08:04:22am, Saturday, April 27, 2024
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A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,446 |
We have all the pieces and parts to have great pulls and what I am about to suggest is a fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
Simply put, we don't "sell" the "premier" classes as well as we should. Before anyone gets their fruit of the looms in a tangle, let's think about this: There may be a knee-jerk reaction to what a premier class is...it could be Mod, it could be Pro, it could be DSS and that's right to a point. By event, by state, by region, a "premier" class can be any number of classes. For example, if you live in Northeast Ohio, PS is THE premier class, that is very easy to read. You go 2 hours southwest of there, to the Dayton area, TWD is the premier class, my read. It's largely due to the hometown effect of pullers that participate in those classes in those pulling locales. There are spots where 4.1 and SF are premier classes for their location. "Premier" classes should be run near the end of a session but start before 9-9:30 ideally, otherwise you're going to lose those fans who have to pack kids home. Isn't it odd that we run the show so long that by the time we get to the " Premire class/classes" the stands are half full . Also, before those classes, announcers need to add a continuous "build-up" to their tool kit for selling those premier classes. By that I mean, I can't recall any announcer, anywhere telling the crowd to stick around for one of these featured premier classes. I have never heard an announcer utter the following words...."folks hold tight to your seats, we're two classes away from the monsters of the midway the ground pounding Pro Stocks!!!" or something to that effect. I fully realize that no announcer wants to deminish the class that is on the track pulling, yet there must be a way to let the fans know that, yes the 10,000 HP mods or 4500 HP PS [ inset your favorite class here] is waiting in the wings. There HAS to be a build-up, a growing sense of intensity and urgency in the show. Are we delivering that? That would go hand-in-hand too with sled settings that produce pulls that are farther and faster than the previous classes. That's just one way to improve the show but it all has to work together. Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/2022 01:47AM by Dick Morgan. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Moderator Registered: 03/19/2018 Posts: 663 |
I totally get where you are coming from with this, but as an announcer here is my thoughts on that.
EVERY class needs to be made to feel like they ARE the show. I'm not doing my job by phoning it in waiting on something else. I want to keep you in your seat for right now and every run matters. Don't miss any of them. You already know what's coming next. I don't want to go in the pits after the show and be stopped by someone who wants to know why I was talking up something else during their part of the show. They worked just as hard to be there running what they have. Maybe that's wrong and I am open to having my mind changed if it makes me better at what I do, but that's my $0.02. CP |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Why Not?
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One national organization and set of rules across the county. Fewer classes. 1 mod class 1 diesel pickup 1 4x4 mod 1 2wd 1 alcohol super 1 diesel super 1 big prostock 1 little prostock. Go 12 weekends biggest pulls across county all associations. Run Thursday and Friday qualifying pulls take the top 10 or 15 combined distances to a Saturday night final. Televise the Saturday final if not all three sessions. Tweak this how you want but there is absolutely no reason something like this couldn't be done and put tractor pulling in the same level as NHRA and other big time spectator sports. I think this would also bring more attention to the sport and intrest would trickle down to the local and regional levels and classes.
Criticize away but tractor pulling is the only sport with this amount of money invested that hasn't put together a national schedule with a national following and sponsorships and big money. Say it can't be done but it can. Only thing keeping it from happening is small minded people who can't put the sport as a whole above their own personal egos. And dont tell me its a hobby and people spend big money on boats and campers and such. Thats all B.S. and you know it. Nobody buys tickets and travels to watch you camp or boat. Tractor pulling could and should be much better then it is today. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Registered: 03/26/2008 Posts: 494 |
In the past I have speculated on such an endeavour. Fewer "national" classes, "limited" two day schedule (weekend), only certain teams qualify and that is what they get to run (no county fair pull for them-you don't see John Force at a weekly Norwalk race), limited number in the class-maybe 10. I could see about 8-ten classes: heavy tractor class-both fuels; light tractor class-both fuels; TWD, light mod, heavy mod, truck class (NA, blown, smoke), mini, semi. Two track venues only. Pull on one track, pull on other track--combine distance. Each days total and add them up for the overall event class champion. June-July August equals about 12 events times 4 hooks per event equals 48 hooks on the vehicle. Then maybe even expand to a winter circuit. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Why Not?
