If you thought last year’s Dragstock event brought forth a packed house, then 2007 would have blown you away. An unofficial tally put over 30,000 spectators in attendance (even the Mayor of Rockingham) for Saturday’s show. By the time 2 PM rolled in, there wasn’t a seat to be found on the left-side concrete barriers or the pit-side reserved seating.  Once  again,  ADRL President Kenny Nowling and Rockingham Dragway's Steve Earwood hit an upper deck shot.

Nowling doesn’t deny a plethora of tickets (rumored to be 200,000) were free giveaways in the local market. The major sanctioning bodies hacve criticized this practice.

“I get the crowd and it doesn’t matter how I get them here,” Nowling said.

Nowling’s marketing concept has reportedly caught the eye of at least two major Fortune 500 companies who are looking to become major partners with the three year old sanctioning body in 2007.

“These companies would have never given us the time of day if we were only putting 5,000 people in the stands,” Nowling said. “I knew after Memphis when we only had 112 spectators that we needed to do something. There are so many things out there fighting for their entertainment dollar. The fact they were having the world’s largest free BBQ only 15 minutes away didn’t help our cause.

If you thought last year’s Dragstock event brought forth a packed house, then 2007 would have blown you away. An unofficial tally put over 30,000 spectators in attendance (even the Mayor of Rockingham) for Saturday’s show. By the time 2 PM rolled in, there wasn’t a seat to be found on the left-side concrete barriers or the pit-side reserved seating.  Once  again,  ADRL President Kenny Nowling and Rockingham Dragway's Steve Earwood hit an upper deck shot.

Nowling doesn’t deny a plethora of tickets (rumored to be 200,000) were free giveaways in the local market. The major sanctioning bodies hacve criticized this practice.

“I get the crowd and it doesn’t matter how I get them here,” Nowling said.

Nowling’s marketing concept has reportedly caught the eye of at least two major Fortune 500 companies who are looking to become major partners with the three year old sanctioning body in 2007.

“These companies would have never given us the time of day if we were only putting 5,000 people in the stands,” Nowling said. “I knew after Memphis when we only had 112 spectators that we needed to do something. There are so many things out there fighting for their entertainment dollar. The fact they were having the world’s largest free BBQ only 15 minutes away didn’t help our cause.

“Dave Wood and Tommy Lipar invested in me and I invested that into the world. The reason I say that is we took all that and invested into bringing in the crowds.”

Nowling credits his assistant Jessica Alcoke with giving him the inspiration for the free love concept. He was sitting on the wall with his wife consoling him after a tough day at the box office.

“She told me that we ought to give away the tickets because we could at least sell them all a t-shirt,” Nowling said. “She hadn’t sold but 11 all day out of the 800 we ordered. I still to this day have Memphis Drags shirts piled up in the rafters. On my way home, I thought about it and figured I’d try that.” 

Nowling said he called Earwood and suggested giving away 200,000 tickets to see if anyone showed up.

“We did it that time and it has worked ever since,” Nowling said. “I’m not shy about saying that.”

Nowling confirmed that at venues like Norwalk and the upcoming Texas Motorplex that he raised his giveaways to 500,000 freebies.

“I haven’t been home since June 19, because we are building this into something special. I know that if we could put these guys on the big stage – the Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous and put them together with the Extreme 10.5 and Pro Extreme Motorcycle that we wouldn’t need the Top Fuelers or Funny Cars.

“My sponsors and vendors are happy. The track operators are thrilled because they are making money. Steve Earwood just drove the Brinks truck out of here on his third drop from what he’s made on the concession money. It’s just a different philosophy on how to grow a business.

“Because of Dave Wood and Tommy Lipar, we have been able to do that. The tickets aren’t free. Dave and Tommy are buying them all up now. Maybe that will change. All I see now for the foreseeable future is packing the stands.”

Nowling said he doesn’t feel the ticket giveaways devalue his product in the least.

“I don’t believe that if you give someone something once they won’t buy it,” said Nowling. “We just sold out the 1,100 seat reserve section after pre-selling 400 of them. My goal is clear. I want to make money selling sponsorships. I’m not into selling tickets. I got tired of getting beat up and having empty stands.

“If this doesn’t fit the description of a national event, then tell me what does.”

Saturday's ADRL Dragstock winners included Josh Hernandez (Pro Extreme), Jim Halsey (Pro Nitrous) and Brad Personnet (Extreme 10.5).

Records were set in both Pro Extreme (ET & MPH) and Pro Nitrous (ET).

For more detailed coverage, courtesy of ProModifieds.US -- click on our SAME DAY RESULTS  

PLEASE RETURN A BROTHER'S SIGN 

Nowling said he had a good feeling that Pro Extreme racer Jason Scruggs was going to record the ADRL’s first doorslammer 200 mile per hour speed. That’s what inspired him to have a special sign created to commemorate the special occasion. He spared no expense.

Well, maybe one – the security to guard it. Someone borrowed the sign just moments before he was to present the piece of drag racing history to Scruggs.

“We spent hours designing it,” Nowling said. “Last night when we left, we kept it in the Adrenalin Zone. When we went to get it today, it was gone. Some literally has a part of history in their possession.”

Nowling is offering amnesty and possibly a reward.

“If you’re reading this – please send me my sign back,” Nowling said. “I’ll give you a $1000.”