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Thursday, July 19
Etchells: Experts don't know everything
By Chuck Etchells
Special to ESPN.com
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My original idea for this week's column was to talk about this weekend's race in Denver. Although I still plan to do so, there were a couple of developments in the last few days that I'd like to comment on first.
I'm sure that by now all of you have heard about R.J. Reynolds' announcement that they would be leaving as title sponsor of the NHRA at the end of the 2001 season. To put it bluntly, it has been a wonderful relationship, and both sides hate to see it come to an end. During the last 27 years, the Winston brand has been a key element in the success of the NHRA. Their support allowed many of us to pursue our dream of racing at the national level. For all they have done for myself and our sport, I express my deepest thanks.
Unfortunately, due to the Master Settlement Agreement of 1998 (a subject I could probably write several columns about!), RJR was forced to choose one sport to sponsor and they chose NASCAR. I can't disagree with their decision -- the Winston Cup is, after all, riding high at the moment.
However, you won't see many of us in the NHRA hanging our heads, because we believe the NHRA is the up-and-coming racing series, offering sponsors a tremendous bang for their buck. In the last few years our sport has been experiencing phenomenal growth due to the efforts of NHRA president Tom Compton and his staff.
The NHRA works very closely with RJR, so Tuesday's announcement did not come as a surprise. Quite frankly, we see this as an opportunity. The NHRA has been speaking with several companies who are ready to step in and become the new title sponsor, and from what I've been hearing, it will be a major corporate partner whose involvement will benefit everyone associated, including bigger race purses. Look for an announcement by the end of the summer.
What really steams me in this situation is seeing so-called "experts" being quoted in national publications questioning our sport and its ability to find a new sponsor. It has been my experience that these people have never taken the time to actually learn about any form of racing, much less go out to the track and see exactly what's involved. But rather than wasting time and space on them, let me just counter with something these "experts" never seem to use -- facts.
1. In a recent poll conducted by the SportsBusiness Journal, drag racing was listed as the second most popular type of racing behind stock cars, with a 28-percent improvement in their rating from the year before (as opposed to the stockers' two-percent drop).
2. We are in the first year of a revolutionary five-year TV package with ESPN. In the first seven races alone, our viewership increased over 85 percent from a year ago. Our national event programming is often the No. 1 rated show on our network for that day. Since the start of the season, ESPN has added over 10 hours to our original broadcast schedule.
3. The geographical area covered by the NHRA's Winston Drag Racing Series covers more of the United States than any other major motorsports series.
4. Attendance figures at every event continue to set records. For example, at this weekend's Mile-High Nationals, Bandimere Speedway officials have announced that advance ticket sales have already come close to eclipsing the number sold throughout last year's four-day event.
I could go on, but I think you get my point. I'll climb down off my soap box now and get back to talking about our next race.
This weekend we head to one of my favorite events, the Mile-High Nationals. Not only do we get to race in a beautiful area of the country, but Bandimere has also long been one of the NHRA's best facilities, run by an outstanding racing family, the Bandimeres. John Bandimere and his family make everyone who comes to the track, competitor and fan alike, feel very welcome. The track is carved out of the side of a mountain in Morrison, Colo., which is just outside of Denver, and offers fans a breathtaking view of the valley below in addition to what they see on the track.
Of course, it doesn't hurt that my teams have always done well there, with a couple of wins and quite a few runners-up finishes and No. 1 qualifying spots. I know the thin-air gives most crew chiefs fits, but I've been fortunate to go there with three (Maynard Yingst, Tim Richards and Terry Manzer) who seem to have the key to racing on the mountain. Our Sunoco/Matco Camaro team goes back as defending champions, having won with Whit (Bazemore) in the driver's seat a year ago, and as you can imagine, we could really use a strong performance this weekend.
We'll also have some hometown fans on our side, as United Car Care, which is based in nearby Aurora, Colo., will be the primary sponsor on Jim Epler's car for the next two races. UCC is a dynamic company who specializes in vehicle service contracts, and they are looking to use these two races to help get their nationwide program launched in a big way. Their people are tremendous, and are going all out for these events. We'd like nothing more than to develop a long-term relationship with them. Hopefully we can reward everyone with a great race. We're not looking for much, mind you, just a repeat performance from a year ago!
Chuck Etchells, driver and owner the Sunoco/Matco Tools Camaro Z28 Funny Car, provides a diary to ESPN.com throughout the NHRA season. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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