Observation from LS FEST
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 32,782
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From: Former NCM Drag Racing coordinator, National director Corvette Challenge Spring Hill, Tennessee: Whiting, New Jersey
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Cruise-In VII Veteran
Observation from LS FEST
I went to the LS Fest Sunday and I want to tell you all about what I saw. Rob had lost in the 1/4 finals and I was walking out toward the spectator side of the track. They were getting ready to run all the finals and I noticed very few fan sitting in the bleachers almost no one but over by the circle track there was a few hundred fans watching the drifting competition and there was Joe Elmore from Horse Power TV taping the drifting paying no attention at all to the drag racing. I didn't see them tape one final round..
So guys, people more interesting in the drifting than a class finals?
What do u guys think??? Is Drag Racing in a slow death????
So guys, people more interesting in the drifting than a class finals?
What do u guys think??? Is Drag Racing in a slow death????
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 825
Likes: 66
From: Baltimore Md
The fan base for drag racing has been declining for years... The import drags that were so popular in the 90's are all but dead, and events around here (both domestic and import) have been miserably attended for a while now...
Race Director
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 17,709
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From: Phila PA, Bonita Springs FL
You can kind of equate it to another sport..
Boxing..
Boxing is losing fans big time, while the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), style is gaining fans one thousand fold..
Seems like there will always be drag race fans, like boxing fans, but drifting & MMA is attracting many more in the 17-35 age range..
Boxing..
Boxing is losing fans big time, while the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), style is gaining fans one thousand fold..
Seems like there will always be drag race fans, like boxing fans, but drifting & MMA is attracting many more in the 17-35 age range..
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
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From: Short Hills, NJ
I used to hate drifting and even now I'll only watch it (very briefly) if there is a Mustang/Camaro/Corvette/Viper making a lap. There is some skill involved and it's fun to watch in small doses but c'mon, circuit racing where speed isn't key?
Reminds me of figure skating or synchronized swimming, not racing LOL.
But at this level ('street car based' drag racing) I do think things might be trailing off a little bit.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: The Pines South Jersey
Take a look at the ADRL, free admission pay to park - stands full.
If ls fest is run like an nmca event, it doesn't surprise me about the lack of fans in the stands. Now at Milan last year the stands were filled pretty good - but I think they had free admission for the event, and look at the location, all the gear heads from around the Motor City.
How does Etown get a crowd year in year out for the last 35 yrs for the diesel truckin nats, or the Thrill show - marketing.... Sunday Sunday Sunday. Go to RP site and the sound byte takes me back 30yrs of hearing it on the radio weeks in advance of the "spectacular".
My kids had a blast at the Monster Truck show - every driver was there next to their truck signing hero cards.
So whats missing? They do a great job getting sponsors, contingencies etc. Why cant they draw a crowd?
If ls fest is run like an nmca event, it doesn't surprise me about the lack of fans in the stands. Now at Milan last year the stands were filled pretty good - but I think they had free admission for the event, and look at the location, all the gear heads from around the Motor City.
How does Etown get a crowd year in year out for the last 35 yrs for the diesel truckin nats, or the Thrill show - marketing.... Sunday Sunday Sunday. Go to RP site and the sound byte takes me back 30yrs of hearing it on the radio weeks in advance of the "spectacular".
My kids had a blast at the Monster Truck show - every driver was there next to their truck signing hero cards.
So whats missing? They do a great job getting sponsors, contingencies etc. Why cant they draw a crowd?
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Lithia FL
Cruise-In II & IV Veteran
CI VI Drag Champ!
cars running down the track, around the track, through the track, over the track...that is what a spectator wants. Drag racing by nature is tough to watch let alone final rounds when the wait between cars going down the track gets longer.
I love to drag race but man it is hard to watch......unless
like the ADRL scenario, you have 5/6 classes all tightly contested with cars running similar ET's. Last week's ADRL race had 25+ in each 16 car field.
Given the choice of waiting for 3 or 4 final rounds or watching a car drift, near out of control, for however long one of their laps take is a tough proposition for a drag spectator. Not to mention a car on the edge is more likely to take a spill than a drag race final. Let's face it, people watch NASCAR for the "big one" more so than for the racing.
I love to drag race but man it is hard to watch......unless
like the ADRL scenario, you have 5/6 classes all tightly contested with cars running similar ET's. Last week's ADRL race had 25+ in each 16 car field.
Given the choice of waiting for 3 or 4 final rounds or watching a car drift, near out of control, for however long one of their laps take is a tough proposition for a drag spectator. Not to mention a car on the edge is more likely to take a spill than a drag race final. Let's face it, people watch NASCAR for the "big one" more so than for the racing.
Premium Supporting Vendor
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From: Providing the most proven supercharger kits for your C5/6/7 609-752-0321
I have the answer! We have Farley stand next to his car and sign hero cards for the kids and Raceway Park can put it all over the radio that he will be doing that. Attendance by spectators will raise ten fold each event!!
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
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From: 10.70 @ 124mph, Stock Bottom End @ 3620lbs, ECS Racing Team Member. The 1st NMCA LSX Index Rumble World Champion. 2011,12,13 Champion
Did anyone mention that the stands were full on Saturday? It was standing room only Saturday.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
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From: 10.70 @ 124mph, Stock Bottom End @ 3620lbs, ECS Racing Team Member. The 1st NMCA LSX Index Rumble World Champion. 2011,12,13 Champion
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
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From: Short Hills, NJ
(ever see that footage of Beatles/Rolling Stones fans back in the day?) Easter Egg fans blocking our path! 