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Thank you for your input. Like I said tweak the idea to what would work best, but something like this needs to happen. It would benefit the entire sport at all levels to have a national series everyone can follow. Like or hate Nascar and NHRA almost everyone knows who Dale Earnhardt Jr. Is or Jeff Gordon or John Force. Tractor pulling needs the same level of recognition and the sponsorships and television time and money would eventually trickle its way to benefit all that love this sport. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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$
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I dont think Sunday's will return, the locals/churches were very happy, when Tomah dropped the Sunday show.
And the pullers got a travel day, saving Monday for the real job, to pay for this over priced hobby. |
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The real problem is most of us
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Registered: 01/07/2022 Posts: 102 |
Great idea, get the board to buy into it or get them to resign. NTPA needs new blood on there the black ball efforts that take place when someone new tries to get on is mind boggling. The real problem in pulling is most if not all of us. Everyone has an excuse, can’t compare bull riding to pulling because it’s apples to oranges, bull puckey ask yourself what do they do to keep a show moving? I rode bulls at a local regional level for 8 years, comparisons can be drawn and lessons learned if we erase our narrow mind set, ask what they are doing well and apply the same principles to pulling. We can’t compare pulling to dirt track racing because they have a more loyal fan base. Why? I personally find it boring, but; what are they marketing successfully to maintain their drawing power. Can’t compare to monster trucks, again bull puckey, monster trucks got their start as a freak side show at pulling events and grew from there. They sign non compete clauses with arenas they are in 90 days before and after an event. Meaning you can’t have similar motorsports in same arena competing against monster trucks. They eliminated the competition, if I had my choice between indoor pulling (best of the best in Nationwide Arena or monster trucks I’m spending money on pulling). They eliminated that competition. What can we learn from that? We have no elite level of pulling because I can see the top in the country at my county fair just as easily as I can see them at Bowling Green. Mr. Morgan you haven’t pulled before and while as a fan I can appreciate your position it has killed pulling at the local level. Henry Everman for example; belongs at the national level not ESP. Now to compete at the state level I have to build a tractor as good as his. What you can’t change is pulling is a proverbial d!ck measuring contest. We all stand in a circle and see who has the biggest johnson. Which has kept new blood out because they don’t have the financial dollars. There is no place for new blood to start. LLSS a starter class, why does a young 20 early 30 something kid to want to use technology that is 70 years old (cast rear, 2 valve heads etc). Update the rules to reflect 2022 technology and not 1972 technology. Pulling only needs one sanctioning body, PERIOD. Anyone who says otherwise needs to look at successful business models in sanctioning bodies in the USA and tell me where competing sanctioning bodies has been successful for any sport. It’s asinine to think pulling can somehow reinvent the wheel and the American business model for success. We all point to the golden years 80’s to early 90’s, there was one king on the hill and pulling thrived. I can’t get over the posts that say we need a national set of rules. No sh*t, you don’t say? Are you all that ignorant of why NTPA existed in the first place and now see why competing bodies are bad? What do you think caused this mess? I’ve sat in enough state and national meetings to know the answer. Pullers caused this mess, voting on their own rules, outlawing innovation, scared of new things and at a state level thinking their state was better than the national body and refusing to follow national rules and creating chaos in rules. The sanctioning bodies for not protecting the product and letting the tail wag the dog, DPS for being narrow minded, short sighted and having no vision or business plan, there is plenty of blame to go around. Pulling needs a leader and right now I don’t see anyone in any organization with the balls, foresight, and drive to make it happen. I do see plenty of excuses as to why something can’t be tried, looked at or implemented. Narrow minds and lack of vision currently in leadership is pulling’s problem. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2022 02:42AM by OH1979er. |
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Re: The real problem is most of us
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Why Not?
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You bring up another very good point. Pullers shouldn't be aloud to creat their own rules at a national level. I know thats not a popular opinion with some, but pullers creating there own rules is how we got to this point. Pullers afraid to move up to the next class so we just change the rules in their current class till it gets so far out of hand someone decides to start a new class. Then repeat the same process over. Now we have so many classes and rules most the pullers dont even understand them outside their own class. Yet we wonder why the average fan and spectator has no clue whats what and that results in loss of interest.
