Steve Chrisman, Grant Downing VS John Force's scooter (3 Viewers)

[Lori]

Randy,
I think our well put thoughts could be used in a better place, and for myself I Thank You. Get your resume out there if you are interested.
I dont have a degree in marketing, but if I was a perspective sponser, I would look at some of these broadcasts and then take my hard earned and severely limited money elsewhere if I weren't in the 'camps' that continue to get coverage whether they qualify or win a round.
Whomever NHRA has hired to produce and write these 'shows' needs a little lesson in marketing. Before long it will only be the Force show, and when that happens people will be tired of listening, if they aren't now. And I am a fan of Force and company. Spread the wealth, it will come back to you ten fold.

 

[munch]

Hello All! I have been a lurker for quite some time but after this weekends coverage I felt the need to post. Aside from the crazy amount of scooter and feng shui coverage I was wondering about the cheesy wanna be boxer segments. Are the drivers required to do this stuff by their contracts, are they given money to do it, how does this work? If I had the good fortune to be a pro driver I would feel like an absolute sell out doing that sort of stuff.

 

[d'kid]

didn't miss anything, did I?

glad I have the audio cast...

d'kid

 

[clwill]

Great post, Randy. It is a little sad that the ESPN producers don't get the fact that without the struggling up-and-comer, there is no show in five or ten years.

And there are some great stories in the bottom few spots of many fields. People with second- or third-mortgages and life on hold to chase the dream. People with years and years in the sport just trying to make it one more time. Young, bright shining stars of the future on their way up, looking for that one big break. And people with a nitro addiction as bad as any cocaine habit, running their life into the sewer for just a few more passes.

Good journalists would find and report these stories, and leave the Feng Shui or the Scooter Log to the drag racing equivalent of the National Enquirer or US Weekly (whatever that is).

 

[PJ]

wow the sequel thread part 397

I don't see how saying Ashley needs to improve her lights is a bash. Even she has said it. I'm a huge WJ fan but I know unless he's racing his son his lights are more often then not worse then the other lane. Ashley is hit and miss, hopefully she a)gets more consistent b) gets quicker. She has already improved in both of those and will hopefully continue


A general 1 or 2 shot deal on the moped wouldn't have been a big deal. I was stunned at how many miles he drove the weekend......I didn't need 14 segments thoough to do it.

Is it me or is there western swing not a big deal? Baseball teams plays days in a row. Football goes 16 games in 17 weeks (not counting pre or post season) heck even nascrap puts several weeks in a row together. I don't see why winning these 3 is any different than winning any other 3 in a row. With that said hell yeah I want Antron to win again but good lord can Page not repeat sweep the swing every 10 seconds. He tried, he really does and seems like a nice guy but whatever 1 or 2 ideas they give him he just repeats over and over. I guess on a positive side at least I didn't have to hear the c-down junk as much.


I also don't mind the human interest or off the track stuff. Yeah the fung shei(sp) one was really bad but some hit and others don't. The tatoo one was alright although it seemed like they showed that one many times too. I gave up and fast forwarded though much of the coverage

 

[Toejam]

I sure Wish NHRA would give more Airtime to the Independents who give the Touring regulars full fields! Terry Haddock takes a Dragster and FC to every Natl. event, drives one of his Rigs, tunes his own car! And it's a Shame that a Reporter in the Area (Kris Hill) had to be the one to do a story about it! Grant Downing, Ron Smith, you get the picture...

 

[Bross Hawg]

wow the sequel thread part 397

I don't see how saying Ashley needs to improve her lights is a bash. Even she has said it. I'm a huge WJ fan but I know unless he's racing his son his lights are more often then not worse then the other lane. Ashley is hit and miss, hopefully she a)gets more consistent b) gets quicker. She has already improved in both of those and will hopefully continue


A general 1 or 2 shot deal on the moped wouldn't have been a big deal. I was stunned at how many miles he drove the weekend......I didn't need 14 segments thoough to do it.

Is it me or is there western swing not a big deal? Baseball teams plays days in a row. Football goes 16 games in 17 weeks (not counting pre or post season) heck even nascrap puts several weeks in a row together. I don't see why winning these 3 is any different than winning any other 3 in a row. With that said hell yeah I want Antron to win again but good lord can Page not repeat sweep the swing every 10 seconds. He tried, he really does and seems like a nice guy but whatever 1 or 2 ideas they give him he just repeats over and over. I guess on a positive side at least I didn't have to hear the c-down junk as much.


