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RACING PROMOTION MONTHLY NEWSLETTER; ISSUE 51.5

"Making News"

• Daytona Plans; Getting back to Normal?

Chapter 26 - Let Em' All Go

• More from Chris Economaki's Chapter 26

1/4-Mile Gem in Lehighton, Pennsylvania
Mahoning Valley Speedway winding the clock back while being surrounded by progress...

Marketing Trends...
Marketing trends to know about in 2021

34 Raceway
The Greater Burlington Iowa Partnership recognized the efforts of the promotional team at 34 Raceway...

RPM@Daytona Information
RPM@Reno Information

Get in the Know

• Motorsports topics across the board.

TraxPix 2021

• Random photos from our the racing landscape that help tell many stories. A picture is always worth a thousand words...

Legal Update

• The Driver's Meeting, why is it "that" important?

COVID-19 Ongoing Pandemic Document Warehouse

Directory of Services
Recovery; The 'Month of May" will see fans return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Speedway will be able to host a crowd of 40% (135,000) for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 29. Fans who have tickets were sent letters in regard to instructions regarding their intent to attend the event. It will be an interesting 500, one to watch and learn from as always.
PEAKS AND PLATEAUS, RECOVERY IN A REGULATED WORLD

Daytona Beach

We are behind in releasing this edition due to solidifying the 49th Annual RPM Daytona Workshops, which will return to The Plaza Resort & Spa in Daytona. The RPM@Daytona Workshops will take place Monday, February 14 and Tuesday, February 15, 2022.

After examining the dates, looking at potentially different dats, location and all of the pertinent details, RPM is proud to announce that we will be returning to the Plaza Resort & Spa. We will be examining changes to the layout and vendor areas for a variety of reasons, but the Plaza provided a great home for our resumption of the Workshops during the pandemic and we are truly looking forward to February 2022.

Obviously, the Super Bowl is once again the night before the Workshops begin on Monday, which was also a consideration, however finding one date that accommodates everything has become the impossible dream these days.

Life as Normal?

Who thought resuming our lives would be so challenging? We are positive that you are tired of reading the same or similar topics in these pages, however it is the dominant news of the past two years. Things seem to be turning a positive direction in the last few weeks.

In just over four weeks, New York permitted tracks to have 20% capacity with stipulations beginning April 22 and things have rapidly changed with more changes expected to come after May 19. Dane County Wisconsin has returned to some sense of normal. Ohio has recently rescinded it's mask and capacity restrictions. In California things are moving forward and Bowman-Gray Stadium recently announced, they would open on June 5.

Bowman-Gray is a North Carolina tradition, not just Winston-Salem, widely recognized throughout the racing industry especially the Southeast. It is a signal to some sense of normalcy.

Things are beginning to return to some sense of "normal" whatever that may be.

The number of vaccinated individuals has started to plateau, placing officials in a situation that is playing out in a "force play" right before our eyes. Many states are requiring vaccinations for entry or increased capacity at venues, no matter the genre. If you want to resume your life, travel, entertainment or otherwise a vaccination and record of such will be a requirement.

We constantly hear "we can't wait until things get back to normal". Unfortunately, nobody knows what that state of "normal" will be. One constant is the lack of consistency from state-to-state with no state being in complete concert with the Federal Government.

There is definitely a "tug-of-war" on what to do. Social distancing and wearing masks. The Center for Disease Control states one thing, the resulting regulation is something else. The actual distance in social distancing. Vaccinated folks wearing a mask, versus not wearing a mask - indoors or outdoors. It is across the board, however in states where regulations have been relaxed or where tracks have been able to do what is necessary to get their events off the ground and running.

Interestingly, after having witnessed racing at tracks in 5 different states thus far this season, we have noticed that car counts and fans walking through the turnstiles has been consistent which bodes well for the business.

We have also noticed that no matter the level of regulations, race fans and participants are comfortable and returning to things, perhaps with a few additional precautions, but much like it was pre-pandemic.

Through the pandemic, murder hornets and now a fuel shortage, things have remained balanced. There is an economic undertow discussion by financial advisers that at some point the bubble will burst creating a financial void for the industry when expendable income dries up. Like farmers, it is time to harvest the "strong crops" and put something away for "rainy days", in case they appear in the future.

The hope is that the rainy days never come, but in some fashion they always do.

One of the "rainy day" situations is the supply chains being stressed for many industries and supplies which will have a direct and adverse affect on racing in several different aspects. Tire Manufacturers, Chassis Manufacturers, Food Industry and Petroleum / Fuel suppliers have all indicated concern as we move forward. We are all hoping the effects will be minimal but realize the gravity of these type of situations.
A fabricator welding on a frame in a chassis manufacturing shop. Some manufacturers are preparing to face supply challenges. Many industries are in the middle of those challenges. The trailer industry is one of them. Lead times on new builds can extend more than one-year due to parts and material availability.
Chris Economaki interviewing AJ Foyt. Foyt and Economaki had many famous raceday interviews.
Chapter 26 in the book "Let Em' All Go! The Story of Auto Racing by the Man that was there - Chris Economaki" is titled; "Promotion: Where did it go?", beginning on page 270 we continue an in-depth look into the chapter.

In today's racing promotion world, much of our outreach is electronically through social media. While we look at other outlets, we do not focus on them and while social media is a strong tool, it is not the only option.

The ticket buying fan, many of them exceed the average age of the folks spending most of their time on social media, which presents a problem as car shows, mall displays and the general ability to be able to hand those folks your racing schedule, meet and greet them have not happened and are not as popular as they once were.

In this study of Economaki's thoughts, he covers the art of great promotion.

The edited version is that in in 1966 the US Road Racing Championship which evolved into the Canadian-American Challenge Cup series, more commonly known as Can-Am secured a sponsorship from Johnson's Wax for the period of five-years. The Series was a brainchild of Jim Kazer.

Johnson's Wax, who told Kazer after five years the company would seek alternative sponsorship opportunities went to New York and hired Carl Byoir, one of the top PR houses in the country at that time. The PR agency immediately went out and hired Sir Stirling Moss to become the advance man for the Series.

Moss would arrive in the host town of the upcoming weekend on Monday and begin working on his radio reports. He had a 30-second script and he would call the local radio stations with his report.

It was a brilliant strategy for the program as the call in segment from Moss made local to the specific station "hosting the report". It gave those local stations a hometown reverence with the voice of Stirling Moss reporting on the "locals station".

After the race concluded Moss returned to the phones, calling the same stations with a race result report and the gateway to begin promoting the next racing event. It was a huge success.

"All of these promoters saw how this worked, because they saw Moss at their track for the entire week of the event busily working the phone in the tiny Can-Am trailer on Monday and Tuesday.

Soon enough, the five-year term of Johnson's Wax sponsorship came to a close. The company went off to a different sponsorship program, and Carl Byoir was gone and Stirling Moss went home. But the promoters hadn't learned a thing! Nobody thought to continue with the radio reports. They weren't promoters, of course, they were track operators.

The next thing you know, crowds began to dwindle. Officials, racers and promoters started grumbling that fans were tired of the cars. Yes, it must be the cars. So they scrapped the unlimited formula and Formula 5000 was created. But still nobody came. Because track operators and series officials had not learned an important promotional lesson. To this day most promoters in America haven't learned it.

It was incredible. They had five years of schooling and watched the magic promotion working, and then it was handed to them and they didn't know what to do with it." (excerpt from page 272 Chris Economaki, "Let Em' All Go!").

In the next section Economaki wrote something that is brilliant and we are watching the same phenomenon in today's motorsports industry at many levels. (continued excerpt from page 272 ending on page 273 Chris Economaki, "Let Em' All Go!").

