ChuckLicata Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 I asked Nick Holt this question early on Saturday morning and thought it might be a good topic for this forum...we'll see how it flies... In your opinion, what is the ONE improvement you'd like to see in Texas short track racing in the 2004 season? Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerjim2 Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 I would like the tracks to get more into the main stream as far as promotion this is what we need to help sell sponsorships.It is hard to sell a sponsor on putting there money into something the noone has ever heard of.The racetracks have to help themselfs by letting the masses know that we are there and give people the chance to go to the races. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodneyRodriguez Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 As we talked about yesterday Chuck, I think we all (SAS, CC, THR etc) need to work together and sell our product in 2004. NASCAR is a big deal but racing on a regonal level is non-existent to anyone other that us diehard racing people. 2004 is the year we need to really push hard to get new people and new monies involved in all areas and promote our sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 There will be more promotion by at least a few people and tracks in 2004. Among other things, I am putting together a racing guide to be distributed to the Texas media. For that, I need information on every driver (at least name, hometown, series or class, car #, sponsors, car make and how to reach you). I also need advertising support. As I've said in the past, most sports make it easy for the media to find them and report on them, while we normally make it difficult. A racing guide (media guide) is an important step in raising our overall profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ups88john Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 i think a media guide is a great idea, put some pictures in it, talk about the close racing, give them something to look at before they say no. big john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truck99 Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 TQ, Speaking of the racing guide. When is the deadline to get you a photo for inclusion in the guide? Thanks, cs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary Ann Naumann Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 I would and have for several years just hoped that the Track Owners, Promoters, General Managers would treat the drivers, their crews and families with the respect that they deserve! They are the stars, they are what the fans come to see. Without racers, there would be no fans and without fans no $$$$ for tracks to remain open. Word of mouth is a very large part of advertisement. We all know that you cannot please everyone all the time, but if your drivers are not treated with respect and appreciation, why would they want to talk highly of their local tracks? So they tend to not talk & just go race or they talk about how they feel or they just say nothing! Then people either hear negativity or nothing at all and the excitement of what we all love never gets shared. I know that tracks must make money to stay alive like all business, but sometimes, penny pinching in the wrong manner can be very insulting people, such as the Media Personal, Sponsors or other Track's Staff Members that may come to visit another track, but when they arrive, they are turned away due to not being on a guest list. then no one takes the time to check it out, feelings get hurt, they are insulted, embarrassed and then so goes the "bad word of mouth" or just simply nothing! Business makes business, so the more people that go, the more excitement there is and that leads to putting more fans in the stands and that makes sponsors happy! Fill those grandstands anyway you can, giveaways if necessary, get new faces in there, the show is there at each track, so show them what they have been missing, they will come back! I hope the new organization does do what they say it is intended to do, but call it what you want, local race tracks are competitors no matter how you look at it. That is like saying two racers racing for the points lead and one wants the other to build them a new engine just like theirs! Think that is going to happen?!? They are competitors. Anyway, that is my two cents worth and what I have wanted for several years for local racing. The Texas Super Racing Series only wishes the best to all the tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waddy Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 CHUCK, I THINK EVERYTHING IS HEADED IN THE RIGHT DERECTION FOR THE TRACKS AND DRIVERS THE TRACKS ARE ASKING THE DRIVERS FOR INPUT THE DRIVERS ARE MOSTLY POSITIVE ABOUT THIS YEAR AND ONCE THE FIRST RACE IS HERE WE,LL BE TO BUSY TO WORRY ABOUT IT, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO IS TRYING TO HELP RACING IN TEXAS WITH EVERYBODYS HELP WE WILL FIND THE SOLUTION THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR THE RACING COMMUNITY, IT,S GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR FOR ALL RACERS, WE ALL LOVE THIS STUFF THE WORST DAY I EVER HAD RACING WAS GREAT LELAND Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daffynmark Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 This isn't really a racing improvement