I also don't mind the human interest or off the track stuff. Yeah the fung shei(sp) one was really bad but some hit and others don't. The tatoo one was alright although it seemed like they showed that one many times too. I gave up and fast forwarded though much of the coverage

You Know, this really needs to be in another thread, but comparing the Western Swing to Baseball, Football, or any other sport is sheer ignorance. I guarantee that the players on a professional sports team do not do any of the following:
A.)Drive to each new location, most fly or ride a bus.
B.)Set up camp for their games
C.)Work all weekend (usually 12-15 hour days).
D.)Tear everything back down.
E.)Drive to the next location.

And then have everything serviced and ready to go for the next race. And try major changes from Denver to Seattle.

So, ya, It is just you. If you still don't think so, get hired on a pro fuel team and follow the circuit for a year, and then repost.

 

[90-percent]

Ashey needs to work on her air boxing. She wasn't very convincing.

I really like Ashley's perspective and stories from growing up at the race track. I thought it was nice she was keeping the Payne's cute little daughter company. There's a youngster with a impressive nitro pedigree.

I shouldn't start every sentence with "I".

Can the folks that do those magnificent Full throttle commercials also do some segments for the broadcast? Those commercials are much much better than average!

Back in the 60's, I remember when the dragsters were losing popularity to the then new Funny Cars. Many suggested the cause was "identification". The casual fan does not feel a connection to a Fuel Dragster "contraption", but can identify with a Funny Car because it was "the same" as his car or his neighbors or was just a car they liked alot.

Well, as an average car guy, I identify with the up and coming teams because they are going out and living OUR DREAMS through sheer hard work and determination. I feel putting together any operation that can qualify in NHRA nitro categories is a herculean effort that can be compared with preparing to go to the Olympics! For all the privateers putting their heart and soul into nitro racing, it is a shame they don't get more coverage.

Another point: Have you noticed how hard it is to come up with footage and stories and pictures back in John Force's "apprenticeship" days of the 70's and early 80's? Jonh leaked and blew up more that Arley Langlo when he was starting out. It is unfortunate for drag racing history that more attention by the drag media was not given to him back then. The lack of coverage for the privateers does a disservice to DRAG RACING HISTORY! ESPN2 could be completely ignoring somebody that could be the sports NEXT JOHN FORCE!

I remember the joy I felt when Drag Racing got on National Prime Time TV on the USA Network back in the mid 80's. That was the high water mark for Professional Drag Racing becoming part of the mainstream and it's been on a slow painful descent ever since. The second high water mark was the TNN days. They did a FANTASTIC JOB creating a cross linked synergy with Country Music, which was becoming VERY VERY mainstream. All gone. Can't blame NHRA for that one, i think TNN corporate management wrecked the network quickly, possibly by hiring too many Harvard MBA Executives?

Does ESPN2 accept production volunteers? I'd be happy to roam the pits and bring them interesting stories. Just pay for the plane ticket, folks. I'll pick up the tab on everything else. Oh yeah, a press pass would also be really nice!

And then I could drive 20 miles and do some post production work at ESPN in Bristol CT.

And I'm a Michael Moore Liberal Democrat and I'd love to have a debate with Bill Miller. Now that would be more exciting than any pedal fest out there!

And Virgil's earlier comments speaks to how much corporatism is creeping and influencing our daily lives, if it skews the decision as to what gets on air and what does not. I am actually in favor of getting as many plugs on the air as possible, but it shouldn't be based on who is greasing who's palms. That has an aroma of graft and corruption.

But, like my friend ***** **** has said, NHRA would step over a dollar to pick up a dime. And the shrinking ratings seem to validate that statement. I decided to censor my friends name. NHRA tends to persecute their critics, especially if they are racers! For instance, if memory serves, didn't Whit get fined once for criticizing NHRA on the air? Wasn't there some $100,000 fine against the Schumacher team for something they said? My memory is fuzzy. We need the 'mater statisticians to research how many times racers have been fined merely for what they said.

Congratulations to those that have read to the end. If I didn't write it, I don't think even I could get all the way through all this blather!

-90% Jimmy

 

[NHRAMike]

I was in Seattle this weekend, so I haven't had a chance to watch the TV coverage yet, but somehow I knew that as usual there would be the overexposure of team Force. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate what JF has done for the NHRA in terms of making drag racing appealing to the general public, but the thing that personally bothers me is the lack of exposure that the rest of the teams get because of of Team Force. Everyone has brought up the same reasons that I talk to others about, but I have one more thing to bring up. What is the NHRA going to do when John finally decides to hang up his driving gloves? The NHRA needs to take a long hard look at who is going to be the future of drag racing. As marketable and pretty as Ashley is, she doesn't have the over-the-top personality that John does, and what if she decides to want to take a few years off to start a family? We've also heard about the "next generation" of John's drivers, but I don't know if Brittany and Courtney are the answer either. Sometimes I feel that Brittany just doesn't have her heart into it and is just driving to please dad, however Courtney showed me that she's really into it during the winner's circle ceremonies Sunday (I also think that if she didn't want to race anymore she should look at a career as a supermodel ) I don't know how the NHRA is going to handle a Force retirement, but someone better start being pro-active about it instead of waiting until the time comes and then shrugging it's collective shoulders and then asking what now.

