Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on getting some more publicity about the race track. I know in Wichita, KS cox's television broadcast the races on the local channel. I wonder if they could get someone interested in doing that out here, kind of like high vista or something. I know if someone were to tape races that alot of people would buy them. I don't know I just think there could be alot more done to promote the track and put in the public eye.

There maybe many things that could be done to promote local racing, however it would take some effort,ie car shows,cars on display at sponsors locations ,and as i've posted before a street legal race car.Every idea should be looked into ,but there needs to be a market of people to wacth it,MANY ,MANY people in this area dont  know that theres racing here now.WHY is that? it might be that  TV could help that but it would be a easier sell if the crowds were there now, then again some might stay home and wacth it at home, loss of gate money. however that could be worked out. People would have to get involded,, and that will be hard, because most racers think that it is the tracks job to promote.but i dont think anyone will tell you that the promoter has helped them get a big sponsor.PROMOTE YOURSELF,& PROMOTE RACING

Car shows are a great idea if you can get cars to show up. A few years ago, Connie Root had several car shows set up and there was always a poor turn out by racers. I took my car to several of them and even had it at the Jerry Lewis telethon a couple of years. I don't know why guys won't show up, but they won't. It was always a great time. I remember as a kid they used to have one at Shepard Mall.

David  you are right!!still if this sport is to grow drivers must take the time to promote themselves like you have done..But its hard for newer fans to think this is  a great sport to watch when only 1 or2 drivers care about it enough to help it grow. the world today wants be be thrilled. drivers want big money races. big sponsor,with little effort.  hey thats a special kind of stupid.oh shepard mall was cool ,all those cars for the public to see .new fans being made,some kids  meeting a driver & finding a hero on dirt to watch for years to come.that is how it should be, any ideas on how to get  it on tv. dave do you know who i am?

cd,

E-mail me at [email protected] about July 6 races. I have State Fair Speedway on tape.

Thanks

I like the idea of someone like Cox televising the races. They're able to show local high school sports such as football, basketball, baseball and even soccer.  Hey, they even show little league football!!  But if you got them to show it,  I think it would work better if it were shown on a tape delay bases, more so like Saturday afternoon or evening.  I know during football season you can see a game repeated numerous times during the week. I seem to remember that they did something along the same line in Tulsa many years ago.  I'd also like to see alittle better coverage from the Oklahoman, a least a picture or to that's not out of date anyway.

I was even able to watch Knoxville Weekly races last year on the local cox channel. That tells me someone up there is doing their job.........and someone down here is not.............

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I do know that the photographers at SFS have offered to give the Oklahoman pictures to run with their storys, but I don't think I've even seen a picture in the paper this year.

For Cox to produce and replay the races, someone is going to have to foot the bill. TV production is expensive. If SFS could provide a finished video product it would probably help. The Knoxville show was a studio show that simply showed highlights and the commentators talked over the highlights. That would be less expensive, but it would require someone to shoot the races, edit the highlights and then produce a studio show, all of which has expense. And that's to say nothing of hiring a host, etc. I would love to see it happen, and it could happen with the right financial backing, but it's not a simple undertaking.

"I'd pay $15 to watch a sprint car sit still."

Here is what I know about Local Access TV.
All Cable companies must provide a channel for Local Access TV.  Part of what you pay for in your  cable cost goes to operate the Local access chanel.  This is regulated by the goverment.
In Salina, Ks  they have http://www.salnet.org/ which is run by volunteers.  You can take a class and then they let you produce TV shows that are shown on the local Access Channel.  If you have something that you want on the local access channel and you don't want to produce it your self you should contact the local access channel and see if any of there volunteers would want to do it.  They are usually looking for things to produce.  Sometimes they have a charge for the video tapes and ask for some sponsorship.  But it is a great way to get the word out.

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OK  this is all good stuff,   now who would like to start trying to put this together.anyone,anyone?  dont be shy,, ,,someone out there would be good at this.

i think local radio would help quite a bit have someone on the air that is actually a race fan interview racers maybe even start a few grudge matches kinda like wayne johnson and larry neighbors had get the intrest up from sports fans

Yeah that was great fun. Haven't been chased down the road with people after you with tire tools in a long time.lol

  hey david, that might  get  some publicity, if we could have gotten cop to  film it.  i think i saw that at creek county one night when i was helping marcus, in the 1st years of ascs . seems  funny now. but it wasnt then. a mob of anger villiagers with torches,seems  like when you all left the pits the grand stands filed out into the parking lot,during the races. OH those where the days,that would have been good on TV.

Forgot about the Kellyville deal. That was after Larry spun Rodger the Dodger out on a yellow. Everyone ran onto the track to try to stop Larry. NOT a good move. Iwas talking about OKC after Wayne threw his helmet at Larry and he ran over it. Times have changed.

I really think a few people should get together with some older stuff and build a promotional street legal sprint car or a modified,.... i have seen many street rods with no fender .they are taged as street rods..we could put different drivers faces an names on the cars & promote the drivers & the speedway. does anyone think this is a good way to promote oursleves.

I'm trying to do that now with this one. I just need to get it legal and painted. I like sponsors! anybody? I guarantee this will get looks because I had it at Texas for Goodguys last year and drew people away from high dollar Duece roadsters! While they were trying to get into the speedway with thier cars, I was in an open parking lot trying to do donuts! Then I would wave and park it so I could watch them overheat and worry. In every town I have gone through there is always someone who wants to know more about it. I'm not shy when it comes to these cars.

i think that is great .what i dont understand is why todays local driving talent ,doesnt get that they might be the greatest thing ever, however nobody will ever know that if They dont start promoting themsleves.in a BIG BOLD WAY. i wouldnt wait for anyone to do that out of the kindness of there heart.& i wouldnt be sitting on the couch waiting for publishers clearing house to knock on the front door either .methinks we better get off our butts & start letting people know about this talent that we have here in okla.& the great sport of dirt car racing. that all

Hell you can't even get the paper to put in the right point standings. Seems like they are a couple of weeks behind

  The Daily Oklahoman is good for Dallas Cowboys and OU Football; little else. They won't even cover the Blazers, our professional hockey team.

  My 2 cents: Publicity is a good thing, no doubt. But I agree that dirt racing has got to become more visible and more real to a potential fan. Fans would love to talk to drivers about their cars and what it takes to race, but the race pits isn't the place. A race car show, a playday with open pits, something like that would let the average potential fan see that you guys are real people and what you do comes from hard work. The average fan isn't going to pay for a pit pass to gain this accessability, besides ya'll are pretty darn busy in the pits; at a car show or something you'd be more in the mood to talk to fans and potential fans maybe. How come I never see dirt race cars in local summer parades like Shawnee has? They'd love to see something besides ANOTHER '66 Mustang convertible. Just a few SBC's idling down the street in a parade would perk some people up I tell ya. Would you believe there are tons of people in Pott. county that have NO idea there is a dirt track at Meeker, Ada, OKC, and so on?

  I'm just a fan and runnin off at the mouth, but I thought I'd just throw in some thoughts.

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