"The thing I find most ironic is that while the Can-Am Series was enjoying such success, the racing actually wasn't very good because the McLaten cars usually took off and left. But there guys like Peter Revson spraying champagne on a victory podium at an auto-race, things like that. Very exciting! And this Carl Byoir outfit really knew how to maximize the effect of those things. All of a sudden it was "Champagne Peter", not just Peter Revson. Good stuff!

Which makes me wonder: Many forms of the sport actually offer much better competition on the track than they once did. For example, in Indy car racing the 1970's it wasn't unusual to see the winner lap the field; but today most Indy Racing League events are fantastic races. Why on earth can't this great racing be promoted to the general public for what it is, a heart stopping form of entertainment?"

If you are following along and focused on our sport, you will know this part of history has repeated itself at nauseam, especially recently in all forms of the sport. Little does the car matter. The people matter, to attract people to those people their stories must be compelling, their personalities dynamic, the good and the bad.

At the short track racing level the product is exceptional at most events. There are many brands that sell themselves at the short track level of the sport, but they contain all of the elements listed above. Here's a hint in regard to racecars mattering; sure sprint cars have evolved over the years, but a sprint car is a sprint car, regardless of engine displacement or anything else.

Focusing on the car only sells to "gearhead" minded people who are focused on that sort of thing and are lost when they don't think things went their way.

It didn't matter what Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Bobby Unser, AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Steve Kinser, John Force or Sammy Swindell drove. Their personalities sold the sport to people who were their fans. An interesting dynamic that in our opinion isn't used as a valuable tool in the art of ticket selling enough these days and certainly something that Economaki knew and recognized long ago.
An archived message from the office at the Hugh Deery Agency, PO Box 1000 Rockford, Illinios, shared by a friend of RPM's.
“FIND YOUR EDGE IN THE CHALLENGING BUSINESS OF PROMOTION WITH SIMES GRAHPIC DESIGN"

“WE WILL BURN THE MIDNIGHT OIL TO CREATE YOUR MARKETING MATERIAL SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO!”
For OVER 25 years Simes Graphic Designs has been providing the edge that the auto-racing industry has sought by producing high-quality printed products for track operators, drivers and racing-related businesses. Located in North Dakota, Simes Graphic Designs thrills customers across the United States with easily accessible services.

Understanding that racing is a highly specialized business which needs products that express the excitement and high power action of the sport in a clear, concise message that informs and sells the customer on the next ticket sale.

As a small full-service graphic arts studio and agency, we offer personalized service to our clients and a one-on-one experience with NO-NONSENSE pricing policies that specializes in advertising materials. We make it easy for the race promoter to get ad agency quality work at prices they can afford.

Our experience allows us to create eye-catching concepts for the web or printed piece, creating the excitement of short track racing with powerful graphic images, buzz words and catch phrases that gain the customers attention.

Whether you need a poster, pocket schedules, programs, or event logo and web content, we can create advertising marketing material that absolutely conveys the excitement and the fun of short track racing.

A small studio that treats every client with the utmost importance. We have worked with small and large short tracks from coast-to-coast and almost every track in-between.

With a unique pricing concept, we include all artwork, design, printing and shipping costs in the final price.
Mahoning Valley Speedway located in Lehighton Pennsylvania is a family run quarter-mile asphalt track in beautiful setting.
Mahoning Valley Speedway a 1/4-mile Gem Surviving amongst Progress

Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, Pa., is surviving in a beautiful setting, however business and progress is growing ever closer.

A visit to the Jack Carlino owned, Keith Hoffman promoted 1/4-mile will take you back in time while witnessing great racing on a track that provides multiple grooves and non-stop-action.

Rumors swirling the facility and progress from the area surrounding the track have some of the locals worried about the longevity of the track. While there is no set outcome, development "just down the street" gives the appearance that the track may face future challenges, but for now the track races each Saturday.

A variety of divisions, with the Northeast "pancake" tour-type Modifieds being the featured division and top draw.

The speedway itself has always been a spot in the region with a comfortable feel as well as producing some of the best racers in the sport.

The track has been an award winning business in community of Lehighton and is owned by local businessman Jack Carlino, who tabbed Keith Hoffman to promote last year. Hoffman is the brother of Doug Hoffman, a former racer and promoter of Mahoning. Some folks would argue that Doug Hoffman promoted the track through its most successful years.

Mahoning represents a long legacy of tracks in the Lehighton region, including the former track known as Dorney Park, which was part of the amusement park with the same name, just a short drive away near Allentown, Pa.

Another shot of the track from the hill entrance into the facility. Autograph night is always popular at speedways throughtout North America, including Mahoning. Close racing, a trademark of the strong product that Mahoning Valley Speedway provides fans week in and week out.
Marketing Trends

Marketing Trends to know about in 2021...

Whether it's fashion, music, entertainment or even colors, trends are a great way to explore the zeitgeist of the times and serve as a starting point for your own creative and strategic endeavors for the new year.

And marketing trends are no exception. 2020 brought a year of great unpredictability and change — especially in marketing. Globally, businesses have been asked to adapt at speed, collaborate from dispersed locations, and communicate with their customers at a new speed. No matter the size of your business, being up to date with marketing trends is a must if you want to craft a successful marketing plan and grow your company to its full potential. Whether you own a start-up, a brick-and-mortar shop, or a small business, it’s important to connect with your audience and meet them where they are.

In this article, we explore marketing trends for 2021 that the experts are deploying and how they've adapted in response to the global pandemic and new consumption patterns.

** 1. Content marketing

While content marketing is not a new idea, content marketing remains at a critical mainstay within marketing plans across the globe. With the decline of field marketing — due to COVID-19 restrictions — helpful content with purpose is proving to be an effective way for businesses to drive valuable website traffic.

This is also aligned with Google's consistently improving algorithm. Google is getting smarter and delivering a deeper understanding of online content. And marketers are rethinking the way they tailor content in 2021. The focus is now on brand context and precise targeting. There's a new algorithm in Google town, the BERT system, that can understand “natural language” in Google searches. Their recommendation is marketers should center their efforts on crafting in-depth, current, accurate, and well-written content. That’s what the algorithm is giving preference to.

This was also a finding that came out of the 2021 The Executive Marketing Leadership Survey (https://www.canva.com/enterprise/executive-marketing-leadership-survey/) where 500 marketing leaders shared how they have adjusted their investments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they are planning to succeed in the new year.

One way to scale up your content creation is to include visuals in your blog’s long articles to break up the text.

** 2. Investment in design

Building your brand for a digital-first audience also requires an investment in quality design. No matter what channel you use to promote your message or campaign, consistent design and branding is the easiest way to continue to build visual brand awareness across all your channels.

** 3. Personalization in marketing

In the digital landscape, if you really want to connect with your customers, a one-size-fits-all approach isn't as effective. That is why personalization — with the support of marketing technology — is positioned to be a big trend this year.

Emails, social media ads and content will get increasingly personal thanks to advanced segmentation methods. Tapping into visitors behaviors and interactions on websites is easier now, so it will be simpler to serve them content based on their niche interests.

You could start by segmenting your user list based on user behavior, purchase history, or other customer interactions so you can send hyper-focused marketing messages. It's what the experts call KYC, after Know Your Customer.

Email is a great way to get on the personalization trend.

** 4. Chatbot marketing

Chatbots, have been around since 2018 and are set to continue to grow further as a marketing mainstay in 2021. Chatbots or bots are the artificial intelligence software that can act as a customer service representative or “concierge.” The benefits are obvious: they are operational 24/7, offer instant answers to queries, and don’t go on vacation. And, with time, they can learn to predict customer needs. “AI is improving chatbots to the point where it’s impossible to tell you’re not talking to a human being and I think this will have a huge impact on marketing,” says Adam Hempenstall, founder and CEO of Better Proposals (https://betterproposals.io/) .

