Random Thoughts for 2006 - Pt. I & II

Since I’ve never been at a loss for words, and it’s my site, here are my feelings on two nagging issues of 2006 as the season winds down.

The season isn’t over yet, but this past Friday and Saturday, was my final event of the year at Eagle Raceway, the Nebraska Cup. There’s been grumbling about the name choice since, for its history, the Nebraska Cup has always featured the 360 Sprint cars. It was started in the 1990’s as a showcase of Eagle’s two premier classes, Saturday’s sprinters and Friday’s late models. Over the years, the co-class (NOT support) has changed, of late the other weekly class - IMCA Modifieds have been on the card.

But this year, despite the initial schedule, Sprint cars were not on the bill for the night. According to my Eagle Raceway pocket schedule, the original Sept. 2 Nebraska Cup date was to feature all four of Eagle’s weekly classes as a non point show. Later, this was changed to the “final” point show. After objections from the sprint drivers that the yearly special shouldn’t be a point show, it was dropped from the schedule. However, the Hobby and Hornet Nationals originally scheduled for this weekend were changed, with the addition of modifieds, and a renaming of the show – the “Nebraska Cup.”

At this point, some of the vocal elements of the sprint car contingent (not everyone), who already voiced concern over a stock-car guy’s commitment to the open wheelers and the season’s purse cut, cried that the sky had fallen, the other shoe had dropped and Roger Hadan’s true sprint-car-killing agenda was now revealed.

I agree with several of the people on the message boards that finally stood up and took issue with people’s opinions that the Nebraska Cup has been relegated to trailer park status. As Hobby Stock and Tuner drivers and fans said, it’s the Hadan’s track, don’t blame them for being invited, and just because they don’t spend the big budgets on racing, they are racers and competitors.

I’ve talked to Roger many times and he’s never once said his plans included getting rid of the sprint cars. Indeed – did everyone forget the Sprint-only Jim Eckley Memorial Backrow Challenge? In addition to help from Jay Eckley, Roger stuck his own neck out for a show that is still in its infancy. Also, it seems that everyone forgot that he was willing to do what hadn’t been done before, bring an ASCS sanctioned race to the track as well.

Yet, while everyone talks about how much sprints carry the track, the ASCS crowd wasn’t any better than a weekly show crowd and the Eckley Memorial crowd was no blockbuster – well under an average weekly crowd. The aforementioned Nebraska Cup was an attendance dud - a reported 300 people each night.

I’m sorry but for all this talk I’ve heard about being “slapped in the face,” where was all that support at a time when it would have meant a lot?

I’m not trying to make a judgment on a class or individual people but I’m saying that all this rhetoric, all these opinions being presented as a fact, all this hearsay doesn’t seem to deliver the goods when it’s time to put the money where the mouth is.

All the stories I hear about how if someone just ran certain classes, it’s a guaranteed blockbuster are lacking facts. Just to show I’m not picking on Eagle, I looked at the crowd from JMS’ ASCS/Midget show. I’ve got a picture of the driver introduction before the race. I counted 396 people. Tell me that will carry ANY track.

“But the weather…ticket prices…distance…format…schedule…!!!”

Exactly. Take off the blinders and realize that there are a lot of factors going into the successful promotion of today’s shows. Heck, back in the day the World of Outlaws shows were a guaranteed big score for a promoter. Now having a WoO show is like signing Terrell Owens…you may get something spectacular, or you may end up with a lot of trouble and little money.

Now, I’m not saying that this means that Sprints don’t bring in the majority of the weekly die-hard contingent to Eagle. What I am saying is that once you get past the die-hards, racing is just racing to a lot of the people, if they're interested in the racing at all. The fan base grows from those who may have no allegiance to one class or the other. They’re there for the loud cars, cold beer, girls, guys and maybe a few spills. It’s from THAT base that the hardcore are built. The new fans don’t know what those “plates” are on top of the sprints, or what actually got “modified”, or why the stock cars don’t look like “NASCARs”, or that you could even race sub-compacts. But, they do know that if it’s fun, they’ll be back and over time they’ll choose a favorite.

Save the anecdotes and opinions. I have yet to see a “huge” crowd this year at most special events whose only claim to fame is the series’ name.

“If only they ran the (fill in the letters of the sanctioning body here) – they would pack the joint!”

When that happens it will be the first time in the past 5 years.

These “four-letter fanatics,” “dictionary diehards” and “sanctioning body sycophants” are missing the marketing staple of the past 20 years, brand marketing. Where’s ANY evidence that any of these sanctioning bodies brings people on its own? Prove it, real numbers. Don't give me any more sanctioning body cocktails for promoters to try. Show me that that name of the group or show alone brings people and I’ll show pictures of crowds that say otherwise.

