25 replies to this topic

[dirtstudent2]

Would Saturday night Sprint, Big Block and Super Late racers like this payout?

 

 

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The equals a $14,800 class payout for a Saturday night points race.

 

That and 150 tow money I think would get a lot front and back gate action.

[dirtstudent2]

And better would be to add 21st at 480, 22nd at 460, 23 at 440 and 24th at 420.  No provisional's, no first alternate, make the feature or go home with $150 tow and maybe $50 for moving from the B to the feature.  

[714d]

Sounds great for racers, but who is going to pay for it? Face it, most weekly shows are back gate funded. Even if every car brought 10 guys in the pits, that's only $300 per car. It's tough to expect more than a few hundred in the stands for a weekly show, so the front gate obviously isn't paying for it. Even 1000 fans at $12 each won't pay for it. And that's just one class. You still have to pay a couple other classes. It's an idea that has some potential to catch on and work in the long run, but you have to have the money in the bank to pay for it on the worst nights. In a day where most tracks are struggling to stay afloat week to week, no one can afford that risk.

[FanJim24]

^ Eyeballs. More fans = more eyeballs = more $ from track sponsors, if you have a good marketing team.  I'm horrible at marketing, so I'm not saying could do better than anyone. I'm saying that track sponsorship is an additional income stream.

Edited by FanJim24, 25 February 2017 - 12:31 PM.

[SprintFun]

Not enough distribution imo, no incentive to move forward. Cant imagine racing hard and taking extra risk for $1k to win. 

 

You may find this interesting for sprint cars, even though its for the 2015 season: http://www.computerm...et/410Purse.htm

[jo73]

Very interesting.

[Walt Wimer]

Yes, very interesting.  Mercer pays $200 more to win than Lernerville, but from second on back Lernervile pays more!!   And one can clearly see the gap between here and central PA and Knoxville as well.   Sure would be nice for the teams here if the purses would go up, but we need a lot more people in the grandstands to do that!!   However, this is nothing new as such goes back decades!!!  Long before current track owners and promoters had anything to do with a race track!!

 

GOOD RACING!!!

 

Walt

[FanJim24]

Yes, very interesting.  Mercer pays $200 more to win than Lernerville, but from second on back Lernervile pays more!!   And one can clearly see the gap between here and central PA and Knoxville as well.   Sure would be nice for the teams here if the purses would go up, but we need a lot more people in the grandstands to do that!!   However, this is nothing new as such goes back decades!!!  Long before current track owners and promoters had anything to do with a race track!!

 

GOOD RACING!!!

 

Walt

Walt, do you know what Lernerville's avg attendance is?  Would upping the admission $1 and putting it straight to the purse make a significant difference.  I could justify another $1 a week if I knew it was going into the drivers' pockets.  

Edited by FanJim24, 25 February 2017 - 03:17 PM.

[Cool1]

Ditto

[LM RACING]

Not enough distribution imo, no incentive to move forward. Cant imagine racing hard and taking extra risk for $1k to win. 
 
You may find this interesting for sprint cars, even though its for the 2015 season: http://www.computerm...et/410Purse.htm

is there one of these comparisons for latemodel and big blocks?

[LM RACING]

Not enough distribution imo, no incentive to move forward. Cant imagine racing hard and taking extra risk for $1k to win. 
 
You may find this interesting for sprint cars, even though its for the 2015 season: http://www.computerm...et/410Purse.htm

is there one of these comparisons for latemodel and big blocks?

[dirtstudent2]

Dumb it down to  $11,090 and I think Lernerville and Mercer would gain and not loose drivers.  $400 to start a local show and you'll have cars lined up and down the road to get in, no mater what the win purse.  Who's going to up and leave to travel when they can figure on a minimum of $800 a weekend not to travel?  The way it is now they would have to make at least 7th at each track to get the same $800, when 7th at the two tracks with the scale suggested would bring them $1280.  And I'd bet $400 to start would bring in some good cars and drivers making it better racing and tougher to get the 7th place.  Make the racing "show" better and the fans will be there!  With the current top heavy payout they would have to make 4th at both tracks to get the same payout as making 7th on the suggested scale.  Sure it's less to win, but does anyone really think if there'a a win lurking around the next lap a "racer" is not going for the win regardless of the payout?  Make it worth the racers time to run local and not travel and the racing will take care of itself, along with filling seats in the stands.

