As we enter into the New Year, we all must remember to keep some things in mind in order to have a successful season. Here are a few thoughts that I have going into 2010.
This is not the time to re-invent the wheel when it comes down to your rules package. The economy is slowly recovering, some will see on the news that its recovering in some aspects but for many of us, it will be a long time before we see it in racing. One tech director told me that he recently got an approval to have his rules set for their track for the next three years. Meaning, that the rules are going to stay the same for the next three years with the only modifications being clarifications or safety changes. I think weekly tracks and series should consider this as well. One promoter told me that his only change to his rules was changing the year from 2009 to 2010.
There is an old saying and it goes by the acronym of K.I.S.S. and I will use a more positive version...Keep it Simple Silly. Competitors have enough stress when they come to the track. The cost of racing, do they have the right setup in their car, where should we pit, etc. The last thing they need is a racing program that is confusing and frustrating. I.E. you need to finish in this race to advance to the next race and if you finish in an even spot you go here, etc. Keep it simple and fun. It will be less stressful all around.
Remember that our sport is a competition but it is entertainment for the fans as well. This means running a steady program with no hiccups or no slow periods. You need to ask yourself...will fans be entertained seeing one fan get a ride-a-long, does our intermission have to be more than ten minutes, should we have the next field of cars on the track before the last field is off the track, do we have to interview every winner of every race? Always think like a fan, what entertains you and what frustrates you when you go to a track or an event and then do or don’t do that.
I go back to the great presentation that Dave Moody gave last month at the RPM Promoters Workshop where he talked about track announcers. They are an important part to your show. They need to be creative, entertaining, interact with the fans, informative, and most of all remind the fans to come back next week and bring a friend or two. While the racing may be good on the track, ever thought about how the announcer can make an impact to whether or not a fan returns each week? Something to think about.
Your public relations person is not just there to work on the day of the event or just during the season. Since I started doing PR in 2002, I have learned that there is no off-season for me. Your PR person is a valuable asset because they make sure that your track and/or series stays in everyone’s mind. Off season releases about drivers, schedules, events helps get fans prepared to be at your events in 2010. The one thing I have noticed is that the PR role has been more on the reactive side of things. They send releases after the event has occurred. They need to start looking at the pro-active side and getting the word out BEFORE your events. Create the hype, create the excitement. It cringes me when I hear...oh they had a race there? That would have been interesting to see...oh well maybe next year. You need their money now not next year.
Most of all, have a facility that you are proud of and fan friendly. Image is important and you need to professional and provide great customer service. It doesn’t matter if you are a track or a series. Have your ducks in a row, know what you are doing, and don’t look like a bunch of amateurs who have no clue what you are doing. Be confident and proud of what you do.
Finally, be positive. Yes, the economy is down but that doesn’t mean that everyone is down. You have that opportunity to provide some joy, happiness, and fun in their lives. For many, they could use that. Keep it affordable and fun for everyone from fans, competitors, employees, etc...you will see success.
