Matt Schramel

You’re in
Fast Company
With Cannonball Racing
SCOTTY CANNON
Once you've seen Scotty Cannon, you will never forget him.
It's the Mohawk haircut, of course, that first gets your attention. He certainly stands out in the crowd of other drivers.
Although the Lyman, South Carolina native has a soft-spoken
Southern drawl, he has been known to "get up on the tires"
as they say in drag racing. He understands that his look
lends credence to the edgy "bad boy" image and he knows
about marketing a product and an image.
Scotty began racing his street cars on the International Hot
Rod Association (IHRA) circuit. He was one of the early
innovators in the Pro Modified class and became a pro driver
when the class became a professional category at IHRA in
1990.
Scotty dominated the class, winning six Pro Modified season
championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1998).
He was named to the prestigious Car Craft Magazine
All-Star Drag Racing Team as the Pro Modified Driver of the
Year an amazing seven consecutive times (1992-1998). He
remains the winningest Pro Mod driver in IHRA history with
27 national event wins.
In 1999 Scotty moved to driving a 6,000 horsepower
nitromethane-burning Funny Car on the National Hot Rod
Association (NHRA) circuit, driving for the Don Schumacher
stable with backing from Oakley. In his first year of Funny
Car competition he was named the NHRA Rookie of the
Year. After limited success in the Funny Car, Scotty returned
to Pro Modified competition in 2004.
SCOTT CANNON JR.
Scott Jr. grew up riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles
with his dad and his drag racing career began in the
Pro Stock Bike class.
He first drove his father's supercharged '53 Studebaker
Pro Modified in professional competition at Dragstock in
October 2004, the inaugural event of the American
Drag Racing League (ADRL). The 25-year-old rose to the
occasion, getting the final round victory on a holeshot
(quicker reaction time) against his opponent. The
Cannonball Racing car was tuned by Scotty, who also
no doubt gave Scott a few driving pointers.
Coming Soon: www.cannonballracing.com
The DRAG
RACING MARKET
In 2004 over $3,000,000 was awarded
racers in the NHRA POWERade Drag
Racing Series. Each of the 23 national
events had total cash purses of over a
half million dollars. More than 90
companies added contingency postings
of over $1,000,000. Racing sponsors
invested tens of millions of dollars in
individual race teams.
All of these companies must be getting
a good return on their investment.
How does drag racing help them reach
their target market?
REACH and FREQUENCY
Drag racing sponsors receive exposure at many different
times through different means. At the race itself, the car
appears on the track and in the pits in front of a live
audience averaging 60,000 throughout each 3-day national
event. Television and print media coverage of the event
increases the audience to over 400 million. Frequency of
television playdates and the lead time necessary for print
media (especially national magazines) extends visibility for
each national event to several months after the live event.
The race cars serve as “billboards” when flying the logos of
various sponsoring companies and their truck and trailer
tow vehicles present continuing sponsor identification at
race tracks and even while traveling on the highways
across the country.
Drag racing is a unique form of auto racing, in that the fans
are able to get “up close and personal” with their heroes.
Each ticket is a pit pass so that all fans can watch the
teams work between rounds of competition. They can get an autograph, look at the engine, and even talk
to the racers and crew members. Where allowed, T-shirt sales play a significant role in merchandising the
race teams and sponsors as well. Team sponsors can have direct contact with the fans in the pits,
allowing great marketing opportunities.
In addition, the racecar and driver can be available for static displays at your facility to generate interest by
your customers. You can reward large clients or your staff with tickets to the races and a chance to hang
out with the race team in the pits. A hospitality suite at the racetrack is a cost-effective way to generate
goodwill and many tracks are amenable to special promotions, discount group tickets, and track signage.
SPONSOR SATISFACTION
With brand awareness as the number one benefit companies gain through sports sponsorships, getting
“the biggest bang for the buck” is the criteria for gauging success.
In the latest survey of sponsors of 16 various sports leagues (auto racing, baseball, basketball, football,
golf, hockey, and soccer) conducted by Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Journal, NHRA drag racing had
strong marks across the board, with the most satisfaction registered in broad areas of the property’s
perception, such as athlete reputations and the sport’s future.
NHRA drag racing received the highest ranking of the 16 leagues/sanctioning bodies for “Offer good
value for the money,” tied with minor league baseball, and ahead of NASCAR, IRL, and CART. It was
ranked third in their focus on strong ROI (Return On Investment).
