Up Front

UP FRONT

THE GOODYEAR MOTOR SPORTS CLUB: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT COULD BE.

ONSIDER FOR A moment racing's dilemma. The cost of building a racing machine is up both because materials cost more and because vehicle complexity is considerably greater. Add to this higher team salaries, soaring transportation costs and more expensive lodging and a couple of things become apparent. First, more prize money is needed to keep those with limited sponsorships going, and, secondly, fully sponsored efforts are going to be considerably more of a financial burden.

Now for the dilemma. At a time when costs are up, available money is dwindling. The reason is simple. Corporate budgets are tight and several product manufacturers who fielded the money for racing teams (solely for advertising purposes), are having second thoughts. And, simultaneously, promoters and track owners are having to raise the cost of admission to maintain their profit margins.

Anyway you analyze the situation, the spectator loses. He’s going to have to pay more money to see less action from a greater distance.

Enter Goodyear with a solution: The Goodyear Motor Sports Club. The club’s sole purpose at present is to give fans more for their money. Besides the traditional decals, hats and jacket patches, there is real value to be had here. At selected races, which encompass everything from bikes to stock cars, there will be a Motor Sports Club tent in the infield. During practice and qualifying, race drivers, their machines and mechanics will be brought to the tent so you can meet them and get the inside line. Also, you’ll be allowed into the infield and pits during these times at most tracks. The direct savings here is the cost of pit passes, not to mention the increased involvement meeting the racers will provide.

Supplementing this will be discount admission. Darlington is the first event from which Goodyear Motorsports members will benefit; and there, grandstand seat savings will be 10 percent. Perhaps even more beneficial, at Darlington, your club card will also get you 10 percent off on hotel rates. And, according to Goodyear, that 10 percent savings is off the established rate, not the inflated weekend price.

Negotiations with all tracks and hotel groups are independent, so the percent off may vary from event to event; but, on the average, the price structure should be similar to that at Darlington.

There’s one more point concerning hotels that isn’t final yet. Goodyear is negotiating with a major hotel chain for a year-round discount for club members, regardless of the locale. If you utilize commercial lodging for your vacation or for business, this potential benefit alone could pay for the cost of club membership easily over the span of a year.

A quarterly magazine entitled Challenge and a monthly newsletter complete the package. The magazine is wellwritten and the artwork is good. Each issue will contain features on leading mechanics and racers. The low-down on the various competition organizations and schedules of events will also be included.

The newsletter is brief, about four pages, and provides more immediate information about specific events. For example, Volume 1, number 1 contains a couple of maps to get you to Darlington Speedway and to help you once inside. There’s also a schedule of upcoming races and some brief facts for background. Discount structure items will also be passed on here.

The cost of the Club is $10 annually if you apply for a charter membership before May 31, 1975. After that date, annual dues will be $15. Associate memberships, available to the immediate family of a full member only, are $5 for the first person and $3 for each additional person.

If you’re into racing, membership will save money, and that, hopefully, will bolster attendance,which, in turn, may convince big-time sponsors to stay with it.

The better value theme makes the Club noteworthy, but Goodyear’s pitch to the press went considerably farther and in some ways left me cold. The following quotes are from a Goodyear news release.

“Race car drivers, builders and mechanics were challenged today to turn their knowledge and technology to the problems facing America in more efficient fuel use and highway safety.

“No group of people in the nation is better equipped to come up with solutions,” said Charles J. Pilliod, Jr., chairman of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, in announcing formation of America’s first national Motor Sports Fan Club.

“Discussing possible contributions to current motoring problems, Pilliod noted; ‘Automobile racing has never been based solely on speed. It is based on mechanical efficiency and safety, the very two things of concern to motorists today.

“Race mechanics are constantly working to get that last mile per gallon out of every drop of fuel and race drivers are constantly trying to get there first by using the least amount of fuel possible.”

The part that leaves me cold is not the intention here. It’s the lack of a game plan. Consider these points, if you will.

1. Racing engineers do not know if the knowledge they already possess is applicable to consumer designs in light of complex federal standards.

2. Once federal standards are taken into consideration, Goodyear has no concrete plan to influence racing rule changes that would encourage development in needed areas. For example, race machines could be required by sanctioning bodies to meet stricter pollution standards than the general public’s, so that early breakthroughs could be passed on.

3. If racing comes through with useful technology, Goodyear has not yet decided on how to present the information to corporate engineers or the federal government.

4. How does all this relate to the Motor Sports Club? The only immediate connection I can see is a possible need to use membership (projected at 100,000 in the first year) to gain an audience. The approach, sans polish, would go something like this. Racing has some ideas that may enhance the safety and economy of automobiles and motorcycles. The 100,000 people backing these ideas would like you (government or industry) to consider them. How could we go about accomplishing this?

Like I said, this second pitch leaves me cold. But please don’t think my quarrel is with the idea. It’s not, because we could all benefit by it. My objection is to presenting an idea without the plans to carry it out, because such ideas are just as easily forgotten as implemented.

Bob Atkinson