Back When

D.O. · 2/6/08, 10:14 PM

If you remember the Racin' with D.O. midget from 1997. That is why I had side boards on the nerfs. So everybody could see Print Express, Keco and Gotta Race.

Not seeing the drivers in the cockpits is why they need to put themselves in the grandstands when not racing.
D.O.

E.P. · 2/7/08, 8:38 AM

I know Kevin Miller and the Jason's probably rolled their eyes when you mentioned it but I like the idea of every ticket is a pit pass like it is in the NHRA.

I am sure it is an insurance mans dream to sell USAC a policy that would allow this BUT...there is no quicker way to get our sport into the blood veins of a new fan like taking them into the pits.

I hope they consider it. :thumb

rjmoul · 2/7/08, 10:47 AM

This is a great thread and I hope everyone who has ideas throws them out. Not only does USAC marketing need to take notice, but all racing organizations need to pay attention.

I think a good place to start is to look at our different youth racing organizations. Here in Indiana we are blessed with all sorts of motor sports to get our kids involved. There are quarter midgets, oval karts, road course karts, drag racing, bandits, junior sprints, mini mods, motorcycles, and so on. Lets get these kids in a car before they pickup the video game controllers and skateboards.

On DO

Rex W. · 2/7/08, 11:17 AM

Well ........Like Bob Walker said 1 time " If ya got one foot in the future & one in the past your pissing on today " :thumb

2/7/08, 8:58 PM

just give me:
close racing
fast, good looking cars
clean restrooms
good reasonably priced concessions
cold beer
a chance to pat the winner on the back
and something exciting during the "down" times.

everything was better, "back in the day"; but,
today's racing is the best of the best that our
kids will ever see. today's kids are the racers/fans
of tomorrow.......let's give'em something to get
hooked on like we did. give'em the BUG!

Dwight Clock · 2/7/08, 9:34 PM

Great thread, D.O. And some fabulous ideas being tossed about here. The most important idea so far is to attract NEW YOUNG FANS. Reach out to them at the school level, TV, cyberspace. All places where the young generation hangs out. Once they are at the track get them involved and close to the action. For track operators and competitors cost reductions are a must. Someone mentioned 360's. The initial cost of a 360 is not much less than a 410, if anything. Where the savings come in is rebuilds. A 410 needs to be rebuilt every 6 - 10 races or so. A 360 can go a full 20 or 25 race season without a rebuild. The savings are significant. The only question there is whether a 360 series will be accepted as a major entity. I have no problem with that but many do. Smaller tires were mentioned and this subject always is hotly debated. I say decrease the size of the wheel so that nothing over 13" wide will fit on it and let everyone run what they want - Hoosier, Goodyear, whatever. Just measure the wheel. The smaller tires will help the track surface to hold up longer, maybe long enough that we can once again get through a racing program without waiting for the track to be reworked. That will help the new, young fans to get home at a decent hour as well as old farts like me.:O: And one last thing; outlaw ALL cockpit adjustables and limit the number of open reds in a feature to one. (on edit) Another thing is to create rivalries. Years ago there was always the good guy - bad guy thing. In today's atmosphere of big time sponsors everyone is being promoted as Pepsodent Kids. The hell with that! Promote Dave Darland and Jon Stanbrough as the seasoned veterans they are. Darren Clayton as the brash upstart. Billy P. as the tough, take no s**t badass like his father was. You get the idea. That will generate passion and will be valuable in keeping the new young fans once they come to the track.

1BIGracefan · 2/7/08, 11:26 PM

Dwight you are right the sport needs rivalries it has had it since the beginning. We have always had them its kinda funny not having them nowadays.

Wolfe-e · 2/8/08, 12:19 AM

DO, I think the Pod Cast idea is Great but about the only way I see to get it started is for some of us to do it on our own. Maybe get togather with IOW and buy a camera set up or two for the cars. Put someone in the Pits and Stream Things live over IOW. Then we need to go to some of the Big City sites and advertise what we are doing. Get some of the City Kids hooked on this instead of games. Also, look at what the kids are doing with the drags and the new cars. Find our own way to create something like the Fast and The Furious. Pretty Girls and Race Cars get a LOT of Attention, and attention will help bring sponsors to our drivers...... We need also to get across to some of the drivers that the Fans don't care if they are politically correct all the time. They just want them to show up and be themselves. The crude ones will draw crude fans, so what... Fans don't care about drivers being perfect, they just want and need a chance to meet and mingle a little now and then...... They Need Hero's, Hell, we all do....
I can say on a Possitive Note that I just spent some time on the phone with Mike King... I belive Mike and Co. Are Listening! They too want to see the Drivers involved more with the Fans.... Mike does still plan to pit the Cars in the Infield at The Action Track... One Class of Cars will speed up the shows and there should never be any problem of wearing out the track....That has never been a problem at Terre Haute anyway but with Just the Sprints or Silver Crown or Midgets, I would think maybe we will see some different groves than we;ve had in the past.... I;m Excitied for the Place Again!
This is a Great Thread D.O....... Good Place for Crusty Ol Farts to teach young Whipper-Snappers how it use to be....

