Suppose you were to do a survey. You know; the kind where we might list the
20 likely reasons why a person might either attend a race event or watch it in
the media and have the survey participants list the 5 most important reasons
to them personally. Do this for Nascar, NHRA top fuel, bracket drags, LSR,
motorcycle racing, Gran Prix and on and on. This would be a big project. Who
knows what anyone would learn from it that the big time promoters don't
already know. This is just a brain exercise............
But wait. How about a survey of one person?.....yourself. You can be
brutally honest, especially if you know no one else will read it but you.
So list your 15 or 20 possible reasons and a few stats like hours and money
spent, your age, income; and test yourself against each motor sport you are
interested in. Start with the one that most interests you (I guess LSR for
most of us) and work downward from there. Now pick the 5 or 6 most important
and try to put them in some kind of order.
Now try to put yourself in the shoes of the average race fan, gearhead, TV
watcher or whatever and retake your test.
I have a feeling this could be somewhat enlightening.
For grins, here's my list of reasons (not in any particular order):
1. The race event overall experience
2. Race my car or help someone else race
3. See records set
4. See and root for one competitor against another or a record objective.
5. Buy souvenirs
6. Witness mishaps and accidents
7. Be a participant in the scene surrounding the event.
8. Escape from less appealing aspects of my life
9. Witness and record automotive history
10. Be recognized as a participant
11. Gain knowledge applicable to my own automotive interests
12. Contribute to the conduct of the event as a worker or volunteer.
13. Make money in connection with the event
14. I've placed bets on the event outcome.
15. Get together with friends who are also involved or interested in the
event.
16. Be with spouse or other close relation who is interested in the event.
17. Post event happenings, celebrations.
18. See results of some prior contribution I made to a participant or event
conduct.
19. Do something different with my available time.
20. Pamper my body and mind with good food, drink and other human comforts
These are my reason categories. You pick your own....it's your survey......
Ed Weldon
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