Old idea/New idea??? (1 Viewer)

[None]

I was cleaning up some old files on my computer and came across this old email that I had sent to NHRA about 10 years ago.

Ron Pellegrini

Is it time to rethink NHRA drag racing as we have known it for over the past 50 plus years?
My idea is simple. Divide all events into two categories. Those that use gasoline (we will call this the Coca-Cola series for now) and those that use fuel, the POWERade series. The races would be held different weekends, at various times of the year. All tracks do not have to run both events. Some events like Indianapolis would hold both series the same weekend. Other tracks might hold one series in the spring and the other in the fall, or you could run events at consecutive weekends with the Coca-Cola series building up coverage for he POWERade series.

The Coca-Cola series would include what is know today as pro stock and pro motorcycle and could include a revived pro truck category and all the sportsmen series plus the sports compact series. With the additional pit space now available, all of those that want to participate would now be able to. As I understand it under the present format that there are more constants than space and time available. A hot rod and custom car shows could be part of this event. This series would be ideal to bring new sponsors into drag racing as the cost of participation would be less. This would be another event to sell to ESPN/ESPN2. General admission prices would be lower for the Coca-Cola series as all cost will be lower for this event.

The POWERade series would include pro dragster and pro funny car, plus nitro motorcycles, an expanded pro modified field, alcohol dragster and funny cars, fuel altered, and newstalgia cars. A hot rod and custom car show could also be a part of this event. The total time of this show would be less than the 5 hours now and which is all important in competing for today's entertainment dollar.
I do not have the benefit of seeing the actual income and expenses of an event, but believe that my assumption are correct with the information I have at hand.

Looking forward to your comments.

Ron Pellegrini

 

[Toejam]

I like that Powerade series Bob!

 

[FABMAN]

Sounds like a good place to start, like the idea.

 

[Mary]

Yes, a very good idea

 

[FC138fan]

Yeah, you had the right idea. Did you ever get comments?

 

[Jimbo]

I think you are smart for trying to think outside of the box on how to make drag racing stronger in the future.

Your plan has some very good idea's and I think it just might work. The big questions is would drag racing fans support both programs and would the cost be the same for each program for spectators gating in the gate or how would it work?

Everyone is different but I would attend the gas events because I think that is the backbone of drag racing. I like the Pro Classes but the cost play in that sand box is way to expensive for many of us.

Just my 2 cents. Jimbo

http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[my friends call me Zappy]

Ron, GREAT ideas. If only nhra was hiring......you da man!!!

 

[Toby]

Ten years ago that was a hell of an idea. Now with NHRA dying to come close to filling any class entry quota, it might be a different story. The spectator and class attendance is light. I think you can throw anything you want at it, bottom line is the economy is hurting and there are alot more avenues for entertainment than ten years ago. Hell why travel to Brainerd, pay $4/gallon for fuel, spend $55 for a seat, $10/beer and no telling how much for parking and food instead Joe Spectator can stay home, save his gas money, not pay for a ticket, spend $10 bucks for a 12 pack and watch the finals on ESPN3 while doing honey-do's? Ten years ago, you could pay, just guessing, $40 for ticket, gas was $1.84 (no kidding I just looked that one up) and if you went on a friday or saturday you would watch atleast 30% more Pro cars trying to qualify.

Its not necessarily drag racing is broke and needs fixed, its more the effect of something else causing drag racing's problems unfortunately (the economy). I was just trying to think of any motor sports that has been successful the last couple of years and I can't think of one. I did go to the local demo derby for the first time for the hell of it last weekend at the county fair. Granted the place only holds I think 6k people, none the less the stands were packed. Ticket prices??? $12/seat. We did have to leave after about an hour, I could only handle so much of it but the spectator attendance did impress me. I live in a town in north east Colorado, mainly ag oriented. The economy here is decent, farming is pretty good and drilling is coming into the area. There are quite a few empty store fronts on main street though. I don't see NHRA going to $12 tickets but $55 just to get in the door for a product sold to Mr Middle Class is a hard sale.

 

[4g63rwd]

I was cleaning up some old files on my computer and came across this old email that I had sent to NHRA about 10 years ago.

Ron Pellegrini


The Coca-Cola series would include what is know today as pro stock and pro motorcycle and could include a revived pro truck category and all the sportsmen series plus the sports compact series. With the additional pit space now available, all of those that want to participate would now be able to. As I understand it under the present format that there are more constants than space and time available. A hot rod and custom car shows could be part of this event. This series would be ideal to bring new sponsors into drag racing as the cost of participation would be less. This would be another event to sell to ESPN/ESPN2. General admission prices would be lower for the Coca-Cola series as all cost will be lower for this event.

The POWERade series would include pro dragster and pro funny car, plus nitro motorcycles, an expanded pro modified field, alcohol dragster and funny cars, fuel altered, and newstalgia cars. A hot rod and custom car show could also be a part of this event. The total time of this show would be less than the 5 hours now and which is all important in competing for today's entertainment dollar.
I do not have the benefit of seeing the actual income and expenses of an event, but believe that my assumption are correct with the information I have at hand.
Looking forward to your comments. Ron Pellegrini

Thanks for considering us for part of the Coca-Cola idea. If we were to be included, I would like for us to have our own liaisons in place in regards to rules and classes for us. The last time the NHRA "ran things" for us, it just seems like it was "run into the ground" instead. We do really good at the venues we have big presences at. Classes are full and the stands are usually "well represented" for whatever event we're having. Our big draws are when Team Puerto Rico brings cars over to race against us. Things are pretty good with "us" running our events "ourselves" without NHRA's intervention.

Shawn

 

[Jimbo]

Toby's your comments are on the money:

Your comment:

Its not necessarily drag racing is broke and needs fixed, its more the effect of something else causing drag racing's problems unfortunately (the economy). I was just trying to think of any motor sports that has been successful the last couple of years and I can't think of one. I did go to the local demo derby for the first time for the hell of it last weekend at the county fair. Granted the place only holds I think 6k people, none the less the stands were packed. Ticket prices??? $12/seat. We did have to leave after about an hour, I could only handle so much of it but the spectator attendance did impress me. I live in a town in north east Colorado, mainly ag oriented. The economy here is decent, farming is pretty good and drilling is coming into the area. There are quite a few empty store fronts on main street though. I don't see NHRA going to $12 tickets but $55 just to get in the door for a product sold to Mr Middle Class is a hard sale.

The only thing I disagree with you on is yes the economy is a big part of the problem but the other problem is peoples interests are changing from what they were just 5 years ago.

What you said about going to a local demo derby race also is correct because I also see local circle track and drag strips doing much better then the National Events and big time racing in general and when you stop and think about what the differences are between the two the first thing is the cost to attend these events.

Right now most people are trying to figure out how to make their dollars go father and attending races that cost less to get in is part of what they are doing so it makes perfect sense that they would attend a local event rather then a National Event.

I can go to a local circle track and get in for $12.00 bucks and watch a good dirt modified show and by a burger and a hot dog all for under $18.00 dollars and sit in the stands from 6M until midnight if I want and see some really great racing.

Drag racing on a local level is the same way and I love watching test and tune nights.

Watching either drag racing or NASCAR on TV sure beats spending a few hundred dollars and driving a hundred miles to see it.

Because of the economy local tracks are benefiting at the expensive of National Events because of the costs involved.

Just my opinion. Jimbo

http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com