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NSRA and Goodguys: We are your meal ticket!

6K views 41 replies 33 participants last post by  Seon 
#1 ·
A few of my wrenching buddies and I were discussing how much NSRA & Goodguys charge to get into their "Mega-Rod-Runs".

I guess they way we see it, NSRA & Goodguys should let us rodders, the owner of the vehicles that are actually drawing the spectators to the event, in to these events for free. Let me see if I can persuade some of you to agree with us on this.

Lets use the attendance records from the 2001 Street Rod Nationals in Louisville as an example. It costs $35.00 to get in if you are a member, $63.00 if you are not. A Dec-200 Street Rodder magazine article stated that in 2000 they had 11,261 street rods and 35,000 spectators in Louisville.

1.0 Assuming half the cars were NSRA members: 11,261 / 2 = 5630
5630 * $35 = $177,345 NSRA members
5630 * $63 = $354,690 non-members
Sub-total $532,035 entrance fee for street rod drivers
2.0 Assuming 1/3 of the spectators were NSRA members: 35,000 / 3 = 11,666
11,666 * $35 = $ 408,310 NSRA spectators
23,334 * $65 = $1,516,710 non-NSRA spectators
Sub-total $1,925,020 spectator fee

3.0 Total money made from street rodders and spectators:
$532,035 entrance fee for street rod drivers
$1,925,020 spectator fee
Grand Total $2,457,055

2.5 million dollars and that doesn't even include the money they made off of the 294 exhibitors and all the food peddlers.

Why is it that the NSRA and Goodguys organizations charge us to allow them to make money off of our cars? Yeah, they have a great giveaway program, but does anyone really think the organizers are paying full price for these goodies. You can bet they are either given to the organizers, traded for entry fees & publicity or are purchased for pennies on the dollar.

To each their own I guess, building and driving the car is what I am about.

As for me I will continue to stick to the local cruise-ins and charity rod runs.
 
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#2 ·
Dont forget the money these events bring to the surrounding area hotels, restaurants and local stores. I recently drove about 100 miles to a rod run and arrived at 1000 a.m. to find out they had closed entry at 900 a.m. We had to park on the street. It was a three day event, and I could only go for one day, Im sorry but I actually work for a living and can't take a lot of time off if I want to keep eating! I have to agree, the NSRA is all about money and representing manufacturers. I dont believe thay give a darn about the hobbyist other than getting their money. The NHRA is going the same way. I quit drag racing in the NHRA because the organization is all about money and the actual racing is secondary. I recently attended a AHRA (AMERICAN HOT ROD ASSOCIATION) event in Spokane, Washington and it is the most fun I had in years, they are really geared to the racer and the entry fee was about $12.00. Have you noticed that when you go to these events and start talking cars with the owners of some of the high dollar rides, they know almost nothing about their cars! I think this is why the "RAT ROD" movement is becoming so very popular. NSRA better be paying attention to the hobbyist or they will find themselves in the position of re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic!
 
#4 ·
Lets not forget how they rape the vendors. I as a pintriper will be charged $1500 to set up a 20'X20' outdoor spot at the Nats. If I choose to have my brother, who is also a striper, come in and help me, he pays the same. NOw think about how many vendors are there and how many have larger spots.

Given good weather, I can work 4, maybe 4 1/2 days. It takes 2 good days to make that fee for one striper. I may be jaded here, but that's just too damn high. Is it me?

Lee

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: Lee Hulick ]</p>
 
#5 ·
I think the high prices we are seeing at these events are a result of the "buy everything" mentality that seem to be running wild. If I buy a hot rod, I am a hot rodder, right? I don't think so. Sweat equity and ingenuity, not money, is required.

Hot Rods are built, not bought. In my little world, if you build a Hot Rod, and then sell it, it becomes a Street Rod. That's the difference, in my little world.

And the term "Rat Rod" is now being tossed about in magazines, like Street Rodder and Rod and Custom, that glorify these high dollar "Pro-built" cars. These home built cars they call "Rat Rods" are really grass roots Hot Rodding at its best.

