How to reach outside of the existing racing community?

This may sound totally off the wall, but did you contact Sam Posey to do a review? He's at LRP for most of the pro events so I am sure the folks at LRP could help you with a contact addy. He would probably be very helpful to you.
 
Adam - absolutely! :happy204: (Check your messages here for my PM)

The MySpace idea is something I've considered in the past, but for whatever reason never did. The price is right though. You gave me the extra push; I'll have to create one soon.

I'll have to contact the karting place in wallingford.
I agree with you here.

The downside with setting-up booths or buying banner ads on forums or websites for someone selling one item, especially a low dollar ticket item is that it's tough to break even from it, no less make a profit. This summer I looked into this and for a banner on one of a few of the sites (nothing too expensive), it would require that I sell ~ 100 books to break even (not taking into consideration adding any dollar figure to my time).

Out of curosity, for other products companies sell to retailers, are they typically returnable for a full refund?

As I mentioned this before, this discussion is very helpful.
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Dave: have you thought about reciprocal banner adds - put up a banner on your website for you banner on let's say Jegs.com or Summit?
 
have you thought about reciprocal banner adds[/b]
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I've done something similiar to that in the links primary section, although I'm still waiting some of them to put links up on their site. :( Knowing who the audience of the book is, I'm very, very picky with what companies I will add there. If I don't do business with them or know they have a very good reputation, I won't add it.

Jegs will be selling it shortly. :happy204: Summit Racing stated that books do not sell well and therefore are not interested at this time.

I attempted the eBay thing and watched the hit counter, but was surprised at how few people looked at the eBay ad. Maybe I didn't put it in the right area and should try that again.

In regards to Sam Posey, not at all saying it wouldn't be a good idea, but how would you foresee he could help with the publicity? From what I understand, he longer does commentary. I would imagine he has many connections - is that more in line with what you were thinking?


I wonder if regions were to hire outside PR companies to help promote SCCA and their region how that would do, and if the investment would pay off.
 
Dave,

Engaging a PR firm would probably run $1K-2K/month for your project. This would get you introduced to major media players, but would not include any advertising expenses. Will it pay off? Probably not, given the economics of the publishing biz.
 
I have played around with ebay a little and the secret is the search function. If you write the title well it pops up for all the right people.
 
A good idea from a soon to be fellow ITB driver and friend Jon, was to provide a sample chapter of the book. With any luck, it'll spread to other forums. :D Thanks again for the recommendations!

If you've been curious to get an idea what the book is like, learn what to expect at a day at the races, or how much it costs clubs to host events, here it is:

Click Here to See a Sample Chapter
 
What also could be done is bang away at local TV. 30 second slot. Or 3Am Studioes Bucking Speed with video coverage. Get the Grassroot Road racing none to the public. (I know Speed is Roundy-Round racing now) But call into Wind Tunnel and start Busting Dave's balls when he a big guest invalved with road racing. Who know waht could happen if enough people get together to make a differance.
 
Thanks Bosco!

Good idea on calling Wind Tunnel. I spoke with one of the producers for another show on Speed, but they were not allowed to mention product name's websites or where items could be purchased. Something about how they are structured and owned by public tv.

Another MR2. :D How long have you been racing that?
 
Gran Racing,

Last year was my 1st. I ran 6 of 9 races in MARRS. It's Brian Duka's old car. I'm looking at doing all of MARRS this year. I feel very comfortable with the car. Averaged high 32's at Summit, and had a 2:28 at the Glen. (1st time there) :eclipsee_steering:


