RCAA on So Cal News

[redhead]

Did any one in So Cal watch the 5pm ABC news or the 6pm NBC news? Both brodcasts showed clips from Moab this past weekend of rigs on B7. I think I saw Walker, Dustin, Skinny and Matt from AGR. They showed these guys rolling over, then showed Bundrant make the climb.

Cool that rock crawling is making it's way to the public.

Maybe it will be on again at 11pm.

[Mustard Dog]

It was pretty sweet

[Chris Geiger]

I saw it on the Channel4 new @6pm. It was at the very end of the news and only about 45 seconds long but they showed about 4 end over end roll overs before Jon & Larry climbed it.

[RedBullJeep]

There's gonna be more features from RCAA on Fox today, tomorrow, and this weekend. Also something on Fox's 54321.
I'm glad the RCAA finally stepped up to the plate. I recommended this same thing to ALL competitions last year and they could have done the same...RCAA listened, beat em to the punch, it worked smoothly, has drawn a ton of calls and inquiries, and that looks good to sponsors.
By this weekend, the RCAA and any sponsors/rigs that appeared will have had over 20 million viewings during prime time news shows...100 times more than a 1/2 hour program on OLN.
It's called a VNR (standing for Video News Release) and there's only a few companies out there that do it right. The news programs are so stoked, they're now calling this company and asking for more info so they can do more stories on our sport...
Those on the sponsor chase need to take note of this and use it to their advantage as this is now the big time!

[redhead]

Originally posted by RedBullJeep
There's gonna be more features from RCAA on Fox today, tomorrow, and this weekend. Also something on Fox's 54321.

Cool! I'm not familiar with Fox 54321, can you elaborate? Will I be able to find this on my satellite?

[RedBullJeep]

Just saw a piece on the WB news at 10...man was there some cool stuff on there and all was totally hardcore.

54321 is an extreme sports program that is done more along the lines of seeing stuff from the atletes side...call it a backstage pass type show. To get on there, the content has to be good and I'm stoked they're really considering us. I heard they are just looking at doing a quick pic video piece this week and will work with the VNR producers on something from RCAA in Cedar if the RCAA brings this producer back in. This could work into something big.

[RE:Todd]

Originally posted by RedBullJeep
Just saw a piece on the WB news at 10...man was there some cool stuff on there and all was totally hardcore.

Same, but that sportscaster is an idiot. You should call him and tell him about the RB truck being local.

[RedBullJeep]

Well...I got a good laugh out of the TV commentator saying there's only two rules to our sport..."one is the driver of the Jeep is supposed to hit the gas...two is for his partner to tug on a rope and pull him up the rocks" He's right and that is an image thing I have been talking about. Spotter ropes are bad for our image to people that don't know anything about our sport...but balancing with the argument when it comes to safety.
I did call in to "enlighten" them on our sport and the merits of the spotter rope and still all he could ask was "do you really think he can pull you up that hill?" Was he listening to what I was saying, yes...did he actually hear me...no, because it just appears wrong. In the end, outsiders will always question the rope and that's bad for us.
I know Red Bull hates the rope, but deal with it as they understand why we use it.
Finally, after watching the spotters get pulled off their feet over and over on B7 as well as many other questionable rope practices by a few of the teams...I'm now questioning the safety thing more and more as it put the spotter in really dangerous positions more than it saved the rig, which has a roll cage anyway. Yes, I've heard the arguments and DO understand the value of both sides of the scale, it just feels like the scale is getting heavier on the reduction of spotter ropes to me.

[Lance]

Originally posted by RedBullJeep
Well...I got a good laugh out of the TV commentator saying there's only two rules to our sport..."one is the driver of the Jeep is supposed to hit the gas...two is for his partner to tug on a rope and pull him up the rocks" He's right and that is an image thing I have been talking about. Spotter ropes are bad for our image to people that don't know anything about our sport...but balancing with the argument when it comes to safety.
I did call in to "enlighten" them on our sport and the merits of the spotter rope and still all he could ask was "do you really think he can pull you up that hill?" Was he listening to what I was saying, yes...did he actually hear me...no, because it just appears wrong. In the end, outsiders will always question the rope and that's bad for us.
I know Red Bull hates the rope, but deal with it as they understand why we use it.
Finally, after watching the spotters get pulled off their feet over and over on B7 as well as many other questionable rope practices by a few of the teams...I'm now questioning the safety thing more and more as it put the spotter in really dangerous positions more than it saved the rig, which has a roll cage anyway. Yes, I've heard the arguments and DO understand the value of both sides of the scale, it just feels like the scale is getting heavier on the reduction of spotter ropes to me.

If it's a safety concern for you, there's a simple solution - don't use the spotter rope.

I sat on B7 and watched spotters save countless rollovers. Spotter ropes rule.

[RP Films]

Dustin thank you for pushing the Promoters to doing a VNR even though only one as done it so far. Also you get my two thumbs up for going out of your way to hook them up with the company that does the VNR's!! It is something that will push this sport to the BIG league!!
My sister lives on the east coast and just saw the VNR. This is going all over.
I mean one member has seen it in Australia!!

[RP Films]

Originally posted by Lance


I sat on B7 and watched spotters save countless rollovers. Spotter ropes rule.

Agreed, as being a filmer and able to get a little different look at things, I have seen the rope save rigs that could of gone over Hard!

[camo]

completly off topic now but.............

if the sport is to go mainstream i think the spotter rope must go. to the outsider watching the sport and the image it portrays it just doesn't make sence. equate it to going to a monster truck race and the driver was sitting in the stands using a remote control device to drive. it would be gay. spectators don't want to see rollovers stoped, they want to see carnage.


of corse to the driver who must be inside during the roll and probally being the guy who has to fix and pay for the damage the rope is a must have item. whatta quandry

[Chris Geiger]

In the last couple events I have gone to I have seen over 60 rolls. It seems to me that most full tube, unlimited class rigs don't see much damage anymore from roll overs, usually it's only a matter of broken fiberglass.

I also think Dustin actually likes rolling over for the crowd!

[RP Films]

Dustin likes to put on a show. He likes to make the crowd talk after the comp is over. Dustin is like the "GoldBerg" rig of Monster Truck. Always likes to give the crowd a show! Ofcourse I am sure Chris he would much rather have that show in the winner circle of RCAA!!

[RUFF]

This even made news in Australia they were showing what i imagine to be the same footage that you guys saw over there. This is awsome. If we can get some more footage on TV of the action you guys are creating over there in the US it will help us down here to get our comps a lot more interest and maybe we will be able to offer enough sponsorship and spectators to realy get some big comps running and invite some of you guys down under to compete with some of our best.

[BJ On Roids]

Originally posted by RUFF
This even made news in Australia they were showing what i imagine to be the same footage that you guys saw over there. This is awsome. If we can get some more footage on TV of the action you guys are creating over there in the US it will help us down here to get our comps a lot more interest and maybe we will be able to offer enough sponsorship and spectators to realy get some big comps running and invite some of you guys down under to compete with some of our best.

Yeah, i think we are quite a few years off this. And I think we will still get out asses handed to us. Be cool to watch though.

[TEX]

Originally posted by camo
spectators don't want to see rollovers stoped, they want to see carnage.

The downside to on-site spectators though is the time it takes to clean up a roll (which of course can be edited out for TV). Not nearly as bad with a rock-crawler, but it's a real show-stopper with a mud race or monster truck show since you go from non-stop action to a 20-minute break Yeah I know, I'm a little off-off-topic


TEX

Now, about those Video News Releases - more info please