6/15/04
SCHEDULING IS CRITICAL TO TV RATINGS #1
I was reading the Agent 1320 notes (a daily click of mine) when I came across the reference to an article by Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal concerning the loss in viewers this year. I can see how this can happen just by looking at the TV schedule that the NHRA provides. [http://www.nhra.com/2004/tvschedule.html] Look at the times that the events are aired. Even when the times are to be at a decent hour such as 8pm to 10pm or 9pm to 11pm we seem to get bumped back. In NHRA's defense, weather has been a issue. Maybe trying to put the actual air-time of the coverage with the viewer gain / loss over the course of the year would be an indication of how the time slot affects these numbers. Looking at the schedule for the rest of the season the air times seem to be at a decent hour. I know NHRA put the penalties and "between round time" limits to help their TV program schedule, but for years Diamond P covered the events and never had a problem.
One other point to consider would be from the advertising standpoint. When the show is on at a decent time, I try to watch the full coverage and even if I get up to get a drink, the TV volume stays the same and the commercial may have some subliminal impact on me. Do you know how many commercials I hear the next day when I am watching the TV coverage on tape? 0. I fast forward through every commercial and a majority of the interviews to get to the part I want to see. I don't know if they can tell when the viewer is actually watching the show vs. a household that is taping it, but I know they can track TIVO. It would be interesting to see the number of households that TIVO compared to the overall number of households. I am sure the advertisers are losing far more exposure than what the ratings are showing because of the coverage not being viewed at full length.
Just a thought.
Billy Carroll
SCHEDULING IS CRITICAL TO TV RATINGS #2
1.Maybe if ESPN would show NHRA events at a time us fans could watch the numbers would go up!
2. Maybe if it would not rain the numbers would go up. Last but not least if anyone watched Sundays race they would be hooked on NHRA Drag Racing. That was the best race I have seen all year, the Force drama is great.
Scott Kloberdanz
SCHEDULING IS CRITICAL TO TV RATINGS #3
In your article it states that the tv ratings for NHRA are down a considerable amount compared to last year. I believe this is a result from the air-time being changed from prime time to late at night! It is crazy to have qualifying at 3:00 in the morning and Sunday finals starting at 11:00 at night. ESPN and NHRA need to look at this. Thanks.
Dan Parker
SCHEDULING IS CRITICAL TO TV RATINGS #4
Jeff, one thing that's been overlooked in this NHRA TV ratings ordeal is the Broadcast times! I'd sure like to know how the ratings are for shows that play before 9 PM ET??? Time slots are everything! What kind of ratings do you think NASCAR would get at 12 Midnight???
Joe Sherwood
WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?
Just when every nitrous guy was crying then WHAM they win in Chicago! When will the organizers realize we love them fast with both Blown and Laughing Gas!!
Bryan Kelley
DRAG RACING GETS SHORT STICK ON ESPN
How do we interest the public into watching drag racing? Well, obviously ESPN thinks it's by showing girls college softball (more stick and ball) in place of showing Inside Drag
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I tolerate ESPN's stick and ball during the week for the small minority time I get to enjoy auto racing on Saturday and Sunday. After watching the Saturday time trials from Topeka and really looking forward to my usual Sunday AM viewing, I really was " NOT Impressed " to see softball, not racing engines and smoking tires. So, I didn't watch any of ESPN's commercial messages either...
Keep screwing it up ESPN, and I'll find something else to do with my Sunday AM - permanently. And it won't be watching NASCAR or F1 either.
Wake up companies. You are not reaching your target advertising audience on a reliable basis. You build viewership by having a reliable = predictable show time that the intended audience can find on a consistent basis.
My $0.02 after a frustrating Sunday.
Jim Dos
Iowa
SPEEDY CALCULATIONS
I took the liberty to calculate the average speeds between the different speed traps from Doug Kalitta's amazing 4.420 run you published: "Doug Kalitta: 60-ft, .78; 330-ft, 2.12; half track, 3.004/283.73; 1000ft, 3.758; finish line 4.420/328.22"
0-330¥ 170.8 kph/106.13 mph
60¥-330¥ 221.09 kph/137.38mph
60¥-660¥ 296.03 kph/183.94 mph
330¥-660¥ 409.62 kph/254.52mph
660¥-1000¥ 494.79 kph/307.45 mph
330¥1000¥ 448.83 kph/278.89 mph
1000¥-1320¥ 530.41 kph/329.58 mph (faster than terminal speed!)
660¥-1320¥ 511.44kph/317.80 mph
These hot rods sure are fast!!!
Keep up the good work guys! From your daily reader,
Christian Rosenqvist
Floda, Sweden
AH, YOU'LL MAKE US BLUSH
I am a 1/8 mile bracket racer on the East Coast who would like to say that your online mag is the best I have seen.
Keep it up. Thanks.
Scott Grant
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Jeff, too bad we didn't have 31 TF or FC at IHRA race. I just wish one A/FD would make it into show then we might really see two cars go down the track.
Why doesn't IHRA use the Break rule if they are ENTERTAINMENT oriented Body HMMMMMM. Singles in 1st round SUCK!!!!!! Great Show by the Pro Mods 31 for 16 slots. And then the Gas cars are in Final. HMMM maybe 20% isn't enough overdrive!!!!