A couple of years ago I was there 1st caller into Wind Tunnel. I asked Dave about why there is not enough coverage of grassroots roadracing and said about with TV time that the U.S. people would pick up on it just like European pop. has already, BTCC, DTM, & etc. The mistake that I made was in his guest. It was Kenny Schrader of NASCAR. Dave looked at him and asked for his response. Kenny said "Te !st time I was indroduced to roadracing was in 1972, Watkins Glen. The fans would not recongize the sport due the there unfimialarity of the vehicles." ( meaning open wheel, DSR, SFM, & ect.) I tried to respond, but Dave cut me off. With the right guest host there, like Bob Varsha, David Hobs, or a Driver ( Boris Said ). Then the topic has a great chance of getting off the ground. But Speed screwed SCCA with the coverage of the runoffs. Moving the coverage to during the week at lunch time, instead of on the weekends. I'm sick of seeing roundy round and Barret Jackson on TV. Just about all of us can turn Left, and we all know how to buy vehicles. I would like to go to the track sometime and see more people in the stands, other than the people there particiapting. The other problem is some of the track are not fan friendly. Pocono is close to spectators during SCCA events. Why they would not want to make a little bit of money? The tunner crowd would be part of the way to go. The only problem there is, they like NOS and want to fast in a straight line with there bass thumping. :(
 
Gran Racing,

. But Speed screwed SCCA with the coverage of the runoffs........... . :( [/b]
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No, SPEED is a businees, and we are very lucky to even be ON Speed....

And we've done ourselves a big diservice in the races we present. Some of them are just jokes. 17 cars going ro the National Champoionship, and 7 seconds spread over the field??/ That shows how even WE don't think our sport is important!

We're LUCKY Speed did the job they did as in some cases, they didn't have much to work with.

Also, look at the ratings numbers that the World Challenge puts up. Or the Miata Cup. Ar BTTC. Now look at the ratings "Pinks", or "Trackside" put up. Now try selling sponsorship.......

It's a numbers game, and, like it or not, roadracers are a very small part of the American motoring scene.

On top of that, the actual "Craft" of roadracing is very hard to see on the tube, even with all the in car and foot cams. So many times it just looks like cars going around curves, following one another. Ho Hum,

Sorry, but we have gotten to be a society that isn't interested in "subtle"...and "Speed" are not the ones to blame...."Speedvision" bent over backwards trying to get roadracing, both professional and ametuer on the screen, but the numbers can't be ignored. Want the ARRCs on the tube? Pay for it.
 
I understand Speed is a business.

What I meant by SCCA getting screw was moving the air time. Saturdays where great. Watch the taped World Challenge then the runoffs. A couple of hours of racing. This year I did not get to all of the runoffs. I did not know that it was being televised during the weekdays. (sorry don't get the TV guide) If I would have known I would have set my VCR.

Speedvision did a better job of showing more roadracing, in 1 month from, all over the world then Speed does in a year! :(

Yes we are a society! And we as a society can make a differance if we push the product.

A business looks for what the consumer wants and demands. If there is a big enough demand the product goes into production. So let get our product into production. It going to slow to develope. But we can be heard.


Yes there might be a big time differance during our races between positions. Not all of us are able to build fresh engines or cars during the off seeason like the pros. That's why it is call grassroots. Even look at the grassroot dirt track races that Speed televises. There are some races that the leader has about a full lap on the feild. But Speed still show that type of racing. My point is Speed as a business is narrow minded most of the time when it comes to roadracing. Yes they do show Rolex 24 hr., 24 hrs of Le Mans, ALMS, Grand Am & etc., but very limited. Why is when you look at their weekly programing list there is 4 hr one night a 8 hrs the next for the Barret Jackson Auction, "bobsledding", (I'm sure a lot people demanded that), and reality car shows, NBS24 & etc. Those programs get more air time in 1 to 2 months time, then the races and series I just mentioned.

Lets go society and get heard. On averge there are what about 200 driver at a track, not including crew, workers and fans, during a race. Multiply that by how many series does SCCA have and that number become pretty BIG. HUMM. Maybe just maybe those people started to talk to Speed. I wounder what would happpen?
 
It would be interesting to see the response to a book that was broader in scope and less detailed. Something like "How to be a Racecar Driver".

We see a very broad spectrum of racers, including such extremes as drag boat drivers, monster truck drivers and Pikes Peak hill climbers (that guy races a Kenworth--honest to God), and the basic issues are the same. How much does it cost? What is a typical day at the track like? How much safety gear should I get? Should I build or buy my car? I know you have better things to do with your time than write the same book twice, but a more generalized book would serve a market 20 times the size.

But there is a negative factor also: Road racers aside, racers don't read. (Some would claim the oval guys can't read, but I'm not going there.) No one reads product instructions, for example. Hence, it would be interesting to do a video version of a generalized book, but that's taking you down a long road.

