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Drag Race USA. AFTER A PAIR of seasons marked by no wins and subpar cars, - 12.23.10. From SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, March 8, 2010 AS A ROOKIE IN THE NATIONWIDE (THEN BUSCH) SERIES IN 2000, Kevin Harvick almost always had a goofy, gee-whiz grin on his face, which prompted his crew to call him Happy. The nickname stuck. But during the last two years the tag was an ironic joke in the NASCAR garage because Harvick, who didn't win a Cup race in '08 or '09, was a surly frown machine. Midway through last season the man who had won 11 Cup races and twice made the Chase was so upset with the poor quality of his race cars—he finished 19th in points—that he strongly hinted he would leave his team, Richard Childress Racing, when his contract expired at the end of the '10 season.

But there he was on the afternoon of Feb. 28 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, grinning as if he'd just hit the jackpot. Harvick's problems last year actually developed before the 2009 season. Harvick first drove the new design at Indianapolis in July 2009. This year Harvick has been a force. Onlinelibrary.wiley.com.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/store/10.1111/j.1540-5931.2008.00540.x/asset/j.1540-5931.2008.00540.x.pdf?v=1&t=he7e3edy&s=f2736b3dac42db0ca65dc47b62776936d6f0c91b. NHRA. By NHRA Communications NHRA Funny Car driver Robert Hight secured his second No. 1 qualifying position of the season and 45th of his career on Saturday with a track-record performance, and he will try for his third straight victory of the season on Sunday at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex.

Hight and his Auto Club Ford Mustang climbed to the top of the class with an impressive second round showing of 4.052 seconds at 311.85 mph. The red-hot Hight, who broke the elapsed time track record with the run, will open eliminations against two-time event winner Del Worsham. “It’s a lot of fun right now. It couldn’t happen at a better time than at our sponsor’s race,” said Hight, who jumped to third in the points standings with a win at Charlotte last weekend. In Top Fuel, Shawn Langdon powered his 10,000-horsepower Al-Anabi Silver Racing dragster to his fifth No. 1 qualifier of 2013 and 11th of his career with a strong pass of 3.819 at 321.04. Top Fuel –1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 2. Competition Plus - Drag Racing Magazine - FEEDBACK FRIDAY - VANDERGRIFF: "WE'VE DIVERTED FROM THE REAL REASON FOR 1,000 FEET"

I agree 100% with Bob Vandergriff about racing 1000 feet. Upgrade the problem tracks and let’s get back to quarter mile racing! Lets just hope we have drag racing in 2009 with all this financial woe. It's even tough on us bracket racers. - Davii Jo Chinault I think B.V. It is hard enough if not impossible to get sponsorship; this might kill it with the economy going south. Thank you Bob Vandergriff. After reading Bob Vandergriff’s Take on the 1000 ft race I have come to the following conclusions.

If the drivers and crew chiefs think 1000 feet saves money, why not 1/8 mile for even more savings? Mr. Admittedly, I don’t have a dog in this fight. If 1000 Foot saves money and produces closer racing from better financed teams, then it has to be a good thing. I am a bracket racer and a huge fan of drag racing. The Griffer has it dead on. BV has it right. Rob V. made key points to the marketability of the fuel car sponsorship. The Englishtown shutdown was a major element with Scott's death. Mr. Drag race posts on CNET. Drag Racing Faces Fundamental Changes.

Antron Brown in June at the N.H.R.A. SuperNationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J. (Auto Imagery, Inc. /Associated Press) For as long as anyone can remember, the official length of a professional drag race has been a quarter of a mile, or 1,320 feet (though eighth-mile tracks exist as well). But because of the dangers associated with the increasing speeds of Top Fuel and Funny Car drag race cars, that’s about to change. Top Fuel cars — the long, pointy dragsters — cross the finish line at well over 300 miles per hour. Following the death of the Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta last month, the National Hot Rod Association has deemed the cars too fast. According to Doug Herbert, who drives in the Top Fuel class, some of the tracks “were designed and built 30 years ago when cars weren’t running 300 m.p.h.”

“It is just like any of the other series,” Seth Angel, general manager of Houston Raceway Park, told the Houston Chronicle. Silence, Please, for the Electric Camaro Drag Racer. NHRA - Old John Force still has some wins in him. How NASCAR Drivers Cross Train in the Offseason: Go-Karts. Drew Hallowell/Getty Images Many NASCAR and NHRA drivers devote training time to the gym and other forms of exercise to stay fit for their jobs as race car drivers.

When they are not racing their normal high-powered machines many find other ways to hone their skills. NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson is known to pile on sweat suits and ride a mountain bike many miles during summer days to stay fit for those hot hours during every race. Jamie McMurray grew up racing go-karts and still gets in the tiny fast machines when not racing in the Sprint Cup Series. “I do go-kart racing, first off, because I get to do it with my dad,” McMurray said. NASCAR's McMurray and A.J. Allmendinger gets into a go-cart whenever he can to augment his physical regimen and claims that go-kart racing on road course tracks is better exercise training than gym work. “You think it’s fun, but you show up and it’s no fun,” Allmendinger said. "On so many levels, driving a Pro Mod car requires the same discipline.

