The future of drag racing looks bright (1 Viewer)

[Huge]

Joe Sherwood you wrote the following. This like probably 2000 other threads in here always drift towards how do we make Drag racing as Popular as NASCAR!

Joe I don't know how closely you follow NASCAR but Richmond put out a statement saying they were removing all of the seats on the back straightaway does that sound to you like they are packing fans in?

Many of the NASCAR tracks around the country have done the exact same thing with some saying the reason they are doing it is because they want to put in Jumbo Screens for the fans.
Do you really believe that's why they are removing seats? Maybe cutting the ticket prices just might have put more people in those empty seats.

NASCAR is facing similar problems that many racing associations are facing which is fewer fans and spectators, sponsors and racers.

NASCAR has decided to have 36 Charter Member Teams which will be guaranteed starting positions in every race and there will only be a 40 car field.

That leaves four slots for other teams to try and qualify for.

NASCAR thinking was that by guarantying the 36 teams starting positions it would make it easier to keep sponsors happy and that teams would not have to explain to sponsors why they did not make the race. I think it really makes the 36 teams more valuable to potential buyers and investors with idea you are locked into each race.

Just my opinion. Jim Hill
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

Jim, here is a link to an article about the removal of seats at Richmond. http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/st...ar-richmond-removing-seats-not-all-doom-gloom

 

[yoda]

When you build a race car, you decide every time you are going to put it in the trailer, get to the track, bring it to the line and take it down the track.
No prep? There is a long history, but most new/ next generation drivers have never raced, until recently, on a track that wasn't glued. Is this a case of peer pressure (which I see in some cases, IMO) of " this is how the 'real' men race", or more of a case of a track giving an alternative to the guys that pay to keep the gates open?

Personally, if I built a high HP, purpose built race car, I would be a bit cautious about a charge to the last light if I know my car could have an issue if it got even the slightest bit out of out of shape (who's got that kind of money to piss away?). That being said, the guy that wracked up his 12 second CTS-V because it got away from him probably didn't think it could happen that quick (it's on YouTube; not a pretty event). So, based on your own decision, you either say Yay or Nay; nobody is holding a gun to your head to race.

And I raced the 300 at SIR on a no-prep night; it makes you think about the launch and definitely pay attention when the power starts coming on. Might be a good thing- makes it a lot less like a video game...

 

[dr flames]

That guy in the cts-v belongs in a prius with a governor

 

[Jimbo]

Thanks Eugene Gray for sending the link for Richmond Raceway.

Wow a 45% reduction in seating is more then I thought it would be. And many other tracks doing the exact same thing.

Times are changing and so is the interest of the fans it appears.

NASCAR is having the exact same problems as many other sports are having and I must admit not sure where it's all going to end.

Jim Hill
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[Toejam]

Joe Sherwood you wrote the following. This like probably 2000 other threads in here always drift towards how do we make Drag racing as Popular as NASCAR!

Joe I don't know how closely you follow NASCAR but Richmond put out a statement saying they were removing all of the seats on the back straightaway does that sound to you like they are packing fans in?

Many of the NASCAR tracks around the country have done the exact same thing with some saying the reason they are doing it is because they want to put in Jumbo Screens for the fans.
Do you really believe that's why they are removing seats? Maybe cutting the ticket prices just might have put more people in those empty seats.

NASCAR is facing similar problems that many racing associations are facing which is fewer fans and spectators, sponsors and racers.

NASCAR has decided to have 36 Charter Member Teams which will be guaranteed starting positions in every race and there will only be a 40 car field.

That leaves four slots for other teams to try and qualify for.

NASCAR thinking was that by guarantying the 36 teams starting positions it would make it easier to keep sponsors happy and that teams would not have to explain to sponsors why they did not make the race. I think it really makes the 36 teams more valuable to potential buyers and investors with idea you are locked into each race.

Just my opinion. Jim Hill
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

Jim, NASCAR like all Motorsports may not be as Popular as they were 10 years ago. Personally I think the economy is still a factor, but that's for a different thread. But NASCAR still gets 3-4 times the TV viewers NHRA or Drag racing gets.

 

[Jimbo]

Joe Sherwood:
I agree with you that NASCAR may be more popular then drag racing right now!!!

NASCAR is going to a 40 car field and 36 teams will become charter members which means they will be guaranteed starting positions in every race which only leaves 4 spots left for other teams to try and make the show.

One reason they are making these changes is to make it easier for teams to find sponsorship. It also makes the 36 charter member teams more valuable for resale at some point.

How many drag racers out there would love to guarantee their sponsors that they will make every show this coming year!!

I think we can both agree that changes are inevitable and even thought we might like things the way they have been for years drag racing has to change in one way or another.

