1. 2017 Spring Semester Kick-off
February 2017

2. Texas Motor Speedway Overview
Introductions
Kenton Nelson- Assistant General Manager, VP of Events
Ronnie Platt- Marketing Coordinator
Texas Motor Speedway hosts the three major NASCAR Series two weekends a year and the Verizon IndyCar Series in June. In addition, Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track races twice a year.
The property of Texas Motor Speedway hosts numerous other events, including major concert festivals.
This summer, we will host Friday Night Drags for six consecutive Friday nights from June 23rd-July 28th.

3. What is Friday Night Drags?
For the past six years, Texas Motor Speedway has promoted safe and legal drag racing across six weekends during the summer.
Fans can bring their cars/trucks and race down pit road for points that will determine a champion across the various divisions after six weeks.
Fans are able to come out and watch the drag racing from the grandstands and pit road.
The races are broadcasted live on Sportsradio 1310 The Ticket.

4. What is Friday Night Drags?
Division Specifications: 
Bandit Division – Foreign and domestic cars with three (3), four (4) or five (5) cylinders with or without factory turbo or supercharger; six (6) cylinders with naturally aspirated engines.
Sportsman Division - Foreign and domestic cars with eight (8) cylinders naturally aspirated, six (6) cylinder cars with factory turbo or supercharger; NO engine modification allowed.
Sportsman Modified Division – Foreign and domestic cars with six (6) cylinders with aftermarket turbo or supercharger; eight (8) cylinders naturally aspirated with internal modifications, i.e. aftermarket heads, cam, etc.
All Wheel Drive Division – Foreign and domestic all-wheel drive cars with four (4) or more cylinders and electric powered vehicles.
Super Cars Division – Foreign and Domestic cars with factory authorized upgrades from the likes of Hennessey, Lingenfelter, Roush, Shelby, etc.; engine modification, turbo or supercharger allowed.
Black Smoke Warrior Division – All diesel powered or gas powered trucks, and all wheel drive SUVs; any size all-terrain tire allowed; maximum 31" x 10.5" (drag slicks); 31" x 12.5" (drag radials) size tires. 
Outlaw Division – Any car with stock appearing body; suspension modification allowed; any engine modification allowed; maximum 31" x 10.5" (drag slicks); 31" x 12.5" (drag radials) size tires.

5. What is Friday Night Drags?
Show-N-Shine Participant Information 
Anyone can participate in Show-N-Shine
Divisions: Best of Show, Best Classic (1972 or prior year), Best Current Custom (1973 to current), Best Motorcycle
Parade Lap Cruise
All Show-N-Shine and Drag Racing participants, as well as fans, are given the opportunity to drive the 1.5-mile oval of Texas Motor Speedway before the drag racing begins.
The cost for fans is $20 to drive their car on the track during the parade lap.

6. What You Need To Know Tickets for Friday Night Drags are as follows:
Grandstand or Infield Entry- Adults= $10
Children (12 and under)= $5
Free Parking at Gate 6
Infield Parking= $20 (includes Driver Admission)
Fans can bring their coolers in free.
One night each year there is a fireworks show following the racing. This is our biggest night each season in terms of attendance.

7. Friday Night Drags Perspective
:30 Spot-
2016 Season Recap-
Driver Perspective-
Grandstand Perspective-

8. Objective and Goals for Students
Objective: Increase ticket sales and awareness for Texas Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags by providing hands-on real-world marketing experience with a professional sports venue.
Goals for Students:
Provide an understanding of basic sports & entertainment marketing tactics.
Learn in a real-world environment with a local sports venue
Create a fun and exciting marketing plan that successfully sells tickets to drag racing, after-market and general racing fans.
Think outside of the box to solve problems.
Provide a high-level understanding of various roles within a sports organization.
Work as a collective group to achieve a common goal.

9. Project Overview
We look to the students in Sports & Entertainment Management at Northwest High School to develop how to market this event to fans of drag racing, after-market car products and general race fans in the region? What does a comprehensive plan to engage these various groups look like? How does the plan help sell tickets, especially to fans your age?
Examples include:
Via Social media - #FridayNightDrags
Posters in local high schools, colleges, auto shops
Handouts to local schools each week promoting the event
TMS Available Support Assets
Show Car appearances
Friday Night Drags collateral (Posters/handouts)
Social Media Graphics

10. Questions & Comments
For additional questions and comments you may have during the project, please feel free to reach out to Ronnie at anytime via