Maybe what we need is to organize the "Grass-Roots Hot Rod Nationals". The builder, his Hot Rod(s), and his old lady get in free, everybody else pays, period.

If I see one more damn "George Poteet - Bob Young - Mega-Buck - Riddler - AMBR- Award Winning - I don't know I bought it that way - car" I think I will puke. Why don't they replace the picture of the millionaire owner with a group picture of all the craftsmen that built it?

AHHHHH, Now I feel better. J
 
#7 ·
Car show COST.... have you ever put on a show before...I am show chairman for Memorial Day Rod Run here in Jacksonville Fl. This is our 31st annual show this year...If you have never put on a show before.... it is a lot of headaches and cost a lot of money$$$...trophies or plaques.. dash plaques.. printing material and advertizing..
door prizes and raffel prizes are not cheap... and we are a non profit club and most of our hard work goes to charity...
Car shows are for FUN!!!! and when you think someone is going to pay you to show your car.... or your going to make money with your cars... it doesn't happen very often...did you ever think what your car is worth if you paid yourself minimum wage for the hours you put into it building it... no one could afford to buy one...
Its the love of the sport and the fellowship that makes hot rodding fun.... Now lets clean up our rides and go CRUISE.... Thanks... Bruce
 
#8 ·
right on for you guys that are speaking up about the high costs of car shows. promoters should keep in mind that the majority of us are not millionaires and this is a hobby much like fishing, hunting, etc. i save all winter to attend the shows i want to in the summer.
its not only the shows anymore, but everything else i.e. gas, motel,food,t-shirts,etc. i generally go to the james dean shows in indiana every year. when i started in 96, i paid around 30-40 dollars for a nice room(it was 40 miles from the event). this last year, i had to pay a little over 100. and still had to drive a round trip of nearly 90 miles everyday. i will say for the show itself, you get your monies worth. pre-register for 17. and you get a free t-shirt, plus they have great entertainment.
the fellow that said he helped promote shows and give the cost of plaques, prizes,etc. as an excuse for high prices should know that most of those items are donated by local business or if not they should be for the revenue that these shows bring to an area
 
#9 ·
To all,
The Hot Rod Nat's has the same big buck charges!
I will not pay so spectators can see my car, & I will not charge A spectator to look at my car.
I live only 20 miles from the event,and will not attend because of that!
To Rodrunner VP
I have worked on A few runs. we go out & get sponsors for plaques,trophies,&prizes to cut costs. Get off your butts& do something for the sport.The idea is not to make money,but to promote the sport.
Hothot Rod
 
#10 ·
If memory serves me correctly Gary Meadors split from NSRA to form Goodguys to get away from the politics and B.S. The result seems to be the same. I have friends from STD Glass in Coos Bay Or. that went to every NSRA show and gave over $100,000 in door prizes, when Steve had what they thought was a heart attack, they sold his indoor space to someone else and never gave him a refund. I can only hope that Gary Meadors isn't quite as greedy as Vern Walker. Because of these things small rod runs are all I care to attend anymore.
 
#11 ·
Before we get too far on this.... let's remember the real damage that occurs.

We all know that NHRA and Goodguys charges an outrageous amount to participate, visit, or be a vendor (now you know why alot of vendor's prices are so high!) but also consider a few things. First off the cost for all the goodies involved (door prizes, etc.) is not the only cost Goodguys or NHRA incurs. Remember that when they reserve and present a show on whatever three day weekend at some state fairground like say in Knoxville, TN
they've locked in to pay the state for the use of that property as well (regardless of if anyone shows up or not), and lemme tell ya-it ain't cheap. State's get revenue off these things, be sure of that.

But the real damage is not really to those of us already into hotrodding... the true damage occurs when a fifteen year old kid, or a thirty year old man steps up to the booth and finds out that to look at everybody else's rides...he's going to have to pay in excess of $10-$15! Suddenly he associates HotRodding with the realm of the rich, the well to do, those who turn wrenches with other's hands-so to speak (not all of 'em but most), and he becomes disenfranchised, loses interest, and never follows through with his dream of maybe owning a '40 Ford or a '58 Impala, etc.