Jim Hill
http://www.nostalgicracingdecals.com

 

[Rajunz]

Wow, I remember going to a race in Richmond in ' 97 and every seat was sold out. Times have changed.

 

[vegasnitro]

They removed all of the turn 3 grandstands on the NASCAR track here at LVMS, about 15,000 seats. They are replacing the seats with a high-end Hospitality area and 25 Luxury RV spaces.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2015/10/12/Facilities/LVMS.aspx

 

[Toejam]

I agree with Jim that what we are seeing today is not what we will be seeing in a few years. Just like todays race looks nothing like the races of days gone past. One of these days Joe will be just like some of us geezers he's so quick to pick on, bragging about how great it was and how we should go back to todays format and cars.

Well John I'm 55 so exactly when Geezer kicks in, feel free to let me know. As for all the side by side racing we're seeing today? Who ever thought that would be considered "Boring" as some are saying is beyond me!

 

[Toejam]

Wow, I remember going to a race in Richmond in ' 97 and every seat was sold out. Times have changed.

Holy cow Lance, I was at that race. Saw WJ's first to 200! Lol

 

[Gordon]

I was the starter for a "no prep" race at Maryland International Raceway a couple years ago and it was a gigantic bust. I wanna say the car count was around 30... and that's probably being generous. We had open lanes for as long as it made sense to do so and then ran eliminations & were done in less than four hours. Ownership announced that all fans in attendance would receive Rain Checks to attend any race they wanted in the future - it was THAT bad. Speaking with them afterward, they had said that they spoke to other race tracks on the "tour" and they experienced the same dismal showing. I wiped up a LOT of fluid from the starting line that day too I can tell ya. The general consensus amongst some of the guys I spoke with that day was that it was a great idea in principle, but most folks who build race cars wanna run 'em on quality racing surfaces.

On the other hand, one of the biggest draws at MDIR are the days when they feature No-Time Grudge Racing. (Alan referred to something similar above) Huge crowds, loads of excitement (and not always the good kind), and some really fast cars. Some of the teams have more money than brains, but that's true in any form of racing. Anyway, the tower secures the score boards when they run and the crew at the top end cuts the time sheets in half so the other racers time isn't ever known by anyone other than the track officials (who can see the ET & speed in the tower & on the time slips - the starter doesn't know either) & the racers themselves.

The absolute biggest crowd comes out every November for the World Cup Finals - Domestic vs. Import. There are some extremely quick and fast door slammers on the grounds for that event!

 

[SoCal Racer]

We ALL used to run no prep - it was called the Seventies! You were lucky at some tracks to get the first 60' sprayed in the Eighties, but other than that, HANG ON!

Of course the huge difference is the quickness/speed of the cars. Now almost anybody can build a car that's stupid fast, making track prep nearly mandatory. I don't know about some guys, but I was always looking for my personal quickest & fastest; not skating and hanging on for dear life.

 

[Toejam]

I was the starter for a "no prep" race at Maryland International Raceway a couple years ago and it was a gigantic bust. I wanna say the car count was around 30... and that's probably being generous. We had open lanes for as long as it made sense to do so and then ran eliminations & were done in less than four hours. Ownership announced that all fans in attendance would receive Rain Checks to attend any race they wanted in the future - it was THAT bad. Speaking with them afterward, they had said that they spoke to other race tracks on the "tour" and they experienced the same dismal showing. I wiped up a LOT of fluid from the starting line that day too I can tell ya. The general consensus amongst some of the guys I spoke with that day was that it was a great idea in principle, but most folks who build race cars wanna run 'em on quality racing surfaces.

On the other hand, one of the biggest draws at MDIR are the days when they feature No-Time Grudge Racing. (Alan referred to something similar above) Huge crowds, loads of excitement (and not always the good kind), and some really fast cars. Some of the teams have more money than brains, but that's true in any form of racing. Anyway, the tower secures the score boards when they run and the crew at the top end cuts the time sheets in half so the other racers time isn't ever known by anyone other than the track officials (who can see the ET & speed in the tower & on the time slips - the starter doesn't know either) & the racers themselves.

The absolute biggest crowd comes out every November for the World Cup Finals - Domestic vs. Import. There are some extremely quick and fast door slammers on the grounds for that event!

Hate to say I told you so....

 

[vegasnitro]

No prep, like many other forms of racing, seems to be a regional phenomenon. No prep in Oklahoma and Texas is the biggest thing since sliced bread. There is not even a "no prep" event on the schedule out here in the West. Gordon reports that is not that big of a deal on the East Coast. The price of poker has went way up in the last couple of years in the no-prep game too. These guys are running full-on Pro Mods now. I think we are a bit early proclaiming the no-prep/outlaw scene is going to save drag racing, a lot of dudes have already been priced out and it will be interesting to see how long the fad lasts after the TV shows end ...