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Post by mirada on Jan 7, 2010 21:16:00 GMT -4
O.K. time to sturr the pot ,rumers that possibly more cars in the works .....................anybody else heard this,cars in SAINT JOHN.....MONCTON.could this be a real revival of class racing,After having numorus chats with Gerry and one today with good old uncle Sammy,15 to 20 car fields in the early 80s were the norm,even back then the payouts were substatial by todays standards!Is it just me or do all the old pics from tracks long ago show large crowds lined up to watch cars run each other in a class formation so people could keep track of there favorites.You ask someone who hasnt been to a race in twenty years what car did Norm Carson drive and they can tell you the make and color.So did class racing die or did the crowd loose interest after the tracks dropped class racing? So why cant class racing in the maritimes be successful ,do owners need to make more of a commitment to it , or is it up to the tracks to show more favorable interest?not sure ,but i do know that I would love to see a large S/SS race here so I dont have to haul to EPPING or ENGLISHTOWN.not when the the potential for a quality first rate S/SS CLASS race could be held right here in the maritimes.I think class racing could bring more fans to the track.Sure watch one fancy BLOWER CAR make a half pass is exciting........but I would rather watch BLAIR MACDONALDS and BRUCE RILEY cars wheels up ANYDAY!!!!!!!
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Post by Jeff Kempton on Jan 10, 2010 15:50:35 GMT -4
Thanks for your thoughts, Al. I was hoping that your post would encourage others to comment, but it doesn't appear that is going to happen, so I'll offer my thoughts for consideration. While you're correct that Stk/SS drew lots of fans and attention at our Maritime tracks in the '70's and '80's, numerous things have changed since then. Here are just a few: - There was no bracket racing, and the Stock/Super Stock cars were the stars at every track. Other than a handful of Comp cars, dragsters, and booked in shows, Super Stock plus a few Stockers were the only ones pulling the wheels and running fast. In contrast, now every local event has numerous bracket cars that run much quicker than the quickest class car around here, and many bracket cars wheelie like a Super Stocker. Stock and Super Stock no longer stand out in the crowd.
- The spectators were a different breed back then. The vast majority were gearheads themselves who drove their own musclecars to the track, then cheered for the same car models that they drove. They understood class racing because the racing coverage from the States featured it prominently, and they followed our local guys as they ran against the best in the world each year at Englishtown and Sanair. When Greg Nickerson, Stan Brennan, Fred Thibault and others did well at those venues they were welcomed back like heroes. Nowadays, although local racers still compete and win at national events, the dedicated local fan base following them has shrunk considerably. If you don't believe that, look at the number of views and comments in response to past threads reporting the progress of our racers while away; for the most part the numbers are modest at best. Nowadays the spectator demographic has changed to include a large percentage of casual fans who struggle to understand basic bracket racing; let alone class racing with it's complicated rules. How many musclecars do you see now in the parking lots?
- Without meaning any offense to our current announcers; who do a great job, the old days had two announcers who were hard core supporters of class racing; Norm Pickrem and Ken Packham. They added greatly to the excitement surrounding class racing in these parts by doing a great job of educating the crowd about the challenges and quirks of running these tough classes. You couldn't attend more than a race or two with these guys at the mike without absorbing enough knowledge to understand class racing.
So where am I going with this? Like it or not, Stk/SS cars no longer have the "star status" that they enjoyed in the '70's and '80's around here. The racing scene here now includes 7, 8, and 9 second dragsters and doorslammers in abundance. For a local Stk/SS series to succeed, it needs to find and capitalize on a way to create it's own identity with the spectators. The old performance angle, or brand association with the spectator, is no longer as effective as it once was. Also, the track operators are not in a position to subsidize the series, and need to see a financial benefit to adding another group to fit into an already crowded race schedule. Running Stk/SS as a special attraction with only a handful of cars is doomed to failure; at least 16 cars need to show every time to ensure at least four rounds of racing and a high enough profile to be noteworthy in a sea of other fast, colourful race cars. You also need to talk it up like crazy on the PA while educating the crowd on why these cars are different from the rank and file....."the challenge of going fast while limited to mostly stock parts" is a theme that could be exploited. Although many of them are likely watching this thread (based on over 4000 views), I am disappointed that more Stock and Super Stock racers have not added their input here. They should be the ones carrying this thread forward but we've only had a few who have posted comments so far. As I've said before, I don't have a dog in this hunt! My car hasn't run Super Stock for over 20 years, and likely never will again as it's now a street car. I'm eager to see Stock & Super Stock regain some of the former glory around here, but I'm not the one to push for that, you guys are. There appears to be a plan in the works for 2010, but requests to share even a little info have not generated any response, at least on this forum. Why am I even asking for it if the guys it affects most aren't joining in? This ain't my dog!!!! This thread will stall unless the Stk/SS group steps up and indicates that they are interested in growing their series, and ensuring that class racing will survive in the local racing scene. Chris started this thread, and I've offered my thoughts, but now you guys need to take it the rest of the way.
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Post by Don @ Maritime Drag Racing on Jan 10, 2010 16:36:57 GMT -4
Got to agree with every point you made. Unfortunately the people in the stands and the majority of bracket racers haven't got a clue about Stock/Superstock. One local racer with an 9 second car who had been racing for 20 years remarked to me that Phil Archibald's Vette "didn't sound like it had a very big roller cam in it" When I was in PEI another long time racer told me that Blair MacDonald should "throw away that stupid old Q-jet". A local Mopar fan who'd been racing for many years could not understand why Kelly McKay or Bill Sheppard didn't have a better intake manifold. And don't ever try to tell some of these guys that stockers have stock rockers, compression ratio and the tightest camshaft/valvespring rules in racing. They will never believe you......
