Going after the casual
Pro
Mod fan
6/8/05
s
it just me or does it feel like Pro Modified racing is
getting a little played out these days? Not so long ago,
regardless of whether I was at a national event or some
off-the-beaten-path show, when Pro Mods were on the bill
you could count on fans in the stands. It seemed the promise
of fast, head-to-head doorslammer action was always enough
to draw at least a couple of thousand of the faithful out
to the strip. But that just doesn't seem to be the case
this year.
Last fall I wondered in this column if ADRL's "Dragstock
was the start of something big" and at the time I
really thought it might be. Dragstock drew a sizable crowd
to Carolina Dragway, the unique three-round team format
captured the imagination of those in attendance, and to
a man, the racers left feeling enthused about having a
new series in which to showcase their cars and talents.
This year, however, the first two ADRL races -- in Hattiesburg,
MS, and Valdosta, GA -- have failed to maintain the momentum.
Granted, the season opener was plagued by inclement weather,
with storms actually washing away Sunday's team racing,
and threatening skies probably kept a few fans away from
eliminations on Saturday at Valdosta, but still, attendance
clearly was not where it needs to be at either venue if
this series is to survive.
Now, this is not an indictment of the ADRL, but what I
think is indicative of the dilution we've seen develop
in the Pro Mod pool. With IHRA and NHRA both bringing Pro
Mods out with their national events and practically every
other touring sanctioning body from PRO to Super Chevy
featuring their own version of Pro Mod-type cars, I just
think it's not as "special" anymore for the fans
to see them.
It's too bad, too, because promoter Kenny Nowling and
the rest of the ADRL gang put on a great show. At Valdosta,
we saw the quickest doorslammer Quick 8 ever assembled,
led by Bil Clanton's 3.97 and anchored by the 4.00 of Shannon
Jenkins (in a nitrous entry, no less!), as well as a dominating
performance by the Outlaw team to avenge their narrow loss
to the All-Stars at Jackson, SC, last year.
So it's not the show that's the problem. Judging from
the thousands of happy Dragstock fans, the ADRL can draw
a crowd. It has a viable product to sell, but I'm not so
sure anyone but the most hardcore fans are really paying
attention. And you just can't count on the diehards to
carry a series attendance wise. NASCAR realized this at
least 15 years ago when its marketing machine really kicked
into gear and went after those casual fans who may never
paper their walls with Earnhardt posters, but still want
to be part of the scene -- and are willing to travel for
it.
NASCAR also excels in selling its top stars racing as
something special to see. Even with a lower-level development
series often on the bill on the same weekend at the same
venue, it still manages to sell out the headliner event
as the droves arrive from many hundreds of miles away to
witness the spectacle. Never mind that the previous day's
race featured identically-appearing cars doing exactly
the same thing -- the casual fan arrives to see the "real" thing.
Somehow, Pro Mod promoters have to tap into that desire;
they have to create a buzz around the class that says it's
not Top Sportsman, Pro Street, Pro Outlaw, etc., and that
draws fans from farther away than the immediate regions
around places like Jackson, or Hattiesburg, or Valdosta.
Living in Atlanta, I always attend the Southern Nationals
at Atlanta Dragway, about 60 miles from the city. Granted,
it's far from the NHRA's largest venue, but from Friday
through Sunday I rarely see fans disguised as bleacher
seats, so I know there are drag racing fans in the Atlanta
area. I just have to wonder how many of them -- especially
those casual fans with memories of John Force and Tony
Schumacher still fresh in their minds -- even knew there
was a big Pro Mod race just a few hours away a couple of
weeks later.
They sure didn't know if they listened to Atlanta radio
or watched Atlanta TV or read Atlanta newspapers. And that's
a problem, I think.
The only way for race promoters to extend the invitation
to attend a race -- again, especially to the casual fan
-- is through advertising. Just the fact that you're reading
this right now probably excludes you from that group, so
forget about Internet message boards or even drag-racing-specific
publications. Those outlets are certainly important for
letting the drag racing community know what's going on
and coming up, but they're never going to reach the mainstream,
which is where any event has to draw from in order to succeed.
It's not enough for race promoters to say, "If we
stage it, they will come." By definition, promotion
has to be a major part of their efforts. Word-of-mouth
advertising may be the best form of advertising, but it
seems far too many Pro Mod promoters rely on it almost
exclusively. And what little is spent on advertising goes
to local radio stations and newspapers with a reach extending
maybe 40 or 50 miles from the track.
With so many entertainment options these days, it's essential
to stand out. Pro Mod racing has to be made special again.
The drivers have to be marketed as stars and heroes, the
cars as fast and wild, and the races as "must-see" events.
Otherwise, I'm afraid we'll all be talking about thrilling
performances, but no one will be listening -- or worse
yet, watching.
Race safe,
