Rivalries Will Help Grow The NHRA
Written by David Lamm · September 10, 2004
Trying to grow the sport of drag racing is a tough task. Sponsor activation, getting corporate America to notice the tremendous value in advertising at the drag strip and marketing the sport to younger fans with disposable income should be the goal. One of the best ways to get recognition and make people take notice is to develop rivalries. Looks like John Force and Gary Scelzi have one brewing and it is exactly what the sport needs.
NHRA.com: Force vs. Scelzi shaping up to be the next great drag racing rivalry
Both Force and Scelzi are popular drivers with tremendous fan followings on both sides. Both Force and Scelzi respect each other but both of them realize the need to beat the other in order to win the 2004 POWERade championship. This rivalry could go a long way in helping give the NHRA an identity. Nascar has great personalities with well-defined personality traits that fans rally around and can identify with. Tony Stewart is the out of control bad boy, Jeff Gordon is the pretty boy that everyone loves to hate and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the guy that is carrying on his dad’s legacy. The rivalry between Don “the Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “the Mongoose” McEwen was epic and created a stir for drag racing years ago. In today’s overexposed world of 24-hour news and sports channels, a good old fashioned rivalry like that would help grow the sport by leaps and bounds. The NHRA already has drivers that have sparkling personalities and great camera appeal. All they need now is to cultivate the natural rivalries that will bring attention to the sport. The average fan is unaware of the passion and dram that exists on the quarter-mile every Sunday.
I am not suggesting the NHRA fabricate fights in the pits or have guys throwing helmets at the other drivers after the race like you see in Nascar. It gets boring if every time a driver gets out of the car they talk about how they like and respect the other driver in the next lane. Fans want excitement, passion and emotion for their heroes. Patting the other guy on the back doesn’t keep the fans interested. Allowing the natural emotions and competitive fire boil over and allowing the ESPN cameras to capture it will help the sport gain recognition. Don’t stage it. Don’t orchestrate it. All I am asking is let it happen naturally. Rivalries develop on their own anytime there is consistent and tight competition. Allowing the drivers to express themselves and wear their emotions on their sleeve will go a long way in helping to gain new fans and media coverage.
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I think the NHRA is already beginning to grow more and more popular each year. One of the reasons that I think this is happening is because of all of the bull**** that is starting to happen with Nascar. The fights, boycotting victory lane, it’s starting to look more like a soap opera than a race! I was a long time, huge Nascar fan and have now abandoned the sport and have become a big fan of NHRA drag racing. I like the competitivness, the respect that the drivers have for each other and for the fans, the fact that the driver’s really go out of their way for their fans. I skipped attending the Nascar races this year and attended my first NHRA drag race and I’m now officially hooked! I’ll never go to another Nascar race again! It’s gonna be the dragstrip from now on! Keep up the good work NHRA and the sport will continue to grow, it won’t happen overnight but don’t go down the same path that Nascar has recently taken!