Beyond that situation he returns home, sees that a local car club is having a show or a rod run and again, he thinks it's just for folks 60+ who've blown their pensions to buy fiberglass wanna-be's.

Now then, here's where it hurts even more... the small club, whose budget is infinitely tighter than large groups like NHRA/GoodGuys, has to fight for attendance by the non hot-rodding public at each and every show as it is but charging fees can bee a taboo in ANY form! Most small clubs operate on membership dues and consistent donations in either time, material, or cash by the members. So let's please not condemn all clubs based on the larger meets!

I however have to say that when you go to a major car show (one of the nationals) if you pay $12-15 to get in you assured that you're not going to see the same 10-15 cars you see every weekend at the local get-together. The sheer volume and diversification of vehicles is worth the high price in mine, and some peoples opinions, and that's what the big meets are selling, volume not hotrodding. Wanna get nationwide exposure for your rod... it's a great place for that too if you're lucky enough to get photographed.

Wanna see six thousand cars? Well you're going to have to go somewhere that can accomodate them.

(I personally would like to see two car shows in one, one half of the parking area for the cars, and the other half for their trailers... maybe we could number them individually and let people try to match them up!)

Sorry, just rambling.... I guess I'll go back outside and stick that emergency flasher back under the dash now......!

SuperFrog
 
#13 ·
I and my family own and drive 5 real steel rods and muscle cars. I do not attend these events with the smooty n rich and their pretend rods. They don't build anything and some don't know where to check the oil. At one time I did attend, took my 49Ford 2dr to one of these, people there were too concerned with points and ribbons, most of them trailered their cars and were glad to show off the low or almost no milage rides, or should I say push cars, push it off the trailer, wench it back on the trailer. Rat Rods Rule!! ;)
 
#14 ·
And I thought I was the only one out here thinking these things! You guys are "right on",on the points you bring up. I've never been to a NHRA or NSRA event but I know all about the Greedy Guys. I live in the bay area and there's a t shirt that's going around. Instead of the 32 that the good guy's use, there's a Brinks truck with money bags falling out and above it, it reads GREEDY GUYS.The Good Guys used to have seperate admission prices for their events. One price of the show and one price for the swap meet. Now you have no choice. You pay one price for both events. As for the pro built rods, I think that the money and effort put into these rides is amazing. I love them but when I open the magizines I subscribe to,there is never a car built by the average rodder. I'm going to start letting my subscribtions lapse.No matter what happens on the "High End" of the rod scene there will always be the bottom feeders that I hang out with and are a part of.
 
#15 ·
I say as a group we should all get together and petition the N.S.R.A. ,the N.H.R.A, AND the Goodguys car clubs and let them know how we feel!
I agree with you guys,lets make it affordable for ALL!
And for those high buck cars made from the shop, OR shops, they should have to tell!
1. who built it.
2.where.
3. what went into it. (parts,labor,actual cost.)

some already do those things, but it is out of necessity becouse they themselves have NO idea how to check the oil! or change the filter!
(not that they would need to.)
they never run them!
I drive my cars daily! a 46 chevy aero sedan and my work truck, the 41 chevy panel delivery.
yes, ALL year around! IN Minnesota!
I believe in real street rodding!
lets drive those prices down!!! And get the REAL street rodders back into the game of showing off what they know!
 
#16 ·
I agree on the pricing. the only way you can truly protest is by not going. There is not enough non builders to support these events. If the builders (real hotrodders) stopped going and let the promoters know why your not going, then the prices would come down or the event would cease to exist. this reminds me of the 2 fellows at a baseball game complaining about how much the players made and how much the food and beer was. the only reason for the high prices is because people will pay it. Until we stop this outrage the prices will cintinue to increase. Thank You. :mad:
 
