Regionals and the state of alcohol racing

It's a done deal already. What will there be to discuss? You decide to go to races or not. Will you started this regional shit 6 years ago and now we will see if saves the class or sinks it. Time will tell.

 

Chuck, what's with that. Will never started the region deal, things were in the works for the last decade. The fact is the class has changed, priorities have changed and and about ten other factors have changed in the class. Not the least of which is the fact that during the last 15 years a few teams have tried real hard to get the TA racers to band together but most sit back and just bitch hen things don't go their way and then wonder why

Dean

 

Simply put, since 2005 this web site and Will has kept bringing up regionals and now like it or not they are here. This system will give the racers less places to race and they will all be at greater distances. No one lobbied to get us back in all Nationals, no one said a word when we were displaced by Promod, Noatalgia cars, nitro harleys, T/D , T/S or whatever. If you noticed the places with the highest car counts had the shortest distances for the racers and that is what kept alcohol alive in D1 & 3. Do you think I'll drive 700 miles, have my crew take off 3 days of work for an 8 car field that pays $700.00 to qualify, I simply won't go and I bet most of the other teams won't either. As I said earlier THE TEAMS WHO PARTICIPATED ARE NOW BEING PUNISHED FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T. You will now have 30 F/c in the eastern region. how many DNQ's before half quit. then they will say there aren't cars to fill the field at national events and cut that to 8. it's like an instant replay of IHRA. It's funny they had a meeting in Calif. where the car counts keep falling and took advice from only West Coast Racers. In the end they will tell you that alcohol has gotten to where Nitro was years ago and that is why these changes needed to be made, But if that is the case then why wasn't the solution to move us to all national events. I for one would not mind running no regionals if we could run all nationals. Just my opinion.

 

I think the past national event at Vegas and the Divisional event at the same track one week later tell the tale--it seems that more cars will go to a National event because it is easier to qualify for the 16 car field than to need a 5.4 to qualify for an 8 car field (TAD)- The numbers don;t lie. No travel was involved.

 

I have to agree with R4K...and also observe that the track and NHRA are intentionally running this as a back gate event by ensuring a large car count with the double header and knowing that it will assure no spectators at the subsequent divisional event. I have no particular problem with that business model but complaints about low spectator counts are then not really acceptable. I mean, the track asked for the dates and NHRA approved them....I dont think racers were consulted!
At the same time it does reduce travel costs for the racers but would the spectator and racer counts be as good if the divisional were at Phoenix the same weekend as it was at Vegas and they do the same swap elsewhere in the schedule? It would draw spectators from a different area and still not be too far to travel in the week in between the two events.
Still on scheduling, Fallon was low on cars, but what would it have been if it was the last divisional race of the year in a trade with Vegas........Somebody IS saying that they want to get full fields at all events.....RIGHT?
Just my thoughts that make me go hummmm. Jeff Johnsen

 

hey will since your the new rule guy how about some help for us T/D Quick 8 cars LOL!!!!!!!!!!

 

As long as these Regional races don't compete with Natl. Events like Div. Races have for years, that alone should improve the class!

 

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If you actually do the math the spectator turn out for the vegas div was as good as any out there. Ya most of the spectators were crew members but they are still considered spectators.

750 cars times 3 crew members = 2250 per day x four days = close to 10,000 spectators

Yes it is a back gate event but those 2250 crew members meant over 100,000k in revenue.

As far as the back to back deal, what is NHRA or Vegas brass supposed to do. The last divisional of the year will always attract more racers. and having it at Vegas makes sense because of the size of the facility. there is no conspiracy in what is an absolutely no brainer decision

Dean

 

Dean
First read my post.
Second review your math.
Third: so you think crew are spectators? And at an average race with 325 race cars the track enjoys an over $50,000 profit from spectators (crew)? (half of your suggested Vegas numbers)
The bath is for bathing, not drinking. If there were that level of profit we would not have a debate on the car count/spectator count and profitability if alcohol cars at divisional events.
Jeff Johnsen

 

Do you get a Pin and a sticker with that too.....


.

 

Sort of....I had to print the sticker and the pin was only viewable online.