but...I would like to see one schedule for all tracks. Since I don't patronize one particular track, it would be nice to see a schedule that included a listing by date of racing events and series and the track they are due to run on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stak Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Business makes business, so the more people that go, the more excitement there is and that leads to putting more fans in the stands and that makes sponsors happy! Fill those grandstands anyway you can, giveaways if necessary, get new faces in there, the show is there at each track, so show them what they have been missing, they will come back! So does this mean I get in free to the next TSRS race I go to?? I will ask for you to come down and pay my way in...that way, everybody wins...I get to see a race, you get another person in the grandstands to support your drivers, and the tracks wont have to absorb the cost of letting yet another person in for free... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mary Ann Naumann Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 So does this mean I get in free to the next TSRS race I go to?? I will ask for you to come down and pay my way in...that way, everybody wins...I get to see a race, you get another person in the grandstands to support your drivers, and the tracks wont have to absorb the cost of letting yet another person in for free... get new faces in there, the show is there at each track, so show them what they have been missing, they will come back! Stak, I would assume you are NOT a new face to racing, and I was NOT talking about only getting into see only The Texas Super Racing Series, I was talking about each track having NEW faces and seeing what the tracks have to offer. Sorry if I miss lead you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shrimp Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Somebody needs to remind the track owners of the old saying "YOU HAVE TO SPEND MONEY, TO MAKE MONEY" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 Track owners spend lots and lots of money just to keep their tracks open. While I no longer have access to any track's balance sheet (I did at one time and it was a real eye-opener), I doubt that Central / South Texas pavement track owners and promotors are making much, if any, money at this point. Your point is well made, however. It does indeed take money to make money and the general concensus around here is that significant amounts of money should be invested in advertising and track promotion. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted January 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 To follow/add to racerx and Nick's recent posts... The reason people like myself and TQ Jones run PR/promotion companies is to help bring some much-needed "pub" to our racing clients, and we hope the publicity generated also helps racing in the overall scheme of things..and like the drivers, we don't expect to make big $$$ doing what we do..LOL As racerx and Nick alluded to, it's a vicious cycle...you gotta spend money to make money but if you're not making money, where does the spending money come from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratdaddy Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WOULD BE MORE MEDIA ATTENTION TO OUR SPORT WITHOUT HAVING THE SPEND A TRUCKLOAD OF MONEY. IT SEEMS LIKE JUST ABOUT EVERY MEDIA OUTLET, NEWSPAPER, TV, RADIO, ALWAYS SAY OH YEA WE'LL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU AS LONG AS YOU PAY FOR THE HELP. AS NICK STATED LOOKING AT A BALANCE SHEET FOR A BUSINESS LIKE A RACETRACK CAN BE AN EYE OPENER. THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER THINK ABOUT AND THE THINGS YOU DO THINK ABOUT YOU SHOULD MULTIPLY THAT BY 2. THERE ARE SOME PUBLICATIONS OUT THERE LIKE RATT TRAX AND WITH THE TTOPA, PROMO COMPANIES, FANS, DRIVERS, THE FUTURE OF RACING WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. MAY NOT BE AS FAST AS ONE WOULD LIKE, BUT IT WILL GROW AS LONG AS EVERYONE INVOLVED STAYS DEDICATED TO THE SPORT AND DOES HIS OR HER LITTLE BIT TO KEEP RACING IN TEXAS, IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION. RATDADDY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 Ratdaddy- I don't know who you've been talking to in the media who wants you to spend money to get coverage. We had seven TV articles, one a three-minute piece just on Thunder Hill Raceway, on three different stations in just over two months, and we didn't pay anyone a dime. They do want you to make it easier for them to cover the sport, something short tracks have never done. Chase- We don't know exactly when we'll be printing (some of it depends on what other PR events we have scheduled and some on how fast both information and ad money come in. Right now it looks as if the deadline will be about February 16, but if you are trying to get a new photo of the car done, we'll try and work with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 First off im sorry that asphalt track owners are not making any money and I also know that they have an investment in the track. But it is a bussiness I don't know of any bussiness that doesn't advertise, doesn't have sales people on the road every day and wants everybody that makes them money to pay for the the right to come out there to make them money. This is not even a new bussines, they have been