What can promoters do to improve the fan experience?

[dirt crow]

I agree 100% with Clayton. Can’t find a babysitter, you stay home with your child. I don’t care if it’s the World 100. You stay home. They’ll be other races when they’re older.

And as far as track personnel watching my baby in a dirt track daycare, no. Not a chance. I’d give up going to racing all together before some nasty looking chain smoking granny watched my infant. Lol

[Barbecueboy]

Maybe have a designated playroom or something like that where parents of infants could take them to get them away from the noise , heat or cold but even that would be a huge financial stretch or liability.

But to take a child to the track and leave them with someone you have no idea about or could check the credentials on??? No way, no how that would be a good idea.

Best idea as someone else already said, if you aren't comfortable with them there with you.....stay home with them and come back in a couple years when they are ready to be there.

I like the idea of letting the fans as a group make a lap around the track on foot with some of the drivers as sort of a 10/15 minute meet and greet prior to hot laps and qualifying.....this would take planning and no last minute track prep for it to work.......every new person I bring with me is always amazed at how cool it is to pull into the pits and get up and close to the drivers and teams as they are getting ready, unloading etc.........park em inside in turn 1 as the supers take the green and it's totally fuhgetaboutit....they are hooked after that.

[fastford]

crow , we are definitely on the same page with this one , any one that thinks more of a race than there infant dont need children , I am not gone condemn the nursery idea , BUT , i dam sure would have to personally know the baby sitter before i would even consider it , and probably not then.......

[CarolinaDirt]

1) I think as I get older and bring my wife and family along restrooms have to be a top priority. Specifically for the women. Nothing makes my wife say I will never be back to that place than a disgusting bathroom that hasn't been updated since 1970. Me I am ok with it give me a porta potty and I am happy, but if you want more customers that's the first place to start to get the women to want to come with us.

2) Way too many classes , with live streaming of Lucas and WOO . I lose my patience being forced to watch a 3 car street stock, or 3 car front wheel drive race that one car runs away with. Run that class last . Alot of times with these tracks running 8-10 supports they put a race first like that. It doesn't leave a good impression on new people, and it tries the patience of us die hards .

If you want to keep fans and get new people showcase the classes with alot of cars that produce good racing. Way too much this class needs to be first because we have done it that way for 30 years. Show us why we should want to come back next week .

Most people go home before they even get to the good racing. I see it all the time average Joe's heading for the door before the limited or crates or supers get to the track. You drag the night out with classes you know will not provide good racing before you get to the good stuff. Showcase it before it gets to that point. You have a great race but half of your audience didnt see it because they got tired and already went home .

3) Not only do we have alot of classes they ALL look the same . I used to love modified hobbies when I was younger because it was different. Now they look just like a shorter version of a latemodel. My wife often asks me after every division comes on the track are these latemodels? If she cant tell , new people aren't going to be able to tell.

Touching on that I have never understood why ump open wheel modifieds havent taken off in the south. Promoters should be pushing it finding a way to make them work getting them to the track or started racing to get people interested in them. Why it's a different type of car that doesn't look like a latemodel. It's something different .

4) Timely shows , I have had this conversation with other race fans and promoters should see it like this because it's simple. If I come over to your house to watch a ballgame , I want to see the ballgame not spend the night with you. The same analogy applies to racing and racetracks . I came there for a reason, not for you to drag it out to sell more hotdogs or watch Joe support class with 3 cars in it.

Since this is advice for promoters , just to let you know if you have an intermission to sell more food out of spite I will go hungry and stop at huddle house on the way home . I will also not be back .

5) The greatest thing I have seen to get young people involved is by a local track here Blue Ridge Motor Sports Park. Every week they have a power wheels race for the kids . They take the winners picture and feature it on their Facebook page. I would even suggest buying a couple power wheels to provide to kids that dont have one or didnt bring their own.

Everyone likes to see the kids win myself included .

[Illtsate32]

Of course with proper vetting of the sitters. Js people do it every day at places like Golds Gym and bowling alleys they have nurseries...

