tricknology Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Sooo... What is our most un -tapped segment for potential WEEKLY fans??? SINGLE MOM families. Single mom families are NOT event goers... they can not afford it. Single mom families do not travel...They can not afford it. Single mom families do not have Boats, Travel trailers,week end cabins. Single mom families are stuck at home most week ends. Single mom families have cars that can only do short trips. Single mom families have very few options for CLEAN, low cost Saturday night entertainment. too many Movies are too dirty for kids. Single moms are always looking for ROLE models for their boys. Single moms want a Sat. night OUT in public, not stuck at home with the VCR. Single moms want to part of a group that is having FUN. Single moms once in a while need to be Queen for the day. Single moms want to go out on SAT. nite with their kids, where they do not need to watch and control them constantly. They want a break from being mom. ( Can you say PLAY SCAPE @ the race track? and other activities for the kids that give mom a break?) Now lets compare US to any other form of entertainment available for single mom families that is better suited for them than the weekly Oval track show..... A Saturday night at the show is very expensive, and only lasts 90 min. Movies are too dirty. Foot ball, base ball, basket ball are too expensive. and have poor role models. Most parks and beaches close at dark. Going out to Dinner on Sat. night is too expensive. going out to singles dances gets old, and does not include the kids. going to the local church carnival is too expensive. We are the cheapest form of entertainment available...We cost less than going to the movies on SAT. night. A single mom can afford a weekly Sat night show at Flat Rock. We have great role models. We have a great Family Crowd. We offer Excitement. We offer a CLEAN Wholesome show. Nothing Dirty. We offer free parking. We are 30 to 60 min. driving time away. We offer a SAFE place for the KIDS to run around. The kids do not have SIT for HOURS. ( well SOME tracks do). We offer a MALE environment that is friendly to women. We are the entertainment, you just sit back and we do all the work, take a break from your weekly grind. In my humble opinion... Tracks should have supervised playscapes, if possible they should be in sight of some of the stands.. at Flat Rock that would be in turn 3. Tracks should have several, permanent Boy Scout type Pine-wood derby tracks, so the boys could race their Derby and HOT Wheel cars every Saturday night. This would be located near the Play scape or Next to the stands. An autograph table should be set up near the Play scape every week, and schedule 2 -3 different drivers every week to man them for short periods that are announced over the PA. The LM Feature winner should be REQUIRED to do an autograph session as soon as his race is over. He does not get his pay out until he does this. With all the top rate fabricators we have in racing..... EVERY TRACK COULD HAVE THE BEST PLAY-SCAPE IN THE COUNTY!!! the play scape alone would be an attraction. The race team would gladly Volunteer to build the best damn play scape ever. Why ? because their kids would use it the most! Most teams would give MONEY and Materials to build a play scape. more at,,, http://www.mstrc.com/index.php?showtopic=1419&hl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Dont forget the biggest draw for single moms is a place to meet single men.This also is a draw for men.It used to be an important part of the racing scene.Should be again.The playground is a successful venue,it has worked in McAllen for years.There is more to life than going around in circles. I really miss the trophie girls in bikinies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I know I'll probably get jumped on for this comment, but to me the worst thing for a race track to do is to not race every week during racing season. As a fan, I would expect to be able to go to the races at my local/nearest track every week. I'm not saying the same classes, but races with racers that can be related to. Alternating classes is fine, and probably a must, and should work. As for the four asphalt tracks, each could pick a class for the Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day Events. The needed casual fans that want to see racing, only to find the track closed that weekend, is not likely to come back anytime soon. Okay, jump now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 I know I'll probably get jumped on for this comment, but to me the worst thing for a race track to do is to not race every week during racing season. As a fan, I would expect to be able to go to the races at my local/nearest track every week. I'm not saying the same classes, but races with racers that can be related to. Alternating classes is fine, and probably a must, and should work. As for the four asphalt tracks, each could pick a class for the Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day Events. The needed casual fans that want to see racing, only to find the track closed that weekend, is not likely to come back anytime soon. Okay, jump now. how high.lol ..... frank at cc use to have alittle play ground with someone baby sitting .and that worked out purty darn good ..the kids would play .and then go see some racen and get bored and go back to playing ...he had a small game room . that helped ..he knew how to keep fans comeing and drivers even if they were mad at him ..granted in the 70.s 80 .s and early 90.s you could get more out to the races .didnt have all the other things they could do .but i noticed when the tracks started chargeing more to get in .poeple stayed home ..that was one problem .the track has to make money ...in fact that still has something to do with it now ..another thing noone looks at is .the family going out together is darn near a thing of