Im assuming that everyone else is as concerned about the car count at the track....this year Im thinking is the worst Ive seen 20+ years Ive been coming to track. My guess is the poor economy is a large factor but Im wondering if there are ideas out there that might help. Im concerned that the low car count could spell the end to this race track. There was a post earlier this year about getting spectators out but I think that if you get racers in it will bring more spectators along with them.

Heres some of my thoughts. (This isnt a negative rant but just some thoughts I have)

Ive seen things happen the past few years with the schedule that make things more of challenge. I understand that things have to be balanced with other race tracks etc.

Back to back weekends seem to happen a couple times a year. I personally think this makes it more and more difficult to budget money and time for. If a 3 person family comes to the track with 1 racer they have to spend money for 1 racer and 2 spectators as well as camping, fuel and travel costs. Entrys and camping for a reg. weekend = $220 a race plus expenses. This easily is over $300 a weekend. In 2 weekends time a family has to come up with $600. This, Im sure is a lot for budget reasons. For some it also costs much more, especially those who have to travel further.

2 Day races on long weekends. This is a problem for some I would guess. Summer is a time children are out of school. Long weekend might mean a 4 weekend for camping or travels. This might keep people away from the track for those weekends if theres a 2 day race.

Since Kamloops is the largest close community to the race track it has the possibility of being a good place to look for racers and spectators. As well its media broadcasts to a wide local area. I believe I have only heard of advertising in Kamloops for the big race weekend at the track. At the same time I have have heard many times radio announcements for the local Whispering Pines motoX track and the Vernon Cascar oval track. I believe that the cost of advertising is expensive and theres a concern that it doesnt bring the attendance return it costs.

Does anyone else have other ideas to throw out there? What would it take to get racers back that were lost when the track moved away from NHRA. Racing and the Ashcroft track environment is as good as ever but some wont come now it seems.

Again these are my thought and not meant to come across as critical of the way things are being handled at the track. I feel its good to share ideas and get different points of view.

Tyler

Funny you brought up Kamloops. We spoke about this very subject saturday night trackside. Eagle should be hitting kamloops hard for sure. Theres more cars from some little towns with three times the haul. God help us if anymore of the two dozen hardcore racers that attend the regular points races stop showing up. How about some mail outs to racers that have attended in the past? Use those addresses on those old tech cards. I know of four cars here in Armstrong alone sitting idle. Time to tickle the old racing bone for next season. Thanks Tyler. Glen and Dusty

I Dont know if it would work but you could send stuff to people with an offer of a discount for those that have not raced at the track in X years.

First of all, Tyler, I hear ya buddy. But I think this issue has to do with many things, somethings that we cannot fix.. A lot of people were mad and disappointed when eagle left NHRA. That is what hurt the most and will continue to hurt us for years to come.
Secondly, not a lot of people have race cars, and if they do don't have the money or a truck to haul it up there if its not street legal. Now some people like me use their daily driver, but a lot of people don't want to because it might end up costing them lots of money if they break down.
Thridly, I know some racers don't like the fact that now because the classes are the way they are, they don't come because their car is slower and they don't want to be racing against a nine second car when theirs is a 15 second car.

Now me, I don't care, I took out Marty Parsons (who was an awesome sport about it and who has kicked my butt tons of times!) with my 16 second Lancer, now if I can do that, anyone can win and be safe doing it.

We could do more advertising, but it costs money, and lots of it. Lots of people don't think about drag racing, a lot of people give me a weird look when I tell them I dragrace....Like they have never heard about it.

It hurts us here that it is not advertised on regular tv, like going to the beach is or like going to the cultas lake water slides.

People don't think of it as a regular thing to do unfortunately because it is soooo much fun and me and nick miss not being there but with his engine swap we haven't finished it and we aren't racing until it's done.

And lastly, the fact that there is no general advertising for Ashcroft, no "oh we gotta go there" about Ashcroft, hurts us a lot. I know they want to build a casino but they will need a whole lot more to get the whole family out there.

We need a park for the kids, etc.. And you know what, we need to advertise camping as well. Tell people how wonderful it is to sleep underneath the stars where its quiet, you can have a fire, have a drink...................

I could go on and on, I want to see this track to survive, but without any "pizzazz" about Ashcroft, we are hooped.

You can pretty much give up on spectators showing up for regular bracket events. I love bracket racing but watching it is painful most of the time. Furthermore, it's too confusing for the general populous. I was down there for the big event July 1/2 and had my parents meet me for a visit and to watch me race. This is probably their 4th or 5th bracket event they've seen, and my wife still spent a bunch of time trying to explain what was going on, why the car that crossed the finish line first lost, etc. As far as watching the racing, the fast cars are quite an experience to see, and since we were pitted close to the finish line, we got the full effect. That was worth watching, and I often wonder why there aren't any stands for the spectators at the finish line.

I think the real trick to get more competitors at the track is to find car guys with money and take them down the track. It won't hook everyone, but I think some will be drawn to it. Get them in a fast car that launches hard, and you'll find a few more.

Simon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2012 11:18AM by skauto.

Hi
My 2 cents worth

In a nut shell, long week ends are for family events and reg weekends are for racers. Fast cars and special cars bring spectators.

A 4 hour drive does not bring spectators

AL Q Wrote:
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> A 4 hour drive does not bring spectators

I remember a time when the big events had a lot of spectators. Something has changed but the track is still in the same location. There's no spectators on a regular weekend at Misson either. Apparently, it's too far out for a lot of people in Vancouver.

More attendance would be a direct result of more cars coming, families and friends coming along etc. Until the powers that be chime in here it's futile. FWIW there will be a handfull of cars coming in september that I spoke with at Thunder mtn. last weekend.

