Forum Activity for @dave-fulton

New NASCAR Study Says Sport Needs New Fans

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Maybe they can just close the tracks and do cell phone racing or something. Then they'd no longer have to worry about filling seats or having tv viewers. I remember one time at a convention in Myrtle Beach when Paul Sawyer told Ralph Seagraves that he promoted races and filled stands before Winston came along and he'd still be doing it after they left. He was right on both counts. He further said nobody had ever paid money to see a cigarette race. Same goes for phones, etc. The bottom line is they need to take care of the racing and the fan and some of this other stuff would take care of itself. Unfortunately, I don't see NASCAR having on board those with the mentality to do that.

New NASCAR Study Says Sport Needs New Fans

General

Wow,NASCAR isactually paying money for these studies. Study concludes they need new fans. Who'd have ever guessed?

NASCAR review finds need to attract new fans

By Jim Utter jutter@charlotteobserver.com

Posted: Friday, Jul. 01, 2011 DAYTONA

NASCAR officials are accelerating their pursuit of new fans in the wake of a review that highlighted concerns. Among the issues NASCAR plans to address right away: help new fans become acclimated to the sport; continue efforts to diversify its drivers and make those drivers and fans feel welcome; expand its digital and social media presence; and identify and help brand drivers earlier in their careers. In meetings this week, NASCAR began sharing the findings of its review with team owners and drivers and gave the media a brief overview Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. "I think that everybody has the same goal in mind and it is no different than anything else," said driver Kevin Harvick. "Times change. Perspective of younger audiences change. "Everybody wants that 18-to-34 demographic. You want to keep the current fans and (keep) the old school fans happy, too. It is a fine balance." The review consisted of five studies in areas of communications, fans' race experiences, driver star power, digital and social media and targeting new fans. Some issues are being addressed, including the creation of a website for younger fans, capitalizing on NASCAR's involvement with action sports athletes and the development of Spanish-language promotions for races later this year at Chicagoland, Phoenix and Homestead, Fla. The plan is still being developed and will address immediate issues as well as topics years down the road, officials said. The review found a general consensus that the racing on the track is doing well. "I feel like our on-track performance has been good, but there's more to it than that," said driver Denny Hamlin. "We've got to attract new, young fans and those are the people that are going to be coming to the races, bringing their families 10 years from now." NASCAR has seen an overall increase in TV viewership this season, but particularly in the 18-to-34 age demographic, which is craved by sponsors. "Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at everything where the sport is at," said four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon. "In these times, you look at how tough it is just to be in business in general (and) you have to look at how you impact not only your core fans that are already big loyal fans but reach out to new fans."

updated by @dave-fulton: 04/13/17 01:38:36PM

Question on dirt track open wheel modified racing in south and when did it become popular again

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Jim, that's a really interesting question you pose. When I first started going to the local Richmond weekly asphalt track on Friday nights in 1964 that featured NASCAR modifieds, some of the Richmond guys like Eddie Crouse, Al Grinnanand Lennie Pond would go to Langley Field in Hampton which was still dirt at the time on Saturday night and run NASCAR modifiedswith Gene Lovelace, Butch Torrie, Earl Moss, etc. I always thought it was kind of special that these guys were running the same modified on asphalt one night and on dirt the next. Other Richmond drivers like Ray Hendrick and Sonny Hutchins would go to the asphalt South Boston on Saturday. Up until he paved it in 1968, Paul Sawyer was still putting on big special event NASCAR modified shows at the 1/2-mile dirt Richmond track. NASCAR, as you state, did a pretty good job of running the mods away from the Virginia tracks it sanctioned, and they had disappeared from the NC tracks long before.In the mid-60s, theNASCAR "Sportsman" class in Virginia was still open wheel coupes, but in NC it was Late Models.In the late 60s (68-70 or so) when I'd go to theSanford, NC "outlaw" dirttrack (partnered with the old Rockingham track), seems like they ran as many dirt modifieds with James Sears, David Munnerlyn, etc. as they did Late Models with Glen McDuffie, Edsel Kiker, etc. When I moved to Wilson, NC in the summer of 1970, there were no modifieds / open wheel cars running at that 1/2-mile dirt track, only late model divisions. There were no modifieds in 1970 either at the dirt Wake County Speedway in Raleigh or the dirt Chantilly Speedway in Weldon, NC. When I moved to Greensboro, NC in 1981 I don't remember any open wheel cars at the Madison, NC dirt track. But, I don't know when any of those three dirt NC tracksquit running the open wheel cars. Wonder when they did come back or who, as you speculate, may have kept running them?

Fred Lorenzen

-RacersReunion® OUTREACH

Feb.14, 1965 Chicago Tribune archives via AP Wirephoto

Daytona 500 VIctory lane - Valentines Day

Richard Petty 200th with Ronald Reagan 1984 Daytona Firecracker on TV TONIGHT - June 30

Stock Car Racing History

I'll have to chime in and agree with the thoughts y'all have expressed. I thought the show was surprisingly well done and my wife and I jumped out of our recliners when they showed Tammy with Reagan. More than anything else (other than Richard winning) when Tammy came out and she and Reagan bussed, it was the absolute highlite of the day and those assembled went nuts. It was one of those defining moments you'll carry with you the rest of your life. I didn't think there was any way they could show it, but just before Tammy came out, the old man, Bill France, Sr. put his arm around President Reagan and said, "Mr. President, what's all this old man s--- they keep talking about you and me?!" That one also brought down the house. I found out years later that my brother-in-law was on Air Force One that day. He worked Air Force Security ansd was stationed at Andrews at the time. Eveyone was right about the security. We went through metal detectors everywhere. They had prepared a room at the Indigo Resort kind of across International Speedway BLVD through the woods to use as a command center and had blocked off the roads all through that complex with dump trucks and earth movers. On top of the Daytona control tower and on the roof of the dog track, if you knew where to look, were a number of snipers/sharp shooters. I don't know of a more wonderful day my wife and I ever had in racing. It really contrasted with the visit to Daytona a few years later by President Bush (the senior). He wouldn't get out and mix and they actually locked the doors of the Infield Media Center for about 45 minutes during the race and wouldn't let anybody in or out. Any support he had from the motorsports media wqas lost that day. But again, I think they did a surprisingly good job in an hour, especially for it to have been a NASCAR production.

