Fact:

The larger number of Drag Strips in America never hold a National Event that brings Fuel Cars. They rely on the local Racers who Bracket Race, a few hold Divisional Races but even those events don’t draw large groups of spectators.

So where is the answer to filling the stands? Two thoughts.

(1) Unless they develop a entertaining show the stands will remain empty, that does not necessarily have to be a full field of Fuel Cars. When Drag Racing got started back in the early to mid 60’s small fields of touring Racers formed “Match Race” groups that put on shows for reasonable fees, not like the “Big Show” Top Fuel Teams of today. Those events were exciting to watch and the local community got a chance to see ten foot high header flames and thundering Fuel Cars. Those events filled the stands. Once or twice a year the 1/8th Mile Track at Barona in California hosts a Fuel Funny Car Event. Ask anyone who has attended one of these events and they will tell you the place is packed with spectators. Limit the percentage of Nitro which in turn reduces the carnage and you have a reasonable cost effective show. Equally distribute the prize money and everyone gets to enjoy a fun evening at the local Drag Strip. Smaller less funded Fuel Teams get the opportunity to race in front of sell out crowds and everyone wins.

(2) Barona also has a “Match Race Madness” class that matches equally performing door cars based on time run ET’s. Sandbagging isn’t allowed, any one running better than their best time run ET is eliminated. Each pair brings a small contingent of crew members or supporters that, although they may not sit in the grandstands do represent an increase in the spectator count. Barona also has a “Small Tire - Large Tire” Match Race Event, that like their Match Race Madness Classes brings Cars, crews and spectators. Both of these classes use a 3 amber (.500 each) Sportsman Tree.

There are a lot of things as Racers and Track Owners we can do to increase spectator counts, sitting on a computer whinning about the dismay spectators counts accomplishes nothing . If you are a Racer at a minimum bring a friend to the track with you, just maybe he, or she will love the action and get involved. By the way, have them leave the &$@#*$& cell phone at home.

Bob

Flame away

Just looked at track forum section.Most local tracks are not even listed. You would think a half motivated track owner/operator would be checking sites like this and get idea. Het maybe if we post on these sites we might get more cars to race here.

Almost makes you want to boycott them.Then again where would you race these cars we have spent thousand of dollars and in my case anyway thousands of hours)so it seems) building. There in which is part of problem they know most will run reguardless of how they are treated or ignored.

Have read most reply's here but non as to how to get tracks to step up and promote themselves. You would think a no brainer and maybe is.

Yea I'm old but I miss the 80's and 90's.We had a bracket race 3 days a weekend at a track that was maybe hour away at most.Some times you had 3 to choose from on same day. Then again we raced for 500 or 600 bucks and did good if you made 3rd round you made cpl bucks.Only three run ,no damn buy back junk.

Bring back naming your car. Spectators have something to look at and remember what car is what.

Create some drama. Dean karns started to do that a bit calling out a heads up racer to a bracket race. Our sport needs drama to draw people. That is what they like.

Bring back back up girls. Even though er dont need them to back up who doesn't like to look at a pretty woman out on the track?

Promote. I remember as a kid hearing the advertisements on the radio for Great Lakes Dragaway. Broadway Bob could pack the stands every weekend.

Mix in some special stuff with the bracket program. YEA YEA I know most people hate when they have some jets or specialty cars racing when we race but it helps. Couple years ago our track mixed in some heads up car group. They were slow as **** to run there dozen cars but they brought in people to watch. What I noticed is during our races the people were still in the stands. And a few groups of them betting on the races.

And last off the top of my head. Spectator admission. $5-10 tops. Having 100 people in the stands at $10 each makes more sense than 25 at $25 each. More food/beer sales. More money for the track.

quote:

Originally posted by Stephensx04:
Bring back naming your car. Spectators have something to look at and remember what car is what.

Create some drama. Dean karns started to do that a bit calling out a heads up racer to a bracket race. Our sport needs drama to draw people. That is what they like.

Bring back back up girls. Even though er dont need them to back up who doesn't like to look at a pretty woman out on the track?

Promote. I remember as a kid hearing the advertisements on the radio for Great Lakes Dragaway. Broadway Bob could pack the stands every weekend.

Mix in some special stuff with the bracket program. YEA YEA I know most people hate when they have some jets or specialty cars racing when we race but it helps. Couple years ago our track mixed in some heads up car group. They were slow as **** to run there dozen cars but they brought in people to watch. What I noticed is during our races the people were still in the stands. And a few groups of them betting on the races.

And last off the top of my head. Spectator admission. $5-10 tops. Having 100 people in the stands at $10 each makes more sense than 25 at $25 each. More food/beer sales. More money for the track.

All very good ideas , but first track mangers need to post info on there websites so racers know "when where and how much" this would help start the process along.

People go to horse races to bet on horses.

I believe more people would go to drag races if they could bet on drag racing.

(Legally,of course)

And it doesn't matter if it is heads up or bracket race format,the win light is what the gambler wants to see.

You need to show up down here say at Piedmont on a Thursday "Big Dawg" night. Make Las Vegas look like a bingo game so much betting going on. Also the place is usually packed, usually.

I know car people ,Race fans who will not attend a local bracket race. They will however drive 200 miles and stand 6 deep at the fence to watch some no=prep outlaw make half assed runs all night .
Its the same as all the fast street cars we have running around here never show up at the track .They don't understand handicaps ,deep staging and breakouts and won't spend the time to learn .
Would they come if it was heads up ,flagman,no handicaps? don't know they have never tried.
All they know how to do is sell crappy hot dogs ,have dirty port a potties ,and cater to a few quicker racers. It just isn't the program or the racers ,the track has to put some effort in it also.

quote:

Originally posted by 442OLDS:
People go to horse races to bet on horses.

I believe more people would go to drag races if they could bet on drag racing.

(Legally,of course)

And it doesn't matter if it is heads up or bracket race format,the win light is what the gambler wants to see.

That would be an interesting concept. But how would a track even go about doing that?

quote:

Originally posted by 442OLDS:
People go to horse races to bet on horses.

I believe more people would go to drag races if they could bet on drag racing.

(Legally,of course)

And it doesn't matter if it is heads up or bracket race format,the win light is what the gambler wants to see.

I remember guys doing that at ATCO when I raced there one year for their bracket program. I don't know how much at a time, but was funny to watch.

the $2 window operates every points race day at Atco and did at ETown as well and has for decades.

quote:

the $2 window operates every points race day at Atco and did at ETown as well and has for decades.

What are you 100-1 to get out the first round with out a buy back?

quote:

Originally posted by Camaroracer1258:

quote:

Originally posted by 442OLDS:
People go to horse races to bet on horses.

I believe more people would go to drag races if they could bet on drag racing.

(Legally,of course)



And it doesn't matter if it is heads up or bracket race format,the win light is what the gambler wants to see.

I remember guys doing that at ATCO when I raced there one year for their bracket program. I don't know how much at a time, but was funny to watch.

Go to Piedmont on thursday night big dog.Betting going wideopen oat the fence. Lots of small 10 or 20 bucks and few will get into some cpl hundred bucks on a run if its two of the hotter cars.

Ed said about my comment on Galot that the web site provided all the info I needed. Really! Still no response and now I see that the points races for Mar 10--11 just disappeared from the schedule and have been replaced by "filming of street outlaws" Sure hard to plan to attend with these kind of things going on.....oh well. Help me Ed