rebelracewriter Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 Quick someone call Ripleys! For Immediate Release Contact: Travis Reynolds 419-660-4225 San Antonio Express-News Named Co-Presenting Partner of the IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals NORWALK, Ohio (March 2, 2004) – IHRA Vice President of Marketing Aaron Polburn announced the San Antonio Express-News will be a co-presenting sponsor of the Texas Nationals at San Antonio Raceway March 26 – 28. Officially known as the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and RVs and the San Antonio Express-News, this new partnership will enhance the overall presence of the event in the Texas market. "We are pleased to partner with the San Antonio Express-News," said Polburn. "Their participation gives our event the visibility and credibility we need to make the Amalie Oil Texas Nationals one of the yearly highlights on the San Antonio sports and entertainment calendar. "The San Antonio Express-News is thrilled to be a presenting sponsor of the Amalie Oil Nationals," said Elena Ticer, Marketing Manager for the San Antonio Express-News. "A racing event of this caliber provides San Antonio and South Texas with the prime opportunity to see some of the most talented competitors performing to their best ability in our own backyard." "With the help of the San Antonio Express-News and Ancira Cars, Trucks and RV's, families can come to the Championship finals for a fair price and get their kids in free with free parking and pit pass," added Polburn. "We know you work hard for your entetainment dollar and IHRA, San Antonio Raceway and Ancira want to help you see world class drag racing without breaking the budget." The San Antonio Express-News and Ancira offer a coupon good for $10 off Sunday’s (March 28) Adult General Admission ticket and one free kid’s ticket. The coupon, which includes free parking and pit pass, will appear in upcoming issues of the newspaper. The San Antonio Express-News has the third largest circulation in Texas. For more information check out their Web site at www.mysanantonio.com. AMALIE OIL TEXAS NATIONALS presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and RVs and the San Antonio Express-News FACT SHEET WHAT: 3rd Annual Amalie Oil Texas Nationals presented by Ancira Cars, Trucks and RVs and the San Antonio Express-News, race one of the 12-event Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series WHERE: San Antonio Raceway, 3641 South Santa Clara Road, Marion, TX 78124. Track is located east of San Antonio off I-10, Exit 597, west of Seguin, TX WHEN: Friday, March 26 – Sunday, March 28, 2004 WHO: The stars of the Hooters IHRA Drag Racing Series, including three-time (2001, 2002, 2003) World Champion Clay Millican, Bruce Litton, Bobby Lagana Jr, Doug Foley, and from Galveston, Texas, Mitch King, in 320 mile per hour Top Fuel dragsters. World Champion Mitch Stott and brother Quain, Thomas Patterson of Houston, TX, and former world champions Shannon Jenkins and Scotty Cannon in nitrous vs. supercharged Pro Modified World Champion Rob Atchison, 5-time World Champion Mark Thomas and Amalie Oil-sponsored Terry McMillen, in Funny Car "The World’s Fastest and Quickest Pro Stock Cars", featuring IHRA’s version of NASCAR, the 210 mile per hour factory hot rods of John Montecalvo (Chevrolet Cavalier), Carl Baker (Cougar), World Champion Brian Gahm (Ford Mustang) and Rick Jones (Dodge Stratus) Champions will also be crowned in eight Mr. Gasket sportsman classes: Erson Cams Top Sportsman, Mallory Top Dragster, ACCEL DFI Super Stock, Hays Stock, ACCEL Quick Rod, Lakewood Super Rod, Hurst Hot Rod and Top Stock "NIGHT OF FIRE": Saturday’s "Night of Fire" features the final round of pro qualifying under the lights, Ken Nelson’s wheel-standing "Cool Bus", Jon Oswell’s wheel-standing "Ladder Truck 33" fire truck, the legendary 200 mile per hour Jet Kenworth of Bob Motz, plus a giant fireworks display. SCHEDULE: Friday, March 26: Gates open 8 a.m., Sportsman qualifying 9 a.m. Pro qualifying at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 27: Gates open 8 a.m., Sportsman qualifying 9 a.m. Pro qualifying at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. ("Night of Fire") Sunday, March 28: Gates open 8 a.m. Championship eliminations: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. Finals: 5 p.m. TICKETS: "AFFORDABLE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT" Friday, March 26: Adult General Admission: $25, Children 6-12, only $5 Saturday, March 27: Adult General Admission: $35, Children 6-12 only $5 Sunday, March 28: Adult General Admission: $35, Children 6-12 only $5 Reserve Seats (limited amount): $5 extra each day Save! Weekend Pass (Friday – Sunday): Adult General Admission: $70. Adult Super Pass: $75, Junior Super Pass: $20. (Super Pass includes reserved seat Saturday and Sunday): ALL TICKETS INCLUDE FREE PARKING AND PIT PASS AS IHRA "OPENS ITS LOCKER ROOM TO THE PUBLIC" FREE PIT PASS: Every ticket includes access to the pit area. Go "backstage" and watch drivers tune their vehicles for the next round, get autographs, photos, and team merchandise. BUY TICKETS: Call San Antonio Raceway at (210) 698-2310 or check out the race preview at www.ihra.com or www.sanantonioraceway.com. TELEVISION: SPEED Channel – Top Fuel and Pro Modified, Saturday, April 17 at 4 p.m.; Funny Car and Sunoco Pro Stock, Saturday, April 17 at 5 p.m. (Repeats: Monday, April 19, 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.) 