OFFER GOOD VALUE FOR THE MONEY
NHRA: 80
Minor League Baseball: 80
American Football League: 58
NASCAR: 51
Minor League Hockey: 50
PGA Tour: 41
LPGA: 41
National Football League: 39
Major League Baseball: 35
NCAA: 35
Major League Soccer: 32
NHL: 31
IRL: 28
NBA: 25
WNBA: 21
CART: 13
When asked about their
satisfaction at the team/event
level, executives at
corporations with current or
recent ties to major U.S.
sports properties ranked
NASCAR first and NHRA
second, followed by
the PGA Tour and the LPGA.
NHRA Official Sponsors:
POWERade
Budweiser
Coca-Cola
Craftsman Tools
Featherlite Trailers
Fram/Autolite
GMC Trucks
Ameriquest Mortgage
Pontiac
Sealed Power Engine Parts
Summit Racing Equipment
Suzuki Motorcycles
VP Racing Fuel
IHRA Official Sponsors:
Hooters Restaurants
Amalie Motor Oil
Classic Trailers
DTN Weather Stations
First Class Travel Agency
Karl Chevrolet
KaSea Scooters
Kubota Tractors
MBNA Credit Card
Medtronic Physio-Control
Meyer Snow Plows
Naturally Fresh Water
Pit-Pro Custom Carts
Power Tech Generators
Racing Radios
Summit Mail Order
Sunoco Race Fuels
Sweepster Power Broom
Torco Racing Fuels
Werner Enterprises
White Lightning Absorbent
Event and Race Car Sponsors (partial list):
AAA of Southern California
ACDelco
Advance Auto Parts
AMS Staff Leasing
Bilstein
Budweiser
CARQUEST Auto Parts
Castrol Oil
Checker Schucks Kragen
Ford
Fram
GM Goodwrench
Holley
Jeg's Mail Order
K&N Filters
Levi, Ray & Shoup
Lucas Oil
Mac Tools
Matco Tools
Miller Lite
Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino
Mopar
Oakley Products
O'Reilly Auto Parts
Pontiac
Radiac Abrasives
Rugged Liner
Sears Craftsman Tools
Skoal
Snap-on Tools
U.S. Army
DEMOGRAPHICS
AGE
Drag racing delivers an upscale audience with
above-average discretionary income. Companies that
establish a foothold in drag racing can influence the buying
habits of the much sought-after 18-35 year old males, who
stay with the sport throughout their entire lives. A significant
80% of the fans say they are favorably influenced by
companies that are drag racing sponsors.
43%
33%
12%
12%
35-45
18-34
12-17
55 +
GENDER
72% Male
28% Female
EDUCATION
34%
24%
15%
15%
12%
HS Grad
Some College
Some HS
Post Grad
Student / 6-12
INCOME
32%
31%
21%
9%
7%
$0 - $29K
$30K - $49K
$50K - $74K
$75K - $99K
$100K+
REGION
DEMOGRAPHICS
Drag racing enthusiasts are active in sports and other outdoor activities,
including camping, swimming, hunting, motorcycle riding, and
snowmobiling. They are do-it-yourselfers, interested mostly in
automobiles and home fix-ups.
37%
25%
23%
15%
South
West
North Central
Northeast
In keeping with their active lifestyle, they travel often (52% travel 100
miles or more one way to attend a national event).
They eat fast food more often than the average American. They also
smoke more than average. 88% claim beer to be their preferred
alcoholic beverage, with 84% drinking soft drinks.
Vehicles are important to this group. 80% own domestic
automobiles (26% own 2 or more), while 24% own an import. 53%
own a truck, 22% own a camper, van or motorhome. 26% have
motorcycles.
Camera usage is extraordinarily high at 90%. They buy in excess of
five rolls of film a month.
Music is very important to the drag racing spectator. They are
significantly more likely to attend a concert (30% compared to an
average 19%). More than the average own a stereo and video
recorder. Most have cable television in their homes, with MTV
watched over twice as much as the national average. 73% consider
themselves moderate to heavy radio listeners. They are most likely to
listen to progressive rock, adult contemporary, country, and
country rock formats.
MEDIA COVERAGE
ON THE TUBE
Qualifying rounds and the final rounds of NHRA national
events are carried by ESPN2 with each show repeating at
least once. In addition, the half-hour show "NHRA2Day"
which airs on Sundays offers interviews with racers and
in-depth coverage of events and news.
The IHRA national events are televised on SPEED
Channel, with at least one repeat playdate, reaching 66
million households.
