I'm actually trying to understand what everyone Is trying to say or what they mean! When you go to anyrace why Is that so Important? What I mean Is when you go to any type of race and the entries are 1,000 or 50 dollars why Is the payout the Big deal. What I mean Is how many at a 50 car or 300 car race. How many actually get paid? I think the total amount of the cost should be the most Important thing that we all should be worried with!That's what I'm watching today!

So my questions are: When you go to your local race that pays a 1,000 to win what Is the percentage that get paid with a 50 dollar risk or when you go to a big money race what Is the percentage that get there money back with a 1,000 risk?

Anyone that put on races let me understand!

There are alot of things killin our sport. Payouts are really the only thing that is keepin it alive. In my opinion..Our crowds come from people admiring and enjoying their time at the races. Scotty how many have you got started in the sport. Them guys always had you a spot saved, Hey scotty park by me them guys hang out hopin to be your friend and hope they make a few rounds for you to watch. However they arent worried about money but If Scotty dont win any coin how long is he around.
Scotty I totally agree with puttin the spark back in racing but I also think majority has more invested than others. Majority has to buy all their parts majority has to pay all expenses they dont have backers so majority is worried about payouts..Again I am on your side just see different angles

I agree with you Phil but what If the Big races or Regular races figured out how to take off the top and give more all around.What I mean Is that the normal number Is around 20% gets there money back or more. So why not try to make It 35%. We should be able to agree to disagree. When I got started though It wasn't just about the money! It was mainly about the cost, winning was a Bonus!

So If there Is around 100 cars only around 20 get there money back or more!
So If there Is around 300 cars only 60 get there money back or more!
So If all of the promoters or tracks spread It a little, It still wouldn't take any away from the Tracks or Promoters!

Well seeing how everything to do with my racing is my time and money, I care about the payout. I have to see that if I win or get beat in the final I can make some money. However I have never been to worried about round money. If 10 to 30 dollars is that big of a deal then I shouldn't even be there. In these times with high fuel prices I would rather pay more entry for a better payout then cheap entry with little payout. The problem is that at least 60% of the people I race against on a regular basis I dont think care about payouts because they dont feel they can win. So round money is more important. So you have to keep the majority happy because thats what makes money and keeps the sport alive. I am changing my outlook on it all this season and just going to race local at the best track in my area. The payout is average and car counts good enough to pay full every weekend. Just my opinion.

I wouldnt think 20 percent got paid. I am no MB when it comes to number crunchin..
Agree payouts deep will help racers more.
also I agree 100percent on 80 percent of racers look at how much they spend not gonna win. I know I look at how much a race cost me when considering.

Awesome post Regal and Phil!

Here`s what i dont understand about this hobby/sport.

This isnt no different than a normal guy having a boat, 4-wheeler, golf clubs, bowling, car show or what ever. This is pretty much a hobby not a business. So the good thing about our hobby is we have a chance at a return in winning a race. But there`s to many racers that have turned this into a money thing and that is what is killing it. It`s up to the racer to spend what he wants to and not up to the tracks to make sure that guy spending alot of money is happy (i know you gotta try make all racers happy). Us as racers need to relize that this is more a hobby and not a business and have FUN and stop worrying about how much money there is to win, and i mean this on a local level not big money events. It`s got to were track have to make it kinda like a big money race on every weekend races and that`s just stupid because it cause`s some guys to sit at home and say heck with it i`m going fishing.

And i agree with Phil on what i look at when i go racing, how much it`s gonna cost me as well.

And i agree more racers getting a little coin is better than less.

I believe you have 3 different mind sets in bracket racing. There is the local racer and there is the money racer. You need to take the view of each as you cannot keep comparing apples to oranges in local racer vs money racer. The 3rd is the conservative gambler.

A local racer is looking to make a small investment each week with the intention of winning but is happy with a kick back for winning a few rounds to cover gas or his lunch at the track or maybe if he is lucky his entry fee. This is the guy that is at the track to have fun, enjoy racing, working on the cars and hanging with his buddies.

A money racer is the same as a high stakes poker player. He understands that he is going to have a higher costs to earn a higher return on his investment. He does not want a higher costs and a reduced return on his investment. A little more kick back is not what he is looking for as he is there for the pay day.

The conservative gambler seems to be the most popular racer these days. This is your local racer that picks a couple of the big money races to attend. He is not willing to focus his whole season on chasing the pay day. He looks at the costs to potential return on investment. He also takes time to determine the fun factor of the race. What is going on at the track, who is coming, the give away prizes and the party. It is a "social race".

Just my opinion. If you are looking to tailor a series of races, I think that you can group the local and conservative racer into 1 event. You can look to offer the "social aspect" of the race with a little higher entry than the local is used to so you can spread back your payout so they still feel content with a few bucks in round money.