Bryan Kelley
ONCE A MOPAR FAN, ALWAYS A MOPAR FAN
I just stumbled across an article entitled "In my day, sonny, a Ford looked like a Ford" that (Jeff Burk) wrote. I could not agree more. I am a diehard Mopar man. Period. I really could care less about who is driving it unless it happens to be someone whom I easily recognize in that Mopar. I am a huge Alderman fan, but if he switched to a Pontiac, I would no longer pull for him. Some people think that's lame, but so what! Darrell Alderman does not live in my garage, but my '67 Hemi GTX does. As long as Alderman is in a Mopar, we relate.
NHRA has lost a lot of its appeal to me these days. I only live a few miles from Ponona and I used to go twice a year. I don't even bother anymore. What's the point? Really. What is the point? In Pro Stock, I can predict the winner for every race for the rest of the year. Either Greg Anderson, or Jason Line. (Anyone care to bet against me?) NHRA has chosen their new "Golden Boy", end of story. NHRA would like us to believe there is no favoritism, but please............
The rule book is so thick now, that teams are more concerned with following that than being innovative. In essence, all pro-level drag cars are just kit cars now. Anybody with a
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As for the funny cars, they are all Mopars with different branded bodies. I have questioned NHRA why they allow this, and they state that the engines are "not Chryslers" but special designed pieces. Funny that when I go to Keith Black's website, Alan Johnson's, or anybody else who makes components for them all call them Chryslers. Hmmmm....
Not one piece of John Force' car is from Ford. Especially the most important part, the engine. Why is it called a Ford? That's the money talking is what it is. Heck they even had his car at the Ford display at the NHRA museum recently. There it sat with the body up displaying its Chrysler Hemi. Yet most of the morons there had no clue it was not a Ford engine.
You suggested in your article that NHRA should revamp the Funny Car bodies. I agree, but they should go one more step and require Ford bodies use a Ford engine and Chevys use a Chevy engine. Period. More than likely they would not be competitive, but that's too bad. Pro Stock should require the same thing as well in terms of bodies, and the restrictions on engines in terms of design should be lifted as well. NHRA banned the 426 Hemi for Pro Stock use in the early 70's, but that should be reversed. This new thing is not a Hemi at all.
Well, that's about all I wanted to say, except that I enjoy your website and your articles. Keep up the good work!
Scott Oliver
IHRA ARITHMETIC LESSON
The reason Friday attendance is down is because 1 pro qualifying round on Friday at 2 o'clock so people who get of at work at like 3-4 o'clock can't come. The format for nationals won't change want to know why 500 sportsman racers at $150 entry fee a piece you do the math.
Eric Street
GAS ATTACK
This is the final time, I promise! Mr Justice, you in some ways get what I am saying completely in regard to Super Gas. You don't like it, so you don't watch. PERFECT. Works for me. At least you had the decency to call it "that kind of racing" instead of dismissing it completely. One point, and then I will go away. You are in no way subsidizing me when you attend a National Event. I don't get a check from NHRA because guys like you had to sit through our boring classes, and I certainly have never received a check from you personally, so how do you think you are "subsidizing" me in any way? I pay my entry fees (which keep going up) and I pay to have my family attend, so you are 100% wrong. And by the way, I am having a blast!
Tim McCain
SUPER GAS VS. BRACKET RACERS
There must be a lot of people in California that worked drag strips in the 1960's. We all must be old school. Super Gas is not Drag Racing, it's computer generated bracket racing. I believe the simple fact is it all depends on reaction and consistency. Maybe, Mr. McCain, Mr. Runne, Mr. Justice and I can sit in the stands and listen to what the fans say about Super Gas. NHRA better start to listen, they are losing fans everyday to VRA. I'll watch the NHRA on TV, there is no Super Gas..........................ask them why?
Jim Hague
San Ramon, CA
WHY I LIKE DRAG RACING #1
Ian, For me Drag Racing has a personal attraction. In the mid seventies when I was 16 years old everyone including myself had some sort of a Hot Rod. For me it was a 1965 Pontiac GTO 389ci with three deuces. As I was growing up I was always the last picked for any outdoor or for that matter indoor sport as I was always smaller, slower and not quite as strong. When I was on the starting line whether it was on the street or strip I was a good as any of my buddies and unless they just had a significant amount of more horsepower than I did I was better. For the first time in my life there was something that I could compete in and be successful.
I remember as if it was yesterday in 1976 when I heard my first Top Fuel car light up. I knew then as I truly believe now that I could climb in one of those and compete with the best of them given the opportunity. Do I truly Love Drag Racing? I can not imagine where I might be or what I might be doing now without it. It has many times been the one escape I needed to clear my head and get a new focus on what is going on in my life. I have heard Force and others say they love the smell of nitromethane in the morning. Well I love it anytime. I may not ever be able to compete again as I did when I was a kid but I will never stop going to see the Pro's nor will I ever quit dreaming about it. Even after 28 years the sound of a nitro engine lit still makes me feel like a kid again.
Thanks for the great website and sorry it took me so long to find it.
Best Regards.
Robbie Gaines
WILLIAM FAULKNER LIKED DRAG RACING?
WHAT'S the big deal with drag racing? IT IS the SOUND and FURY. There is nothing like an unmuffled car idling at 2000 rpm. AND it is a legal race from a stop light. Just like when you drove your dad's car or your first car you bought yourself. When you got your first car you never raced someone around and around the block.
Bill Sterling
ATTA BOY, TOCHER!
Ian, Just wanted to let you know I thought your interview with Bob Vandergriff was very well done.
Keep up the good work.
Take care.
Anthony Vestal
NHRA Media Relations
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