The ADRL races and reality show are televised on The
Men's Channel, reaching 16 million households.
IN PRINT
The sanctioning bodies each have their own magazine
Adrenaline (ADRL), Drag Review Magazine (IHRA) and
National Dragster (NHRA). Monthly print magazines
covering drag racing include Car Craft, Drag News,
Drag Racer, Drag Racing Action, Hot Rod, and Popular
Hot Rodding. There are many specialty magazines that
cover individual car makes, for example Chevy High
Performance, Corvette Fever, Mopar Action, and Muscle
Mustangs & Fast Fords. They account for a combined
circulation of over 5 million. There are several national and
regional racing newspapers, most notably National Speed
Sport News.
ON THE WEB
Internet coverage comes from the sanctioning bodies at
nhra.com and ihra.com as well as online magazines such
as DragRacingOnline.com and CompetitionPlus.com.
There are several websites devoted to specific classes as
well, such as amspromods.com and outlawpromods.com.
DRAG RACING VIEWED ON TELEVISION
32%
30%
17%
14%
7%
Five hours + per week
Four hours per week
One hour or less per week
Two hours per week
Three hours per week
NATIONAL EVENT VENUES
Edmonton, Alberta
Seattle,
WA
Brainerd,
Minn.
Milan, MI
Martin, MI
Grand Bend,
Ontario
Cayuga,
Ontario
Epping, NH
Englishtown
Norwalk, OH
Chicago
Columbus,
Indianapolis OH
Sonoma,
Calif.
Las
Vegas
Pomona,
Calif.
Denver,
Colo.
St. Louis
Topeka,
Kan.
Phoenix,
AZ
Bristol,
Memphis, Tenn.
Tenn.
Reading, Pa.
Budds Creek,
MD
Richmond
Rockingham
Jackson,
SC
Atlanta
Kennedale
Dallas
Hattiesburg,
MS
Valdosta,
GA
Belle Rose,
Drag racing is a
Gainesville, Fla.
San Antonio
LA
sport that has grown
Houston
at a phenomenal rate
throughout its 50-year history, with a
53 percent growth in attendance during
NHRA
IHRA
ADRL
the 1990s. The number of national events has
increased over the years with NHRA scheduling 23 events for 2005 (12 events for the Pro Mods) and
IHRA holding 12 events. National events cover all major population regions of the United States. In the
U.S. metro market population rankings, eight of the top 10, and 40 of the top 50 markets are impacted at
least once by an event. IHRA has three events in Canada as well.
On The Men's Channel
Beginning Tuesday, April 5, and continuing for an unprecedented 39 consecutive weeks, The Men's Channel will
present Adrenaline: The Series, a half-hour television program mixing on-track action from the American Drag
Racing League's six-event Outlaw Pro Mod season with a reality television-style behind-the-scenes look into the
off-track lives of ADRL drivers.
Adrenaline will be televised Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. Eastern/7:30 p.m. Pacific.
The program will be produced by MS2 Productions in St. Louis, Missouri. MS2 is an award-winning team of
television and video production specialists creating high impact sports, motorsports and lifestyle programming.
MS2 has previously produced motorsports programs for networks such as Fox and Spike TV.
The Men's Channel, launched in 2001, features programming geared
exclusively toward men and their interests, including all things that move,
the latest toys and gear, outdoors, lifestyles, finance, and more. It is one
of eight highly-targeted television channels designed to reach specific
demographics and market, owned and operated by The Networks Group,
a subsidiary of Turner Media Group. The Men's Channel is available in 16
million homes nationwide on channel 218 on the Dish Network and on
many local cable systems.
2005 FLOWMASTER ADRL EVENT SCHEDULE
Feb. 25-27 SpeedTech Winter Drags Presented by TLR Hattiesburg, Mississippi
May 20-22 ADRL DRAGPALOOZA Valdosta, Georgia
July 8-10 Lend America Summer Drags Presented by TLR Belle Rose, Louisiana
Aug. 19-21 RACENSUR.com Sunshine Drags Valdosta, Georgia
Presented by Burke Designs
Sept. 30-Oct. 2
ADRL DRAGSTOCK 2 Jackson, South Carolina
Oct. 14-16
AMS Staff Leasing LoneStar Fall Drags
Kennedale, Texas
Presented by Pinnacle Business Solutions
2005 NHRA POWERade Schedule
Pro Modifed will compete at dark shaded events.
2005 IHRA Hooters Schedule
Pro Modified competes at all events