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7/9/04
Marketing Drag Racing
 'm
of the opinion that mainstream stick and ball spectators
and media have little time for professional drag racing
unless something significant barrier is broken or there
is a spectacular accident. I think the media frenzy after
the Darrell Russell crash proves that.
During what I consider to be modern drag racing's golden era of growth,
the drama of the race to the 300-mph barrier, the first 200-mph
doorslammer pass or the race to the four-second elapsed time brought
increased spectators, followed by new sponsors, better and bigger
tracks, and better television.
We are not likely to see the three-second e.t. or the 400-mph barrier
broken ever with the current cars and tracks so, with no significant
barriers left to be broken, the drama that brought all those fans and
sponsors appears to be on the wane. Despite claims to the contrary, the
average number of fans attending races seems fairly stagnant compared to
a decade ago and the TV numbers continue to be disappointing.
Drag racing's major leagues of NHRA and IHRA are for the most part
considered to be minor league motorsports as far as the mainstream media
is concerned. It's a sad fact but true. The mainstream media throws the
drag racing fan a bone once in a while, but more often that not oval
track racing -- any oval track racing -- pushes drag racing off the
motorsports page. The respected magazine Autoweek dedicated its
last two feature stories on drag racing to Nostalgia and Import racing.
Sports Illustrated recently did a feature on bracket racing.
In my opinion, the reason for drag racing's second-class status is those
in charge of the sport simply aren't doing a very good job of "selling"
the sport of drag racing.
One reason for that might be that those currently in control of the
sport simply have never had that seminal drag racing experience that
hooked them on the sport and turned them into a true fan. They have a
job working in the sport, but they'd be just as comfortable selling
siding, pork bellies or NASCAR if the money were right.
Old geezers like myself really believe with a religious fervor that drag
racing could and should be able to compete with NASCAR or any other
motor sport at every level. I'm not sure the suits in charge of the
major sanctioning bodies share the same belief. It's not that they don't
give it their best shot, it's just that evidently their best shot isn't
enough.
To me it's almost as if the people in charge have decided that drag
racing fans really aren't coming to the drags for the unique, fast cars
and side-by-side competition the sport can offer. Maybe that's why
instead of more heads-up classes, they spend money booking exhibition
classes, stunt cycles, fireworks, and clown acts to entertain fans.
I think one of the major reasons for the sport's inability to compete
with NASCAR, IRL, CART et al. is we are doing a damn poor job of
marketing our classes and drivers (John Force excepted). Also, for a
variety of reasons, the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes have so little
actual racing that many new fans are turned off. Despite the fact that
for the last couple of years NHRA's Championship points chases were the
closest in all of motorsports, most of the mainstream press, including
the performance and racing car magazines, paid little or no attention.
Someone just didn't or couldn't do their job.
I know that the sound, fury and performance of a nitro car still is the
greatest visceral experience in professional motorsports, but in order
to capture the imagination and hearts of the straight media (and more
importantly their viewers and readers), they must watch them in person
and on TV. Evidently not enough do.
Here are a few ideas I have -- some I have brought up before, some are
new -- that might make NHRA and IHRA drag racing more attractive and
important to the mainstream press.
Qualifying has become a joke and is not entertaining. When 17 cars are
going for 16 spots there is not much drama involved. No wonder so many
runs are aborted during nitro qualifying. They are testing for race day.
Take a lesson from Pro Mod where 20-25 cars going for eight spots offer
fans real drama. Every car and driver goes all-out on every pass. That's
what qualifying is supposed to be. And on Sunday the fans know they are
seeing the best the class has to offer.
Changing the nitro classes to eight-car fields would make qualifying
important and entertaining again. Qualifying for an elite race is
supposed to be a gut-wrenching backbreaking affair, not a walk in the
park.
Make rule changes that put side-by-side racing back into the mix. Quit
doing extreme track prep, reduce the wing area, reduce blower overdrive.
That'll slow 'em down right now and probably cure a lot of the dreaded
oil-downs.
While I'm on the subject, if NHRA and IHRA really wanted to stop oil-
downs, they'd raise the fine to $10,000 and a hundred points. We would
have damn few oil downs then.
Both NHRA and IHRA management seem bound to copy much of the management
style of NASCAR. Why not follow their lead in controlling speeds and
giving the fans and media a variety of tracks?
Arguably NASCAR's most popular races are run on short tracks at night.
Why not try that with drag racing. I think one of the races at Chicago
or Las Vegas or both could become eighth-mile races. "Short Track" drags
could give a sport that is becoming dreadfully predictable some badly
needed variety. Racing at night under the lights, nitro fumes and flames
in front of a crowd that can see the start and finish from almost any
seat. If that isn't great racing theater I don't know what is. It works
for NASCAR, why not drag racing?
There is no doubt that the drag racing that C.J. Hart and his buds
started back in 1950 have greatly improved in the last 50-plus years.
Many of those improvements, such as insurance, safety, and better
tracks, are to be lauded, but I believe it is time for some fundamental
changes in drag racing.
The management teams at both the NHRA and IHRA seem to have no problems
making rules that cost the racers from the professional categories and
the sportsman ranks tons of money in misguided efforts to provide a
"level playing field." But when it appears obvious to everyone except
the palace guard that monumental changes are needed, apparently no one
has the stomach to step up, take charge and change the status quo. Maybe
they are just too busy counting the "Benjamins."
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