#17 ·
#1 i think you have to separate nsra from goodguys. goodguys gets far more money for entry and give away far less. #2 nsra giveaways are not donated by the vendors so ALL that money doesn't find it's way into someone's pocket ( i can't speak for gg) #3 imo $12-15 admission to spend as much as 12 hours looking at several million dollars worth of cars as well as being able to touch all the new parts for sale is a bargain. been to an $11.50 movie lately that may last 2 hours? #4 while i wouldn't refuse to pay less i'd rather pay a fee than not have a show. #5 if it wasn't for people like bill gates ( far richer than vernon walker ) we wouldn't be having this discussion on this media; point being someone has to step up and make these things happen and that normally requires money and financial risks. #6 in a great country founded on freedom and free enterprise just what is wrong with profit?? you enjoy the freedom to stay home so stay there if you don't like it ; or better yet start your own organization to do the same thing, on the same scale , but make the fees what you would be comfortable paying ! #7 i'm not associated in any way with nsra except as a grateful member and i'm NOT rich by anyones standards.
 
#18 ·
Greetings from the Badlands of Maine
Guess what folks? Tis the American way !! The rich get richer.... and you know the rest. I don't belong to a National organization. Join'd one year, pre-reg for York Pa, Two months before event had to cancel as my kid was graduate'n high
school. Did I get my $$$ back? Ya sure, got a dash plaque!!!
Tell ya what for the biggest bang for the buck attend The New England Summer Nationals in Mass.
Been going for 10 years and I'll be there for the next ten.
Seeya
"Pontiac Slim"
 
#19 ·
Like ARKUS-VT, I am a grateful member of the NSRA and plan to continue my membership for many years to come. I look forward to my monthly Street Scene magazine,and am proud to be listed in the Fellow Pages as a fellow rodder that someone can count on when in trouble while passing through my neck of the woods.
I personally don't feel ripped of and look forward to the York PA trip every year. I plan to add Louisville to the list this year.
In case anyone is interested, the actual demographics for the 11 NSRA events in 2000 are:
#Registered Rods = 34,885
#Participants = 106,847
#Spectators = 243,462
Now, if you had a parts business or had a service to offer, I would think that it could be worth the trip or maybe even worth a second look. The membership is strong, and they can draw a crowd.
 
#20 ·
On Labor day just west of Salt lake City,Utah, the building and construction unions put on an old fashioned picnic and car show. They charge 10.00 per car. At the end of the day ,they have a raffle and give all the money back in 7 raffle drawings. We do that because without the cars drawing the people, our picnic wouldn't be the success it is. It's our way of thanking them. This year we expect around 350 cars.
 
#22 ·
I just spent an hour writing an explanation for you rod guys, and my computer surged ,killing the text just before I sent it. So Ill try to shorten it up but make my point. I have been in related fields of Drag, Show, Monster, Tractor pull shows from the west coast to portland maine. I hope you guys are not going to continue to pay for the shows you star in , does any other entertainer pay to show his talents? Well why do you pay to show your TALENTS, I mean what else would you call it. Dosent it include taste, your hard sweat,and imagination? Tell ya why ya doit,Ego,dont be upset but are we men.Haventyou ever seen tim allen?were subtle but,thats why we do it. Show me one rodder who keeps his works in wraps, not showing it off. NOT a chance!! Well let me tell you that as for my involvement in the support for many dozens of these shows, I can cite reasons why they charge you. First, YOU WILL PAY!!Second, They tell you it is barley a money making deal, and how the overhead really killed them. Wait they have cracked the nut(paid there overhead) before the show ever opened, then the beer deals that are made, for the fairgrounds or facility, that is being rented , if handeled right can be a major discount for the show people if they know what there doing, even if they tell you the facility owners get the profit, it is true, but the discounts for the facility is cushioned by the profit made on beer. Not to mention most of the food, not fit to eat, and the outrageous charges for major sponsors,booths who sell you the parts and kits that make them rich.along the midway people trying to make a buck, but charged into near devestating loss lest a fortuitious day does befall them. In short, they dont do it for free, and the more you pay, the more they make. If its an organization that your part.Whydont you get any stats on the gate, (head Count) the red and the black lines of profit and loss for the organization that you are supporting. They should make a profit, but not off the people who without them , would have no Attraction, Yes attraction, Garlits calls his an attraction cause it is. Its not a show like your getting to see,for a price. An attraction, like Big daddys dosent charge for the items that he puts on display , He pays them for there cars, and puts them where they can be appreciated by those who wish to see them. They pay. So if you think about it, they cant have a show,unless they have cars. As long as you egos will allow you to pay somebody to look at your car, Wow, I just said it all. I personally dont want to be a partner,financing the show, if it fails, I loose my money, if it does well, I loose my money anyway. Its up to you all. Be the master of your ego men. Tim Allen knows us well, let us know the show people equally as well I can cite particulars in all facits of this business, and if you need rebuttal, Im here. I have sources, for my opinions, even when they will offer up explanations, if they willrebut at all, but let them show you the books on the shows, if they will. and with an certified, accountant, in attendance. Then you can negotiate from there. Fred Davis, NDP Beware See yourself before others, or have no defense at all. the rocket
 
