What can promoters do to improve the fan experience?

[dirtMAN007]

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.

Can a pill draw be “FIXED” ? Just asking

[3 wide]

There are a lot of problems with race track promoters but the biggest one an the reason most tracks are out of business is they want to race all night if you have so many classes just rotate them from one week to the next you don't need to run everything every night but most promoters don't listen to the fans anyway and then they wonder why they went out of business.

[kazual]

Playgrounds are ok as long as the child is accompanied by an adult, the track isn’t your babysitter. Have clean restrooms for the women at the very least. Run premier class features first after intermission. A track we attend has a rule that any car having a flat or that stops on the track during heats is done for that race, they go directly to the B feature or tail of the feature. Tough rule at times but it hastens the program. In general promoters should act like they care, you may be fine with being at the races for 6 hours but the fans are probably not.

[RRRKKK]

Go to WHEATLAND !!!!!

[dirt crow]

No intermissions!!! EVER!!!!! Keep the program rolling!! .....I’d also like to say this cause I see it all the time. The comments on playgrounds made it pop in my mind. If you are bringing your infant to the races, your a bad parent. Period. End of discussion.

[Clayton_Wetter]

Resign!!!! That would be a great start at local track!!!

[Kromulous]

Stop charging $40 to get in a 10k to win show, and cut out the $4 a beer BS !

[Josh Bayko]

1. Keep the show at 3-4 hours.
2. Less weekly divisions. If you have more than 4, you're doing it wrong.
3. Clean bathrooms.
4. Varied food choices in the concessions.
5. Get an old school bus and take kids on tours through the pits.

[Winston_Wolfe]

1. Run the Super Late Model feature as early in the program as possible. After that, folks can stay for as many classes as they want. 2. Start on time and keep a race on the track continuously except for a brief intermission. 3. If you run more than 2 or 3 classes, either do pill draws or qualify them after the Super Late Model feature. I am sorry, but we do not drive 6 or 8 hours to see your local classes.4. Do not run out of drinks and food. There is a Walmart on every freaking corner, so send somebody there if you didn't plan for the crowd you ended up with. 5. Announcers: Report the show, don't try and become the show. Sometimes silence is golden so people can enjoy talking with one another.6. Have a three spins/caution rule and the car is black flagged.7. Put a time limit on support class races. Sometimes, it is just not their night.8. If you advertise that gates open at 4:00 PM, do not let people save any seats prior to that.

[chupp n bloomer fan]

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.

I did them in about 2000 at Sharon. Lost to a kid in his Moms Blazer. Had a 91? silver two door Cavalier. Poor car.

Tried not telling my Dad, picture was in the program, lol.

Love to race, just not going to dedicate the time or money.

[tb1545]

Reasonable time, Clean facilities, decent parking (even security for that parking, wouldn't hurt a security shirt to drive a golf cart through the lot every 30 minutes, or even lighting) most things that can improve a racetrack literally cost nothing except maybe a little elbow grease.
Look at stadium designs for the ball sports and even nascar these days. Multiple restaurants, bars, standing patios, hall of fames. People's attention spans are getting shorter and shorter these days. Sitting in the same spot and watching an event for multiple hours just isn't as desired as it once was. I'd love to see more places with party decks, Wheatland put in 2 bars its a neat change of pace. A track hall of fame, or show cars up behind the bleachers wouldn't cost much, but would give a fan an easy 15 minute break. Covered or even indoor spaces, while actually costing money is a huge thing to help elevate the fan experience.

Tracks need to bring back a destruction derby crew even 1 time a month for dumb stuff to make the fans laugh or see crashes that don't involve a pissed off racer (and family) or 2. Also mix up the shows. I get bored seeing the same 6 classes run heats and features every week. How about double features, topless events, run what you brung, bounty races, pay the guy that's won the last 7 features an extra $200 for starting last. Do something to provide a fan a unique experience that week. Pick a couple racers to pit behind the stands so fans can see what teams actually do the whole night.
But the main thing a promotor can do is try. Many of us understand promoting these days is a lot of time to chase the $0 to a small income, but we need more promotors and less gate openers.

[kazual]

Saw Wheatland mentioned, we live within an hour and go often. In fairness using Wheatland as a benchmark is unfair, few have the budget, staff, and community support it does. But there are great promoters who put big efforts into their shows elsewhere. As much as we enjoy LOS there are two others we like as much, just a different way of providing the customer with a good experience. But the consistency is starting on time, running a prompt show, good racing surface, reasonable concessions, clean restrooms and the general idea that your admission dollars are appreciated. It isn’t rocket science.

[fastford]

im with you one the infant thing crow , never understood why some one would bring a 6 month old baby to a dirt track , but you see it all the time , cant be good on a baby that little , maybe the track should have a minimum age to enter......

[Hoosier]

This is one of the best 4m posts this year.

[rdcllk]

How's having a minimum age to enter. Getting ppl to the track? Have to pay babysitter so can go watch a race.
Just adds to the cost
My six month old was with me. When I raced all the time
He 28 now. Always talking about getting to go with me.
Some of his best memories.