Then again, maybe you could get sponsors and buy time on Speed. ;)

Oh, if you do the video, I strongly suggest you use professional personnel, like these:

btboth.jpg


Not just another pretty face, one of the Barton twins has a 600hp Supra.
 
I understand Speed is a business.


Speedvision did a better job of showing more roadracing, in 1 month from, all over the world then Speed does in a year! :(

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Yup. Roger Werner, ex owner/founder of Speedvision, LOVES cars, and all car guy stuff. I was talking to him one time back in the Speedvision days, and asked him why the Porsche Cup Challenge (or whatever it's called) wasn't on that season. Now, keep in mind that was a "bought" program...already produced by a company, and already televised in Europe,,,a cheap buy for him. His answer, "I can't find anyone to pay for the air time." Huh?? "Not Porsche????" I asked..."Nope, we've tried and tried.". Yup...they had to pay the bills, and the show brought in not even enough viewers that Porsche thought it was worth the money. The DR Bruush Trimmer folk though were willing to buy air time for some other show that we probably thought was lame. Even back then, he was doing every semi related deal he could to get any ounce of NASCAR related programming he could on the air, and he said those numbers, even then, easily outpaced those of the better roadracing numbers. Really, if YOU had millions in bills, what would you do? You wouldn't send the production crew, miles of wires, satelite time and dozens of cameras to cover a grassroots effort.

A business looks for what the consumer wants and demands. If there is a big enough demand the product goes into production. So let get our product into production. It going to slow to develope. But we can be heard. [/b]
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Whats our product?


Even look at the grassroot dirt track races that Speed televises. There are some races that the leader has about a full lap on the feild. But Speed still show that type of racing. My point is Speed as a business is narrow minded most of the time when it comes to roadracing. Yes they do show Rolex 24 hr., 24 hrs of Le Mans, ALMS, Grand Am & etc., but very limited. Why is when you look at their weekly programing list there is 4 hr one night a 8 hrs the next for the Barret Jackson Auction, "bobsledding", (I'm sure a lot people demanded that), and reality car shows, NBS24 & etc. Those programs get more air time in 1 to 2 months time, then the races and series I just mentioned. [/b]
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The shows you mentioned are either VERY cheap to produce AND have good viewership, or are paid in full for by an interested sponsor. Years ago the POC in Cali wrangled together a package and got their 24 hour Willow Spring Event on Speed. They paid for a production company, and got Tommy Kendall to host it, then sold the ad space. Speed broadcast it, but the background work was performed by others. Lawnmower racing? Same deal. Bobsledding? Ditto.

On averge there are what about 200 driver at a track, not including crew, workers and fans, during a race. Multiply that by how many series does SCCA have and that number become pretty BIG. HUMM. Maybe just maybe those people started to talk to Speed. I wounder what would happpen?
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Car and Driver just did a very interesting story on Speedvision/Speed, and you'd be interested to read about the internal power struggles, the sale to Fox, and the internal debate between the roadracing set (F1 guys) and the rest (NASCAR types). They know about us. They know about the grassrooters, and they know about the numbers...how many, how dedicated, our spending habits, etc. They're not doing this blindly. The case was made that they are sticking with as much roadracing coverage as they are, not as much to make good numbers, but to try and keep the audience somewhat diversified. But the raw numbers are staggering. Grassroots motorsports, even if you multiply your 200 x hundreds of events, comes up way short of even the "Trackside" audience. Really.
 
When comparing the popularity between Road Racing and NASCAR, I wonder how much of the popularity difference is due to a much better marketing campaign being done by NASCAR? I think the tracks in my area (in particular Lime Rock) does a poor job getting it's name out to the community. Now there maybe logical reasons for this, but regardless it's still a fact. My neighbors have questioned where I race and I mention that I primarily race at Lime Rock. Even though it is only ~ an hour from us, I usually get either "I didn't realize there was a road racing track nearby" or "oh, yeah, I forget about them." What I'm getting at, is it there wouldn't be more interest in road racing or the overally marketing efforts for road racing are lacking?
 
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