Open letter to all NHRA Top Alcohol racers regarding InsideTopAlcohol & Top Alkahaulin’ Race Coverage

First off, I hope this letter finds you and your families safe. I also hope your businesses and employment are weathering this crisis.

While the currently released schedule is certainly subject to change, I feel we all have something we can reasonably plan for. That said, I am trying to get a plan together on how to tackle the social media race coverage we have been doing along with continue the Top Alkahaulin’ reality show. With so many races being back to back, it is going to be a difficult proposition for everyone.

I certainly felt like we entered 2020 poised to grow our social media coverage and audience along with the Top Alkahaulin’ reality show. I feel we proved the concept in 2019 of both the coverage and the reality show, refining both along the way. Based on the feedback of you the racers and the companies in the industry, I made the decision to continue into 2020 based on that growth cycle.

Producing the Top Alkahaulin’ show is a tremendously time-consuming endeavor. I am not complaining. Just like learning to do the clutch, the first time takes you forever, and as you gradually learn it, you eventually can get it done quick. However, given the fact the 2020 national event season will not resume until early August at best, there is no way we could produce an episode for every race between August and Pomona (or wherever the season starts) 2021.

With that said, my plan is to produce an episode from the Ennis Regional next weekend. It will be more of a ‘tape delayed’ coverage of the race vs. our format of following a couple of teams through a weekend. Following that, it is our intention to produce episodes from Brainerd, Indy, Charlotte and Las Vegas. Those episodes will be condensed to following one team per episode vs. two. This will help cut down production time and based on feedback, some would rather have shorter episodes. (I am sure a lot more of you have figured out how to stream something on your TV from YouTube now…)

It is my hope and intent to do social media coverage from every national event that I can adequately fund. I have event sponsors lined up for eight of the twelve remaining scheduled national events. I feel confident I can get event sponsors for Topeka and Chicago. I will forego Seattle to prepare for seven weeks in a row starting in Brainerd. If by chance it starts looking like we get to race in Pomona to close the season, I will try to get out there to cover that event.

With event sponsors in place, I will look to add presenting sponsorships to those ten events (and Ennis Regional). I will continue to reach out to the companies that cater to our type of racing, but this is also where, you the racers, can help.

While we certainly create marketing opportunities with our content for companies within the racing industry, I would like to say you, the racer, are benefiting significantly from our coverage. They say, “a rising tide lifts all ships.” InsideTopAlcohol has taken on the task of marketing the Top Alcohol classes to preserve the viability of the classes. We hope by spotlighting the classes we make our racing more relevant, and ultimately sell it as a great class for a new racer to choose. Our increased attention hopefully has helped make your teams more marketable and more valuable to your sponsors. All the marketing talk aside, racing is more enjoyable and fulfilling when you get noticed.

I have never wanted to rely on the racers or look for a ‘handout.’ It is my hope I can generate enough racing industry sponsorships I really do not need any help from the racers. I think the reality of 2020 is I will need some help from the racers. The event sponsors are making a significant investment as it is. However once expenses are tallied into that, I make below minimum wage to cover an event. That is not sustainable.

I know its tough times for everyone, but if you have the means to contribute something, please do. I’m going to bust my ass to make sure there’s adequate funding to cover these races, but if we get down to it, I may have to reach out before a race to the racers and say “this is what I need to get there.” Ideally, we do not have to go down that road.

Every sponsor will get worked into either the coverage or a Top Alkahaulin’ episode or both. I would like to do some cool things like some low qualifier hats and maybe some other things. Additionally, I do Facebook and Instagram advertising for companies in and out of racing, so I could potentially help your company or team in that regard.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I look forward to seeing my racing family back at the track and continuing to MAKE TOP ALCOHOL GREAT AGAIN!

Sincerely,
Will Hanna
InsideTopAlcohol & Top Alkahaulin’
979.415.4959
Will.Hanna@InsideTopAlcohol.com