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 32,545
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From: Lithia FL
Cruise-In II & IV Veteran
CI VI Drag Champ!
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,991
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From: The Pines South Jersey
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,991
Likes: 5
From: The Pines South Jersey
Here ya go
http://www.myherocards.com/how_to_order.html
http://www.myherocards.com/how_to_order.html
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 32,545
Likes: 2
From: Lithia FL
Cruise-In II & IV Veteran
CI VI Drag Champ!
oh i forgot i was going to polish those....uggh so much work...can i just throw water on them?
Those hero cards are not so bad $400 for 500 cards...it is like giving each fan .80 cents each time the stop by your trailer
problem for me is people usually walk right by my car to look at others cars...heck one even used my car as a brace to take a picture of another car
Those hero cards are not so bad $400 for 500 cards...it is like giving each fan .80 cents each time the stop by your trailer
problem for me is people usually walk right by my car to look at others cars...heck one even used my car as a brace to take a picture of another car
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
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From: Short Hills, NJ
"Oh....my....god I just heard that the one, the only, Rob Farley is over by the ECS trailer at this very moment and he's signing HIS BRAND NEW HERO CARDS FOR US FANS!!!" 
"Wait, what, did I hear that correctly? Edgar Perez, the reigning Late Model EFI champion is just across the way from Rob signing his cards too?!
Ahhhh, somebody pinch me!"
"Wait, what, did I hear that correctly? Edgar Perez, the reigning Late Model EFI champion is just across the way from Rob signing his cards too?!
Ahhhh, somebody pinch me!"
Melting Slicks
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From: Chesapeake Va
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: Melbourne Florida
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At my local track, CFRC, we get about 2 to 5 fans for our IHRA Summit super Series events and maybe 25 cars total...they are held on Saturday afternoon from noon to 6PM...that same night the latino's come in around 9PM or so...by 11 they have in the neighborhood of 1000 fans watching...wait for it....a test n tune...
They bring the family, cookout, play music and have a ball...this is every Saturday night, BTW....also, once a month they have drifting events...they get between 1500 and 2000 spectators for that...all young folks who come to see the wrecks and there are plenty of those....
Three times a year they have import events...big guaranteed payouts and they get 100 cars and 3000 fans...bracket/index racing was never and will never be a spectator sport...it is what it is....
At the NHRA track in town we get maybe 30 spectators and 50 cars total fro the Summit Series events...used to be 130 total cars but those days are over...times are tough out there...one Friday a month they now run a quick 8 during the test n tune...they are getting 1000 fans and 30 cars trying for the 8 spots...pays $300 to win....fans love the go fast guys on the edge...the bump is usually around 8.40 in the 1/4 mile...7.80 typically wins...
They bring the family, cookout, play music and have a ball...this is every Saturday night, BTW....also, once a month they have drifting events...they get between 1500 and 2000 spectators for that...all young folks who come to see the wrecks and there are plenty of those....
Three times a year they have import events...big guaranteed payouts and they get 100 cars and 3000 fans...bracket/index racing was never and will never be a spectator sport...it is what it is....
At the NHRA track in town we get maybe 30 spectators and 50 cars total fro the Summit Series events...used to be 130 total cars but those days are over...times are tough out there...one Friday a month they now run a quick 8 during the test n tune...they are getting 1000 fans and 30 cars trying for the 8 spots...pays $300 to win....fans love the go fast guys on the edge...the bump is usually around 8.40 in the 1/4 mile...7.80 typically wins...
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 254
Likes: 0
I went to the LS Fest Sunday and I want to tell you all about what I saw. Rob had lost in the 1/4 finals and I was walking out toward the spectator side of the track. They were getting ready to run all the finals and I noticed very few fan sitting in the bleachers almost no one but over by the circle track there was a few hundred fans watching the drifting competition and there was Joe Elmore from Horse Power TV taping the drifting paying no attention at all to the drag racing. I didn't see them tape one final round..
So guys, people more interesting in the drifting than a class finals?
What do u guys think??? Is Drag Racing in a slow death????
So guys, people more interesting in the drifting than a class finals?
What do u guys think??? Is Drag Racing in a slow death????
Drag racing is soo much built on participating in the sport to get hooked. Once you do you love it. That said this economy is really tough on drag racing as we know when you race you break stuff and that cost $$. I think a lot of folks are staying away because of the $$$. In my own case my brother and I are racing a low budget bracket car and as for the race car cautiously pushing it but with an eye of staying way underperforming in order to avoid the cost of breakage and if I could sell at a rediculously low price to get out of the cash flow drain. Just my $.02
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 5,446
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From: 10.70 @ 124mph, Stock Bottom End @ 3620lbs, ECS Racing Team Member. The 1st NMCA LSX Index Rumble World Champion. 2011,12,13 Champion
I think if there was a drifting event during a Corvette Challenge, I would be watching the drifting. This is something different and not seen all the time. While I was cruising around at the track with Mike, we stopped and were watching the drifting for awhile. It started to rain and we were still watching.
I feel since this is something that you or others don't see much of, you will be drawn to it. Not saying that drag racing is boring, but when you watch it all the time you could loose some interest when there is something else going on. I did try to split my time evenly between the two.
Just my 3 cents.
I feel since this is something that you or others don't see much of, you will be drawn to it. Not saying that drag racing is boring, but when you watch it all the time you could loose some interest when there is something else going on. I did try to split my time evenly between the two.
Just my 3 cents.
Last edited by 98NYFINESTVETTE; Sep 13, 2011 at 06:46 PM.