I-55 Raceway....??
- Thread starter moonflow
- Start date
RichieFor20
Active Member
It would be nice to put in new restrooms at turn 1... or at least turn the lights on. Gets pretty dark in there at night.... Lol
Hard Lefts
Active Member
This is very sad that pevely isn't being promoted properly. I will always support the track but it needs someone to get it rolling again!
RichieFor20
Active Member
Swappin Paint
Active Member
I heard they may improve the beer quality. 
chuck the lucky duck
Member
Budweiser, and bud light please. (for those in the stands)
rvincent21
rvincent21
Just read on another thread that AB and Pepsi products will be back in 2017.
This move will ONLY help those who already attend. This move WILL NOT attract new fans. There are still some glaring issues that need addressed. But at least when ppl are complaining, they can have their thirst quenched....
This move will ONLY help those who already attend. This move WILL NOT attract new fans. There are still some glaring issues that need addressed. But at least when ppl are complaining, they can have their thirst quenched....
RichieFor20
Active Member
What are these glaring issues you have?
rvincent21
rvincent21
For starters, the craters that develop in turn 3. Marketing and advertising has fallen off the face of the earth in recent years, and it shows in the stands. Racers feel neglected like they dont matter and ownership/promoters dont care what they have to say, and as a result go elsewhere. When was the last time anyone heard a promo on radio for the race tracks weekly shows? One very popular driver shares this same sentiment with me, that the powers that be feel racers and fans should attend Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I55 because its Federated Auto Parts Raceway I55.
Just a few thoughts as i work up estimates late in my day. I ABSOLUTELY want to see the race track succeed and will do whatever I need within my means to help with this. But ignoring a problem never fixes a problem.
Just a few thoughts as i work up estimates late in my day. I ABSOLUTELY want to see the race track succeed and will do whatever I need within my means to help with this. But ignoring a problem never fixes a problem.
I-55 does radio advertising.. May not be the station you listen to... The big radio stations in STL have gotten very expensive as well. There is no track in the area that does TV that I know of.. It has become just too expensive..As far a print advertising (newspapers), not sure how much of those are used anymore either. For the Outlaw shows, they also do billboards around the STL area which has been successful, but those are way too expensive for weekly shows or to keep one up all season.
I-55 promotes thru their FB page and Twitter of all their shows as well. Maybe some need to go like their FB page so they'll see their FB posts.
I-55 promotes thru their FB page and Twitter of all their shows as well. Maybe some need to go like their FB page so they'll see their FB posts.
Doug
Announcer
Social media can definitely be a part of an advertising campaign, but realize you are only reaching those that are already part of the racing community. There's nothing wrong with addressing your own people, but to grow the sport you have to reach new folks where they read or listen. A media mix is most efficient, and local radio can be just as effective if not more so than the mammoth St. Louis stations.
ricky brown
Active Member
That's very true
Swappin Paint
Active Member
Well by no means do I think having better beer back is gonna make it hard to find a seat. But yes I do think it helps. same as I believe it played its part in the crowd going down. Don't under estimate serious beer drinkers.
rvincent21
rvincent21
Its a drop in the bucket, but its a start. As far as advertising, maybe its time to hire a good ad firm or agency. Maybe its time to rebrand. Social media is a good tool, but Jimmy is right you have to be creative with it. But beyond the advertising side of things, its also time to improve the product for the customers you already have. For instance, Farmington started parking a couple cars near the spectator gates so fans can see the cars up close before they race. I sat back and watched how this worked one week, and you wouldnt believe the attention a sprint and a modified drew. The officials had to herd ppl away from the cars when it was time to get the cars back to the pit areas. This quite literally cost nothing, and its a neat experience for the fans you have. Everyone wins. I have voiced a bunch of this type of idea over the last 2 years and im not gonna go on a tangent and list everything out. But if someone with the race track were to get ahold of me and actually listen with the intent of making themselves better, id be happy to share ideas for zero cost.
muddy mike
Active Member
Enlighten us on what has happened.
If u were supposed to know you would,I'm not necessarily talking about things that the public sees but enough said, thank you
t.nie
Patience Tester
Social Media, Radio and TV are great but not as effective as good old fashioned shoe leather.
Here's my thoughts.
Do some research within a 20 mile catchment area and get the demographics of who lives where. You know who your crowd is, this aint rocket science. Find out which neighborhoods those people live in and go to them directly.
Put together 5000 little goodie bags with stuff from your track. Put some money into cheap give away stuff, chip clips, fridge magnets with your track name and regularly scheduled race nights on it. Toss in a buy 3 get one admission free coupon. Put a flyer in with your schedule on it. But GIVE them something to motivate them to show up.
Put a raffle ticket in it for a $500.00 gift card to the store of their choosing to be drawn on the last night of the season but you must be present to win.
