SPORTSnational Events (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter WOODY
- Start date
Professor Dave
Nitro Member
Those are two good suggestions and i heard that they were both discussed by officials at Columbus this past weekend. Increasing the payout and running the event at a track where the operators get more spectators wouldn't hurt either.
Hi Woody ~ Naturally, payout increases would be a big plus but, in reality, that only affects the few that win. I think the main problems you ran into at Columbus last weekend are (1) the lousy reputation of the track, (2) July weather and (3) proximity in date to Indy. Most sportsmen racers only have so much $$$ and time available to them and have to budget both. That being said, the big race in Indy usually wins out, especially in that geographical area.
Cya at Indy!
Cya at Indy!
StockersRock
Nitro Member
I didn't know there were grade points needed for the SPORTSnats. That's ridiculous.
Jenn
Nitro Member
If you didn't need grade points that would really make it more like a divisional than a "National". My opinion.
Yes, they should bring TAFC and TAD, and make it a 16 car field while they are at it!
Old Sg
Nitro Member
Wow........Just went to nhra site and looked at entry counts. Pretty pathetic.
With the races so far away from either coast no one wants to travel that kind of distance.
Maybe having two seperate races, sat and sun. would help. Two events(two entries also) and just one trip would be more attractive to racers from the longer distances. We have two sc cars and one sg car and no way would we go to Columbus from Denver (1260 miles) for just one race. Thinking about it I don't know if we would even go for two races.
Change it to two and make it at Denver or Topeka and we'll be there.
With the races so far away from either coast no one wants to travel that kind of distance.
Maybe having two seperate races, sat and sun. would help. Two events(two entries also) and just one trip would be more attractive to racers from the longer distances. We have two sc cars and one sg car and no way would we go to Columbus from Denver (1260 miles) for just one race. Thinking about it I don't know if we would even go for two races.
Change it to two and make it at Denver or Topeka and we'll be there.
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StockersRock
Nitro Member
I agree with this whole-heartedly. Plus it might help draw a spectator crowd better - Big speed and big noise is what the casual fan loves!
Old Sg
Nitro Member
Woody,
I think you hit the nail on the head with those two. They probably the two biggest issues that will kill the car counts for those events. You definitely lose a lot of the local crowd with those restrictions.
Also, I think you have to consider the fuel prices are putting a damper on a lot of people's racing this summer. The geography of the events means you are probably only going to draw from the same pool of midwest racers for the most part.
On the darker side...
I don't mean to be negative about the events because I think they are the wave of the future. But they just don't carry the prestige of a Powerade National event. And because of that people are probably opting to spend their limited racing budgets on the National events. I realize the payouts are the same and there is a ton of coverage but it still isn't "the big show".
Good luck and I hope the counts come up!
But only if TAFC and TAD paid for entry fees and crew passes like everyone else!!
Since when did the appearance of TAD or TAFC ever make a difference in fan attendance at a LODRS event.
No offense, but TAD and TAFC are financial drains on LODRS events and would be the same for the Sportsman Nationals. I understand wholeheartedly why the Sportsman National or divisional races at tracks like Boise don't want the TAD or TAFC cars there. They just can't afford too. Not when NHRA is getting their flat rate for allowing the track even have the event.
Jenn
Nitro Member
Financial drain? On whom? The track owners? As far as I know, there is no purse increase from the LODRS Nats to the Powerade Nats for the sportsman classes.
Promote it like the guys did at Bandemire this year (and most years) for the LODRS and you'll get a decent crowd.
StockersRock
Nitro Member
Or Maple Grove this year, with the car-load deal.
Absolutely!
At LODRS events, the alky classes do not pay entry fees, not even the $10 waste disposal fee for handling the disposal of all the oil, fluids, and solvents for which they account for 99%. So at LODRS events the entire Alcohol classes purse comes right out of the track owners wallet. And even at national events where they do pay entry fee, the entries collected typically don't cover the purse!
Any right thinking person would call that a financial drain on an event!?!?
Jenn
Nitro Member
Any track manager worth their salt would be able to cover the losses by promoting.
Jenn,
I'll steal a quote from a close friend of mine...
"There are a whole lot of track owners out there. But there aren't but a handful of promoters."
Here on the west coast I know of only one LODRS event that was a success at the "fan gate". They used to advertise the hell out of it and brought in jet cars and a couple nostalgia fuel cars. Saturday night was SRO. But that track lost its LODRS event because the owner is a SOB and also refused to make required safety changes.
Jenn
Nitro Member
Then Denver would be a great event for the SportsNational, they seem to know how to promote.
If a west coast track can't find a promotor in California (That is the on the west coast right? Let me check a map) then there really are a lot of leaches in Cali.
