendations, the head of that division resigned and was replaced, and NASCAR is increasing the team from 25 to 45 people.

Holy cow. That's a lot of folks. How many people does NHRA have in marketing/pr?

 

[mick]

Just read an article that said NASCAR recently had a consulting firm in to do a four-month evaluation of their marketing/pr teams. Following those recommendations, the head of that division resigned and was replaced, and NASCAR is increasing the team from 25 to 45 people.

Holy cow. That's a lot of folks. How many people does NHRA have in marketing/pr?

sounds like a good article - have online link to it?