2003 EVENT WINNERS: Top Fuel – Clay Millican Pro Modified – Mitch Stott Funny Car – Tony Bogolo Sunoco Pro Stock – Rick Jones 2003 NO. 1 QUALIFIERS: Top Fuel – Clay Millican Pro Modified – Mike Janis Funny Car – Mark Thomas Sunoco Pro Stock – Charlie Peppers TRACK RECORDS: Top Fuel: Clay Millican - 4.591, 319.98 Pro Modified: Mike Janis - 6.119, Paul Athey - 228.89 Funny Car: Mark Thomas - 5.821, 242.76 Sunoco Pro Stock: Charlie Peppers - 6.590, 212.09 TRACK ELEVATION: 600’ above sea level ### Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jracer98 Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 At the end of the day, the drag track did a better job of self promotion. The argument that media is not responsive (at least in SA) is now mute. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 IHRA Amalie Oil Texas Nationals Professional racing series. The media cares about professional sports. They cover professional sports. They become presenters of professional sports. They don't do the same for amature sports, unless there are thousands of people involved in a single event. Huge difference. The SA EN isn't a presenting sponsor of IHRA weekly (amature) drag racing at SAR. They are presenting sponsors at the IHRA NATIONAL (professional) event. They will continue to treat the weekly races at SAR like they always have. Why is this so hard to understand? I can understand the frustration, but the facts are the facts. In the media's eyes, there is absolutely no comparison between the NATIONAL Professional event and weekly amature racing. They aren't on the same planet column inches wise. Sad, but true. If SAR can generate interest in weekly drag racing by the SA EN after this event then it is a huge kudos! And I hope they try like heck to make it happen. I will be rooting for it to happen. I would help in anyway I could to make it happen. But I wouldn't hold my breath either. Bill "Sarge" Masom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jracer98 Posted March 3, 2004 Report Share Posted March 3, 2004 That's an interesting point...amateur vs. professional. Picking a sport like baseball, the line between amatuer and professional is crossed after high school/college when a prospect plays in the minors...even in the Instructional Leagues. They make a little check in "A" ball and most have to work part time to make more money. Switching gears, remember the story of Kurt Warner working at the HyVee(food store) in Des Moines to make enough money to continue to be the QB for the Iowa Barnstormers(arena league football). Was he an amatuer or a professional? Maybe our goal should be to get the media to see local racing more like "A" ball and less like a game of horseshoes at a family picnic. I'm not "firing" at anyone...this is just a idea that came to mind when I read your thought. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerjim2 Posted March 4, 2004 Report Share Posted March 4, 2004 Hey Sarge, I am sure you know quite a bit about promotion and in San Antonio you know what makes a profesional sport ( you have stated your area of expertese sp. before) and in your many hours of undieing reasearch I'm sure you know who the owners of IHRA is?Well for those who dont the ownersof IHRA is San Antonio Based Clear Channel Communications that is a world wide Multimedia and promotion company.I cant think that maybe that might have something to do with it. Whats the story about I scratch your back and you'llscratch mine? P.S. clear channel and IHRA also have a vested intrest in the San Antonio Raceway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Sarge You know sarge i keep hearing you say the media doesn't care about amateur sports and thats the reason that we get very little media. Well hell i turned tv here last saturday and they had an hour program on local high school womens basketball.That's about as amateur as you get. Now do really believe that women high school basketball is more popular.Bottom line is as long as people thats involved in the sport keep treating it amateur we are never going to get media. The next thing is if you go to the race in Seguin you will find that 80% of the racers are amateur thats what makes up drag racing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerjim2 Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 AMEN,supertex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 supertx, Well hell i turned tv here last saturday and they had an hour program on local high school womens basketball.That's about as amateur as you get. Now do really believe that women high school basketball is more popular. Ever hear of Title XIX? The reason you are hearing about women's amature sports is because of the Title XIX law not because all of a sudden the sports departments around the state are in love with covering women's amature athletics. Local stock car racing will get more coverage when fans start packing the grandstands week after week. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Nick- It's "Title IX," and nothing in it requires the news media to cover women's athletics. They get coverage the same way everyone else does: they work their butts off. TQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Local stock car racing will get more coverage when fans start packing the grandstands week after week. Nick Holt And, when local race fans start e-mailing sports departments - on a consistent, once-a-month (at least) basis - to say they'd like to see more auto racing coverage in their local papers and TV sports reports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supertx Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Nick I would like to read about the title XiX orIX as TQ says where can i find this at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 TQ, Sorry about misnaming the law. You are correct. It is Title IX, not Title XIX. I guess I had better brush up on my Roman Numerals... And you are technically correct in that the law does not actually require the press to cover women's athletics. However, there has been a great deal of pressure from women's groups and from within school athletic departments to force the media to provide equal