Rules need to be made by people with no direct intrest in a pulling vehicle. Thats the only way this ever gets fixed. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Pllnfn
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Time and again here in Nebraska, the same "starter" classes are offered at every pull, always at the start of the pull. If you want to see a premier class, especially one that you don't see very often, you will have to wait to the end (if they have one at all). And a lot of people have left by then. If you are looking long term, if you want to get more fans to travel to your events. Put your best foot forward to impress them. Let them see something that they don't see every day. The hardcore fans and drinkers are gonna stay late regardless.
I was at an Outlaw pull in York a couple years back. They had a sub announcer who made a couple comments along those lines- "Wow! That's the longest pull of the night!" Now this announcer didn't understand pulling very well, but a lot of the fans didn't know the difference and they bought in to the excitement. There's a case to be made that in the floating finish era with tracks that extend 350'-400', sleds could try to stop lower hp classes at 300' and put a the featured high hp class and let them go 50' further (if you're able). Put a little more "show" into it. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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I think that they should cut down the number of classes at the grand/super national caliper of pulls. My son and I flew to Kansas City for the last pull in the old arena. The number of "hooded" classes (arm tractor type) was excessive. and they all finished at the same distance. It got rather boring towards the end. From a competitor stand point I can see the reason for SF, LLPS, 4.1 etc but when you pay money to sit in a seat, it gets a little repetitious. Especially at Tomah where there is 45 SF x2 hooks. You don't see hobby stock cars filling in the show at the Daytona 500 or the local bracket racers running at the top NHRA events |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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xxx
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To $$$$$$$$ - your very inconsistent, you previously stated the pull has no effect on the area, now you state different. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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$
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Pissing off the Sunday go to meeting crowd was a affect, so technically your correct. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Posts: 376 |
Why does everyone want to "fix" pulling. Just leave it be. You guys remind me of the government. Everything they try to "fix" turns to @#$%&. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Registered: 04/03/2016 Posts: 772 |
That's a really good post right there!!! |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Why Not?
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Because, if done right there is a ton of money to be made. Its called capitalism. Small minded people who can't see outside their own sandbox will never understand the real possibilities. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Moderator Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 1,446 |
Any healthy business or sport is always striving to improve their product. To say that pulling is exempt from that same approach is not only foolish but in the long run dangerous to the health of the sport. Dick Morgan www.PULLOFF.com Independent Pulling News |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Registered: 10/30/2018 Posts: 749 |
You better get some affordable classes to get some young people interested in the sport .Yes everyone love Grand national and National but you have to crawl befor you walk and like everyone has said every class goes 320 woopdy doo WOW NOTHING TO SE HERE LETS TAKE THE KIDS BACK TO THE CARNIVIL |
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What is "affordable"?
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Moderator Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,347 |
Let's throw out real numbers. What $ amount is realistic to spend for an affordable entry-level class? Who should sanction entry-level classes (example, should these be PPL Midwest Region level, OSTPA level, Central Ohio Tractor Pullers level? Darke Co. Pullers level?). Where does a sanctioned entry level class fit into the big picture? (Note that we haven't even defined if entry level means current classes or adding even more to the current mix, which likely = yet another single charger class). Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2022 04:15PM by The Original Michael. |
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Re: What is "affordable"?
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I believe it would fall upon the local brush pulls which a lot of them start at 3.5 mph classes and work there way up. I think the biggest problem is us . These super high priced specialty sized turbos and factory appearing pumps, Where making pulling unappealing to the guy that shows up with a stock tractor cause he has to blow 10,000 to compete. |
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Re: What is "affordable"?
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Registered: 08/27/2019 Posts: 212 |
Entry level is "stock" , where horsepower is policed on a dyno, IMHO, but most here say dyno'ing tractors is a joke even for a factory stock class.
"..........realistic........affordable........." Not trying to be snarky at all, but there will always be those who can't afford to get involved, even if it's a truly stock tractor that's pushing factory horsepower w/ factory turbo / pump. |
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Re: A fine-tuning to part of the "problem"
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Registered: 08/22/2019 Posts: 84 |
To Lewis, we have cheaper ways to pull already. The problem is what peoples expectations are. Example, someone goes to an event and sees a ProStock and thinks thtat's what he wants to pull. That's unleastic for most people. Now someone that goes to an event and says they want to get into pulling somehow, that can be done. You can't have ProStock tractor on a garden tractor budget. There are cheap ways to get involved. And if you can't afford any thing to pull, there are tons of events that you can help at and be a part of. |
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