Do a loyalty card and put that in the bag. Have them fill out all their contact info and show it when they come to the track. Everyone has that SQUARE device these days, figure out some way to get them registered with their email, phone number, address, etc and name. Hit em with an email for every major event and text/ robo call them every other week to remind them about the track. Give them an option to opt out if they don't want it. And again, give them something for free for doing it. A hot dog and a drink one night, something.
Put together some kind of deal that if they show up every night for a month and get their card swiped, they get a shot at a free t-shirt. Or on the 4th night they show the card at concessions, get it swiped and get a free hot dog and drink. Figure out some way to reward people for showing up at your track.
Set up meet and greets with the favorite drivers, something a little more than just hitting the pits after the races. If you are the lucky winner, you get a few laps with your favorite driver on the track in a track vehicle, let the driver drive you around and show you what they look for, where their braking point is, where they hit the throttle. Do it in the afternoon and make it special in some way for whomever wins it. The kids will dig it.
And all this stuff gets hand delivered to each door in your target community. If you make the effort to put in the work to deliver those 5000 goodie bags, you will improve your attendance. Guaranteed. But you have to get out there into the community and talk it up and put those bags on every door asking people to come to the track. This isn't ridiculously expensive and instead of hoping someone listens to the radio, or hoping someone sees your post on social media, or hoping they see your TV ad, you KNOW they got that bag on their door. You KNOW they have your merchandise with your track info on it in their house.
You guarantee you reach every single person you hand a bag to. Guarantee they got your advertising. Guaranteed.
Can TV, radio, Twitter or Facebook guarantee that kind of exposure for the same amount of money? No.
And its personal, which people, in this impersonal, social media driven world, the personal touch stands out like a lightbulb in a darkened room.
Yes, it is hard work. It requires a motivated person who is dedicated to making it happen, and is willing to stake a little money in it and recruit some other race/track fans to help get it done. But this is a proven method to attract a crowd. And most people won't do it because it sounds too much like work.
But that's what I would do if my racetrack's future and my livelihood depended on it. Get out there and get some walking miles in, go talk to people where they are and make sure they get the little goodie bag. It works.
Here's my thoughts.
Do some research within a 20 mile catchment area and get the demographics of who lives where. You know who your crowd is, this aint rocket science. Find out which neighborhoods those people live in and go to them directly.
Put together 5000 little goodie bags with stuff from your track. Put some money into cheap give away stuff, chip clips, fridge magnets with your track name and regularly scheduled race nights on it. Toss in a buy 3 get one admission free coupon. Put a flyer in with your schedule on it. But GIVE them something to motivate them to show up.
Put a raffle ticket in it for a $500.00 gift card to the store of their choosing to be drawn on the last night of the season but you must be present to win.
Do a loyalty card and put that in the bag. Have them fill out all their contact info and show it when they come to the track. Everyone has that SQUARE device these days, figure out some way to get them registered with their email, phone number, address, etc and name. Hit em with an email for every major event and text/ robo call them every other week to remind them about the track. Give them an option to opt out if they don't want it. And again, give them something for free for doing it. A hot dog and a drink one night, something.
Put together some kind of deal that if they show up every night for a month and get their card swiped, they get a shot at a free t-shirt. Or on the 4th night they show the card at concessions, get it swiped and get a free hot dog and drink. Figure out some way to reward people for showing up at your track.
Set up meet and greets with the favorite drivers, something a little more than just hitting the pits after the races. If you are the lucky winner, you get a few laps with your favorite driver on the track in a track vehicle, let the driver drive you around and show you what they look for, where their braking point is, where they hit the throttle. Do it in the afternoon and make it special in some way for whomever wins it. The kids will dig it.
And all this stuff gets hand delivered to each door in your target community. If you make the effort to put in the work to deliver those 5000 goodie bags, you will improve your attendance. Guaranteed. But you have to get out there into the community and talk it up and put those bags on every door asking people to come to the track. This isn't ridiculously expensive and instead of hoping someone listens to the radio, or hoping someone sees your post on social media, or hoping they see your TV ad, you KNOW they got that bag on their door. You KNOW they have your merchandise with your track info on it in their house.
You guarantee you reach every single person you hand a bag to. Guarantee they got your advertising. Guaranteed.
Can TV, radio, Twitter or Facebook guarantee that kind of exposure for the same amount of money? No.
And its personal, which people, in this impersonal, social media driven world, the personal touch stands out like a lightbulb in a darkened room.
Yes, it is hard work. It requires a motivated person who is dedicated to making it happen, and is willing to stake a little money in it and recruit some other race/track fans to help get it done. But this is a proven method to attract a crowd. And most people won't do it because it sounds too much like work.
But that's what I would do if my racetrack's future and my livelihood depended on it. Get out there and get some walking miles in, go talk to people where they are and make sure they get the little goodie bag. It works.