The Pit Stop. July 23, 2010 6:33 PM This is the latest NASCAR book from Ben White. It looks at NASCAR over the years though photos comparing what happened back then with what happens today. The book is going to be available in books stores starting in early August. Another book that Ben White has done is NASCAR Racers that came out last year. I got a chance to review this book through a special email sent to me. The photos in the book take center stage and they are certainly a joy to look at.

The best section in the book is the Impact! One of the best photos for me in the book was the black & white photo of Bristol Motor Speedway. I would have liked to have seen some more photos in the book. I say pick the book up, it will make a for a nice coffee table book to start a conversation with or relive some old memories with. Business Source: “Rubbin’ is racin''': evidence of the Peltzman effect from NASCAR. Business Source: HOW THE RACETRACK BECAME A RUNWAY. SBRnet | Sport Business Research Network.

Www.sbrnet.com.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/pdf/Sports-Fan-2012-Auto-Racing_NASCAR-Report.pdf. SBRnet | Sport Business Research Network. SBRnet | Sport Business Research Network. SBRnet | Sport Business Research Network. Demographics. Bigger Kids Zone, Driver Track Walk, First Time Fan Program Just Several Of the New Amenities Fans Will Enjoy at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals | News | Little Luggies | Charlotte Motor Speedway. The greatest spectacle in drag racing continues to set the standard for fans traveling far and wide to zMAX Dragway for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 13-15. New fan amenities will be featured throughout the weekend, making this year's four-wide extravaganza at the Bellagio of drag strips one fans can't afford to miss. Expanded Powerade Play Zone The new and improved Powerade Play Zone, located behind the John Force Grandstand, will expand to include an 8,000-square-foot remote control car dirt course built by Traxxas, which will also provide remote control cars for fans to take for a spin.

Bounce houses, video games, face painting and other activities will return to the kids zone and kids 13 and under get in free to the event all weekend. Four-Wide Nitro Generation Track Walk Car Club Displays Throughout the Weekend It's the ultimate cruise-in for the "Nitroholic" automotive enthusiast. First-Time Fan Program Second Big Screen Added Still Time to Show Us What You Can Do in Four Seconds!

New Sponsor, Fan Amenities and Attractions Fuel Excitement At Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway, April 19-21 | News | Little Luggies | Charlotte Motor Speedway. Friday, February 15, 2013 Fans gearing up for the greatest spectacle in drag racing have more to look forward to than ever before when the NHRA and the fastest-accelerating machines on the planet return to the Bellagio of drag strips April 19-21. A familiar name at Charlotte Motor Speedway has extended its partnership with the legendary facility to become the title sponsor of the fourth annual Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals fueled by Full Throttle.

Dollar General, which also serves as title sponsor of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 in October, signed on for the nitro-fueled event that includes action-packed racing from the NHRA’s top categories, Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. “We couldn’t ask for a better partner than Dollar General to get behind one of the most popular and absolutely the most unique events on the NHRA circuit,” said Christian Byrd, general manager of zMAX Dragway. Four-Wide Racing Brings Twice the Excitement: The Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals By the Numbers | News | Little Luggies | Charlotte Motor Speedway. When the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series’ best drivers line up to race at the Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals fueled by Full Throttle at zMAX Dragway April 19-21, fans can expect plenty of adrenaline-packed racing at the world’s only four-lane, all-concrete drag strip.

The greatest spectacle in drag racing brings three days of excitement unlike anything else in sports, with the fastest-accelerating machines on the planet unleashing a nitro-fueled assault on the Bellagio of drag strips. Here are some essential facts about the fourth-annual Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, by the numbers: Nearly 40,000 horsepower will roar to life on each Top Fuel and Funny Car run at the Dollar General NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.

The four-wide action packs almost as much punch as an entire 43-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field. Fans come from around the world to see the NHRA’s best Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle drivers battle for Wallys at zMAX Dragway. Motorsports: Why drag racing is the loudest sport on the planet. NASCAR, a case study for sports marketing | Columbia Business Times. Sports marketing is a huge field, accounting for billions of dollars in advertising and other promotional fees each year. And one of the most fascinating stories in the sports marketing industry is that of NASCAR, which, in only a few years, has graduated from a regional weekend pastime to a national phenomenon, creating personalities with rock-star popularity and causing those you’d least suspect to plant themselves in front of their televisions on weekends to watch their gear-head heroes compete in “the chase.” Among those you’d least suspect: women.

Of NASCAR’s 75 million fans, 40 percent are women. Women will spend $250 million this year on NASCAR-licensed products, and most experts believe this segment of the market will continue to grow in coming years. In a cover story on NASCAR in late 2005, Fortune magazine called it “the fastest-growing, best-run sports business in America—with the emphasis on business.” NASCAR fans are among the most loyal. Motorsports, NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Car Teams. Nascar Fans | NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2010 – NASCAR’s core fans say their passion for the sport has increased over the past five years and are turning more than ever to digital and social platforms for live event coverage as well as new and engaging content.