For all the WD-AS-SP-IM-PK-LTMPRQUEPVNA…, sanctioning bodies out there let me give you the only letters that matter: N-A-S-C-A-R-N-E-X-T-E-L-C-U-P. Why? Because they are the ONLY group that markets its product as a whole: drivers, races, cars, the whole deal, and they immerse their fans in the experience. They have created something so much more than just the 200 laps on Sunday.

They KNOW brand marketing. They produce an identifiable product. NO DIRT TRACK SANCTIONING BODY CREATES A PRODUCT OF ITS OWN SHOW. PERIOD. And that includes NASCAR’s weekly short track series. I’ve used this analogy several times, but the fact that promoters have to take the time to take a series and try to not only educate the people but sell the program and its higher-priced tickets is like the circus coming to town and making the mayor provide the elephants.

The dirt series or weekly track that makes it will be the one who markets its product as unique, good value for the entertainment dollar and the benchmark of the group.

I’ve seen the crowds at the Greatest Show on Dirt, I’ve seen the “way of the future” sanctioning body, I’ve seen the fastest modifieds, the “way racing ought to be-without wings,” I’ve seen a one-two open wheel double header. None of those crowds beat the old standbys, cheap admission, giveaways, and big promotions in the background.

Eagle’s largest crowd ever was on a Fan Appreciation Night. Not the Outlaws, not USAC, not the _____. It was a simple night, with a makeup July 4 fireworks session. It was a lot of work and not a little luck.

Tracks need something that brings the rank-and-file public to the stands. NOT race fans, not “race connoisseurs.” Look at I-80 and their NASCAR guests. Look at Eagle, one week after Fan Appreciation night, the final night of August – usually one of the worst days of the season had instead perhaps the biggest regular admission crowd. And what was the promoted attraction? Bus races. When I walked upstairs after the races, I saw exactly THREE people leaving. The rest were on their feet.

Cry about the “circus” all you want, I only wish we had done that before. I’ve seen more hits than misses and there have been some. But if that’s what it takes to fill the seats, then that’s what keeps the program running. Deal with it.

Part II

Speaking of circuses….

Journey back, if you will to August 26 and the first lap of the Sprint A feature. A multi-car melee leaves upended cars and bent metal on the backstretch. Too many cars for the wreckers would leave some to wait. We can talk about the decision making process and the order of removal to the work area, but the ridiculous chest-beating that took place with threats of kicking the other guy’s ass were just pathetic. Soon, you had pit crews, officials, support staff, and a few others of mixed allegiance all in a verbal and occasionally physical Battle Royal.

It was the first time in my life that I thought of getting up and leaving a track. Only because I had committed to work for Roger did I stick around, but I put the camera away and found my way upstairs. I didn't know whether to be disgusted or confused.

Fast forward two weeks to the rescheduled (why?) Season Finale. Eleven laps into the Hobby Stock A feature and one driver decides that after sitting eight laps in the pits, he’s going to get even with the guy he thought took him out. How do I know this? He had the audacity (that’s being kind) to tell the official as he sped out of the pits.

Of course, the officials weren’t going to allow that and brought out the black flag. But a rag on a stick wasn’t going to stop this guy from settling this petty squabble. Never mind the fact that rain was fast approaching, other drivers were burning fuel and nobody wanted to make up two stinking A features waiting in the pits.

Not even a direct confrontation with the driver on the front stretch would deter this man from getting the last word. And damn the other drivers who may get innocently caught up in this decisive battle for honor!

RAIN’S COMING!!!

This guy had to go! So, here comes another track official who takes command of that black flag, stands in front of the rogue driver and delivers another ultimatum.

NO! The rogue cried. And in a show of brotherly solidarity, the scofflaw’s brother, also a driver makes it known how he feels by giving the universal sign of hatred to the backstretch official from the safety of his red chariot.

Out with him as well!

But the original perpetrator lets common sense take over and pulls off the track. The brother won’t let this die as he also refuses the order to leave.

RAIN’S COMING!!!!

But after cajoling by assorted red-clad, flag waving, knights of the speedway, peace is restored at the expense of a rapidly-shrinking supply of time.

And, due to the brouhaha, the next yellow flag cut the race short. The modified feature laid down all of its 20 laps, but the sprint feature got screwed out of 10 minutes, possibly enough to settle a 25 lap contest which was shortened to the conventional, past-halfway 14 laps after the rain came.

All right, I’m being stupid here for a reason. Both of these incidents were some of the silliest things I’ve seen all year.

Maybe the circus has come to town…

As I've always preached - for all this complaining I will present my ideas for helping...