What can promoters do to improve the fan experience?

[Returning to Dirt]

http://insidecircletrack.com/2019/02...lenny-batycki/

Short track racing, whether dirt or pavement, has to be all about the fans. So, what can promoters do to improve the fan experience?

We are joined for this Q&A piece by the track announcer at Atlanta Motor Speedway and the host of PRN at the Track Lenny Batycki.

[fryefan]

1. Start on time.
2. Have a racey track.
3. Get people on their way home by 10 pm.

[kidrock]

Video arcade for the kids. Dad and Mom can go to watch the races and the kids can still play their video games.

[Barbecueboy]

Good reasonable concessions with a notable track special item or two.

Decent sound system in all grandstand areas.

Offer family, military and sr discounts or ticket packages ( monthly, yearly etc.)

Working scoreboards with working timer.

[thexfactor0210]

Organization and ending races earlier! Being at the track for six hours until midnight is not a good thing.

[high groove19]

1 Lower admission : tracks are charging just as much to get in on nights that they are not running supers as nights that they are

2 Offer reduced rates for kids to get into the pits. I know of 1 track that does this in Pennsylvania and their attendance is great

3 All Super races should be time trial races. The pill draw for heat races always seems to favor the promoters favorite drivers

4 Less Divisions : Some tracks are running 8 divisions and that is way too much.

I'm sure a lot of people will not agree with my thoughts but these are just my opinions. I'm a huge Super late fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to see a good Super weekly show without driving over 3 hours.

[PRCKartRacer9]

Mansfield kids pit pass was $20 for the Lucas race. There needs to be a good playground at tracks

[TerryM]

Ha ... don’t get me started.

[Bigdirtfan]

Fryefan has it 100% right.

[Shiny Side Up 18]

Time management is HUGE. Have the track READY for competition at the advertised start time. For specials, run the premiere feature early in the order. Set a goal ending time for the program and strive to be done at or close to that time, without dragging things out. When one race is on track, the next race should already be in staging. ENFORCE IT. If a driver doesn't make the call to staging in time, too bad (for local classes, obviously). You have to cater to the people coming through the front gate, because they do not have to come back. Make them want to come back. You get one chance to make a first impression with a prospective new fan. I'm a diehard, so I'll sit through almost anything, but a lot of people won't. This is a bit of a sore subject for me, as I have sat through some shows that you would almost have to go out of your way to drag out as long as they were, and then hear the people I was sitting with (who are also diehards) say they would never go back to that particular track. Let me stop before this post devolves into a full-blown rant. Lol.

[champion24]

Video arcade for the kids. Dad and Mom can go to watch the races and the kids can still play their video games.

We need kids off the video games!! Being out in the real world and watching racing is great!!

[Krooser]

Playgrounds...

Fun events...t shirt cannon... Drivers autograph sessions... Kids race car rides... Pick a winner contests with good prizes.... 2-4-1 pricing on certain nights... I owned a couple minivans and we ran " mom's in minivans" races where we pulled females out of the grandstand to run four lap events. It's not racing folks it's show bidness...

[TBSprintFan]

Playgrounds...

Fun events...t shirt cannon... Drivers autograph sessions... Kids race car rides... Pick a winner contests with good prizes.... 2-4-1 pricing on certain nights... I owned a couple minivans and we ran " mom's in minivans" races where we pulled females out of the grandstand to run four lap events. It's not racing folks it's show bidness...

We used to have spectator drags (2 cars from a dead start for a green white checkered race with the winner going on and the loser done, normally would have from 6 to 10 cars or trucks) at our track when it was open, but that is over 25 years ago, insurance probably would not allow something like that anymore.

[1forthe$]

1.) Track must be ready at start time. Then have a plan to efficiently prep/re-condition the track during a 15 minute intermission. You have to have a "track prep leader" calling the shots. everyone cant just go out there and freelance. Someone who watches what the track is doing during the heat races, formulates a plan and communicates it and then will rally his guys to hit it hard as the last heat or bmain pulls off the track.. and that person leads by watching from a distance, and jumping in to help when absolutely needed. Every track prep person having a radio and understanding how to use it is key in that too.
2.) Order of events..no more than 4-5 classes for weekly shows and don't run the late models last. I know promoters want every nickel from concessions they can get, but im a latemodel fan. if you make me sit through an intermission and 4 classes I don't particularly care for, then I am less likely to come back often. I know every class wants to race in front of the big crowd, so maybe always have the late models as the 2nd feature class, and rotate who gets the first feature. If its a late model special (10k+) maybe only have 1 or 2 support classes that night at the most. Chances are that you have fans who have traveled several hours to attend. respect their time its gonna take to get home.
3.) the fan experience, I like the idea above about a greeter or two. All it would take is giving a person a free ticket or two to do that. (I would love to do that actually.) That person could vacate their job after say the first set of heat races, which could be maybe the street stock division or something. Also having the fans all turn their phone flash lights on and waving them during the parade laps of the headlining division one is cool. and have the drivers wave back and rev engines at that time. (Tri-state Speedway in Haubstadt, In does this and it really connects well with all age groups I think, and I think it probably amps the drivers up a bit to see the crowd into the program) T-Shirt cannons, or just throwing a few during intermission is always good. Maybe even a cheap firework or two go off during that time. Some upbeat music while the features are pulling onto the track is a great thing, this also amps up the atmosphere. Selfie station with with tracks name and maybe a show car is a good thing. I think would really help promote your place/event for minimal dollars.
4.) Having a signature dish at the concessions is a great thing for fans attending, and promoting your place. I have heard enough about those strawberry shortcakes that I am gonna get one if I ever am able get to a race in Florida. I certainly don't ever visit Eldora without having cheeseballs.. usually 5 times. lol
5.) Lastly the announcer and his volume. This person is the face/voice of your track. He needs to have a good voice and speaking ability. He/She needs to connect with the fans by being funny, and also knowledgeable about whos on the track. I don't care to hear the 26 sponsors on every car, but I do like to hear where the driver is from and maybe a major accomplishment, or how long he has been racing. If im from out of town and I don't really know anyone at the track, im likely to feel a connection if someone is close from my hometown. As some said before, I hate when they scream. Getting excited is a good thing, but blowing my ear drums out is not needed. I also do like to hear most things he has to say.. whether its promotions, on track events, or things going on while the races are happening. I love when im at the races and an announcer is keeping up with a sporting event that the community or region will be interested in, and gives an update or two. Just don't over do that too much. about 2 updates is good for me. And it will almost certainly get fans who don't know each other talking if they like opposing teams. I have met many track friends that way.
6.)restrooms need to be decent at least. they don't have to be fancy, but nothing is worst than hearing my wife b!t&h about the ladies restroom being nasty. have someone assigned to checking them at least once during the night. I also don't like taking a leak in a troff, or at a urinal and worrying that im gonna get someone elses urine splashed back on me. Its not that big of an investment to build some walls between them for pete's sake.

sorry for the long post, but this was a topic worth talking about to me. In my mind, a LOT of promoters really miss the mark with these issues we have all stated, and in my mind a lot of them are pretty simple things.

[kidrock]

We need kids off the video games!! Being out in the real world and watching racing is great!!

Well hate to tell you but, some kids don't like watching the races. My family has been into racing for longer than I have been alive but, my son had no desire to go to the races. We took him anyway and he hated. Once he was old enough to stay home we let him. Yes he was playing video games but, my wife and I said at least he is at home and not out causing any problems or getting himself into trouble. Not only that he got interested in computers and has since build his own computers and has a good job in the technology field so it worked out well for him.

So I said a video arcade at the track so, isn't that being out in the real world?