** 5. Email marketing

Email continues to be a major marketing channel, but it's moving from generic messages to a more interesting space with the application of personalization. Since email is the final stage to motivate action and retain customers, it is most effectively used alongside remarketing techniques and value-based content.

6. Martech - AI, AR, Automation

Living at the intersection of marketing and technology, here’s a new marketing term, Martech. Martech refers to the software and tech tools marketers leverage to plan, execute, and measure marketing campaigns. It includes cutting-edge technology like artificial intelligence, augmented reality, automation, and machine learning, the ability of computers to improve with experience.

Artificial intelligence. From programmatic advertising, to chatbots, email personalization, and interactive content, artificial intelligence is a force at the heart of many global industries and companies already. “Artificial intelligence is the biggest commercial opportunity for companies, industries, and nations over the next few decades” says Techgrabyte (https://techgrabyte.com/economic-value-artificial-intelligence-growth-impact/?fbclid=IwAR2rJDGCm3JzpPx5_Njn189kjmKlE-ph_skZdbKGl3EoRBR4zLMGQOeLTQE) .

Augmented reality. While we’ve been hearing about virtual reality (VR) in the entertainment and travel industries, AR is much more visible and commercially beneficial in marketing.

Brands are continuing to use this technology to enhance their consumer experience and trigger sales. L’Oréal was a pioneer when it launched its Makeup Genius app in 2015, that allows customers to try different colors and make up options, without stepping into a store. Since then L’Oréal has acquired Modiface, the software company that developed its app.

Another good use of AR as a martech application is IKEA Place (https://www.ikea.com/au/en/customer-service/mobile-apps/say-hej-to-ikea-place-pub1f8af050) , which allows users to take a picture of a room in their home and “test” IKEA’s furniture in it.

Automation. Gartner, the global research consultancy firm, predicts that by 2020 over 40% of data science tasks will be automated. By accessing and analysing the enormous amounts of big data that businesses have at their fingerprints, they will be able to refine their marketing tactics across marketing channels.

Developing your own AR technology is an investment. But you could partner with a VR or AR platform. You’ll need to put together a pitch of your idea.

** 7. Live video

The power of online video compared to text-based content is indisputable. Hopefully it's already part of your media plan. Now, you should consider live streaming video. That sense of anticipation and urgency, can render higher conversion rates among your users. If you pair live video with a partner micro-influencers (the new crop of influencers in niche digital spaces), you may attract a great deal of followers.

Instagram offers a great opportunity to connect with your audience live with their Instagram Live feature, which is part of Instagram Stories. Want to put your best (and most well-designed!) foot forward with Instagram Stories? Get started with one of Canva’s templates, like the Colorful Modern Countdown Instagram Story (https://fhbw.app.link/?action2=create&mediaId=EADah7nDhf8&signupReferrer=blog&utm_source=blog&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=marketing-trends-guide&%24desktop_url=https://www.canva.com/design?create=true&media=EADah7nDhf8&referrer=learn&uid=78226ba3-e374-4c2a-82b6-49ada73d5928) or the Bisque and White Traditional Life Quote Instagram Story.

** 8. Social messaging marketing

While email and social media channels are here to stay, people are increasingly active on instant messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, and brands are already banking on that opportunity.

According to Statista, Facebook Messenger has 1.3 billion monthly users (https://www.statista.com/statistics/258749/most-popular-global-mobile-messenger-apps/) ; while WhatsApp has reached 1.6 billion.

Marketing through Facebook Messenger generates 10 to 80 times (https://review42.com/facebook-messenger-statistics) more engagement than organic posts on the Facebook News Feed, says Review42. Uses are many: from staying intouch, to delivering information and assistance, to inviting users to events. And keep an eye on Facebook brand new product, Facebook Messenger Rooms (https://www.messenger.com/rooms) , launched in April, now operational on Instagram also, a new way to bring people together instantly, and another viable platform for brands to include video and interactive content.

** 9. Voice search and interaction marketing

Hey Siri…? Due to the proliferation of smart speakers or voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa, plus the human desire to connect via voice, verbal interaction with devices is increasing, and brands are taking note.

Digital Marketing Institute (https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/voice-search-why-your-brand-needs-a-voice-strategy) suggests: “Adopting a voice search strategy isn't just about remaining relevant – it’s also about creating a unique and optimized customer experience that will foster relationships and build brand loyalty.”

Right now, brands in many different verticals, from beverages to package goods and financial services, are using voice search and voice interaction successfully to enrich their customer experience, like tequila Patron which allows users to access personalized cocktail recipes.

Marketers should remember to write in a conversational tone, using keywords that people will speak rather than type.

** 10. RCS marketing

Welcome to the new wave in SMS marketing: RCS Rich Communication Services, is aiming to replace SMS with a text-message system that can transmit multimedia, like photos, video, and audio, and even group messaging. Performance indicators among early adopters are impressive. “Subway [the fast food chain] sent promotions by RCS with detailed images and as a result, saw an astonishing 144% increase in redemption rate compared to the same promotion using SMS.” says Henry Cazalet, The SMS Works (https://thesmsworks.co.uk/) .

** 11. Interactive content

More engaging, more memorable, more dynamic, more fun. That is the direction of any type of content, anything that you can click on, swipe, or interact with. And cutting-edge marketing technology is here to help. This year we’ll see more quizzes and polls, augmented reality ads and 360-degree videos.

** 12. Visual search and SEO

VSEO, here’s the new search user experience: now people can upload an image to conduct a search and get more specific results. Pinterest Lens, Google Lens, CamFind and Bing have already launched visual search tools.

Pinterest debuted Lens in 2017, allowing users to take a photo of an item and find out where to buy it online, search for similar products or view related pinboards. It's definitely a brilliant vehicle to search for highly visual products and services – from fashion, to food, art, beauty and travel.

Meanwhile, the old SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is changing into what the experts call Structure Data SEO. It’s data organized in a standardized format to make it easier for search engines to better understand the content and categorize it.

It can deliver a SEO boost, so your business could rank and appear in that coveted Position Zero, or featured snippet in Google, at the top of the search results – more on this later.

** 13. Social media marketing

Some social media platform users are getting older, like Facebook. Forbes says that 41% of its users are over the age of 65. Younger demographics are living in more visual and innovative channels like Instagram, Snapchat and the booming TikTok. Instagram, on the other hand, at over one billion users, is the preferred platform for the under 30 demographic. And definitely, consider YouTube for your video marketing, a great platform with 2 billions unique users, it’s the second most visited site (https://www.alexa.com/topsites) after Google.

14. Social commerce marketing

With the rise of e-commerce and the growth of social media, shoppable ad posts are sprouting like mushrooms in people’s feeds.

It grants shoppers the instant gratification of shopping with a click while swiping through their feed. Since Instagram launched Instagram Checkout in 2019, the platform reports that 90% of its one billion users (https://business.instagram.com/) already follow active shopping brands, a great way to stay in touch with potential customers.

** 15. Omnichannel marketing

Omnichannel marketing implements marketing across multiple platforms, taking by the hand your consumers through their purchase journey, for a richer user experience – your website, email, apps, social media. According to ClickZ (https://www.clickz.com/onmichannel-marketing-automation-statistics-for-2019/231381-2/231381/) , omnichannel marketing can deliver three times as much engagement as a single-channel plan.

The key is being able to keep a consistent and personalized voice, and understanding the needs and behaviors of your customers so they keep on coming to interact with your brand.

** 16. Deep learning analytics

As AI extends to all aspects of business and marketing, like R&D and production efficiencies, more and more organizations are developing customer data platforms to manage and analyze their behaviours.

Going further, Deep Learning Analytics, initially applied to fields like energy and defense, it’s appearing now in marketing and e-commerce research, providing understandable data-driven answers to research questions, working with better data, better machine learning, and better insights.

