Racing on Saturday??

Discussion in 'Pit Buzz' started by Will Hanna, Mar 4, 2005.

  1. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    This is a sort of 'Part 2' to my last post on improving promotion of the alcohol cars. This is in part to discuss ideas and in part to get feedback.

    A prevailing theme in promoting the alcohol cars is to make it the 'Busch League' of NHRA.

    While we are 'featured' at divisional events, as discussed in the last post, those races are seldom promoted.

    The alcohol cars aren't really featured at all on the national level. However, if alcohol eliminations were moved to Saturday, AND promoted, it could be a huge step for the class.

    Before I go any further, the two have to go hand and hand, or the move would be a step backwards. The exposure we receive on Sunday is very important. However, if Pro Qualifying AND Lucas Oil Alcohol Final Eliminations were THE show on Saturday, that's where the move forward lies.

    I think for starters, it would create more value for NHRA in their Saturday show. Not only will fans get to watch qualifying action, they will get to see heads up eliminations, all 4 rounds of the third and fourth fastest classes in the sport. We, as alcohol racers, would be featured at a national event, and that's a big deal.

    It would have to start in the promotion of the event and the season. NHRA.com runs a feature story 'Lucas Oil Top Alcohol Dragster and Funny Car Eliminations to highlight Saturdays in 2006.'
    A lot of fans read NHRA.com, and that would be the first wave in the promotion.

    Secondly, the radio spots for events would have to plug the Saturday eliminations. "See John Force, Tony Schumacher....On Friday, see qualifying under the lights, On Saturday catch Pro Qualifying and Lucas Oil Top Alcohol FINAL ELIMINATIONS, On Sunday, see the Pro's battle it out for Final Eliminations....Tickets just..."

    Then at the event level, it would once again have to be pumped up. "Thats right sports fans, Final Eliminations for the Lucas Oil Top Alcohol categories will all be ran this Saturday...."

    With alcohol eliminations being on Saturday, it would be possible for same day TV coverage. A 2 hr Pro qualifying/Alcohol elims show on Saturday with the Alcohol finals being nearly live.

    Qualifying could either be done with 3 shots on Friday, or move one to Thursday. Maybe open the door for 'Thursday Night Qualifying'

    At anyrate, first, if you the alcohol racers are receptive to this, and NHRA/Lucas are interested in promoting it, it could be a huge step forward for alcohol racing.

    If you're for or against it, sound off here! Please contribute your ideas. That's why this site is in an all-message board format now. It's INTERACTIVE for you the racer.
     
    #1
    Will Hanna, Mar 4, 2005
  2. Jonathan Johnson

    Jonathan Johnson New Member

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    Will, I think that is a great idea. I really feel things like this, as well as trying to promote the class as a "Busch" series is the only way the class will beign to make the mark everyone is wanting from a promotional side. The class will never take the role of the Fuel cars on Sunday, and that is just the harcore facts.

    The main concern here is not to move the event too far earlier into the week. Obviously, those of us who are used to racing super classes, are accustomed to being at the track Wednesday night or Thursday morning for a national. But for others this is a day earlier. I think the idea of a Thurday (1) qualifier followed by maybe two on Friday, with the alcohol cars possibly preceeding the final qualifier for the Pro's? could be great. I say this over the Thursday night simply for the fact it may be too hard to draw a crowd on a week night when many NHRA fans have work on Friday.
    This is just an opinion, but I think you are definitely on to something.....
    JJ
     
    #2
    Jonathan Johnson, Mar 4, 2005
  3. bruce mullins

    bruce mullins Top Dragster

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    i think the only problem with the saturday deal is time. i have been to too many races where it rains on either friday or saturday morning and the first thing nhra scratches is our saturday morning qualifier. until nhra quits labeling us as the red headed stepchild , they will always put us when and where they want despite any schedule. your idea is a good one about trying to promote us as THE show on saturday.

    [ March 04, 2005, 10:26 PM: Message edited by: bruce mullins ]
     
    #3
    bruce mullins, Mar 4, 2005
  4. Will Hanna

    Will Hanna We put the 'inside' in Top Alcohol
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    good point bruce. it all boils down to if nhra bought into the deal and wanted to promote the alcohol cars as the busch series.

    jj, think about the thursday night angle, someone can get off work and come watch a great session of alcohol cars under the lights, see the a/f cars and their flames after work for a good bit cheaper than the rest of the weekend. if you run them during the day, most everyone will definitely be at work. plus with it being thursday night run, it gives the teams a little more time to get to the track. if you run thursday during the day, you just about have to be there wednesday night. thursday night, you could slide in there thursday morning, get set, etc and have plenty of time to get ready to run.

    of course, i would only endorse running on thursday as part of the overall plan to run the saturday FEATURE show.

    another idea i thought of to add to the saturday show, is maybe a shootout for the pro cars to go with the alcohol finals. maybe nhra goes out there and finds a sponsor for it, and make it, for instance, the miller lite shootout, where the top 2 qualifiers from each pro class come back saturday night and run for some cash. then televise live tad/tafc, pro stock, fc, tf.
     
    #4
    Will Hanna, Mar 5, 2005
  5. Jonathan Johnson

    Jonathan Johnson New Member

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    Will, I agree with the thought process on the Thursday eveining more so now when you look at it like that...plus I definitely agree with the being able to pull in Thursday morning and still have plenty of time to prepare.

    Well, obviously you and I are on the same page, what do some of the others think about these ideas? It's definitely going to take everyone as a whole to help make anything happen...
    JJ
     
    #5
    Jonathan Johnson, Mar 5, 2005
  6. nitrohawk

    nitrohawk New Member

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    Will I have always thought that if the class had some TV time durning the live coverage with the Pro cars it would be a much better situation. Most people do not watch the Sportsman coverage because of the odd times unless they just happen to hit the right button on tv when surfing.
    I agree with Thursday night qualifying session as well. It will be an uphill battle to sell this change to NHRA and ESPN. They will only look at it as whats in it for us and will it increase revenue. The thing is they do what they do for their own reasons.
     
    #6
    nitrohawk, Mar 6, 2005
  7. tjenna

    tjenna Top Alcohol

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    Great Idea
     
    #7
    tjenna, Mar 6, 2005
  8. clint thompson

    clint thompson Member

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    i really like the concept, except for the running on thursday part, this makes a lot of days off for crew etc. i think the three qualifiers on friday race on saturday is great. we do that at some of our d6 races now and our team likes it. the one run thursday deal just means you have to be there thursday (even weds afternoon to get set) which as i said creates an issue for a lot of volunteer crew members.
     
    #8
    clint thompson, Mar 9, 2005

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