Absent for over half a decade RASR returns but is it too late and will they last?

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Absent for over half a decade RASR returns but is it too late and will they last?

Source: Evo Communication Dept.
Date: July 11, 2010
Revisions: N/A

Similar to the NHRA’s defunct “Street Legal Drags” and “Sports Compact Car Series” SEMA’s (Specialty Equipment Market NHRA PSA Association) original "Racers Against Street Racing" (RASR) program was founded at a time when affiliation with illegal street racing and the Street Scene was seen as a profitable business venture. Unfortunately at this same time the only thing quicker than the success of the Fast and Furious movie was how many of these same business entities abandoned their programs. In consequence the Street Scene lost alternatives to illegal street racing resulting in a huge resurgence towards illegal racing at the cost of community civility and lives. Over half a decade has past and RASR returns to the Street Scene but is it too late and will they last?

SEMA is a large trade association that consists of and represents manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of the 32 billion dollar aftermarket automotive industry. SEMA has a strong presence in the area of automobile performance through their Street Performance Council (SPC) and Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council (MPMC). These two councils are the entities within SEMA responsible for the renewed push of the Racers Against Street Racing (RASR) program. There is NO doubt that SEMA has the ability to significantly reduce illegal street racing but do they have the strong leadership initiative to do so?

In a 2009 conversation between Evo Street Racers President Mr. Bryan Harrison and SEMA's Vice President Mr. Nathan M. Ridnouer they discussed RASR’s past and future. Mr. Ridnouer noted that the main concern for RASR in the past as it is in the future was its “expense only operation structure.” Mr. Ridnouer was very enthusiastic about an internal initiative to re-launch the RASR program and expected a new site to be up in late 2009 but on a smaller scale. The new website launched in 2010.

Sadly much of the new RASR website launched this month is similar to the old website content with the main difference being the graphic user interface, a google track map app, and a few "new" Public Service Announcements (PSA)…

The majority of people, including many of the illegal racers, know that illegal street racing is bad and that it should be taken off the street and onto the track yet the problem expands at alarming rates... We live in an age that any teenager with a $50 camera can make a PSA with a global internet audience; ie: YouTube, FaceBook, etc. Mention "PSA" to a young adult and vivid fears of boredom derived from watching dated PSA's in Driver's Ed class from the 60's and 70's flood their memories. Furthermore history has shown that with the advent of the internet Illegal racers, motorsports enthusiasts, and the Street Scene will do their research, realize that talk is cheap, and will not respond to an exclusive effort of brand imaging and PSA's. This is not to state that PSA's are the devil; however, exclusive reliance on this communication has been proven entirely ineffective. America and the globe need sincere dedicated action to reduce illegal street acing. Both RASR and the NHRA tried PSA’s in the past and failed to effectively reach the target demographic. The Street Scene is a highly lucrative and competitive market; therefore, had either of these bodies effectively reached the target demographic they would have maintained a vested interest in their programs...and they didn't.

Illegal Street Racing solutions is a long term investment not a short term business model. Evo Street Racers offers and implements a clearly defined action plan to reduce illegal street racing, the Evolution Solution, yet similar to SEMA's original website the new site has not offered a plan to create a better alternative to illegal racing. Given the significant resources and connections of SEMA offering a GOOGLE map of race track locations and catchy phrases like "Get to the track" is simply not enough.

Will RASR fail again? History has shown that it will repeat itself unless the lessons of the past have been learned. With RASR launching a nearly identical site, web content, and PSA’s as the past what has really changed?

Will RASR last? We hope so. For RASR to be successful they will need to significantly alter there current model to a plan that is indicative of true-market conditions. Organizations such as Beat The Heat & Evo Street Racers has held the "torch" long after RASR and the NHRA left the Street Scene and we look forward to any and all vested parties that are genuinely dedicated to solving a societal program with motorsports alternatives and community solutions.