Bandit Posted August 1, 2003 Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 SUPERTX, you have some valid points, but I would like to know what quality drivers ROMCO has lost in the past four years, besides the Leges? Also Super Late Model racing is not neccasarily a feeder to NASCAR. It is a type of racing that stands on it's own somewhat like sprint cars. I do wish ROMCO would get a full time press person for both driver and series promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishracer Posted August 1, 2003 Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 Hey ROMRD, I think the problem with sponsorship is that pursuing sponsorship is a full time job and the ROMCO series employees all have full time jobs(which is great because the series as it stands will not pay your bills or the racers). Until there are full time employees working out all the logistics including sponsorship no one should expect to have anything more that what is there now. Unfortunately that is the state of asphalt racing in Texas in general. All the tracks seem to be someone's sideline or tax right off, and if not that enthusiastic with no cash or experience. The thing that has been talked about yet(I think), has anyone really looked at the common threads of the successful tracks/sanctions and used those after researching their strengths. Their are many people at these facilities that would probably love to toot their horn and pass on some of what makes their facilities/series great, since in most cases you would not be stepping on their toes. The age old excuse why is: no time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierDaddy Posted August 1, 2003 Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 Your right Bandit, super latemodel racing does stand on its own. Look at all the big names in super latemodels that have probably had chances to move up but chose to stay where they are. Dick and Wayne Anderson to name a few. Wayne tried the Craftsman trucks, didnt really like it. Then he tried ASA last year and again came back to super latemodels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROMRD Posted August 1, 2003 Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 Fishracer, you are right about everything you said. We do all have full time jobs, but we also have a person that works real hard at trying to find a major sponsor for this series. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I have been involved in racing in Texas since 1963, when my DAD raced at the old Pan American Speedway on Austin Hwy, and back then there were articles written up every Sat. morning about the nites racing program, and then on monday, there would more written about the races on Monday. Not just statistic on a scoreboard page. Now days, the only coverage the local racing tracks or series get is what Mike writes on thursdays. Please don't get me wrong, we all appericate what they give all of us, but isn't there something else the media can do to help our sport? It is so easy to set here and write about what is wrong with the series or what is wrong with the way the tracks around here are run, but until you have walked in our shoes,see how many hours we put in after we get off our real jobs, to try to make the racing as fair and as competetive as we can, not only for the fans but for the racers as well, please we are doing the best we can with the budgets that we have. Yes, we are always looking for that one person or major corp. to step up, but until that happens, we will contiue to do the best that we can. As for as not advertising, I can assure everytime there is a ROMCO race at any of the tracks we go to, we advertise on the cable networks tha t are covering the NASCAR races that same week and weekend. I just want to say a big THANK YOU toall of the people who continue to support ROMCO and we see ya'll at San Antonio August 16th TERRY BARDEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 1, 2003 Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 Fishracer, I like your idea about possibly researching series/tracks that are growing and doing well. Take a look at the Sunoco Super Series. They have tons of sponsors and great car counts. http://www.sunocosuperseries.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted August 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 Bandit- You're almost there, but you still expect someone else to do your public relations and publicity. I guarantee you that Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart and so on have their own PR people, even though their sponsors all have PR people as well. Jeff and Tony's PR people work with the PR people from DuPont and Home Depot (as well as with the PR and marketing folks from secondary sponors such as Pepsi), but their own PR people work for them, and have their interests foremost. Not only that, but Jeff and Tony had their own PR people long before they got as high as running sprints and midgets. Terry- It's not the media's job to help this sport, or any sport. And, even if they want to, how can they do it without information from us? While you all should not be doing the drivers' PR, you should be working with them to make sure the media has things like driver biographies and sponsor information. Local tracks should be doing the same thing, but it's not Brian Callaway's job or Graham Baker's job to handle PR for the drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted August 1, 2003 Report Share Posted August 1, 2003 gasman my career is doing just fine.All im trying to do is keep racing alive in this state for the young guys ,and to keep the market alive for future sponsors when daddys money runs out or can.t afford to take there talented son or daughtre to the next level. as far as having fun i do that i own 2 late models and a modified. If im not at a race with one of these cars im at a track some where in the us with my customers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest modified man Posted August 3, 2003 Report Share Posted August 