local heros vs. the ride buyers

[andre]

Not to just race as we do today, but to invent something the younger set will want to participate in.


From what I can gather from those Drift shows I attended, maybe a bunch of shorts races would be more attractive to the young than those ''never ending'' 100+ lappers we are use to.

One thing I have notice too, is that the younger like it when there are juges involved. And a part where ''They'' (the fans), are involved in the judging of the drivers performances. In drift shows, they are. EX how it could apply to stock car: Boneman starts 2nd , pass one car during the race and win. Meanwhile Frasson X start from the rear(17th), drives up to 4th, drives high groove, low groove, 3 wide, & so on. Boneman won the race, no contest to that, but lets ask the fans who gave the best show, who won the entertainment award of the night!?!?!??!!?

If you really have to have one of those driver intro, get a decibel meter, get the Fans involved, turn it into a contest.

[Winger]

Not a bad idea Andre', but some drivers will always get lot's of applause, even if they do nothing. Look at Dale Jr. on the major league level.
In NY, Brett Hearn use to get the boos, while Bob McCreadie was a fan favorite for years. Both were winners but McCreadie was liked by the "working man" contingent. But your idea has merit and I know the drifting has been tried in the past down here and I think I just saw it advertised for somewhere today. We just have to convince the fans of the drifting competitions, that racing on dirt has been doing it for years. LOL Seriously, I'll add they could adapt the competition to dirt with the cars they use in drifting competitions now. They might not like cleaning them after though.
I use to go to quite a few of the 100 lap events, and even the 200 lappers, when I lived in NY. I'm trying to think of the last one I saw down here. I know there are still some on asphalt, but I can't think of the last one on dirt. Maybe the NeSmith show at East Bay last fall was. I don't remember. Anyway, it does appear they have gone to shorter races on the dirt down here.

[Warren46]

-bump-

[Racing 1617]

How about these tracks and race sites start promoting some of these drivers you guys are talking about. I keep hearing about promotion for races and tracks but, put these “Local Hero’s” out there. Promote your tracks loyal cast of characters for this Saturday night soap opera.

You want a kid who has worked his way up and who flat has talent behind the wheel. Can take the race car apart and put it back together. Racing since age eight. Two karting championships, A dirt sportsman championship, just won his first asphalt race in his fourth start (sportsman), and has done it with the smallest budget imaginable. He is already is coaching drivers on dirt at 17 years old. And most of you have never heard of him unless you have read some of my posts, Blaise Hetznecker.

In the old days it would have been guys like Blaise getting rides from the veteran teams to win the money. Now they just run laps getting the parents paycheck But, whoever said it is right, it’s now what they have to do to survive. No fault in it.

[Frasson118]

Most of it comes down to the track announcer. When I was a kid, they told us about the drivers background, occupation (good for business relationships), hometowns, nicknames, recent success or bad crashes.... plus the occasional "watch these 2 guys.... They have a history with each other".

Stuff like that prompted people to pull for, or AGAINST certain drivers.

Now all we get are names, numbers, and an occasional hometown.

Walt Disney had a great theory for entertainment.... You HAVE to, in the first 5 minutes, establish a hero and a villian. Maybe not to this extreme, but to some extent, it could and SHOULD be used in racing... Black hats/White hats, Good Cop/Bad Cop......

[dd38]

118, I agree with you about the info. I remember going to THE BIG "O" in the 60's and they always talked about the drivers (occupation, city, family history, sponsors, feuds and rivals) You are right. All we get is a name and number. That's what I like about Dave Westerman. He is FILLED with info. At Orlando there is A LOT of dead air, especially during a extra distance race. Just like TV anchors/reporters. They hire these people from parts unknown and they no nothing about the market they work and report in. They are always butchering city names and the best one is what they do to street names!!!! No personal feeling.

[ancrdave]

I wonder how many announcers spend time now in the pits before race time just "shooting the bull"... It's a great way to get good info to use during the night... plus you make life-long friends along the way...