[kazual]

If I was a promoter no way in heck I’d take responsibility for a race track daycare center, there’s much better things to devote resources to. In my state child care facilities have to be licensed, adequately staffed and appropriately insured. Go though all that to provide babysitting for half a dozen infants that shouldn’t be at the track in the first place? Yeah, that’s a prize winning economic formula for ya.

[jog49]

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! TIME MANAGEMENT seems to be the overriding concern here. We've all been to three hour racing nights somewhere that lasted what seemed like 24 hours. People bringing their kids to tracks can't stay there all night. Treat your patrons like humans rather than animals by having good, quality foods and clean rest rooms. Help those in the stands gain racing knowledge with good sound systems, good lighting, scoreboards that work will all the bulbs operating, grandstands that are comfortable and not in danger of falling down at any moment, and admission charges that are fair but not gouging that accommodate family attendance.

[jog49]

"Touching on that I have never understood why ump open wheel modifieds havent taken off in the south. Promoters should be pushing it finding a way to make them work getting them to the track or started racing to get people interested in them. Why it's a different type of car that doesn't look like a latemodel. It's something different . "

They tear up the track surfaces with their skinny tires. Put big tires on them and problems are likely solved. Of course they have recently moved up to large engines which doesn't help cost containment.

[CarolinaDirt]

"Touching on that I have never understood why ump open wheel modifieds havent taken off in the south. Promoters should be pushing it finding a way to make them work getting them to the track or started racing to get people interested in them. Why it's a different type of car that doesn't look like a latemodel. It's something different . "

They tear up the track surfaces with their skinny tires. Put big tires on them and problems are likely solved. Of course they have recently moved up to large engines which doesn't help cost containment.

Never thought of it that way , good insight. I just think we need something as a support class that doesn't look like everything else. Would you agree with that ?

I mentioned the ump mods because they are different and I have been impressed with the racing when I have seen them .

Like I also mentioned maybe body rules for modified hobbies / A hobby or whatever insert track calls them need to go back to what they were . Instead of looking like every other late model

[EvelB7]

Didn't read whole thread but I know Time Management is big key. That means limit the support divisions-they were created to bring in more back gate money (easier than actually trying to get fans in the stands). The idea of more pit area traffic actually lengthened the shows and drove fans away. There are a ton more choices for people to spend their time and money with these days, you have to be 'the choice' and let them know that you appreciate it!

[Bill31]

I had an idea on trying to get younger fans to come , can't remember if I told my home track owner (think I did). My two local tracks on a regular show charge $12 to get in and 12 years old an under are free. Have a "bring a parent night". Any kid 12 or under that brings a parent will get $2 off for their parents general admission (Two parents or guardians get the discount, so thats $4 savings total). This is only for certain regular shows throughout the season (maybe 4-6 shows).And pass these certificates/passes out to the local middle schools. Put on the passes >>>"Bring a parent night" any parent or guarding that attends with a child under 12 years of age will get a $2 discount off the $12 admission for up to 2 parents or guardians. These passes can be copied and are encouraged to be copied. Passes are good for these dates only (insert the dates here)<<<.

That $2 may not seem a lot but its something , and most people will hand the ticket both a $10 bill knowing they don't have to hand over another two one dollars or break a bigger bill JMO.

[Clayton_Wetter]

There is no racetrack that has a daycare center and there most likely for sure not ever going to be one that does, let's be realistic. Heck if some can't even have a decent restroom how are they going to build a daycare facility. This has to be one of the most absurd things I've ever read on here. hahahahaha

[Illtsate32]

Well when the skinny tires do take to the track it pulls moisture back up that otherwise the track wI'll take rubber and become one lane much sooner without them running...

[flagone]

Illtsate32 jog means in the south / southeast. Our surfaces are very different here than in the midwest and other areas where they thrive. Just like the 15 minutes of track prep doesn't exist here.

[EvelB7]

The south hates inverts, but I will throw this 'crazy' plan at you.... Pay for advancement, from where you start to where you finish. After the lineups are set, let the drivers 'choose' their starting position. Pay less to win but make passing cars worth it. This was actually used back when Charlotte's dirt track first ran, and it was exciting. People come to see a show, the drivers at some point have to realize the world is not 'fair' and things need to get mixed up a bit.