#23 ·
Fellas think back a few years,when these big shows didn't exist,you spent you show time at small local events looking at the same cars & people you saw last week~end and every week~end all summer long.
I sold a beautiful street machine for this very reason (bored 2 tears) that car had won 56 first place awards !! And I built it myself,but when you know your going to win a trophy just because you showed~up the fun isn't there.
I'm building a new car at present,to DRIVE to these big shows only,it will never be seen at a small local show ever !
As for the "rat rodders" why don't you use your money to pay off the 5 yr.old daily driver or get your teeth fixed ??
(see below) Hay:"lakeroadster" I'm no rich kid,my money came from 37 yrs. in a UAW auto plant working on the line with my hands,the same hands that build my rods.I'm proud of what I know how to do,if you don't know how to bait the hook don't fish....

[ January 18, 2002: Message edited by: plysat ]</p>
 
#24 ·
Plysat…. Is your name Thurston Howell? Were you ever stranded on a desert island with a dude named Gilligan? Sounds like diesel louie’s ego-maniac description hit a little to close to home, didn’t it.

You are building your car just to win awards, just for the big mega events and then turn around and assume that someone that drives a nostalgia hot rod (rat rod as you call it) is a lower class individual than you?

You, your show car and your snobbish attitude will not be missed @ the local cruise in.
:p
 
#25 ·
...Americruise (Rod & Custom Mag.), Lincoln,Nebraska... my first thought as a High School Math Teacher was how much I would love to have a hot dog stand at this gig!!

We brought our homegrown/built cars and trucks, primarily hoping our picture would show up somewhere (Rod & Custom presumibly).... so we waited, and waited and waited, and finally in the December issue ('cruise was in July)and they had this little 4 page thing about the 35 cars that started out from BFE, or whereever it was, and how they had struggled a little to get their cute $40,000 street rods there without hurting them... of the very few photos they had, one (1), ONE, was from the Fairgrounds in Lincoln...

There were 4,000; count 'em :4,000 hot rods from 5,6,7 hundred miles away that drove there....there was cruisin's all over the place, I have ten rolls of film to prove it.... I have no clue where R & C was at, but they lost a fan/subscriber... and I bet they made a lot more than $2.5m....

Bad thing about this... we "heard" locally that GoodGuys was better!!!!!!!!!

I took my first first at the largest local show in the mid west at Westpoint Nebraska in Sept '01 in my daily driver, a '98 GMC 4 X 4 extended cab, got a flippin' 3 1/2' high trophy had a fabulous time, and the show and the tee shirt cost me $25.00, and my buddy thought that was to much, so he didn't get the tee shirt....

I have summers off... ya wanna start a grass roots group? I'll volunteer my time... let's get with it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craig
 
#26 ·
..ooops, I forgot to mention to those of you who will "dis" me for showing a '98 truck... we have a 57 pro-street chevy pickup that we drove to americruise, building a 59 chev sedan with a 500 cid caddy, and a 35 chev pick-up, in two lonely little home garages, and love every second of it!!!!!
 
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