Beofr I give my point of view on this a little background/
I bracketraced for few uears 85 to 89 then went to running TA/FC. We did this for 7 years and where at top of the game most of it. Quite because spending more than house Im living in per year was not working.
I am working on new car for brackets and few other class'. I'm doing this because asmost anyone over 40 can tell you lifes go's by to fast not to do what you love and I can't afford to put a headsup racing deal together. So Im building what I think will be fun and hopefully win little money to help surport it.
As for question. I think a lot are concerned about payouts because they ahve to justify what they are spending to race(maybe just to them selves). IMO racing a car tha cost 100,000 at arace where you might win 1000 for dozen runs makes little sence except you get seat time(makes you better) and travel for these are normally minor. Now running big money deal where theres lots of travel but payout is more if your lucky (or good ) enough to get into the money is easier to justify all spent for the fast and best equipment. But you like to think that you can at least cover the expence of the weekend,extra travel cost,eating,and lot more entry fee.
I think in general the cost of running a bracket car has esculated to point where most have to look at it as a business(not that you expect to make living at it) that needs to help surport it self. While we all do it for the love of it,the economic times require us to take a little differant view of the money.
For me I'll run lots of local stuff first year(hey 20 years since bracket raced as driver.If I feel Im getting the driver tuned in I'll plan more of the big money races and work smaller stuff close to home in around them and budget. I can afford to run a track 30 to 70 miles away and get nothing back beter than running one 300 plus miles away that requires more from car and driver to get back extra expence back. Plus most times local competition will not be as tough as running the guys who have hundreds of hours in the seat or at least not as many of them. If I could go to bigger races where I figure that winning 3 rounds would get me back close to even for entry for the day and then start on other cost till hopefully a profit or big payout,I would run a some of them first year out. I learn more for running the best so its worth gamble there.

Great post Shawn!

Thats good post Shawn, i think there`s alot more local racers and conservative gamblers out there than money racers to.

The winner of the Super Bowl is paid a lot more money than the teams that lose early in the playoffs. Rewarding the guys that lose at eight cars at the expense of the guys that win or runner up is just like little league soccer not keeping score and all the kids get a trophy. Losing early and taking home $25, for me, doesn't feel any different than losing for $0. I will say that at most regular money races around here there is some sort of split in the final and that just started in the last few years.

Great post Wideopen231! With that being said do you think that you have a better chance of getting your investment back locally or travelling at Big Money races!

I look at the whole deal because money is tight I would like to win as much as I can to help with what I spent. But I also look at round money a little harder cause only one guy will win but a bunch of us will get round money I would be more willing to go to a 1000 to win with 30 round money than a top heavy purse like 2000 to win and 15 round money!

The big money racer is going by the wayside. A lot of these guys are chasing NHRA/IHRA classes now. I think to them the idea of winning a world championship has become the next level. Some have taken on other business ventures in the sport that does not have them racing as much. I think you have a period right now where the racer is changing. Scotty is correct. There is a void for races that aren't large scale money races but offer better payout than the local race.

Good post sprorx7!!

So, who should the track owner cater to, the local racer or the money racer? When I first got into racing it seemed more fell into the local racer. But now it seems more racers are trying to get a return on they`re large investment

when going to a race i have to look what the whole thing is gonna cost. IE gas food buy backs entry etc.. everything and come up with a number. I look at the payout and see if win 1 day will it pay for the whole trip. most big money races look good IE huntsville 50k race. However if you really break it down its so top heavy its not even funny. sure to go to a race and win 50k would be unbelieveable. only 1 person can win it. However the 3 20's at atco pay a lot more round money i think its 300 after the 3rd round win. in my book i have to break down round money when traveling because being on a budget anything you win can be put towards your expenses.

I believe drag racers, or lets focus on bracket racers here, are a unique breed. Unlike SCCA or other circle burners, most of us are blue collar working stiffs. I would venture to say that the majority earn less than a 6 figure salary. So, the "POTENTIAL" reward is not only incentive, but, rather a HUGE INCENTIVE, especially nowadays. And I mean that from the standpoint of just off setting expenses, not trying to earn a living from racing.

There was a local racetrack near me that was at one time run by a non racer, COMPLETELY and TOTALLY out of touch with reality. They came up with the birght idea once to just pay the drag racers in trophies, NO CASH payouts, like their SCCA racers. They made this announcement once from the tower as what they proposed. I thought there was going to be a riot. Obviously that never went into effect, and this track owner eventually "rode off into the sunset".

I believe VERY STRONGLY that your idea (if I'm understanding right) to "spread the wealth around" is the best idea to come down the pike since racing slicks. The semi's and up still need to be rewarded for their achievement, but, if it were all structured more to favor more people "getting paid" even a little better, I think that would help. The only ones who would be put off by this are those that win every week.

I think the BEST example of the racers desiring a more equitable distribution of the purse is the whole concept of splitting.