the past ..that does not help either ..we or some of us are not working very hard at going after young kids . we dont take our cars out enough ..off season ..i know im one of those poeple .. bad on me ..we .us the teams have gotten to where we leave it up to the track to get the fans out ..i used to work reall hard at getting poeple out ..and now i got lazy ..but i dont and have never thought it was the tracks duty only to get fans out ..... is it the coaches duty to get fans to come out and watch your kids play sports ..nope . even nascar counts on thier drivers to promote nascar ..without the drivers being involved with the fans . thier would not be a large number of fans as it is ..dale kinda started that way back with marketing himself ..there are some drivers here local that have a large fan base ..they are not comeing out for the heck of doing so ..not just becuz there is a track ..ask poeple that dont go to races .who like racen .why they dont go for the most part ..they dont know any drivers ...if havent made any sense thats ok .. i never do anyway ... but it takes all of us drivers teams track promotors .as a whole to get fans in the stands ..and clean restrooms ..men dont really care ..but women they wont come back if they are not .. clean ...... gb i .liked the girls to .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cperry115 Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 if you gave that keyboard a rest ...............well nevermind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETrott Posted January 30, 2008 Report Share Posted January 30, 2008 Fan comfort is a must. No need to be plush, but comfortable. Houston Motorsports Park speedway seating is great. Bleachers are okay if done right. I recall a dirt track near Houston that had the most uncomfortable bleachers I had ever sat in. No leg room, and almost impossible to not have constant physical contact with the person in front and/or behind. A friend of mine who was an official at that track told me that the bleachers were just like "Lanny's". When I questioned why last lap scoring was done in turn four instead of the finish line, I was told, "that's how Lanny does it"! Oh well. Like I said, comfort and pleasant surroundings are a must. Fans relating to the competitors is also a must. Affordable ticket pricing. Time trials at 7pm (if needed), racing at 8pm, show over by 10:30/11pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 This brings me back to an idea I have been preaching for a long time.The relationship between fans and drivers is a great thing IF you know the drivers.You cant see them,you CAN see the cars.Nascar spends millions as well as the sponsors do to let you know the drivers.Fact is when you see a Cup car,you are really seeing a character,the driver himself is the personality.The local racers dont have that luxery. What we Can do is make the cars memorable.Each car should develop a character weather its a known character or a newly invented one.This works for monster trucks,dwarf cars and the like.This saved wresteling,they quit trying to make the players fighters and made them CHARACTERS.Hardly anyone knows Mark Colman but everyone knows THE UNDERTAKER.Not everyone knows the Andersons but everyone knows GRAVEDIGGER.Having characters allows the announcer to have stories to go with them.Then you are creating a SHOW to sell tickets.Racing needs a makeover if you want good attendence.The characters of the cars will determan which croud you are appealing to.The most recognisable car in the US today is the GENERAL LEE from Dukes of Hazzard.Characters SELL.How well depends on the promoter.Our vanity,which every racer is guilty of having,does not sell.And characters gives EVERY car equal importance.This along with the other things CAN make the sport popular again.. Maybe if Michael is willing the Thunder cars at CC Speedway can adopt this and see hopw it goes.Doesnt cost anything.Might be fun,most of us are characters already. Imagine a field of cars with good guys,bad guys,pretty boys and frightenly ugly guys,underdogs and heros,polite and rude guys not to forget a few women who are not intimitaded to trade paint with any of these guys.Add stories and let the announcer ham it up.2 announcers are better,they carry on conversations during yellows and delays. Survival depends on our bein able to sell a show,racing is the venue to do it.Just need some imagination.I wonder who would be good to play MADER? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 I sometimes wonder if a little "Made UP" melodrama wouldn't help. You know ......... villians, damsels, good guys, and bad guys, all played up by the PA announcer. They call it showmanship! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 some of the most exciting races were grudge match ..even when it isnt ..two cars ..going at it ..if fans think they dont like each other thats a good thing sometimes ..if i drove again maybe ill come out as the guy who everyone hates ..lol .. i mean i alreadiy have a head start on speedzone .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Yeah O/T, I bet you could be a good villian .............. a real "Oil Can Harry" or "Snidley Whiplash" type, with a long handlebar moustache and a black cape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 oldtimer,if you come to thr as "oil can harry ",you'd have to be careful,people may think you were from the club downtown-lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrungot Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Ok... I am going to try and make a complicated answer simple.. And for anyone that knows my brain and how it works.. thats a 3 hour project.. The one of the key's to getting a economy out of a "recession" (Big deal right now in current day) Is to get the consumer to spend $. Commonly Uncle Sam does this by lowering interest rates. For this example Pretend Uncle Sam is the Race track. & interest Rates are the Gate Price: In the below example, the track doubles attendence by slashing the gate price for 1 night only to $5. To break even with the deal each "New" person would have to Spend about $10 at concessions... ($6 Gate, $4 Cost of concession items) Thats a lot of beer!