3, 2003 As far as I know, ROMCO is the ONLY late model class in the country that allows traction control. In respect to that, two things are going to become of it: (1) the "slower" less experienced drivers (who can afford traction control) will be able to drive nearly as good as the "faster" more experienced drivers ie: the experience gap will close and (2) the "faster" more experienced drivers will become dependent on traction control therefore losing some skill. This will in turn open the experience gap when ROMCO drivers go elsewhere to compete with non-traction control series. To make a long story short, in my opinion, ROMCO will lose any kind of national status that they have already obtained. This class will end up an entry level class if they are not careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierDaddy Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 I dont think any of the front runners are using TC and there dont seem to be any less experienced guys who are using it even staying on the same lap as lets say Eddie Wallace, Brandon Bendele, Doug Hooks or any of the other front runners who are not using it. I dont think any of the winners this year have used it, and I dont think any true racer would consider himself beating the competition if he had to use it to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Your right TQ, most all proffesional drivers have there own PR man, but when there is only so much team money to go around, having a PR guy is not high on the list. Until auto racing in general earns more respect in this area, it does not matter how many press releases you send in on an individual, he will not be taken serious. I think the music video at Thunder Hill is going to do alot to raise awareness. I heard it mentioned on the radio three times this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted August 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Bandit- Could the fact that having a PR guy is not high on the list have something to do with the lack of team money? My point was that all the successful pros have had someone doing PR for them since they were in quarter midgets or what have you. You also remade a point of mine: we need more drivers doing more to draw attention to themselves. You're absolutely right, one driver doing it isn't as effective as having a bunch of drivers doing it, as well as a bunch of tracks and a bunch of racing series. But look at who gets the press now. They are the ones doing something to attract press attention. We need as many drivers, tracks and series doing promotion as we can get, and we need many more than any one PR person could handle. Are there just one or two PR people working on football? Heck, no. As I keep trying to explain, if we want to be seen as a major sport, we have to act like one. NASCAR does. Saying money for PR is not high on the list is like saying you can't afford a good engine or a new set of tires. If you have ambitions to race any higher than an entry-level series or anywhere other than your local track, you must promote yourself, your team and, most of all, your sponsors. If you operate a track and want to succeed, not just struggle to survive, you must promote your track. If you operate a series and want to grow, you must promote your series. And don't confuse owning and operating a series with being a series promoter. To be a promoter, you must promote and publicize. Otherwise, you're just a series administrator or sanctioning body. Promotion is publicity, and making a big deal out of what you do. You will not get to NASCAR or any top series without it. No one ever has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 TQ, What makes you think all of these guy want to race on a higher level? I am sure with full time jobs and families some of them are happy right at where they are at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
44SS Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 tqi3, you make several valid points, but most of the racers barely have enough money to keep their cars running, much less spend the extra on a full time PR person. If you get a copy of the Aug 03 edition of SPEEDWAY MAG. and read the article about Berlin Speedway, I think we could get some ideas from them. The speedway hired a full time PR person and it said that he paid for himself quickley. But knowing how tight money is around here, maybe have everyone chip in for a promotional campaign for one track or the four that ROMCO runs at. By everyone i mean drivers, crews, track management, this could be done on just the local level or regional, or a combonation, but from what i understand you are in the PR business to some extent and would know how to pull this off. Really try to read the article, it was very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 TQ, moving to a higher level is whole different subject. YOU WILL NOT land a major sponsor to run one of the NASCAR big three without a personal connection to a major money source, no matter how good you are or how well you are known locally. Look at any of the major up and coming truck series drivers. As Butch Miller said when he went back to ASA, 'why would I want to run mid-pack with guys I know I can beat if we were equally funded, when I have the budget to run and win races in ASA on a more level playing field'. Competative drivers are more concerned with winning than with the prestige of running a high profile 'show' series like the NASCAR big three. In an ideal world all ROMCO drivers would have PR people and the series would have a major titile sponsor, but in these times that is not happening. Our best sponsor is ROMCO when we run up front. I have had two PR guys over the years, one here and one in Tennessee, both helped, but at the time the cost did not out weigh the benafits. When I raced karts over seas, the team had PR people that were very effective, but the reputation of the series was well established. