uman1030 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 you do realize your quoting some one else then the person your message was aimed at? interesting thoughts i may add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fappy'97 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Moved my thoughts to a private message........... it was best believe me.......... Too slow, bud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadbeat Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Moved my thoughts to a private message........... it was best believe me.......... please share you thoughts in public Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locogato11283 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 please share you thoughts in public Nah, he's too scared. That's why he deleted it. Lots of threats from a dude who isn't doing shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finch Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Moved my thoughts to a private message........... it was best believe me.......... Pussy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINDYCITYJOHN400 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Big name sponsors aren't reluctant to finically back 300' sand drags due to safety. The issue is the lack of interest. A sport doesn't "Grow" because a sponsor feeds money into it. The sponsor puts his money behind it because it already has a large growing fan base. There are PLENTY of sports where safety gear or rules are lacking, yet they still have sponsor backing. The 2 sports that are the closest cousins to 300' sand drags are AMA MOTOCROSS and NHRA DRAG RACING. Chad Reed (22) Played the roll of human lawn dart last Saturday with a crash that broke a lot of bones. Safety gear???? Just helmet, boots and gloves. No neck braces. I'm a fan of the neck brace (Tho I do not own one at this time) But for a while AMA racers were moving towards more armor. Full knee braces, elbow guards, neck braces, etc. Now with the top riders are running minimal gear….the trend is back towards a stripped down amount of apparel. This lack of safety gear and the subsequent injuries to top riders is not a problem for the many sponsors of that series. Still, that racing series is filled with fans who are mostly riders themselves and even with them filling stands every weekend only see late evening media coverage for one day on cable. The outdoor series was spread over 2 networks with one showing heat one and the other showing heat two on different channels and at totally different times of day! NHRA has a HUGE fan base due to the fans ability to relate to the sport in their daily life as drivers of cars. It's had GENERATIONS of followers and tracks are spread all around the country. It's not a big effort to find an NHRA sanctioned dragstrip. The auto makers have fed the sport with HP wars over the years that help the grass roots involvement that starts with friendly stoplight runs between young drivers. Even with all that going for it, the sport is mostly filled with gear heads who have SOME level of a modded car of their own. Now lets look at 300' Sand Drags. 90% of people watching the races showed up with a racer or know one personally. 99% of the women fans are only there because the guy they are with is into it. The payouts are too low to reimburse the racers for the cost to drive to many of the events. Most tracks are on a complete shoe string budget. Some winners of a particular series championship simply showed up to more races than anyone else. Since east coast, southern, west coast racers can't afford to tour the country without loosing money doing it….you don't get a big national following, nor do you get to see just who is the fastest and how one region stacks up against another. (NFL and MLB at least have divisions that play for a final overall title.) There are no real classes. Sure they will limit cc size to build a class….but nothing like NASCAR where they specify wheelbase, engine, tires, minimum weight, etc. So you don't get a sense of "Rider Ability" it's more of a "Bike Ability" leaving many with the impression that wins are simply won by buying the most power or having the lightest bike/jockey. Light weight jockeys discourage fans from feeling like they personally could be part of the action. Then there is the time involved…..I go to 300' tracks and participate in the Friday "Test and Tune" and for $20 make sometimes as many as 15-20 runs from 5-9 pm. But I go to a track that's only a 5 minute drive from our dunes. So I get to ride the dunes from about noon till 4pm before going to the strip. Then I ride the dunes all day Saturday. I really don't have any interest in killing a weekend at a dragstrip to make minimal passes knowing I could spend my day actually riding instead of watching endless track prep….. I enjoy the track….be I would never build a track specific bike. I've been involved with this hobby/sport/lifestyle since the 80's. You wanna know how many times I've seen ANY kind of ATV drag racing on TV?……NEVER! I've seen swamp buggy racing, Top Fuel/Jet Boat drag racing, Snomobiles drag racing on grass, Bar Stool Racing….. HELL I've even seen CIRCULAR SAW DRAG RACING! So the fact that ATV drag racing can't find a following on TV…..but Curling in the olympics has days of coverage should be an eye opener. (The most I get is a quick 1/2 hour update on GNCC races from RacerTV and the swap every other weekend with the motorcycle coverage) Is there an action sport that RED BULL doesn't sponsor?……Yeah ATV racing of any kind. How many times does Travis Pastrana have to get a concussion or break himself before RED BULL runs away from the lack of safety? NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. So let's drop the notion that lack of safety is what's holding back ATV drag racing……. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#1JUANstunna Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Bunch of fuggin bullies! Windy break that shit up into 10-12 posts my ADD kicked in and you lost me at "The issue is" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locogato11283 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Lost me at WINDYCITYJOHN400 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINDYCITYJOHN400 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Bunch of fuggin bullies! Windy break that shit up into 10-12 posts my ADD kicked in and you lost me at "The issue is" Lost me at WINDYCITYJOHN400 Not for your reading level. Please select less challenging text. NOTE: There were more than a few others who got a little "Windy" with their response. One even called himself on it. LOL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locogato11283 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Not for your reading level. Please select less challenging text. NOTE: There were more than a few others who got a little "Windy" with their response. One even called himself on it. LOL I was kidding. I read it. Just kidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANSHEE HP Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 cheese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dozer Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) i agree with alot of what you wrote windy. although i have seen 300 ft atv racing on tv one time. some 3 wheeler thingy won. on the nhra thing, even they are having trouble getting fans to show up. recently on yellow bullet there was a thread "if a funny car goes 324 mph And no one is there to see it, does it happen? Man, that was a horrible crowd at Pomona yesterday." i completely agree with you on this: "you don't get a sense of "Rider Ability" it's more of a "Bike Ability" leaving many with the impression that wins are simply won by buying the most power or having the lightest bike/jockey. Light weight jockeys discourage fans from feeling like they personally could be part of the action". Edited February 11, 2014 by dozer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2004LEBanshee Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 The sport doesnt grow because most people riding sport quads are young people who have little money. When they get older and want to get into racing they move on to race cars. Not everyone but a majority. Also most local places are either low budget or there isnt many dedicated drag bikes to race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINDYCITYJOHN400 Posted February 11, 2014 Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Well the NHRA is a perfect shadow sport to compare to. In this economy, to see them struggle with fan involvement is an indication of the realities in trying to build a fan base from scratch. We are a cottage industry and 300' sand drags is a small niche in that. The only people who are doing the "watching" at the track are friends and family. Starting another website might somehow "unite the tribes" but the attendance numbers aren't going to change. If EVERYONE rallys around a race held somewhere and begins following a National tour......that just leaves even less riders home to support the local/nearest tracks that are already hurting. Heck, my plans to attend the LS ride will keep me and 5 other friends from paying the $20 each to the owners of the West Michigan Sand Dragway that weekend. Plus any other people we might have dragged along who might have entered or just bought food from the track grill. Not to mention the hotel we all usually stay at that weekend.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locogato11283 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2014 Has attendance increased, or decreased at the bigger sanctioned ATV drag racing events? Decreased. I believe a lot of that is due to increased fuel costs and expenses. I know the hillclimb attendance has decreased quite a bit as well. Some of that has to do with the schedule being so hectic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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