Classic Thunder Nostalgia Drag Racing is Marketing in Motion
Why are the innovative "Fortune 500 Companies’ getting involved in the sport of Drag Racing? The answer is surprisingly simple – it is good business!
Drag Racing Demographics are a perfect match for the Marketing Goals of both automotive and non-automotive companies. Major Corporations, including Budweiser, Ford, Oldsmobile, Goodyear, Firestone, AC Delco, Motorcraft, Allied and Sunoco, plus hundreds of other sponsors, have discovered that Drag Racing delivers an upscale audience with an above average discretionary income.
Although the sport has long been considered to be male dominated, new research during the 1991 season reveals that almost one-third of the spectators at a Drag Racing Event (30.2%) are women.
The new research portrays an audience which is National in scope and delivers three dominant age groupings – 18-24 (24.3%), 25-34 (39.6%) and 35 plus (36.1%). These enthusiasts are better educated (54% attended college) and are better-paid (,300 average household income) than the National Average.
Domestic Automobile ownership is nearly 80%, while 52.8% of the surveyed audience own a pick up truck and 25.5% own a motorcycle. More than 87% perform their own vehicle maintenance some of the time, with 42% handling their entire auto service needs. Along those lines, 75.1% of Drag Racing enthusiasts regularly shop at auto parts stores.
On-site merchandising at events plays a key role in the success of overall corporate marketing strategies, and the IHRA is committed to working in the close partnership with it’s racers, and sponsors to maximize their exposure and promotional opportunities in the marketplace.
"Race on Sundays, Sell on Mondays" was once a popular slogan used by the Detroit Automakers. While the same philosophy applies today, the "Sales" extend far beyond Monday sales. It embraces the need to create and maintain a performance image in the marketplace and employs the racetrack as a visible test bed for new products and exposure of new and old company products. Drag Racing is far more valuable to sponsors since it is a participant sport. Drivers and spectators will purchase your products during and after the races.
Walk through the grandstands or the pit area and you will see that the demographics are there. The audience at most events are 18 to 49 year old males and the number of females continues to increase, as more women become involved in the sport.
Drag Racing shows delivers it’s audience more effectively and efficiently than traditional advertising approaches – one of the key reasons that so many companies have found that being involved in Drag Racing sound economic sense.
The bottom line is that Drag Racing offers sponsors a unique opportunity to focus clearly on their marketing objectives, to reinforce their corporate image to thousands of current and potential customers, increase product market share and earn a maximum return on their sponsorship investment.