Pro Sportsman Association NEWS

Hello Everyone

Ray Drew here. Sorry for my delay in posting to everyone but reorganization and direction takes time to get things in order as I take over as acting president. A brief description about me for those who don’t know me. I have been involved in the sport since high school, starting as a crew member until driving a funny car in 1991 to owning and driving my own funny car now. I have a deep passion for the sport. I am also a business person and have been in the race track business owning Great Lakes Dragaway for over 15 years with partners until I decided to do another venture on my own K W Manufacturing, a metal fabrication and cnc shop in Milwaukee. Being a business owner/racer, like many of you, I know what it takes to be frugal and I know what it takes to get things accomplished. Effort!!

Let me first start by re-emphasizing the purpose of the Pro Sportsman Association. The PSA is about making the alcohol classes more of a viable product for NHRA and the race tracks. We achieve this through building our fan base!*The PSA is not for the purpose of rule changes.

My ideas are simple in revitalizing this task.

- First we need to make this affordable to everyone. The new membership dues will be lowered to $375 annually. A much more realistic price for everyone to join!
NOTE: those of you who have joined by sending in your money I will be contacting you personally to figure out the difference. If you believe I do not have you phone number please feel free to call me ASAP. I'd rather talk to everyone than email, please.

- Create Hero cards for each region! Only Members will have their picture on these cards for their region. SO…. I need people to act quickly and join so I can get cards produced ASAP! The PSA will absorb the cost to produce the initial quantities as part of what our dues go towards. Additional quantities will also be able to be purchased at incredibly affordable prices. Yes, we fell short on this last year!

- We need to expand national event exposure via "at track" autograph sessions using the hero cards we produce with future race dates. Our hard core audience is there, so lets get them to visit our pit area by conducting an autograph session!

- Continue to keep up relations with ALL tracks.

- Continue to keep up relations with NHRA* We need to do more of this and I want to have discussions with Tom Compton, Division Directors and Graham Light about permissions for promotional tools as well as ways we can help.

- Supply tracks with team information. The more they know about us, the better job of promotion they can do!

- Writing stories/media exposure - Todd Veney will be contracted again, but this is a much smaller portion of the big picture. I want to continue to have Todd write the Alcohol post-race wrap ups, and maybe some pre-race writings.

- Keep David Smith taking pictures for us!!!!.

- Meet with announcers and give vital info to them at both Regional and National events

- Create bigger and better fan experiences!*
*
When we achieve this then rewards will be available. Better treatment, purses and TV coverage! But not until we prove our worth by helping earn our keep.* It's a sales job / P.R. adventure.*

Now, all this will take effort and a vast membership to make it all work
That is why I need you to join! I also need volunteer representation from each division as I can't be in all places at all times and local help goes a long way within your division and home tracks! I'm also looking for volunteers to help run the website.

I am a realist and I believe we can accomplish all these things. Yes, it will take time, and just like drag racing, we will have some failures as well as great achievements! So please, join me in this endeavor!!

Ray Drew
email: ray@kwmfg.com
phone 414-870-2181
mailing address for payments

Make Payable to:
Pro Sportsman Association
8619 W. Lynx Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53225

 

Also everyone I will be racing in Gainesville this weekend so please stop by and chat with me please. My pit area is open; so don't feel bashful. I would love to talk to everyone!. I will also try to stop by and visit others as time permits. See ya there!

 

This is a Great Start Ray......I know we've already messaged back and forth, let me know what I can do to help.

Nancy

 

thanks

Ray, Thanks for stepping up to take this over. It's a big job, but I'm sure you can do it. If we are gonna be successful in this venture it's gonna take getting as many people on board as possible. I appreciate the reduction in dues and understand that with that you will be needing more members. I urge everyone who is racing in the alky classes to step up and spend a couple bucks to join. But being a member is only part of the equation. We all have to come up with ideas and BE WILLING TO HELP EXECUTE them in order to have any action. If you think just sending in money and printing up some hero cards is going to do anything worthwhile then we are all wasting our time.This is an association not a hired PR firm, as we already proved we cannot raise nearly enough money to hire the job done. We need to come up with ways we can all help to make our product more valuable to the tracks and appealing to the fans. Displays a day or two ahead of regionals would be a great way to generate some buzz for the events, maybe track owners would supply some free tickets to hand out or buy one get one coupons or some incentive. If we could get some air time on local radio, before events. Maybe a quick interview and plug for the races. Usually the track is already involved with them and for a few free tickets you can get a couple minutes on the morning show or something. My point is, we all have ideas, some of us know the right people and we need to act like promoters if we want to make a difference. It will take some extra work, but apparently no one else is going to do it for us so we either put in the effort or watch our opportunities to race continue to become less and less. Sure would be nice if everyone would get involved, even the "Big Name teams" as the more complete our membership roster, the more clout we will gain in the future. I'm in.

 

Everyone headed to Gainesville, don't forget to please stop by Ray's pit to meet with him about his intentions for the PSA when you get a free minute or two. As someone who has spent some time in his pit, I guarantee you it will at least be entertaining for the couple minutes you're there to visit.

 

Guys, I have not said much on this topic, but wanted folks to know that I am still supporting this organization. We tried several things in 2012, some went well and some did not. Will, Marty, Ray, and Todd all had the best intentions and we got good support from the racers in 2012. Everyone involved worked in support of the organization to the best of their ability. Todd's contributions as a writer were amazing and I can't miss thanking David Smith for his photography work as well.

For 2013 I will be supporting the organization both financially as well as the a part of the board until such a time that the members decide to vote for someone else as Ray pulls things together and holds member elections. Of course, we need members to have elections, so if you are not involved, I encourage you to be so and have an impact on our sport.

I want to thank those racers that supported the organization in 2012 and have signed on again in 2013. If you supported our efforts in 2012 but are undecided in 2013, please consider giving it another chance. I am.

If you are one of those "big name " racers, your endorsement of this effort would be a big boost to the class and an important step in making a difference to the racing community.