coverage. You see evidence of this in the San Antonio Express every day. There may be lawsuits that have forced media outlets to cover women's amateur sports, but I am not a legal beagle and don't keep up on such matters. One of the specific requirements of Title IX is that both genders have equal availability and quality of sports information personnel, equal access to publicity resources and equal quantity and quality of publications and other promotional devices. Before Title IX, secondary and college sports information officers could, and would, concentrate on the men's athletic programs. That is no longer allowed, so the sports information officers who want to keep their jobs are putting a great deal of pressure on the media to cover amateur women's athletics. supertx, This is my understanding of what Title IX is all about: For more detailed information see http://www.ed.gov/pubs/TitleIX/index.html Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 is legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it be in academics or athletics. Title IX states: "No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid." Title IX governs the overall equity of treatment and opportunity in athletics while giving schools the flexibility to choose sports based on student body interest, geographic influence, a given school's budget restraints, and gender ratio. In other words, it is not a matter of women being able to participate in wrestling or that exactly the same amount of money is spent per women's and men's basketball player. Instead, the focus is on the necessity for women to have equal opportunities as men on the whole, not on an individual basis. In regard to secondary and intercollegiate athletics, there are three primary areas that determine if an institution is in compliance: First, financial assistance must be awarded based on the number of male and female athletes. The test is financial proportionality. The total amounts of athletics aid must be substantially proportionate to the ratio of male and female athletes. Second, the selection of sports and the level of competition must effectively accommodate the students' interests and abilities. There are 3 factors that are looked at consecutively. 1) Whether the intercollegiate level participation opportunities for male and female students are provided in numbers substantially proportionate to their respective enrollments. 2) Where the members of one sex have been and are underrepresented among intercollegiate athletes, whether the institution can show a history and continuing practice of program expansion which is demonstrably responsive to the developing interests and abilities of that sex. 3) Where the members of one sex are underrepresented among intercollegiate athletes and the institution cannot show a continuing practice of program expansion, whether it can be demonstrated that the interests and abilities of the members of that sex have been fully and effectively accommodated by the present program. Third, all other benefits, opportunities, and treatments afforded sports participants are to be equivalent, but not necessarily identical. Title IX specifically looks at the following program components: Equipment & Supplies: quality, suitability, quantity, availability, maintenance, & replacement. Scheduling of Games & Practice Time: number of competitive events per sport, number and length of practice opportunities, time of day competitive events and practice opportunities are scheduled, opportunities to engage in available pre-season and post-season competition, the season a sport is scheduled, & the length of season. There are also several specific areas where Title IX requires programs to be free of gender bias: 1) Modes of transportation, housing furnished during travel, length of stay before and after competitive events, per diem allowances, & dining arrangements. 2) Availability of tutoring, tutor qualifications and experience, rates of pay, & employment conditions. 3) Availability, assignment, & compensation of full-time coaches, assistants, graduate assistants, or restricted earnings coaches. 4) Quality, availability, exclusivity of use, maintenance and preparation of facilities. 5) Weight and conditioning facilities; training facilities; & health, accident, and injury insurance coverage. 6) Housing and dining benefits available during the regular year, the provision of pre-game and post-game meals, & housing and dining services provided when classes are not in session. 7) Availability and quality of sports information personnel, access to publicity resources, & quantity and quality of publications and other promotional devices. 8) Administrative support, clerical and secretarial support, office space, equipment and supplies, & availability of other support staff. 9) Opportunities for coaches or other personnel to recruit, whether financial and other resources are equivalently adequate, & treatment of prospective student-athletes. 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tqj3 Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 "7) Availability and quality of sports information personnel, access to publicity resources, & quantity and quality of publications and other promotional devices." Excellent description of the requirements of Title IX, Nick. The above quote should make it obvious to anyone just how crucial publicity and promotion are to the success of a sport or sports team, as it is specifically part of the requirement to provide equality of opportunity (not equality of outcome). Why, then, is it so hard for people in auto racing (outside of NASCAR) to understand that publicity and promotion are not optional; they are crucial to the success of the driver, team, track or series? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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