Glen

I agree with what you all are saying...however, the powers that be...their hands are tied. I believe that they are doing everything in their power to change all of this, but it's going to take time. I know...I hear ya...time we can not afford. But it will happen, it will come. The track officials are working very hard everyday and night to change things and we have to remain patient. Joe Sye has been doing a marvelous job at running the track...and I can tell you all the track personelle that our track has...are top notch. My thanks and admiration goes out too them all. And on that note I will say only one more thing "SHADE". That's all.

Thanks,
Deb Cook

simon



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2012 11:18AM by skauto.

Absolutely, we're all grins coming over the hump in the highway north of the track friday night. Such a great facility, especially for the kids. Looking forward to the September race and dinner, can't believe it's allmost fall.

I live in Kamloops and other than a poster at Lordco I have never seen any kind of advertising or ever heard any.Not saying its not there, just that most people I know never know its on. I enjoy coming out to watch the bigger events, and I like running a car for fun occasionally. The track is a beauty,your people are helpful, and I enjoy it.But when I bring it up to my friends most of them never heard of it, and those that did think its been closed. Changing times with this generation not really into cars any more is only going to make it worse.Not sure the cure for that! Maybe a blitz some weekend to get people out for the street class? In fact for all that show anyway and the small revenue, why not push it as a free class and maybe get some new people interested? I would think if it was somehow advertised as a freebie and with some advice waiting for the new racers, it might bring out new people? They might get the bug. you never know! No money lost to try? It would have to include all the info... the time to show up, where exactly to go, etc, as some of the people I try to get to go don't have a clue and thats what holds some of them back....Just a suggestion.
Looking forward to next year myself.

O



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2012 04:11PM by FILMOR.

How about having a heads-up collector plate class (stock appering) no slick or the like, say 1960 ish to 74 ish. Send a few eagle reps to car clubs in the vally and interior to spread the word. Something like this would be fun and competitive.

Tim

for the last couple of years I have beeen trying to make the trek to your facility. one thing I would suggest is to schedule a back to back wknd with thunder mountian thus the tow from calgary would be more racing for the tow dollar. 2 double race weekends may endice some of us to come out. Always the mighty dollar issue involved. Being without a home track is ugly, towing is one of if not the most expensive part of the sport. Have heard nothing but great revues of your facility. Keep up the good work and good luck. Rick Avery

funny cars and alky dragsters pro mods prostreet cars=spectaters 16 sec vs 18 sec cars and trucks=no spectaters even at mission no spectators until there is funny cars ect. end of aug nobody in thestands until 4:30 then they fill up for night time trials. 4 races in 2 days sucks if your out first round.race 1 -1time trial race 2-no time trials thats 80 bucks for 1 pass or 1month insurance for my car. 100 dollars a weekend for entry with 3 time trials on sat race 2 time trials on sunday race. and forget about the 50 dollars for first place prize money may draw a few more cars but probably not its all about the payout to most.even though only 3 out of 30 or so even see the money.all in all it probably comes down to economy but thats just my 9 cents

Speaking locally (okanagan) there is at least a couple dozen regular bracket racers that do not attend eagle races. The feeling I get from the racers I spoke with at thunder mtn is they love the facility in ashcroft and hope to get there soon but for whatever reason dont come. Perhaps its the tow? Perhaps if they decide to make a tow they go to Mission? Anyway,there may be an untapped resource over here considering TMR's limited schedule? While I'm on the schedule topic, that 7 week break in Aug/Sept was harsh.

Cheers!
Glen and Dusty

From reading this thread I keep on seeing one thing that keeps on being said "People love the facility and the staff, and people try to come out but still don't seem to make it to eagle".............. So if people love the facility and the staff, what's the problem?????? Well for one thing eagle isn't NHRA, that hurt eagle big I don't care what anyone says it did.

Eagle is 4 hours away not towing, towing it's like 5 1/2 from where I live. Fuel costs are through the roof, easily $200 in fuel, then it's $160 per racer for two days of racing, then food and if you need a hotel, liquor...... so your looking at a $700 weekend for just two people. Which personally I cannot afford. That is why I would bring my daily driver because I could still have fun for a reasonable price and support the track.. But I understand people don't like running against slower cars so that deters people away or the slower cars don't like going against the really fast cars because they don't feel it's safe. I don't like it how the IHRA has their classes, I think it should have just stayed the same. I know that that hurt eagle.

Now you have mission, which is close and I can race there with my mustang for $200 as apposed to $350 a person. $200 or $350, and a 45 minute drive, which one do you think people will pick........ And for the people near the track like Kelowna and Kamloops, I don't know why the younger crowd doesn't come out. I think because they would rather drink at a buddy's house then do something productive. You have to admit that's what people would rather do these days. It's not like back in the day where people would hop in their cars and go racing with their girlfriends and it would be an awesome night out. People today just want to stay home or close to home when they go out.

I have been thinking lately if I had the time I would love to go to highschools and talk about dragracing and how it not only benefits you but it is also a ton of fun and the family of people you meet is fantastic, like no other!

I think society has gotten lazy, you have everything at home in a box (ps3 or xbox) why go out and experience the real thing??? which I think is insane!!!!!!!!!! People need to be educated about the sport as well. A lot of people don't know about this fantastic world of local dragracing and soon enough it will be gone if the next generation doesn't keep it going.

More runs less money, more advertising and educating people = more people to come.

I know that a lot of people younger then me are deterred away because they don't know how to dragrace and they think it's only for faster cars. We need to help that generation and get them motivated!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways, the fact of the matter it is the economy that hurts us the most. There are many variables to this equation it's just doing the work to get the result that seems to be lacking. For next season, I am going to talk to the principles at highschools around me to see if I could talk to the kids about dragracing. Maybe that will help.