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted August 6, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Jason, I'm not saying everyone wants to run at a higher level, and the ones who are just hobbyists and want to run their local track are fine with whatevet they want to do. It's the guys who obviously want to move up, aren't willing to do what it takes to get there, but still want to blame everyone else because they don't get any attention. The guys who are not going anywhere should still work with the track to get more folks in the stands. That's good for everyone. Bandit, you're making my points for me. Your team in karts was pro, and had good PR people. You say that's because the series was well known, but how did it get that way, and how long will it stay that way, if someone doesn't promote it? Butch Miller has a good point, but most racers will stay broke trying to race in a series that's above their finances rather than drop down one or two levels and work their way up to being able to attract money. Miller is smart for racing where he can win. He also has a PR guy, duh. Ideas from Berlin speedway are great, but we aren't doing anything at all down here, so anything would be an improvement, and neither the tracks nor the series are willing to spend any money even though, as noted, they get it back in a hurry. A track or series that attracted an additional 20 paying spectators per week would pay for the PR guy. Don't you think we could do that? Twenty people a week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Have you approached the tracks TQ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 I think the ARTS series may have a PR person now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 Bandit- I've approached the tracks, the series and the drivers. I talked to ARTS this week, and Jon didn't sound like he had anyone and weren't budgeted for it this year, but he did seem open to the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 You're missing the point. As Bandit said, it won't help much if only one driver promotes himself (though one track or one series could start to make a difference). It takes a lot of drivers, and tracks and series making noise for it to work. Sure, I'd like to work for what, maybe five or six drivers? That's about all one person could handle and do a good job for all of them. But we need 30 or 40 or more hitting the media. Right now, they see all this stuff about NASCAR, but they don't see anything from local or statewide folks, so they don't think we are here. Just how many football teams do you think are sending information to the media on a regular basis in the state of Texas? Start with all the high schools, from six-man in west Texas to 5A, then add all the colleges and the pros and semi-pros all the way to the Cowboys and Texans. Meanwhile, we can't even promote one series? I don't care who does it, just get it done. And I'm already on record as being willing to do a seminar and answer anybody's questions. The bottom line is the same as it has always been: everybody in racing wants better media coverage and bigger crowds, but they all want someone else to do it, and even more, for someone else to pay for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurricane Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 My smell has lingered here for a while but I am a faithful Zone viewer. Every post I read from TQ is him promoting himself. Is there a rule against this as it gets old. Thanks, Amelio P.S. I hope this is not considered bashing. Just trying to make a point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 Hurricane, Mr. Jones has made some excellent points. While it may appear to some that his posts are merely self-promotion, he has consistantly offered meaningful advice and has awakened a few of us to the reality that promotion is sorely needed in Texas stock car racing. If Mr. Jones were simply promoting himself and his business, we would indeed do some editing. Thanks for your understanding. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasman Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 Investing money in promoting racing at this level against the money behind the upper tier series is like Iraq trying to invade the USA. Sadaam was smart enough to stay home and have fun on his own turf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted August 7, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 I'm sorry, Gasman, but I'm not following your reasoning. In what way are we going against the upper-tier series? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandit Posted August 7, 2003 Report Share Posted August 7, 2003 TQ,Your are right.We all need to make some more noise and I don't think that is going against the upper tier as gasman says. When I started in ROMCO, they had a full time photographer and PR guy. The next season when he left I was very dissapointed to see that he was not replaced. I think that it was not only bad for the series but also bad for the series sponsor, ROMCO. On one of our wins this season, we recieved no press from Late Model Digest, because the series sent out no story. I will give TQ the fact that if I had a personal PR man,info would have been sent in, but I feel it is in vain if the series does not back it up. And as for series or track promotion go, if local racing wants to gain respect, why not start with the top series in this area? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoom Posted August 8, 2003 Report Share Posted August 8, 2003 OK. TQJ3 I will see your bet and raise you. How about the end of October for the seminar? I am willing to learn. And I darn sure need sponsors and promotion. Do we have any business owners out there that would be willing to have a seminar held in your establishment? Can everyone bring your own chair? 5 or 10 bucks at the door to cover expenses. come and learn TQJ3 has volunteered his time, yall can give some of yours for our own benefit can't you? How about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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