** 17. Privacy marketing

The red flag that comes with the collection of big data is a concern with privacy and security by customers. People want to trust brands and make sure their personal data is safe. Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/06/27/can-marketing-and-privacy-coexist/#7f3d04a054b2) notes that brands will have to “‘earn' the contact information of their targets” rather than engage in mass marketing.

In the same vein, website security is non-negotiable in 2020. Since 2014, Google announced that poor website security impacts the ranking negatively in SEO. Sites are now branded unsafe unless they show the HTTPS certification in their url, the S meaning secure. Visitors see a green padlock in the url of the site.

Displaying a security seal of trust or trust badge on your website is another way to reassure your visitors that they can trust your site.

** 18. Quantum computing

A leading-edge technology based in quantum physics is making an appearance in marketing.

“Traditional computers store data in bits, which can exist in one of two states: one or zero. Quantum computers use a new unit of measurement, a quantum bit, that increases computational power. Gartner explains ““While a classic computer would read every book in a library in a linear fashion, a quantum computer would read all the books simultaneously. Quantum computers are able to theoretically work on millions of computations at once.”

** 19. SERP position zero

2019 marked the rise of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) position zero, or featured snippets, like this example of “how to grow herbs at home.”

More marketers will invest in SERP SEO, to optimize their web pages hoping to claim that coveted top spot to increase traffic to their site.

** 20. Branding marketing

Branding marketing is seeing a resurgence in the toolbox kit of marketing tactics. The goal is building a solid brand, with authority, that consumers feel close to and can trust.

Google is part of the reason this is happening, since it is now ranking according to the E.A.T. factor, for Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness, driving brands to deliver a richer customer experience through content.

According to Neil Patel, branding is what is separating companies from their competition. As examples of strong brands he mentions Nike, Ferrari, Tesla, American Express,... and Michael Jordan. “People buy Jordan shoes because they love Michael Jordan. His brand is stronger than ever even though he hasn’t played in the NBA for roughly 16 years.”

While there are elements of these trends that may not necessarily apply to everything we need to accomplish, there are many things that directly apply to selling tickets to our customers as technology continues to dominate how we reach our potential ticket purchasing customers and potential sponsors.

Eventsprout Experience!

The name Eventsprout may be new to you as they first attended the RPM@Daytona Workshops this past February. Eventsprout has an experienced staff and John Haak who is a part Owner and the CRO for the organization has been involved for over 18 years in online ticketing. Eventsprout's experience is inline with the smallest of venues to the largest. The company was created by an event management firm in 2012 with an eye on becoming a leader in the industry. The Eventsprout platform is designed with short tracks in mind and doesn't need to sell or scan on online ticket and no internet at the facility is required. The team at Eventsprout focuses on the individual venues requirements, not just concert venues or theatres, with a system developed specifically for short track racing. With the current regulations driving more ticket sales online, Eventsprout has the ability to meet those regulations and demands with an outlook to keep up with the entertainment industry. For more information, visit;
www.eventsprout.com
Make Your Plans Now to Join us In Daytona Beach; the 49th Annual RPM@Daytona Workshops will once again take place on the World's Most Famous Beach returning the to Plaza Spa & Resort on Monday, February 14 and Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Please be advised that the SuperBowl will take place on Sunday, February 13, 2022, the evening before the Workshops open. This occurred last year, but as the National Football League has extended their season by one game, it forces their marquee event to take place one week before the Daytona 500 once again. Room rates will be as follows; Studios/Suites $169.00; Ocean View (Coastal/Ocean Front) $139.00; Standard Room $129.00. www.plazaresortandspa.com
Take Note - Make your Reservations Now; the 49th Annual RPM@Reno Western Workshops take place, Thursday December 2nd and Friday, December 3rd at the Eldorado at the Row, in Reno, Nevada. Rooms can be booked here; https://book.passkey.com/go/RPM4921 (King rooms can be booked for an average of $71.25 per night for a four-night stay; while rooms with two Queen beds can be booked for an average of $81.25 for a four-night stay.)

** Would a date change in Daytona make a difference to your attendance? Perhaps hosting the Workshops closer to the end of the week, closer to the running to he Daytona 500? RPM would like to know. Please E-Mail responses to: info@racingpromomonthly.com (info@racingpromomonthly.com)

Story from "The Hawk Eye"; Brad Stevens and Jessi Mynatt haven't had much good luck since they bought 34 Raceway in September 2017.

The 2018 season was a learning one for the co-owners and promoters of the 3/8-mile oval dirt track.

The 2019 season brought rain, and more rain, forcing cancellation of 13 shows, nearly half the season.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic last year, which forced cancellation of nearly two months of racing and put restrictions on attendance for much of the season.

None of that has stopped Stevens and Mynatt from putting their best foot forward to not only continue upgrades on the facility, but attract people to southeast Iowa and help people in the surrounding area.

Stevens and Myatt got some pleasant and much-needed good news recently when 34 Raceway, along with The Buffalo Tavern, were named 2020 Small Businesses of the Year the Greater Burlington Partnership Chamber of Commerce.

"It's very unexpected," Stevens said. "We knew we were nominated, but we sure didn't see this coming. We are very humbled and grateful that people recognize what we are trying to do for southeast Iowa."

"Winning this award is very surprising," Mynatt said. "We have a very hard-working team who make all of this possible. This is absolutely tremendous to us and a testament to all the people who help us."

RPM addition; Stevens and Mynatt are attendees and contributors to the Workshops. We would like to extend them our congratulations and sincerely hope they keep up the great work at their track.

Brad Stevens and Jessi Mynat, co-owners and promoters of 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa, were named "Co-Small Business Owners of the Year" by the Greater Burlington Parternship.

VP Racing Fuels - (Donato Bonacquisto & Fred Turza representing VP Racing Fuels during the RPM@Daytona Workshops this past February)

From a single location with two employees in San Antonio, Texas, VP has grown to over 200 employees with five company owned and operated race fuel distribution points in Texas, Indiana, Georgia, Delaware and Tennessee, as well as a regional office in southern California. Each of these distribution points maintains inventory of VP fuels available for immediate transport within a day’s drive to virtually any major racing event in North America. The result is that racers, tracks and sanctioning bodies can count on access to availability of quality fuel. VP’s distribution network of 2000+ dealers around the world extends to Europe, Central and South America, Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Rim. VP is now recognized by many as the world leader in race fuel technology, with a catalog of more than 80 fuel blends and a growing roster of VP-fueled champions across the entire spectrum of motorsports. The passion and dedication of VP’s development team to staying on the leading edge of
technology is legendary. Most of VP’s employees are or have been racers in one form or another and are driven by the competitive will to win. Together, the VP team intends to solidify its position as the true World Leader in Race Fuel Technology for years to come. For more information visit: www.vpracingfuels.com (http://www.racetrackwholesale.com/)
John Holland from New England Race Fuels and Brian Bazell from Bazell Oil, two long-time Sunoco Race Fuel distributors, visited the 48th Annual RPM@Daytona Workshops
For decades Sunoco's fuels have been associated with racing excellence. Since the mid-1960's when Sunoco and the Roger Penske Racing Team with driver Mark Donohue forged what would be a long successful alliance, the company has grown into an industry powerhouse. Today, Sunoco has expanded the reach of it's racing fuels line around the world to include all types of professional motorsports and other activities where premium race fuels can make a difference. With its unsurpassed innovations and years of experience, it's easy to understand why more and more engine builders, racers, tracks and sanctioning bodies choose Sunoco over a other racing gasoline combined. Winning on today's racing circuit requires more than an exceptional driver and well built car. It takes high-performance racing fuels that are willing to go the distance - fuels like those produced by Sunoco. As the largest manufacturer of racing gasolines in the world, Sunoco has a 40-year track record of winning performances. With
an expanded product line, Sunoco offers drivers more choices than ever before. For the performance your engine is designed to deliver, consistently choose Sunoco Race Fuels. Sunoco Race Fuels is available through a network of regional distributors. For more information visit www.sunocoracefuels.com (http://www.firethornmarketing.com/)
Monadnock Speedway near Winchester, New Hampshire is a racey quarter-mile with a beautiful mountain range setting. Long-time promoter Larry Cirillo sold the facility to Norm Wrenn, Jr., in December of 2018. Wrenn unfortunately lost his son, Norm Wrenn III unexpectedly this past Winter.