screwing this up for years.They can say it's NASCAR that's taken away the crowds and the racers but that is only several times a year.If you want to pack the stands you have to put on a good show every time the people show ,up, running 3 or 5 cars in a race doesn't make a good show. TOPPA is on the right track to standerdize the rules and to get exposer for the tracks as long as thats all there trying to do.You have to pay a decent purse to get cars its not the racers problem that the track owners can't make there bussiness work.If you think that im wrong look what BATESVILLE is doing, look at what Earl Baltes has done at ELdora or Look at what the city of Knoxvalle Iowa has done with there track.Yes racers need to promote there selfs but they should not carry all the burden of the track not making money.Im going to take a wait and see how THR is going to raise the 30 grand for the points fund.Will it be the back gate? THR and SAS are in a market place of over 14million people and they can't put less than 1% of 1% in the stands now my question is it the racers fault. Promoters need to be promoters not just track owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasman Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 supertx, What product does the race tracks have to sell now for their weekly series? 7 to 10 late models racing? They can advertise all they want and all they will get is pissed off people for wasting their money and time coming to watch a few cars race. It is our sport, our hobby, so we need to give the tracks something to sell. Put racecars on the track and put on a good show. The tracks are here, next there needs to be cars and good shows, then the fans will come, then sponsors will come, then racers will be compensated. Until then, it will remain the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishracer Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 I believe both gasman and supertx have valid points. What really blows me away is that when you talk to the promoters/track managers they say they can't find sponsorship for their venues/classes. Yet we are in a time of great popularity for stock car racing but yet they say no one is interested in sponsoring. What I want to know is if they don't look at evey sponsor that the cup/busch/truck series has lets say 150 sponsors see if out of these that the regional supplier of they sponsors has any advertising marketing dollars and persue them. Hell out of 150, I bet you could maybe find 5 in every market we are talking about. Also realize that these are the ones that have the bucks to sponsor, just think of the ones that have a regionalized product that can't afford sponsoring at that level but maybe something less expensive on a local or regional basis. Like every other entertainment business out there it takes a 7 day a week commitment with all the other competitive venues for the entertainment dollar. What I want to know is do the promoters/track operators here think that places like Irwindale Speedway just have someone pile sponsorship dollars into their facility. No they don't. They have aggressively persued them 7 days a week in a much more competitive market place than any where in Texas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwill Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 My main responsibility as the Marketing & Media Specialist at San Antonio Speedway will be to "aggressively persue" sponsorship dollars and get fans in the stands. I can't commit that it will be "7 days a week," but I will be dedicating as much time as possible to market SAS. But as gasman stated, to make it truly successful, we have to present a decent show for the sponsors and fans. The track is doing everything it can to make SAS a good place to race. TTOPA is also a step in the right direction. And the drivers will also need to do their part. My efforts will focus on partnering with businesses in the SA area. And I don't just plan to ask for their money. I also plan to offer them some deals to bring fans into the stands, e.g., advertising packages with discounted tickets, etc. In addition, I'll be offering car shows. That's where I'll need the support of the drivers. So, yes, we are taking steps to make it work, but it takes everyone working together to make it all come together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nascar_36_latemodel Posted January 21, 2004 Report Share Posted January 21, 2004 Guys and Gals, We need to quit talking about what we need to do and just do it. As we all know that we cannot make any money in this sport that we have chosen for a hobby. I do it for the love of racing. We have to ban together to help our local racetracks to get the Fans in the stands. The more fans we have coming in the more cars we will have in each of our race classes, which in turn we could get bigger payouts. The way I see it there are I few thing we as drivers, owners, pit crews and families has to help to make this happen. I don’t know about some of you, but wherever I go with my car and have to make a stop there are always a child, teenager, dad someone wants to look, talk or set in the car. At this point you become a salesman. Start Selling. You have to sell yourself, your car, your track and your sponsors. (Which I don’t have one) Invite them to come out and help you in the pits or to come see the races that night. Give directions. Kids are the way. Kids love fast