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Tracks should have supervised playscapes, if possible they should be in sight of some of the stands.. at Flat Rock that would be in turn 3 i remember as a kid sas used to have the pee-wee pits area for the kids to play. that wa a lot of fun, but it was before the sue happy times we live in today. the track would probably get shut down in an instant if a kid got hurt on the dang thing. and that is sad, but this is the society we live in today. everyone is trying to get rich off the quickest thing, and apparently personal injury lawsuits are the "in thing". I sometimes wonder if a little "Made UP" melodrama wouldn't help. You know ......... villians, damsels, good guys, and bad guys, all played up by the PA announcer. They call it showmanship! vince mcman (sp?) has made billions off of this very idea, so it apparently works. it is a great idea. gives the fans a chance to be part of the show in a way. they root for their heros, but the down side is they will boo their "heels". would probably add to the entertainment for sure. i think this idea would work great in the grand stock class. that way the "heel" can "rub" on the "hero" a little bit to get the crowd excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumper Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Im glad people are understanding how the character ides can help the show.It does not change the outcome of the race itself.Its good to hear people cheer AND boo,Jeff Gorden said it best"I would rather hear them boo than hear nothing at all.If you go to tracks on vacation where you dont know anybody you can feel what the new fan feels.With characters you can find someone to cheer AND boo.Fan involvement is absoulty necessary to get a good fan base. If Venve McMahann was running the racing show,the track would have to build more seats. As far as lawsutes,you cant live in fear or might as well stay home.Incorporate and insure and use common sence.You can get sued at a traffic lite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 If you could get a male driver to say in an ON TRACK interview before a feature that "THESE WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN AND THE BEDROOM. NOT IN A RACECAR. IF SHE GETS IN MY WAY, I'M STICKIN' HER IN THE FENCE!" Can you imagine? They'd be lined up at the gate for a hundred yards the next week, paying good money just to get in an BOO him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 maybe if you ran something on tv and in the papers for a week prior to the event,you may get a few to come see what the deal was all about,but on track you'd have the same peeps as usual because they'd be the only ones to know about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Tommy, I think word would spread on something like that. But, you are correct. Stuff like that and racing in general needs to be promoted better than it is now. I know its incredibly expensive though. Since we're on the subject, I'm reminded of the midget racers way back in the '30s and '40s. They were keenly aware that they were not only racecar drivers but also entertainers. Some of them really knew how to hype a crowd. Somewhere along the line racers seem to have lost sight of that. I'm reminded of one who was famous for throwing roses and blowing kisses to the ladies in the crowd. The women cheered him. The men boo'd him, but think about it. I'm still writing about it 65 years later. There were also big rivalrys. "Back in the Day" there was a huge rivalry which is legendary between the Burtons and the Tolitas at Playland. Maybe "Gingerbreadman" could come on here and tell us what he knows about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REBELRACER Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 even when mike yale was in tsrs. when he would don the elton john glasses or what not, it was entertaining. and now jody wayne is entertaining also. we need more characters involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 ok, I'll come out wearing a wrestling mask!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Check out this simple, hand drawn (but effective) flyer for San Antonio drag racing from 1966. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiTech Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 If you could get a male driver to say in an ON TRACK interview before a feature that "THESE WOMEN BELONG IN THE KITCHEN AND THE BEDROOM. NOT IN A RACECAR. IF SHE GETS IN MY WAY, I'M STICKIN' HER IN THE FENCE!" Can you imagine? They'd be lined up at the gate for a hundred yards the next week, paying good money just to get in an BOO him. hey get me a race car to race full time . im game ..though i may get to race one lap .that long white car maybe my last ride .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbinsSr Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 Dont forget the biggest draw for single moms is a place to meet single men.This also is a draw for men.It used to be an important part of the racing scene.Should be again.The playground is a successful venue,it has worked in McAllen for years.There is more to life than going around in circles. I really miss the trophie girls in bikinies. I would like to see more single moms at the track Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProTree Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 soccermoms,married or single :rolleyes:I thought about having a bracket race for soccer moms.Suv's and Mini Vans,Pedal to the Medal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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