Brandon Booher
NHRA TAD #34

 

So you do the math, Jeff, Are crew members not part of the gate, a crew member cost is 40.00-50.00 per divisional event. 325 cars and 2.5 crew members average (vegas is higher crew count cause it is vegas)

325x2.5x $45= cost to 40k. (before actual spectators come through the gate) That is the facts dude
Unless I am missing something.

Vegas is more that double that.

The revenue alcohol cars bring to the track is through spectators only cause they don't usually pay.
So they do cut into the profit of a track if they are lousy marketers, it is that simple. If they don't have alky there is more profit cause they don't have to dish out the 20k in purse.

Tracks like any business want to make money. And for the alky cars to be succesful at a divisional or now the new regional deal the track has to want them and they have to market them plain and simple. But the alky teams have to want to help in the marketing as well.

Dean

 

Between Gold, Silver, Bronze (cards), and people sneaking crewmembers in via switching credentials/wristbands...I'd say it's safe to say there is very very little money being made off of TA crewmembers.

Brandon Booher
NHRA TAD #34

 

Cars, drivers and crew fees are all back gate money whatever the numbers. BTW 2250X4 is 9000 not 10000 and div events are 3 days not 4 so 2250X3 is 6750......which is all academic when counting weekend crew passes as opposed to spectators.
Again, Read what I said in my post;
The issues are attracting actual "spectators" and the second issue is that of car counts in the alcohol categories. You know, one could take the position that a track that does not want the alcohol cars because they have limited spectators should be happy if only half a field shows up because they do not pay ANY payout to those vacant spots on the ladder!
Less than full fields are not however, what any of us want to see.
Also as an aside, I would remind you that I was the person that got a quick 8 show going at Mission and ran that program for several years including obtaining the corporate sponsorship funding for the purse and trophies. I also ensured that a solid field of cars were in attendance. Participation grew until the trac ran a second 8 car field and still had dnqs that they moved into supercomp.I also promoted, organized and participated variously in Alcohol Funny Car shows at Mission, Ashcroft, Prince George, Calgary and Edmonton. I also brought several nontraditional sponsors and event sponsor proposals to more than one track in spite of some of those efforts being counter to my personal race car sponsor interests on several occasions. I really do not need a lecture from you regarding race event and race car promotions thank you.
One of your suggestions though is perhaps what could help in these economic times and that is Corporate Sponsorship of dragster and funny car at each divisional event. If one were to get 10 such sponsors for the divisional series in the area their $ could go to 1 class at 1 event but all 10 could get air time at all 5 divisional events. This approach can work linked to, for example a non traditional sponsor for their money gets air time and some event tickets to give to their customers, which would not normally be exposed to that particular entertainment. This is one of the things I tried with one of my sponsors but one of the tracks refused to sell them the tickets in advance to allow them to be distributed. Go figure...no wonder things are the way they are. We did run Alcohol Funny Cars at Prince George for 2 years using a model like this. My Cummins guys got the Peterbuilt, Freightliner, WesternStar and Kenworth dealers there to kick in cash for the cars and in exchange Ron allowed them to set up displays of new trucks and have sales folks on site during the event. And got essentially a free show at the track and some folks there that would not have normally been out to see the event.

Jeff Johnsen

 

The numbers I posted as far as dollars were estimates simply because no race has the same #'s. Also most div races run a test n tne and so you could say a four day deal. usually more than half the teams run in the tnt and crew etc have to pay.
Crew prices regardless of a 2,3 or 4 day event has a crew price of 40-50 dollars.


Yer retired Jeff you have all the time in the world to help out the TA classes.

I do remember the quick 8 don't remember you as their leader though (may have been)
The class has not run for more than a dozen years though, and I don't recall any promotions done by you lately, but your idea is a pretty good one, you should take the bull by the horns and run with it.

The TA class needs all the help it can get.

The new NW outlaw class I started is built are fast blower cars that don't have the resources to run in TA. It will grow. I have been working hard to find sponsors. It ain't easy.

I don't care if you consider the crew members as spectators or not in reality they are they are paying customers.

The back gate does normally refer to car and driver.

When tracks look at the car count that is how they determine the back gate.


The issues with the two TA classes will likely not be addressed by the NHRA (except for this new Region deal). The money part will only fix itself if teams, tracks and or promoters step up.
There are lots of ideas, many are good and should be implemented.

Dean