Wrenn, Jr., has put a lot into the business of New Hampshire short track racing as he also owns Lee USA Speedway. He is partners with Ben Bosowski on Claremont Speedway.

The work he and his staff have done at Monadnock is evident, but they did not alter the race track which offers the same great quarter-mile racing that it always has.
The month of May;

"The month of May" has always been something we have looked forward to with great anticipation. The Indianapolis 500 has been one of the most intriguing events of the season for us and growing into the sport we discovered all of the ancillary events going on around surrounding the speedway.

As a bonus the speedway will welcome fans back to the hallowed grounds after running the race in 2020 without fans.

Unfortunately, for the second consecutive year all off track activities surrounding the 500 have been cancelled.

The "Hoosier Hundred" which received a reprieve for one year has been moved, permanently, from the Indiana State Fairgrounds mile. State Fair Officials will be changing the one-mile long track to accommodate horse activities and parking around the state fairgrounds facility.

The "Hoosier Hundred" which is a Track Enterpises event will now take place at Terre Haute.

One of our favorite events, the Little 500 at Anderson's 1/4-mile high-banked Speedway will take place on schedule this year. Last year's "Little 500" was postponed due to the pandemic and run in September. Bobby Santos, III won.

The "Action Track" at Terre Haute runs three consecutive nights leading up to the 500 with USAC and the World of Outlaws. Lucas Oil Raceway will feature the Carb Night Classic for the USAC National Midget Series to carry on that tradition.

West Coast Notes;

The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway got back in action after a year-long absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bullring, in its 37th season (and 21st in its current configuration), resumed under the supervision of TJ Clark, a former driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and previous instructor at the Bob Bondurant Driving School.

The Bullring has produced many great talents, including Kurt and Kyle Busch, Brendan Gaughan, Noah Gragson and Riley Herbst. Clark and his son Spencer raced in the Kyle Busch era, before Spencer lost his life in an automobile accident shortly after his successful NASCAR Busch (now Xfinity) Series debut in Las Vegas in 2006. Clark, who considers the Bullring his “home track”, has spent the past 10 years since Spencer’s passing propelling other young drivers in their racing careers, through the Spencer Clark Driven Foundation. TJ is taking on his new role as Bullring manager to ensure that short-track racing continues and is available to other racing star hopefuls.

“I’m thankful that (LVMS President) Chris Powell believes in grassroots racing and has given us the opportunity to keep the Bullring going,” Clark said. “I believe short tracks are the heart of racing and we as a community need to support local grassroots racing and the Bullring. We’re lucky. I’ve seen a lot of tracks all across the country, and our Bullring is premier compared to a lot of the others.”

Dennis Gage has related notes from the "West Coast" stating that things "look like we are turning around." Three California tracks ran with full fields and turn away crowds as the state finally welcomed back fans across the board.

All-American Speedway in Roseville, California, promoted by RPM Speaker and NASCAR car owner, Bill McNally opened at a capacity of 1,500.

On a more novice racing level Gage related, that Cycleland in Oroville, California, opened with 161 cars and 700 people in attendance, switching to motocross the next day, hosting 200 riders.

Gage stated, "the California trend looks good. We have become more creative and adaptable through this. For those willing to put in the work the indicators are good that things will comeback strong."

Irwindale Speedway in Southern California welcomed fans back for an SRL race on April 10, which is great news for this Covid-19 hampered region of the country.

Pacific Northwest Challenges;

The 2021 Southern Oregon Speedway in White City, Oregon, near Medford was in jeopardy not long ago, but after a lengthy period of dormancy since the fall of 2019, Southern Oregon Speedway awaits to roar to life once more in 2021. In March of this year, Travis Hoppes and local racing legend Dane Smith were chosen as the new conductors of operations at the Jackson County racing facility. For those unfamiliar with Hoppes, is an avid supporter and sponsor of several race teams and events in the Western United States.

“I got several phone calls and messages asking what Hoppes Motorsports can do to save the track,” commented Hoppes, “I thought about it for a little bit and started to talk with some people. Then one thing led to another, and I put together a board of people that could help me with this massive endeavor.”

Members of this newly established board are Dane Smith, who will fill the role as president. Jon DeBenedetti, another longtime driver, will be a board member along with R Charles Snyder’s son, Travis Snyder, a local business owner of Precision Electric and Snyder Creek development. Brian Bowman, owner of Gage it Construction, and local Late model driver as well as Albert Gill and James Anderson

“The goal of putting the board together was to fill with people that really wanted to help the track and not shut it down. But also, I was seeking business owners or very business smart people to help. I wanted a board of members of likeminded individuals who knew what it takes to make a successful race facility for both drivers and fans”

There is a lot of hype for the upcoming season and fans just might have their socks knocked off with the many changes that are coming. Those changes include a brand-new logo, the shape of the track, and the configuration of the pit area. A new electronic scoring system will be set up allowing fans to follow on MyRacePass where live up-to-date results and lineups can be found. Also, there will be a live pay-per-service offered courtesy of IMCA.TV for folks to watch from around the world.

“I’m so excited for this new season and brand-new chapter in the history of Southern Oregon Speedway. We want to be a welcoming face to people that have been here for years and the new fans that have never been here before.”

The track is slated to open with practice session on May 26, followed by the first race on May 29.

Salmon Valley Speedway

On May 15 & 16 Salmon (Idaho) Valley Speedway opened for its first race weekend in many years. The track, which is a 1/4-mile dirt oval is IMCA-sanctioned. Sean Jackson, a lifelong racer from California is in charge of the effort to re-establish Salmon Valley.

Jackson’s history in racing runs deep, especially in California. He was part of the committee to help reopen Altamont Raceway Park in Tracy during the early 1990s. Jackson started a small speedway for micro sprints and go-karts in Atwater. He drove modifieds and sprint cars at Antioch and Merced speedways. And, he ran the family-owned speed shop, “Rather be Racing” in Fremont. Now, he’ll add Salmon Valley Speedway to his long racing résumé.

Salmon Valley Speedway had a successful run during the 1990s. It hasn't raced since 1998.

Even though the track wasn't open Jackson was able to build off the foundation.

With volunteer assistance from around the community, donations of clay from a local company (River City Ready Mix), Jackson is making a go of it, right down to the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) along with the Salmon Arts Council lined up to run the concessions at the track.

The track is located in a remote area of Idaho between Butte, Montana and Boise, Idaho. The track will run a limited schedule.

Thunder Road and Ticketing Policies Across the Board

"The Nations Site of Excitement" Thunder Road Speedbowl in Barre, Vermont recently announced their ticket policies in regard to the 2021 season, the 62nd at the track.

The announcement stated a limited number of tickets would be available for fans who have not been fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, with the exact number subject to change based on the State of Vermont's reopening plan. The reopening plan goes through early July and the limitation applies to all ages.

However, there is no limit on the number of fully vaccinated fans who can attend Thunder Road events. The track is selling separate "vaccinated" and "unvaccinated" tickets as long as the restrictions remain in place.

The "vaccinated" versus "unvaccinated" policies are already in place in many states and many sports and forms of entertainment. There will be a challenge on the promoter's part with this, when unruly attendees "state their rights". It is an unfortunate circumstance that many of us will encounter.

