Who makes pulling work!
Published November 04, 2013 10:57PM, by Dick Morgan
Joe Fan
I don't know how many shows I've been to where the track equipment is blocking the fans view of either the start, finish or in some cases the entire track. I was at a state event this year and there was a break down on the tractor and the driver and chief mechanic where under the tractor for about 10 minutes trying to figure out what was the problem with drive train. And the alarming part was no track official seemed to think there was anything wrong with this picture. I realize there is a time limit on the driver to hook to the sled, maybe there needs to be time limit to unhook from the sled and get off the track. Then there is the situation where the sled is already back to the starting line and somebody thinks it might be time to start thinking about bringing the next tractor out on to the track and back them to the sled, and by now 3 minutes have been wasted, sure 3 minutes doesn't sound like much, however at a pull that has 35 to 50 vehicles you are looking at a show that has run 1 to 2 hrs longer that it should have. Boring!
This, in my opinion is what, or more specially who makes the show work. The shows that I am referring to that are the A+ pulls, are Bowling Green, Gordyville, Louisville and from what I have been told on more than one occasion Hillsboro. And the thing that makes them so successful is their attention to the fans. From starting on time, to a clear and clean view for the fan is always their main concern. I realize that all shows have a person with the title “competition director”, however their job is dealing with the vehicles and drivers. What I am talking about is a person with the title “show director”. A good “show director” doesn't need to be the clown or comedian, nor does he need to be the pullers best buddy. Rather he needs to be the “SOB of the day”, the guy that keeps things moving, the guy who sees the whole picture. Blue shirt president Mike Ott and whatssmokin's Klint Tucker do a great job at looking at the total show, they keep things moving and put on a show that is fast paced and exciting. .More than once Mike Ott has told me he wants the fans to experience the total BG event, it's more than just a pull, it's entertainment.. And Klint & Co never stop trying to improve the Gordyville show. Both of these guys and I'm sure Don Salma want the fans to leave with a feeling that this was truly a well run, exciting motor-sport event. They want these fans to go back to work and rave about the high horsepower, dirt digging machines that they had just witnessed. They want their product to sell itself.
However the guy that comes to mind as the “show director” is Mike Witt of the NFMS. I do not know Mike other than a couple quick conversations, however I've had the opportunity to watch Mike work the sideline at Louisville for several years now and have come to appreciate the job that he performs. Mike is the guy that keeps the show moving on a timely manner. If you get a chance, watch Mike at any NFMS session and he never stops moving. There is never a piece of equipment, pullback tractor or vehicle that is not on Mike's radar. Clutches and blower belts are never repaired on the track, driver stay on their vehicle and are pulled off the track and troubleshooting and repairs are done in the pits, not on the track. I'm not really sure if this approach is Mike's natural way or if the position at the NFMS mandates it, however the results speak for themselves. Pullers need to buy into the concept that each individual puller is part of the part of the show, not the whole show. It takes a group effort by pullers, track officials, and the track crew to put on a well run event. Everyone needs to know their roll and responsibilities. I realize I have singled out a couple people that run the biggest shows in the country, that should also say that if they can do it well on such a large scale then the state and regional levels should be able to do it as well or even better.
I think that the main problem is the officials, promoter and track crews loss sight that the fans need to be given the best show possible. In order to grow the sport there needs to be larger purses, major sponsorship money. The Acme Dynamite Co. does not come into the sport because they loves pulling, it comes in because they are selling a product. They, and every other sponsor will spend their sponsorship dollars only if they can see a reasonable return on their investment. They want their product seen by the highest number of people possible, fans! Face it, there are plenty of motor sports events that the fans can spend there hard earned money at, pulling is competing with monster truck, stock car racing , demo derby's, it needs to do a better job of filling the fans expectations.
To sum it all up, start on time, move the vehicles onto, down and off the track as quickly as possible and give the fan a full, unobstructed view of the action. This coupled with informed and enthusiastic announcers makes for a first rate show.
Edited 11 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2013 11:53PM by Jake Morgan.