 

[FC138fan]

What is the NHRA going to do when John finally decides to hang up his driving gloves?

I remember Larry Dixon's rookie year and how they constantly talked about him, and how him team Prudhomme would be the next generation. Look at Larry now and his history since that year.

I hardly hear anything on Spencer Massey, or nearly as much as they did on Larry Dixon. Larry and Snake racing deserved the coverage, and so do Spencer and Snake racing.

What ever happened to Diamond P?

 

[Randy]

I hardly hear anything on Spencer Massey

Who?



And that's the point.


.

 

[Randy]

And I'm a Michael Moore Liberal Democrat and I'd love to have a debate with Bill Miller. Now that would be more exciting than any pedal fest out there!

Now that would be fun.

 

[PJ]

You Know, this really needs to be in another thread, but comparing the Western Swing to Baseball, Football, or any other sport is sheer ignorance. I guarantee that the players on a professional sports team do not do any of the following:
A.)Drive to each new location, most fly or ride a bus.
B.)Set up camp for their games
C.)Work all weekend (usually 12-15 hour days).
D.)Tear everything back down.
E.)Drive to the next location.

And then have everything serviced and ready to go for the next race. And try major changes from Denver to Seattle.

So, ya, It is just you. If you still don't think so, get hired on a pro fuel team and follow the circuit for a year, and then repost.

Interesting you left out nascar as they do the same. A quick look a their schedule shows that they do at least 3 in a row 5 times. Two of those runs end up with double digits. And you have no idea how pissed it makes me to have to use a nascar reference

How many of the touring pros are really driving race to race or even setting up once there. It seems most (of course not all) fly in. And those driving nobody is pulling these things cross country by horse and buggy. Get their early in the day and you'll see the teams there setting up and doing their deal but the drivers show up later.

I'm not saying its easy, and yes it is harder on the crew.
But how often do they mention that on off weekends many of these guys are off racing nastalgia cars or even some circle track stuff? Many crew guys are racing their own ride or helping out a sportman team. Don't make it sound like such a burden.


All I am asking is it really that significant to win these particular 3 races anymore vs any other 3 in a row? You say, to you, it is. That's fine

 

[HEMI6point1]

I agree with how annoying the Force show has gotten on NHRA. Who knows though, with the direction things are going, it might someday be a 8 car JFR field. Think about it.. if his two upcoming daughters get FC's, thats a JFR team of 6 not far down the road. Unless John retires.

Not possible. Rules state you can only own 4 cars in each class.

BTW, anybody here think if Chrisman actually - you know - modernizes that car (ie, lockup clutch) he could win a whole race or two?

 

[Jenn]

A.)Drive to each new location, most fly or ride a bus.


I think Ashley Force is driving a motorhome through the swing...I think they showed it about 10 times.

 

[mw6789]

All of this discussion reminds me of why I dont even bother to turn on the coverage on Sunday night. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

 

[James]

What's next in Sonoma? Following Laurie around for the weekend??

 

[qtermile14]

Was that not the most ridiculous thing you've ever seen? No wonder NHRA has to pay for airtime. I literally turned it off. I don't know what the hell they're trying to get across... but they're doing an injustice to the roots of the sport. Is this Mafia controlled?

That s why I always Tivo the races, and start watching about 1 1/2 hours into it. I fast forward through the commercials and other crap (like the scooter). By the time I get towards the end, I have caught up with the broadcast.

 

[mw6789]

What's next in Sonoma? Following Laurie around for the weekend??

Hey, she is a lot cuter than John's scooter!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mw6789]

As long as racers are graded by their ability to generate sponsorship dollars, and not on talent alone as in the stick and ball sports; and as long as drag racing has to pay for TV coverage instead of being broadcast because of public demand (see stick and ball as well as NASCAR), THE WAY IT IS NOW IS THE WAY IT IS GOING TO BE. As long as our sport runs on cubic dollars, there will be lots of talented individuals either on the sidelines or in the sportsman classes because they cant generate the bucks to play with the big boys and girls.