Currently just over 1/3 of the nations population is vaccinated.

ERC Credit;

Originally scheduled to end on June 30, the ERC will continue at least through the end of 2021, giving business owners access to as much as $33,000 per employee in incentives between last year and this year. The credit will work slightly differently during the first and second halves of the year. From January 1 through June 30, eligible employers can claim refundable credits equal to 70 percent of a full-time employee’s qualified wages paid, against their share of Social Security tax. You can get a maximum of $14,000 in credits per employee.

On July 1, that’ll change. The new law allows businesses to claim the refundable credit against their share of employment taxes, including Medicare. Again, you can get a maximum of $14,000 per employee in credits this way, meaning business owners this year could qualify for up to $28,000 per worker, in total.

PPP Helpful Information;

PPP extension!

The Senate has recently passed the PPP extension. PPP applications will be accepted by the SBA until May 31st, 2021. Applications received before June 1st 2021 will continue to be processed through the month of June. While the date deadline has been moved, the PPP is likely to run out of money in about 45 days.

Second Draw PPP loans

The SBA started accepting Second Draw applications for businesses that received their First Draw loan in 2021. Under the rules, applicants for a Second Draw loan must certify that they have used or will use their First Draw loan for eligible expenses prior to receiving their Second Draw loan.

If you applied with PPP Fast Lane and requested two PPP loans, this can be optimized and this processed based on SBA rules.

For more information on this you may visit womply.com or contact your banker.

Exciting short track racing action will continue to take place at "The Bullring" at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2021.

Southern Oregon Speedway's 2021 season in jeopardy until recently, but the speedway will once again roar to life in 2021 for fans and participants to continue the tradition of the track in the Pacific Northwest.

“The Sponsorship Collective";

More from Chris Baylis in regard to tough decisions that affect sponsorships...

Three Options: Cancel, Postpone, Move Forward;

Broadly speaking, there are three options if you are running an event that is threatened by any crisis:

• Cancel
• Postpone
• Move forward

It cannot be overstated that any of the options you are considering require some level of counsel. Even the decision to move forward and change nothing is a decision with consequences and must be fully considered.

You also MUST talk to your sponsors. There is no way around it. Talk now and talk often, keeping the lines of communication open. If your sponsors hear your plans for the first time through an update sent on social media or to your database, you’ve made a very serious error.
Cancelling an Event: Sponsorship, Activation and Refunds

If you choose to outright cancel your event, you should expect to issue a refund to your sponsors. In some cases, a partial refund may be warranted based on how much you have delivered on your sponsorship assets and activations. Expect your sponsors to understand, assuming the crisis was unavoidable and not the result of negligence or some other foreseeable reason. Please note, your sponsors should understand your choice but that does not mean that you get to keep the money.
How Much of a Refund to Offer Sponsors if you Cancel an Event?

If you have sold a stock “gold, silver, bronze” package that has nothing more than logos on signs, I think your chances of a partial refund are near zero. Why? Because this likely means that you didn’t do a valuation and have no idea how much value you have delivered to date. It also means that most of your assets will be delivered at the event, which you have just cancelled. These types of packages rarely take into account the outcomes your sponsors are trying to achieve, instead focusing on vanity metrics.

If, on the other hand, you have done a valuation and understand your sponsor’s goals, then you will be able to determine how much of your contract you have delivered. It could be that most of the value of the agreement was related to pre-event activities and your sponsor will agree to a partial refund.

Before you begin this negotiation, talk to your lawyer, accountant and review your valuation.
What Options Are There Aside from a Refund?

First of all, just because you are legally entitled to keeping all or some of the sponsorship dollars does not mean it is the right call. Taking a transactional approach with a sponsor today could cost you the relationship and future revenue. In other words, a legal solution may not line up with a customer service solution. Am I suggesting that you ignore your lawyers? Absolutely not! What I am suggesting is that thinking long term about a sponsor might mean some short term sacrifice.

Instead of a refund, you may be able to offer your sponsor credit for next year’s event or some other properties that serve the same audience.

If your sponsor had sales goals tied to sponsoring your event during a specific time, then you will have to offer something that achieves the same outcome in the same timeframe if you have a chance at shifting the dollars to another opportunity.

The reality is, cancelling an event is a major decision and could be costly. Does that mean you should avoid cancelling? Not necessarily.
What Happens if You Choose to Move Forward?

The decision to change nothing and move forward as planned seems like the path of least resistance. It isn’t. It is a decision, like the other options, and requires careful consideration. If you opt not to cancel or reschedule now, the choice may be made for you later. If that happens, you may lose the choice to postpone as other events who proactively rescheduled will have had first choice of dates, leaving you with few, if any, options.
Any of the following could come to pass if you move forward:

• Your event is cancelled last minute
• Your attendance is poor
• Web traffic will take a hit
• Hotel room blocks may not be full, meaning you could be on the hook to pay for them out of pocket
• Media partners will not cover your event

In other words, moving forward could cost you money anyway, could result in a cancelled event and, if you don’t deliver the assets, audience and activations promised, you could still have to issue refunds to sponsors and/or damage the relationship long-term.
Sponsorship Refunds and Postponing Your Event

This is the choice we made and for us, it was the right choice. Before we made a decision, we consulted our lawyer, we consulted our accountant and we consulted the venue. I want to be very clear, the choice to postpone was not inexpensive! There were fees for lawyers and accountants and there were fees to the venue and activations we had booked that couldn’t be postponed.

In other words, in this scenario, we realized that every choice would cost money. We made peace with this and then asked the following questions:

• What is best for the sector and the industry?
• What is best for the attendees?
• If it were us, or those we cared about, attending, how would we want to be treated?
• In five years from now, which choice will we look back on as the best possible choice?

When considered in this way, the choice was simple. We chose to postpone.
Things to Consider When Postponing an Event

By going through the above process, we were a few days later in communicating with our sponsors than we would have liked. To be clear, we were communicating with sponsors, we just didn’t have a solution as early as we wanted. When we were ready with a solution, we were able to reach out with concrete answers and a solid plan. We then reached out to each sponsor individually, letting them know what we were planning and asked for feedback.

Every single sponsor immediately responded that they thought this was the right decision, offered their full support and thanked us for not moving forward with the event. Not one sponsor asked for a refund or was critical in the least. We were honest and clear about the decision, asked for feedback and presented some of the benefits of postponing (like more time to promote, digital activations etc.).

We are now in talks with our sponsors to do some more promotion and some digital activations to ensure that our sponsors get the outcomes they paid for. In this case, the new activations are outside the scope of the original agreement. Are we charging our sponsors for those benefits?

Absolutely not.

We want our partners to look back next year and see this as the most valuable marketing investment they made all year, even in a time of crisis. If we expect our sponsors to be flexible and understanding, then we must do the same.

This is how real partnerships are built.
Sponsorship During Times of Crisis, Lessons Learned

One of the most valuable lessons in all of this is that the way to handle a crisis starts long before the crisis is on the horizon. In other words, if you are practicing sponsorship according to current best practice, working together through a crisis is fairly straightforward. The best way to prepare for a crisis is to use the following formula with every sponsorship sale:
Know your audience!

If you have to offer new activations to your sponsors, you need to be sure that you can deliver the same audience at other events or digitally. Sponsorship is about audience and access to that audience.
Know your value!

Without a valuation, the conversation around refunds is virtually impossible. It’s hard to prove value to your sponsors and harder still to determine how much money you owe them as a refund or future credit if you are simply guessing at what your opportunities are worth.
Know your sponsor’s goals!

