NDRA question...

[Phatdaddy]

Just looking for information. Does anyone know what caused the series downfall?? It had a national sponsor and plenty of star power. Smalley was beloved enough to be voted into the NDRHoF (RIP btw). I've also heard that checks bounced and things went from bad to worse from there. But what actually happed in '85-'86

[Highwayman]

Just looking for information. Does anyone know what caused the series downfall?? It had a national sponsor and plenty of star power. Smalley was beloved enough to be voted into the NDRHoF (RIP btw). I've also heard that checks bounced and things went from bad to worse from there. But what actually happed in '85-'86

It all went down the year before I got involved in DLM. I've heard different points of view, some said that promoters ran off with the money, some others say that sponsors got upset when tour drivers(like Larry Moore) skipped several NDRA shows to run unsanctioned events and became unreliable from a marketing stand point and so sponsors pulled out. I'd like to know the whole story myself.

[Krooser]

I was doing public relations and advertising (plus some announcing) for a couple of pavement tracks in Wisconsin in the mid-80's. WISSOTA was just getting their feet wet in promoting here in the upper midwest. A dirt racer at heart, I went to one of their first awards banquet's/rules meetings in St. Cloud, MN... I believe it was the fall of '83.

I met up with George England from North American Racing Insurance... he was the insurance agent we used at the tracks I worked for and he also insured the NDRA. Robert Smawley was also there to pitch bringing WISSOTA into the NDRA family to increase sponsorship and marketing revenues. And he was looking for someone to help run that program and I was looking for a job.

I met with England and Smawley in Robert's motel room... Smawley laid out his plans to propose the two groups join forces with NDRA's major sponsor Stroh's Brewing and his plan to take over late model racing east of the Mississippi.

Stroh's had deep pockets and Smawley had three proposal's in hand to present to the WISSOTA group. All had the same details... a basic rules package, Stroh's logos on every car and at every track, an agreement to have the Stroh's product sold and promoted throughout WISSOTA-land, Stroh's patches on all uniforms... standard stuff like that.

Smawley asked for my help distributing the folders with the Stroh's details.

Smawley knew how racer's think and operate so he had three sponsorship numbers on those three proposals... $20,000... $40,000... $80,000. He would present the one proposal he thought best matched the enthusiasm the WISSOTA racers and promoters showed for the deal. After an hour or so of contentious questions and comments from the audience questioning his motives, his point fund structure, tire rules, spoiler rules, engine rules, etc. he told me to distribute deal #1 to those in attendance... the $20,000 proposal.

Smawley, in fact, had $250,000 to spend on that deal but he held back a considerable sum knowing the bitching and bickering that would go on over the most minute details.

I don't think Robert ever did much with WISSOTA... they argued themselves right out of a potential quarter million dollar point fund.

Smawley was a big thinker... always looking to make things bigger, better and more exciting. After that WISSOTA meeting I remember Robert pitching his proposal to other racing organizations. I don't think much became of it.

I think Peter Stroh sold his company soon after and all that $$$ went bye-bye.... my memory is a bit foggy.

This is my best recollection of my dealing with Smawley... BTW he never did hire me. I don't think he trusted a Yankee in a dark blue pinstripe suit any farther than he could throw me...

[TheJet-09]

^^^ A great little tidbit of history there. Thanks for sharing Krooser! And very well written too, I might add!

[Krooser]

Mucho gratias amigo... practicing my Spanish lingo since my newest part time retirement job is driving a bus with 50 amigo vegetable pickers here in Wisconsin...

[dirtdobber45]

I dont trust yankees either... lol especially in a suit...lmao j/k Krooser. Great info tho

[over4T]

Don't know how much it had to do with NDRA's demise but, as Krooser mentioned, it was around that time that Stroh's beer sort of sold out. It was a one brewery outfit out of the Detroit area and a good regional area beer , a favorite of ours' where I grew up and learned to appreciate the suds in NE Ohio. Their $ troubles began when they bit off more than they could chew by purchasing the Schlitz breweries, 4 in all if I remember correctly. They never could get a handle on the debt and ended up being one of brewing history's saddest finishes when they went kaput. NDRA lost a very big sponsor and we lost Miss Stroh's, Eve ?

[Krooser]

Eva.... She's still around and still very lovely

[Phatdaddy]

These are great answers.. thanks

[Highwayman]

Thanks for sharing Krooser, how goes the ole car project?