These and other compelling insights have emerged from the 2010 Taylor Consumer Engagement Survey: NASCAR Fans. A total of 1,500 self-described “avid fans” were surveyed in September 2010 on a wide range of topics ranging from media consumption habits to driver affinity as part of the third annual study of avid NASCAR fans conducted by Taylor, the global leader in lifestyle, sports and entertainment marketing communications. The survey was fielded by Toluna and supplemented with other primary research and analysis by Taylor’s Brand Counsel Group and motorsports practice team. Although the vast majority of respondents (91 percent) indicate following races live on television, there is evidence of the growing power of digital, social and mobile mediums.

Consultant studies Daytona 500 attendees. A recent study by a national tourism marketing consultant found that you account for the largest percentage of visitors in town this week to attend the Daytona 500. According to the Volusia County-funded $100,000 study, 16.7 percent of Daytona 500 attendees hail from a social group identified in consultant Daniel Fenton's report as Landed Gentry — while 14.6 percent are from a group he identified as Country Comfort. Those terms were coined by Claritas Inc., a market segmentation research company that's now part of the Nielsen Companies, the folks best known for tracking television viewer ratings.

According to Fenton's report, Landed Gentry “consists of wealthy Americans who migrated to the smaller boom towns beyond the nation's beltways.” They also have a median household income of $82,323 a year, meaning half earn more and half earn less. He then ran that data through a “PRIZM analysis” — a market segmentation research method developed by Claritas. Study shows NASCAR fans' digital migration - SportsBusiness Daily | SportsBusiness Journal | SportsBusiness Daily Global. Study shows NASCAR fans' digital migration By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer Published October 31, 2011 A year ago, NASCAR saw TV viewership among 18- to 34-year-olds decrease dramatically, and a new study by marketing and communications firm Taylor offers at least one reason why. Young NASCAR fans are much more likely to follow races online, on their phones, on the radio or even by attending than fans over the age of 55, according to the study.

They’re also a major reason that more than half of all fans now get NASCAR-related information from social media, with Facebook being the destination of choice, and 31 percent of fans say they regularly follow races live on mobile devices, up from 6 percent in 2010. “Media consumption is changing very rapidly,” said Christian Alfonsi, Taylor’s executive vice president of strategic planning. Alfonsi added that the increase in mobile consumption reflected the wider population’s increasing use of smartphones. Study shows NASCAR fans' digital migration. A year ago, NASCAR saw TV viewership among 18- to 34-year-olds decrease dramatically, and a new study by marketing and communications firm Taylor offers at least one reason why.

Young NASCAR fans are much more likely to follow races online, on their phones, on the radio or even by attending than fans over the age of 55, according to the study. They’re also a major reason that more than half of all fans now get NASCAR-related information from social media, with Facebook being the destination of choice, and 31 percent of fans say they regularly follow races live on mobile devices, up from 6 percent in 2010. “Media consumption is changing very rapidly,” said Christian Alfonsi, Taylor’s executive vice president of strategic planning. “That audience is moving to the digital and social media space, and that has huge implications for how NASCAR, owners in the sport and sponsors engage with them. Junior wasn’t the only one to see fewer fans selecting him as their favorite driver. Wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Short-Track-White-Paper.pdf. Ogilvy Named Agency of Record For Nascar | Agency News. Nascar Targets New Audiences, Revs Up Social-Media Strategy | CMO Interviews.

Nascar Should Be Racing to Demonstrate ROI for Sponsors | Guest Columnists. Nascar Breaks Out Tough-Guy Image in Time For Daytona 500 | Media. How Nascar Is Starting a Turnaround | Media. NASCAR Sponsors RaceStat. In a recent survey of NASCAR fans across the country by Performance Research (a Newport R.I. based sports research firm) race fans were asked to identify which, from a list of hypothetical sponsors, were completely inappropriate as a sponsor of a Winston Cup car. Ranking dead last, below the sins of "Condoms", "Penthouse Magazine", "Absolut Vodka", and "Mitsubishi televisions" was "Politicians" with as much as 83% ranking them as completely inappropriate NASCAR sponsors. Not to say that NASCAR fans are not supportive of their sponsors. To the contrary, according to Jed Pearsall, President of Performance Research, "NASCAR fans provide one of the highest levels of brand loyalty and sponsorship support of any one of the hundred or so sports and special events we've tested".

In this study, where over 1,000 nationwide, random NASCAR fans were interviewed, over one-half (57%) indicated that they had a higher trust in products offered by NASCAR sponsors. NASCAR goes after a new breed of fan.(The Orlando Sentinel) NASCAR not just for men.(South Florida Sun-Sentinel) Ronfeldt. Surprise! Drag Racing is One of the Top 3 Sports in the U.S. First Time Fans | Speedway | Charlotte Motor Speedway. NASCAR: Why It Is the Most Fan-Friendly Sport Today - Race Review Online | Race Review Online.