When you sell sponsorship, selling a stock package is a terrible idea, even in the best of times. Use a good discovery process to understand what your sponsors are trying to achieve and how they plan to measure success. Focus on delivering outcomes (not outputs, like logo placement) to your sponsors, then if something happens that changes your plans, you can work with your sponsors to deliver their goal outcomes in other ways.
Conclusion

In situations like this, we need to act quickly and know our options. I hold the belief that you can’t over-communicate and giving your sponsors more information is better than waiting and hoping the problem will go away. When making a major decision, you need to be aware of your legal options, financial obligations and venue options. In times of crisis, it’s unlikely that the decision you make will be easy or without financial loss. Take the time to make the right decision for your sector, your audience, your organization and your event. Most importantly, talk to your sponsors and involve them in the decision making process.

More great advice from the Sponsorship Collective.

More information can be found at the www.sponsorshipcollective.com.
Of interest, in the last edition we talked about Bowman-Gray having to cancel their season opener. Finally, former ARPY Gray Garrison, promoter of the legendary Bowman-Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina will reopen the famous facility nicknamed "The Madhouse" on Saturday, June 5 after being shuttered for 21 months (around 630-days).
Please visit www.bowmangrayracing.com (http://www.bowmangrayracing.com/?fbclid=IwAR1g7E0ShU5HSNxrK85HeaGAkNCZpZJd6xcVYBcCL4Zm8Y8pVQnyAQet8t8) for more information in regard to the 2021 season.
PRI / SEMA Seek Aid for Tracks Hurt by Covid-19 Attendance Restrictions 2021;

PRI, SEMA, and 17 other organizations representing live recreation and amusement venues have sent a letter asking the US Small Business Administration (SBA) to expand the Shuttered Venues Operator Grant (SVOG) program to include motorsports, horse racing, recreation events, and mobile amusement.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated attendance restrictions have posed significant challenges for race tracks and other live entertainment operators, as many states have placed restrictions on the sizes of gatherings that continue to impact the operations of entertainment businesses. PRI and SEMA are focused on helping race tracks, as they play an essential role in providing entertainment and a sense of community across the nation.

Congress had previously created the $16.25 billion SVOG program to assist live entertainment and performance arts venues that have experienced significant revenue declines due to COVID-19 attendance restrictions. However, the SBA did not include race tracks and many other forms of live entertainment in the list of eligible groups to apply for grants. The Coalition is asking the SBA Administrator to reconsider its eligibility guidance for the SVOG program.

PRI and SEMA are also working with Congress to amend the SVOG through legislation to include recreation, sports, and live amusement venues. It is crucial that members of Congress hear from the racing industry about providing financial support to race tracks.

To send a letter to lawmakers in Washington, D.C., visit here (https://www.votervoice.net/SEMA/campaigns/81209/respond) . For details, contact Eric Snyder at erics@sema.org (erics@sema.org) .

Tax Credits for Show Producers and Attendees

As producers of Motorsports Industry meetings/trade shows, PRI wanted to flag an important bill that was recently introduced in Congress that could benefit your exhibitors and attendees. PRI is part of a coalition supporting the Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act of 2021 (H.R.1346/S.477). If passed, the bill would provide tax credits to cover 50% of the expenses associated with exhibiting or attending a trade show.

Below is the link to a letter writing campaign that can easily be distributed to your exhibitors and attendees. It's simple to complete and any support is welcome.

https://www.votervoice.net/SEMA/campaigns/81675/respond

75 years in the making;

The legendary high banks of Salem (Indiana) Speedway and Sportsdrome Speedway in Clarksville, Indiana turn 75-years old. Salem is a bit older than Sportsdrome, however both tracks have incredible histories.

Both tracks have helped pave the way for stars of the sport and should definitely be recognized for their longevity in this business. Incredible stories for both.

Governor Cooper Lifts Capacity Restrictions in North Carolina

North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper lifted capacity restrictions. Major events like those held at Charlotte Motor Speedway will operate without capacity restriction. This is also great news for short tracks throughout North Carolina as they have the green light to operate at safely at maximum capacity. RPM thinks the opener on June 5, at Bowman-Gray Stadium could have the potential to be a sell out.
Editor’s Note; “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller spoke the truth in a fictional comedy.

"Coming Soon": In an upcoming edition we will be featuring the efforts of Joe Kosiski of Omaha, Nebraska along with his families promotional and track operation efforts. Kosiski's list of racing accomplishments are incredible. While his racing focused on the Weekly program at Omaha's legendary Sunset Speedway until it became a victim of housing and progress (interesting, if you satellite map the track, you can still see the outline through the overgrown foliage). Kosiski then took over the promotion, along with his family at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska. His racing resume is incredible; the 1986 NASCAR Winston Racing Series National Champion, Four NASCAR Winston Racing Series regional championships, a five-time champion of the NASCAR Busch All-Star Tour and multi-time track champion throughout the region. Kosiski ads a great deal to the sport and because of his families consistent involvement in the sport, it may be taken for granted and often overlooked. We will take an in-depth
look at their efforts.

Streaming Rights;

As the streaming world evolves it becomes more like network television for Series and tracks as rights are being sold to "the networks" who help promote and build brands through internet streaming.

The live stream as we like to call it gives fans a chance to see racing and put it on their own television screens with the use of devices and technology.

Recently the ARCA Midwest Tour announced in a release that they have exclusive rights for three-years with Speed Sport TV. It is of interest to all parties because it has definitely become a revenue stream. The pandemic has only enhanced those opportunities.

Subscriptions, pay-per-view, advertising, content, it all has somewhat suddenly become critical to this segment of the industry. As it ads work for everyone that is taking the opportunity to broadcast the races, it also provides significant opportunity for revenue.

The skeptics see the major "short track" streamers potentially selling off their programs along with the rights to bigger broadcast outlets like NBC Gold Pass, Hulu, we have even heard Netflix used in discussions.

It is also interesting to watch the development. The longest deals are made by folks that are rooted in the industry with an eye on the future, while others are simply looking to cash a check. There is nothing wrong with either strategy, however, it is interesting to watch.

When we arrive in Reno and Daytona, we have already reached out and scheduled some of the industry experts who are working hardest behind the scenes to assemble these packages and the massive grid of scheduling it takes to produce so many live events on each streaming service.

If you visit RPM@Reno or RPM@Daytona, you will be able to hear the direction for streaming as we head into the future.
RPM Market Place;

Our friends at RacingJunk.com have agreed to help us with our RPM Market Place project. Visit the included link to identify with some track materials;
Miscellaneous/Other, Tracks/Real Estate for sale on RacingJunk (https://www.racingjunk.com/category/1371/Tracks-Real-Estate.html?page=1) - www.racingjunk.com/category/1371/Tracks-Real-Estate.html?page=1

We will continue our quest as in past issues, that we are willing to help people find what they are looking for or place classified ads for equipment or real estate that anyone may want to sell. Please feel free to contact us in regard to publishing; info@racingpromomonthly.com

Our TraxPix in this edition takes us to a variety of areas. From upper left moving clockwise. Street Drags are a popular event and providing a sound profit center that can help drive people to your track. This event was at LaCrosse Farigrounds Speedway in Wisconsin. Driver's continue to get younger. This young man, Andrew Lewis has advanced from local Microd racing to get ready to participate in a 602 Crate Sportsman Modified in 2021. The first year for the division with drivers that do not have much experience in these type cars. One of the coolest moments of the racing season, 33 sprint cars, 3 wide coming to the green for 500-laps at the Anderson (Indiana) Speedway in the Little 500. If you have sat through one of promoter Rick Dawson's drivers meetings for the event, you will quickly recognize the pride and effort that goes into running the event, which helps make it one the most anticipated short track events of the season. Bobby Unser after his 3rd Indianapolis 500 victory driving for
Roger Penske in 1981.