2/7/08, 8:38 AM	#12 Re: Back When
E.P. Senior Member Race Count This Year: 22 Race Count Last Year: 17 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 288	I know Kevin Miller and the Jason's probably rolled their eyes when you mentioned it but I like the idea of every ticket is a pit pass like it is in the NHRA. I am sure it is an insurance mans dream to sell USAC a policy that would allow this BUT...there is no quicker way to get our sport into the blood veins of a new fan like taking them into the pits. I hope they consider it. :thumb __________________ Eric B. Pethtel

2/6/08, 10:14 PM	#11 Re: Back When
D.O. Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,915	If you remember the Racin' with D.O. midget from 1997. That is why I had side boards on the nerfs. So everybody could see Print Express, Keco and Gotta Race. Not seeing the drivers in the cockpits is why they need to put themselves in the grandstands when not racing. D.O.

2/7/08, 10:47 AM	#13 Re: Back When
rjmoul Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 31	This is a great thread and I hope everyone who has ideas throws them out. Not only does USAC marketing need to take notice, but all racing organizations need to pay attention. I think a good place to start is to look at our different youth racing organizations. Here in Indiana we are blessed with all sorts of motor sports to get our kids involved. There are quarter midgets, oval karts, road course karts, drag racing, bandits, junior sprints, mini mods, motorcycles, and so on. Lets get these kids in a car before they pickup the video game controllers and skateboards. On DO

2/7/08, 11:17 AM	#14 Re: Back When
Rex W. Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 294	Well ........Like Bob Walker said 1 time " If ya got one foot in the future & one in the past your pissing on today " :thumb

2/7/08, 8:58 PM	#15 Re: Back When
R22 Posts: n/a	just give me: close racing fast, good looking cars clean restrooms good reasonably priced concessions cold beer a chance to pat the winner on the back and something exciting during the "down" times. everything was better, "back in the day"; but, today's racing is the best of the best that our kids will ever see. today's kids are the racers/fans of tomorrow.......let's give'em something to get hooked on like we did. give'em the BUG!

2/7/08, 9:34 PM	#16 Re: Back When
Dwight Clock Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,233	Great thread, D.O. And some fabulous ideas being tossed about here. The most important idea so far is to attract NEW YOUNG FANS. Reach out to them at the school level, TV, cyberspace. All places where the young generation hangs out. Once they are at the track get them involved and close to the action. For track operators and competitors cost reductions are a must. Someone mentioned 360's. The initial cost of a 360 is not much less than a 410, if anything. Where the savings come in is rebuilds. A 410 needs to be rebuilt every 6 - 10 races or so. A 360 can go a full 20 or 25 race season without a rebuild. The savings are significant. The only question there is whether a 360 series will be accepted as a major entity. I have no problem with that but many do. Smaller tires were mentioned and this subject always is hotly debated. I say decrease the size of the wheel so that nothing over 13" wide will fit on it and let everyone run what they want - Hoosier, Goodyear, whatever. Just measure the wheel. The smaller tires will help the track surface to hold up longer, maybe long enough that we can once again get through a racing program without waiting for the track to be reworked. That will help the new, young fans to get home at a decent hour as well as old farts like me.:O: And one last thing; outlaw ALL cockpit adjustables and limit the number of open reds in a feature to one. (on edit) Another thing is to create rivalries. Years ago there was always the good guy - bad guy thing. In today's atmosphere of big time sponsors everyone is being promoted as Pepsodent Kids. The hell with that! Promote Dave Darland and Jon Stanbrough as the seasoned veterans they are. Darren Clayton as the brash upstart. Billy P. as the tough, take no s**t badass like his father was. You get the idea. That will generate passion and will be valuable in keeping the new young fans once they come to the track.

2/7/08, 11:26 PM	#17 Re: Back When
1BIGracefan Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,100	Dwight you are right the sport needs rivalries it has had it since the beginning. We have always had them its kinda funny not having them nowadays.

2/8/08, 12:19 AM	#18 Re: Back When
Wolfe-e Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 124	DO, I think the Pod Cast idea is Great but about the only way I see to get it started is for some of us to do it on our own. Maybe get togather with IOW and buy a camera set up or two for the cars. Put someone in the Pits and Stream Things live over IOW. Then we need to go to some of the Big City sites and advertise what we are doing. Get some of the City Kids hooked on this instead of games. Also, look at what the kids are doing with the drags and the new cars. Find our own way to create something like the Fast and The Furious. Pretty Girls and Race Cars get a LOT of Attention, and attention will help bring sponsors to our drivers...... We need also to get across to some of the drivers that the Fans don't care if they are politically correct all the time. They just want them to show up and be themselves. The crude ones will draw crude fans, so what... Fans don't care about drivers being perfect, they just want and need a chance to meet and mingle a little now and then...... They Need Hero's, Hell, we all do.... I can say on a Possitive Note that I just spent some time on the phone with Mike King... I belive Mike and Co. Are Listening! They too want to see the Drivers involved more with the Fans.... Mike does still plan to pit the Cars in the Infield at The Action Track... One Class of Cars will speed up the shows and there should never be any problem of wearing out the track....That has never been a problem at Terre Haute anyway but with Just the Sprints or Silver Crown or Midgets, I would think maybe we will see some different groves than we;ve had in the past.... I;m Excitied for the Place Again! This is a Great Thread D.O....... Good Place for Crusty Ol Farts to teach young Whipper-Snappers how it use to be....