Now this is a very sticky and controversial debate but I am a marketing person by trade and go by the numbers!
The overall year-around National numbers would make sled pulling the winner!
Now I will state this is mainly in the Midwest states where the sport is more popular but the numbers are there in competitors and fan base (people in the stands).
Drag racing is more popular out west and in the South but even there the crowd in the stands are nothing like the sled pulling crowds of the Midwest.
Both are growing at an accelerated rate from where this sport was even 6 years ago but the numbers tell the truth. I'm just not talking about our DIESEL Motorsports events but all diesel events.
We get reports from our affiliate events plus others that are around the country and we keep a spread sheet of turnouts at all events (real numbers) of both competitors and fan base.
Basically there is a big difference between the two sports because you need a licensed drag strip for drag racing and just a dirt track for sled pulling. There are a lot more dirt arenas in the country than there are drag strips. From June 1st to the middle of September sled pulling is available every night of the week from Missouri over to east side of Pennsylvania. Many pullers ask that we start the classes at a certain time so they can make another pull one or two counties away during the summer months.
Sled pulling is featured less in the publications because of the short track, trucks and a long history of drag racing with the gasser crowd. Drag racing is always featured first by the magazines but have you ever noticed the stands in the background?
Now I'm not picking on drag racing because we are trying to build that sport up in order to show equal numbers watching the sport. DIESEL Motorsports is now the only venue where we are now running drag racing right next to sled pulling during the same time so fans can watch both from the same seat.
Combined DIESEL ONLY events will continue to help build both sports because many are now competing in both sports with their diesel trucks.
Sled pulling still has the advantage because there are so many county and state fairs that feature sled pulling for tractor, gas truck and diesel trucks all through the Midwest. Along with fairs come immediate crowds in the stands and they are rural based so they relate to the trucks. This comes from many years of first horse sled pulling, then tractor and now diesel trucks.
Is there a little rift between the two groups? Oh a little ribbing is done but they still both love their diesels and all those who participate with their diesels!
The overall year-around National numbers would make sled pulling the winner!
Now I will state this is mainly in the Midwest states where the sport is more popular but the numbers are there in competitors and fan base (people in the stands).
Drag racing is more popular out west and in the South but even there the crowd in the stands are nothing like the sled pulling crowds of the Midwest.
Both are growing at an accelerated rate from where this sport was even 6 years ago but the numbers tell the truth. I'm just not talking about our DIESEL Motorsports events but all diesel events.
We get reports from our affiliate events plus others that are around the country and we keep a spread sheet of turnouts at all events (real numbers) of both competitors and fan base.
Basically there is a big difference between the two sports because you need a licensed drag strip for drag racing and just a dirt track for sled pulling. There are a lot more dirt arenas in the country than there are drag strips. From June 1st to the middle of September sled pulling is available every night of the week from Missouri over to east side of Pennsylvania. Many pullers ask that we start the classes at a certain time so they can make another pull one or two counties away during the summer months.
Sled pulling is featured less in the publications because of the short track, trucks and a long history of drag racing with the gasser crowd. Drag racing is always featured first by the magazines but have you ever noticed the stands in the background?
Now I'm not picking on drag racing because we are trying to build that sport up in order to show equal numbers watching the sport. DIESEL Motorsports is now the only venue where we are now running drag racing right next to sled pulling during the same time so fans can watch both from the same seat.
Combined DIESEL ONLY events will continue to help build both sports because many are now competing in both sports with their diesel trucks.
Sled pulling still has the advantage because there are so many county and state fairs that feature sled pulling for tractor, gas truck and diesel trucks all through the Midwest. Along with fairs come immediate crowds in the stands and they are rural based so they relate to the trucks. This comes from many years of first horse sled pulling, then tractor and now diesel trucks.
Is there a little rift between the two groups? Oh a little ribbing is done but they still both love their diesels and all those who participate with their diesels!
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