Safety Training Sessions are a great tool for all tracks and series and safety professionals and personnel. Even if it's a refresher for the top-of-the-line workers or students of the trade, the sessions are valuable and something can always be learned. This session took place at Madison International Speedway (McKPhoto Credit, Gregg McKarns).
Dale Earnhardt Jr., recently hosted Bentley Warren of Kennebunkport, Maine as part of the Dale Jr Download on his Dirty Mo Media network. The podcast is quite a listen and an in-depth study of the career of one of the true treasures of our business. If you are in our business this is another "must listen". Bentley has raced and promoted and has a keen understanding of what it takes to bring people together and many of those times he's bringing people together, they end up having a very good time. Bentley is a self-made success story that understands what it takes at all levels of business. While he's a unique individual, he is a man who has a passion for the sport and can be a great asset for future generations. All of this beside being one of the best driver's ever in any type of open-wheel car, especially Super Modifieds at the Oswego Speedway. The Dale Jr Download can be found here; www.dirtymomedia.com/dalejrdownload
Top and bottom; Top - Madison International Speedway opened up with an enthusiastic crowd that saw Rich Bickle win a thrilling "Joe Shear" Classic. It was the first time Madison hosted fans since 2019. Bottom - Rick Raducha took this photo in Florida at an asphalt Sprint Car race at 4-17 Speedway in Punta Gorda along with the beautiful sunset.
Closing out the TraxPix section this month with a photograph of Bobby Unser at Pikes Peak with a K&K Insurance Dodge that made the famous hill climb with Unser as the pilot. Unser passed away on May 2. Unser was one of ten drivers to have won the Indianapolis 500 three or more times and one of only two drivers to have won the 500 in three different decades. Unser enhanced his career as a television personality while carrying a popular reputation as one of the nicest men in the garage area that earned him the nickname, "Uncle Bobby". The sport will sincerely miss him.
The Driver's Meeting...

Every Track and Series in operation has hosted a driver meeting, many of them host these gatherings each week. Rarely are they thought about in any legal circumstance let alone a rule binding meeting.

While many approach the Driver's Meeting as a social gathering to catch up with their buddies or seek out individuals to chat with, the Driver's Meeting is much more for the administration and execution of any event as well as the proper explanation of the rules of the racing event.

Pertinent information should be delivered effectively to all in attendance, written or verbally. The individual delivering the information of the Driver's Meeting should always have notes specific to the event night and track. Therefore, if a question is asked or a reference guide is required for any statement or direction made during the meeting there is a document in place to represent the facts that were delivered.

There have been times when this document has come into question in rules decisions and other matters related to this type of situation.

Some Tracks and Series have resorted to the publication of packages that specify the rules of the event, distributed in advance and the Driver's Meetings are a refresher in regard to the distributed package or cover any adjustment or deviation from the printed and distributed information.

There should also be a Public Address system used at these Meetings so everyone in attendance can hear. Driver's have a unique habit of standing at the back of the group and not being able to hear the information as it is verbally addressed and then questioning it later.

Reiterating the important highlighted notes of the Driver's Meeting on the radio / one-way is also a great tool to prevent challenges. Important parts of the geographic locations of the speedway such as start and restart points, pit road open and closing points, various flagmen, work areas, safety vehicle entrance and exit points, etc... so that everyone is in tune with the rules as set forth.

Just as all of the elements of running a racing event have evolved so has the Driver's Meeting. Our level of communication to our constituents has evolved and the responsibility is frequently turned around, however once the communication and information has been provided in several formats (written and verbally), the onus to participate in the manner set forth is reliant on the cooperation and acknowledgment of the participant.

If you have any questions in regard to the format of your Driver's Meeting or how you conduct yours, please feel free to contact RPM at info@racingpromomonthly.com. If we are unable to help you, we will put you in touch with someone that can.

Conducting a good driver's meeting can help you stay out of many situations that may lead you into a challenging circumstance.
World of Outlaw Sprint Car Series race director, one of the best to ever do the job, Mike Hess, who is also a racer, hosts the driver's meeting at a recent event. His delivery of information is critical to the execution of the event for the night of racing. The information distributed at the driver's meeting is critical at any event for a multitude of reasons.
REFERENCE POINTS, DOCUMENT WAREHOUSE / DATABASE AND INFORMATION "CATCH ALL"

• These links and notes will be here as long as this remains a relevant topic providing folks with an easy location for reference -

There was a press to create the proper “toolbox” of documents to give tracks the opportunity to return to racing safely. Several individuals and organizations worked diligently to create the right “playbook” and all were successful in creating programs that could lead a track in the proper direction to follow all set requirements and provide the opportunity to reopen.

We have included links and documents to provide our readers access to as many as we could find, however, this is a constantly evolving process so new information and updated “better” documents could be edited and issued in lieu of what we have to offer, however we will do our best to keep you up to speed with the most relevant information we can. We intend to keep these documents available for as long as they will be required throughout the duration of the pandemic.

Directly from the CDC; https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/Mass-Gatherings-Document_FINAL.pdf

DIRTcar has issued a COVID-19 Resource Center (https://dirtcar.com/covid-19-resources/) which provides a 10-step Return to Racing Process. Along with the 10-step process, DIRTcar offers an Executive Summary (https://worldofoutlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GENERIC_EXEC_SUMMARY_4.23.20.pdf) ; Participant Only Operations (https://worldofoutlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Participant_Operational_Procedure_4.27.20.pdf); Spectator Operations (https://worldofoutlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Spectators_Operational_Procedure4.27.20.pdf); and Participant Exhibit/Template (https://worldofoutlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Exhibits_GENERIC_4.23.20_wLINK.pdf) which is an easy to follow event template.

In addition DIRTcar issued Participant (https://worldofoutlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Participant_Guidelines_4.23.20-1.pdf) and Spectator (https://worldofoutlaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Spectator_Guidelines_4.23.20-1.pdf) Guidelines.

DIRTcar officials have encouraged weekly tracks to utilize and customize the templates to meet the track managements local needs. In addition you can e-mail DIRTcar officials with questions in regard to the information they provided, which also opens a great channel for valuable dialogue that could create additional help for all.

Performance Racing Industry (PRI) offers an incredible resource center from the business perspective of the sport (https://performanceracing.com/corona-updates/) that covers Federal Business aid. Worldwide updates from sanctioning bodies and series as well state-by-state information from SEMA in regard to how each state defines “essential business” for the auto industry. In addition PRI took time to link each of the Governments agencies that carry pertinent information in regard to the pandemic. PRI also provides the following; http://pages.message.performanceracing.com/racetrack-info-state-list/?utm_source=ET&utm_medium=email&utm_content=451629&utm_campaign=PRI+June+3+Newsletter+V4N22

Through PRI's parent company SEMA there has been a Coronavirus resources page created referencing Federal Aid for Small Business, Show Status, State-by-State breakdowns, of many different items. You can find that here; https://pages.message.sema.org/corona-virus-updates-state-list/

AMA Racing has released the Safe to Race program; https://mxs.iscdn.net/2020/05/1134_safetorace_finaltookit.pdf; https://mxs.iscdn.net/2020/05/1148_sample_preeventmessaging.pdf; https://mxs.iscdn.net/2020/05/1146_safetoracesignage.pdf and https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l452zd20ppjmm47/AABFD9_yoLT4ewJtG0Ge8fhea?dl=0 - all information is geared toward motocross and ATV type racing, but also helps to maintain a consistent message throughout the motorsports industry.

The Wynn in Las Vegas, Nevada has published their public health plan for reopening, which we thought would be an interesting document for reference; https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/23/a3/e1a1ed3e446f876aeb7707742423/wynn-health-plan.pdf

The United States Motorsports Association has offered their own version of the "toolkit" as well including a guideline for members of the media; https://www.unitedstatesmotorsports.com/toolkit-resorces-

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