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Post by mirada on Jan 10, 2010 17:16:00 GMT -4
Great points,JEFF and DON,So if there was a "traveling series"much like the CARQUEST PRO-STOCK TOUR that was sponser funded and well advertised giving the track and spectator a bunch of bang for their buck could that make a difference ?or are the minds of the track owners who only have to worry about five classes,and not a 32 car field of high caliber S/SS CARS who bring there own brand of racing to the track alreay made up,because with an educated fan.the days of a crowd standing around a car like Kellys and saying that car just ran .70 under his index would be back.Dont get me wrong there are a lot of high dollar beautiful cars in the maritimes but the hard core S/SS fans are still out there, some are even bracket racers that would love to run class but cant seem to change there cars for whatever reason .................AL
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Post by Jeff Kempton on Jan 10, 2010 17:30:06 GMT -4
Al, you've listed the three most important things for the success of the series: 32 car fields, sponsorship, and advertising. As far as I know, none of them currently exist. Even 16 car fields are not happening regularly. If the group were to achieve all three then I'm sure that the tracks would be receptive to hosting the series. The track operators need to see that it helps their bottom line to make it worth the extra work; i.e they need to see that it brings in more spectators and revenue for their tracks.
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Post by Indynut on Jan 10, 2010 18:39:04 GMT -4
The creators and participants in this post should be credited for their spirited interest in the survival of Stock/Superstock racing in Atlantic Canada. We can further analyze the how's and why's about the current state to class racing but the cure is quite simple...."Get the cars to the track" and then try educate the un-educated. The kids born in the last 15 years do not have much of the Stock/SuperStock DNA in their blood.
These cars have always been a treat to watch, but other than seeing a handful of class cars each year, how is a 20 year old newbie to our sport supposed to know the fine details of class racing.
It was January 25th, 2005 when the maritimes lost their link to Stock/SuperStock racing with passing of Norm Pickrem. He did educate most of us around these parts. Now, with these cars at the track and racing they will be supported by all the current track announcers. You need not talk about spectators or sponsors until the cars get dusted off and out to the track.
If you follow class racing really close, the educated spectators we keep hoping for, they're pretty much all gone now. We have to adapt to the changing times and although many of us really enjoy the hard charging stockers the truth is, they can't depend on same 6 or 7 local guys to keep that fire burning forever. The cars are works of art and the owners of them need to show us why they used to be the best part of drag racing. Otherwise they will eventually become only memories and pictures.
Indy
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Post by sfearn on Jan 10, 2010 20:09:40 GMT -4
It seems to me that there are a few that wouldn't tell you anything about the series, like it's a big trade secret, so that in fact that the series doesn't grow and they can continue to dominate. Not all, mind you, but tell me I'm wrong
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Post by mhowes on Jan 11, 2010 6:54:37 GMT -4
This has been a very interesting post. Thank you Jeff for trying to keep it going!
I think Mother Nature deserves some of the blame for the recent car counts for the Maritime Stock/Super Stock Series races
In August of 2008 we had 21 Class cars sitting in Miramichi together to watch it rain. There were some good stories told that weekend under the awnings! That has to be the largest turnout in many years....If the sun had shone that weekend who knows what interest may have generated in the class both with spectators and potential participants.
Seeing new cars being built and old cars being refurbished is exciting for people like me that love the class.
In 2008 we had some interesting hooks to get people to bring their cars to the track. 1) A track prep Guru and a truckload of VHT 2) Spectators coming to see the Fast Door Cars 3) Sponsorship money to help the purse 4) A date that didn't conflict with NHRA/IHRA 5) A ton of internet hype around the event
If Class is to get these numbers again I think that some of the incentives above are needed. Or maybe some new incentives need to be implemented.
Every racer has other commitments such as family, work, and other hobbies. How do you make a Class Race THE event when racers are making their schedule up in the spring????Thats the million dollar question.
Jeff, you can add my '71 Duster to the list. It should be legal soon with the changes I have been making. SS/JA
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Post by SS10 on Jan 11, 2010 7:43:45 GMT -4
Well guys I think it would be great to see the series thrive again, but the only way it will happen is if the " RACERS " make it happen. Also as stated it will have to be benefitial to all the tracks in order for this to happen, one way would be if each track would be able to draw from the local racer base and have a class of 16 cars that were willing to show each and every race weekend, lets face reality here people with these economical times people cannot afford to travel like they want to so this would be one way of the series working, then those that can follow the sreies would and those that could not would still be part of it at their local track.
Also it was mentioned about educating the spectator about what the series consists of and one way of acheiving this would be for someone or a group of people source out a printing sponsor and make up a handout to give to the spectators upon arrival to each track outlining the facts about the series and what it consists of along with some color pics of some of the present and past great cars in the series, present cars would help them make a connection because they would have seen them already racing in the present bracket format. Lets face it if these things were done then I am sure that the tracks would include the series in their advertizing agenda as long as they know that there will be support for them doing so.
Now after spewing all that out we also need to think about the present racer base..... something for EVERYONE to think about....
STOCK/ SUPERSTOCK great series, need to get more involved in the series but were does Johnies CIVIC, CAVALIER, ECLIPSE, SUBURU, ETC. fit in to this picture.... just something to consider.
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Post by scottiebarebum on Jan 11, 2010 15:09:09 GMT -4
dan ryan does still have his wagon, in storage, i believe. im sending him a message right now to give him a heads up on this post.
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