 

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You want a special show throw a $100 payout on each position instead of adding $2000 to the win and you'll get cars and a special show.  Throw another $2000 on it making it $600 to start and $1200 to win and racers will be hauling from California.  It ain't worth $20 to make the decision to either pass or not when possible, the heck it ain't worth it your racing and your a racer.

 

 

The interview in the winners circle will go like, sure $1200 ain't a lot to win, but $600 to start is something that's real hard to pass up.

Edited by dirtstudent2, 26 February 2017 - 01:33 PM.

[jo73]

Can't disagree.

Tells many why the teams out in central pa and knoxville really don't venture away from there home territory much.

I, as of right now, plan to make port royal for the Tuscarora 50. I think the field is going to be loaded with quality drivers from across the country. For those that have never been to port royal, circle that date. You will not be disappointed.

[dirtstudent2]

Here's dollars and cents for Lernerville and Mercer to ponder.

 

If Lernerville anti up to $11090 the sprint payout will go up per what was posted above, from $8900 to $11090 or up by $2190.  With adults at $14 and seniors at $10 splitting the difference is $12 a fan.  When I divide $2190 by $12 it means the extra payout to break even means it will have to attract 182 additional people through the front gate each week.  And that's not counting the additional cars I'm suggesting will come through the back gate.

 

Isn't promoting putting on a show to get people through the front gate?   If you don't think you can PROMOTE the show and get an extra 182 fans in the gate each week this year, then ...

 

Mercer same deal.  $11090 minus $7700 is for you is $3390 and divided by 12 means 282 more fans through the gate because of raising the show to cover it.  Sure with your now lower payout you need 282 new where Lernerville only needs to attract 182 new.  BUT PROMOTE THE SHOW and look at it as you have more opportunity to gain at the front gate then does Lernerville.

 

Can the two tracks gain by promoting the back gate show to front gate paying fans?

 

I think the answer is YES because your promoters and such a small investment to gain less then 300 seats taken, for a return of increased car count, fan count and concession sales is well worth the investment in the show.

[dirtstudent2]

I think if the two tracks would come up to $400 to start cars would crawl out of the woodwork to race both tracks and a good portion of the payout would be made up at the back gate.  The publicity then would more then make up filling needed seats through the front gate.  Take care of the 'show' and the front gate will take care of itself!

[jo73]

The last line of the above post says it all.

I also think if a SLM track would do the same it would probably bring cars and fans.

You definately hit on a good topic DS2.

I no it will never happen but I'd like to hear the cons on this from people on the inside.

Maybe a good column for aarn Walt

[DegenerationX]

What gets lost and overlooked is Lernerville is also paying two other headlining divisions.  Add up all three purses and I'd bet they payout more than the Central PA and Western OH tracks.  So if they increase the sprint purse, how do you justify not doing so for the Lates and Big Blocks?  And the stocks race for peanuts and Turners tea, so how do you not throw those guys a bone too?  I'd estimate the weekly crowd at Lernerville is 1,500-2,000 depending on the weather and they haven't raised ticket prices for several years, so maybe a bump to $15 and adding a little bit to each division would be some good PR for the new owners, but I'm sure their operating costs are ever increasing as well with utilities, insurance, etc.  

[DegenerationX]

I think if the two tracks would come up to $400 to start cars would crawl out of the woodwork to race both tracks and a good portion of the payout would be made up at the back gate.  The publicity then would more then make up filling needed seats through the front gate.  Take care of the 'show' and the front gate will take care of itself!

 

Do we really want sprint cars "crawling out of the woodwork"?  I know the winning caliber teams sure don't want more squirrels on the track to avoid.  I'll take quality in 18-20 car field over quantity of 24-30 cars that half of which should be running 305s if at all. 

[Walt Wimer]

BINGO!!!!   We have long had too many local Sprint Car "drivers"  who are nowhere competitive and shouldn't be out there in that class!!   Sometimes they can be a downright hazard in a open wheel class at the speeds Sprint Cars run!!

 

Walt

[BaconBits]

Location drives car counts far more than purses do. I've seen tracks pay great weekly purses and get no cars, and I've seen tracks pay pitiful weekly purses and have to run b-mains. Fans are far more concerned about weekly purses than the racers themselves are.

Edited by BaconBits, 27 February 2017 - 12:01 AM.