cars. Kids love racing. Get to the kids and you got the family. Word of mouth is the best way to get fans to the track. I think we need to quit gripping about the tracks not spending money and lets do our part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntex Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 Foorsweeper summed up my thoughts very well. I will just leave you with some additional facts. Fact: We are in a "Hobby Sport" ,and it is not free. Fact: Texas only has 5 asphalt shrot tracks left. Fact: Several have already bit the dust (ie. Midland and abilene). Fact: There may only be one left in all of the four bordering states to Texas. Fact: There are no new ones being built. Fact: The ones that are left all struggle to make enough for improvements. Fact: There are no wealthy businessmen or women standing in line to invest in these tracks. Fact: Around the US, more are closing or converting to dirt than are being built. Fact: If we all do not do our part in supporting our local tracks and stop working purely for our own interests, we will all suffer. I for one have always sold the sport everywhere I go. I hope all of you who read this will too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntex Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 OOps: Sorry abut the "Floor Sweeper" misque. Cudos to NASCAR 36 LATEMODEL for the very constructive input. Ntex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 Fishracer- Unfortunately, we are not in a time of great popularity for stock car racing. We are in a time of great popularity for NASCAR racing, and that has both good and bad effects. On the good side, it attracts people to the sport. On the bad side, many new fans expect to see cars at the local tracks turned out like NASCAR stock cars, with shiny paint jobs and clean bodywork. As far as going to any potential sponsors or advertisers in the local area (even if their parent company is involved in NASCAR), it's a hard sell if they've never heard of you, and even harder if they've never heard of the track where you are racing. How many people on this forum have said, when they mentioned where they raced, people said they'd never heard of the track? (When the sales staff at KVET 1300 was told the station was going to start airing a racing show, one person in the room said, "Why are we doing a racing show? There's not even a track here. The closest track is in Killeen.") NASCAR is very visible. They work hard to get that way, and they don't just do it by spending money. Look at it this way: every track and every racer in the "minor leagues" is no worse off now than the NASCAR drivers and Big Bill France were when he started NASCAR. And he didn't have a model like NASCAR to use for a pattern to success. If you have a sponsor, don't just put his name on the side of your car and take his money. Do something for him, something that attracts attention to him and his association with you away from the track, and just might even make you a little better known. In other words, if you do have a sponsor, or get one, don't use every cotton-pickin' dime to go racin'. That's like eating the seed corn. Spend at least some of it on promoting both you and the sponsor. And, no, it's not his job to figure out how to make his investment in racing pay off, though it's nice if he comes up with a few ideas. It's your job to think of ways to tell the world about your great sponsor. The result of that will be that both of you will be better known, and he (or another sponsor) just might be willing to invest a little more in your team next year. Remember, though they occasionally make a mistake, NASCAR has a pretty good track record in building this game up to the level it is. For them. The rest of us need to pay attention to how they did it, and one reason is that surveys of every business promoting through sports says that NASCAR does the best job of making the sponsors' investment pay off. And that's what we have to do to be successful. I'll say what I've told every driver I've ever worked with: Your JOB is promoting your sponsor and yourself, whatever that takes. In return, you GET to drive the race car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerjim2 Posted January 22, 2004 Report Share Posted January 22, 2004 TQJ3, Your right I run at the the only NASCAR track less than a mile and a half here in Texas.I still have a problem with people knowing about the track and wanting to go to the races.The last year I raced a full 22 race season I also did 21 car shows\personal appearances along with handing out brochures and discount cupons to the people that attended.In addition to that I had an honary crew member drawing for one of my sponsors patrons to come to the races and see what goes on behind the seens.I did an additional 6 on sight displays for that sponsor and I finished 6th in the overall points standing in the Late model class at SAS.this was good enough to gain the FASCAR driver of the year award but not good enough to resign my sponsor for the next year.Oh by the way this program grossed $2500.00 for my race team that included car show and competition up dates monthly.The big downfall was no exposure (no TV ,no Newspaper ,and the only Radio I did was in Austin tx with Chuck and Bruce).Being in the Promotion Business what else would you suggest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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