Richard Petty 200th with Ronald Reagan 1984 Daytona Firecracker on TV TONIGHT - June 30

Stock Car Racing History

SPEED TV at 8:00 pm Thursday June 30 is supposed to have a 1 hour restrospective titled "The Day" recapping Richard Petty's 200th career win and President Ronald Reagan's visit to Daytona on July 4th, 1984. That was the best 4th of July picnic I was ever invited to and I hope they show Tammy Wynette snuggling with Reagan in the old Daytona GN garage as she sings "Stand by Your Man". I thought it deserved it's own headline so everyone who wants to see it tonight will know.

updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

Where did she go

General

Most of us have been guilty of doing stupid things. I've done more than my fair share. I am reminded of the fall Atlanta race in 1983when I hosted a newly crowned Miss America in my Wrangler hospitality suite as a favor to an ad agency employee. That newly crowned Miss America was Vanessa Williams, the first black to win that title. She was lovely and our guests thought it was wonderful (just as wonderful as Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson in our Talladega suite as a favor to U.S. Tobacco). You know the rest of the story. Inappropriate photos surfaced and without authorization were published. Vanessa felt pressured to resign as Miss America. I don't know the former Miss Sprint Cup model in question, but I hope she finds as much success in her life as Vanessa Williams did. If I'd been blackballed every time I did something stupid, I wouldn't have been around racing long. People often deserve a second chance.

Where did she go

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Maggie Claud - still my fav - in victory lane at Nashville with Bobby Allison

Where did she go

General

Don't know what happened, but I've never thought the Sprint Cup gals could hold a candle to the old Miss Winstons or Linda Vaughn and Winky Louise (my all-time favorite, who married the Green Bay Packers' Jerry Kramer) in their red spangled leotard as Miss Firebird or the RaceStoppers as pointed out by William Horrell. PattyKay, it would have been hard to miss the face of the girl trying to peek into the victory lane tv camera looking totally lost in the first years of Nextel/Sprint. Either she wasn't well trained or didn't know what she was doing. Not like the Winston women. I was hired as Manager, Wrangler NASCAR Special Events by Bob Odear, the RJR man who started the Winston program. Bob actually married the first Miss Winston, Marilyn Green. After they married, Marilyn started a modeling agency that provided all future Miss Winstons. So, we knew a lot about the Miss Winston program. My favorite Miss Winston had to be Margaret Claud, probably because I used to fly to the races with her and accompanied her later when she moonlighted for me as Miss Wrangler at Tractor Pulls and SuperCross events. She was super nice and TOTALLY professional. I remember a Miss Winston named Penny about the same time who could put down more cold beer than any of us (though she was the only one I ever met who socialized). I got to be around Patti Petty alot when I worked with Kyle at 7-Eleven and CITGO. Another super nice person. I remember some years after Lennie Pond had lost his ride with Ranier and was selling cars in Colonial Heights, Va. he lost his wife. When Lennie, a former Talladega winner and Rookie of the Year showed up at North Wilkesboro, just about everybody but Patti ignored him. She went out of her way to invite Lennie to sit in her van, etc. It's those little things that the fans never see that make SOME of the racing community really special. I know in addition to Kyle and Jeff, both Derrike Cope and Andy Petree married former Miss Winstons. Then there were also the Skoal Bandit girls and those sleazy Hooters girls around the Kulwicki deal that NASCAR wouldn't let in the track for a long time. I think some of the worst I ever saw were those Tuflon girls around Bobby Allison at Daytona for that fake product that never paid for their car sponsorship. The greatest description I ever read of a track beauty queen was Tom Wolfe's description in The Last American Hero is Junior Johnson of Miss Firebird at North Wilkesboro in the prerace parade. Wolfe's description of Miss Firebird's honeydew legs and the catcalls from the good ole boys in the Wilkesboro stands in their winklepicker shoes is absolutely classic. That collection of stories that appeared in Esquire Magazine and was later made into the movie with Jeff Bridges can be found in the book Kandy Kolored Metalflake Streamline Baby in most libraries.

Bill Auman ,Legendary Cylinder Head man passed away

General

We've lost some real special racing talent these past few years. Few of the local track drivers I idolized are still living. Doesn't seem possible. I now realize all too well what my late mom and dad meant by time flying. Remember how when we were children it seemed to take forever for summer vacation to get here? Now those months just whiz by on the calendar. Those engine room men were geniuses. A lot of them hardly ever got out to the track. That's why it was so special when the races were close by for them. I remember Robert Yates telling me once about some engines he'd built at Holman-Moody for Junior Johnson for Daytona, but they didn't have some kinda special "black" bolts used and Robert had to do an overnight rebuild and get the motor to Daytona. My feeble mind doesn't remember what year or what the result was, just that Robert was illustrating how picky folks can be. I seem to remember the point of the story being that there was no difference in the bolts, but Junior was convinced that the engine wouldn't stay together unless the black bolts were used. A tremendous amount of talent has worked behind the scenes in all the various shops through the years like your friend that most of us will never know about. When I was around Bud Moore in the early 80s I espacially appreciated meeting Red Mylar who was building rear end gears there. Red hardly ever went to the track anymore at that time, but had probably forgotten more than most of them out there knew.