people who know me haven't seen me there recently. there is reasons for that and if you like to know PM me. I gladly tell you.

quote:

Originally posted by TD6297:
Now all those have disappeared. No spectators, limited fans and not enough sponsor support to make then viable.

I am not going to pretend to know why, but it sure does seem to be the trend recently.

Why does a track need sponsors to run a race like this? Why are they relying on a sponsor and sponsorship dollars to make up for inefficiencies? If they don't have enough money to put together a purse, charge more at the gate and let the market decide.

That is an awfully good question! Needing a cash influence before starting seems to be a bandaid.

If one talks to people around the track, everyone has their opinion as to what has changed. I sure don't, but remember when I started racing in the early '90s there would be maybe 1000 in the stands. Fast forward, the only people there are ones that came with a car. Spouses, kids and such. Typically about 200 cars on a regular weekend, down to 40ish now. A definite change. Even the road course and clay oval are not crowded.

Although, as a sidebar, there is a club that holds their own series, and has close to 60 TD/TS cars but that would still only take the number to 100. But the street legals on Friday, bring in over 200 cars and regularly 5 - 600 in the stands.

Just look at the ages of the folks there on Street Legal night and it's the under 25 crowd. It's a social event along with the street racing bragging rights.

I can tell you one thing that keeps me from wanting to go watch the races there. Every week from what I can see most finals are split and not ran. I usually stay to the races are over and would be pissed if I sat there all that time and then there was no final ran. Did you come to race or what? If you didn't come to race and must split keep it between yourselves and run the final.

Weather looks good so far. Looking forward to another great weekend of racing !

quote:

Originally posted by lorco28:
I can tell you one thing that keeps me from wanting to go watch the races there. Every week from what I can see most finals are split and not ran. I usually stay to the races are over and would be pissed if I sat there all that time and then there was no final ran. Did you come to race or what? If you didn't come to race and must split keep it between yourselves and run the final.

I'll tell you exactly why they split, because I found out last night the hardway. I lost 6th round at 3 cars in No Box and won $40...the entry fee for the race was $40. The last three laps were all hot laps because we, of course, started an hour late and they didn't want to turn on the lights. On top of that, we ran the last two rounds in the dark. No lights on in the left lane, and only half the lights turned on in the right. $80K cars racing down the track in the dark, for $75 to win. If you win No Box, you have to race a top guy who more than likely ran one less round than you (not their fault), for the "big purse" of $600. Its no wonder they split at 4 cars all the time, no one wants to go home with their entry fee!

Start late, stand around because no one knows what the plan in, and then round robin 3rd round because everyone wants to go home and no one wants a light bill. Disappointing.

yep A39 you're right on the money! Especially at this time of year when most tracks switch to box/no box and no guaranteed payout. Split at 4 and leave with maybe 100 to 150 in your pocket.

I understand. I'll stay at Norwalk.

Think about the guys and gals that did not make it 6 rounds....they actually received less for winning 5 rounds than they paid to get in. Need to pick your racing venues carefully this time of year if you plan to race for prize money....if you like to race a facility and don't mind if there isn't a lot of money at the end of the night, but like the pride of winning it all, then these types of races are just fine. Gotta look at it like an amusement park, if you get to race six rounds and it did not cost you anything beyond gas and food money, that's a pretty good day this time of year and you had fun all day for just a little money. Other races are more competitive and have a cash prize worth bragging about, but its not always about that. Some races have a big payout for first and second...but everyone else gets nothing. Gotta do your homework and decide what type of racing you want to do after the guaranteed money is gone at your local track.

If that's their posted structure, it's on me. It works for some people, just too long of a tow, and too hard on the car to justify at the pace they were running us. Track was good.

I agree A39. Some people complain about the slowness of the pace, others complain its too fast. I usually race places with guaranteed payouts during this time of the year. Once the points races are done and its based upon car count, I go to race tracks where the purse is either guaranteed or at least you know the pay scale so that you know what you are racing for. Nothing happy about finding out at the end of the night that you get little to nothing. Been there, done that. But if you check out the local tracks, there is usually someone that has a guaranteed purse. Good luck.

quote:

Think about the guys and gals that did not make it 6 rounds....they actually received less for winning 5 rounds than they paid to get in. Need to pick your racing venues carefully this time of year if you plan to race for prize money....if you like to race a facility and don't mind if there isn't a lot of money at the end of the night, but like the pride of winning it all, then these types of races are just fine. Gotta look at it like an amusement park, if you get to race six rounds and it did not cost you anything beyond gas and food money, that's a pretty good day this time of year and you had fun all day for just a little money. Other races are more competitive and have a cash prize worth bragging about, but its not always about that. Some races have a big payout for first and second...but everyone else gets nothing. Gotta do your homework and decide what type of racing you want to do after the guaranteed money is gone at your local track.

Put me in the category of liking the facility and not much concerned with payouts. I'm happy if I manage to hit some numbers, go a few rounds and be in some good races. If I won first place every week, it still wouldn't pay for what I've spent. If winning money was the main objective, I never would have got back into this. So yeah, I just look at it as amusement.

I thought I'd add something that I thought some may find an interesting comparison. We just returned from our week vacation spectating at the SVRA Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen and sightseeing the area.

This years feature was Trans Am cars and Corvette as marque of the year but there are many other groups as well. You see all manner of operations from low buck open trailers behind a pickup truck to stackers behind a diesel bus. Guy next to us, at the campground Sunday night, was from Michigan with an MGA. He towed 9 hours to attend and did well winning the all MG race. I was told the entrance fee, for the weekend, is $650. There is NO purse. You get a trophy and a picture in the winners circle. They are all there for the fun of competing and track time.

Amazing that we are only three weeks away from what I believe is supposed to be the pumkin race and nothing on their website about it, maybe they are having second thoughts about it.

Congrats Wayne on your new found TV fame. You have proven once again you got a face for radio!!

Nice to see and hear the track doing some local advertising. They may want to consider not waiting until the end of the season next year.

Can someone put the Great Pumpkin Race flyer on the website or on DRR for those of us who cant read the blurry version on Ken's and Wayne's FB pages....I am getting old and need to blow it up to 300%....come on and help an old guy out....it is the biggest race of the year, right?

only age 50 and younger are allowed to race that event anyways jim cause it'll be 975 feet this year and we cant see 1320 feet or 660 feet. sorry bi focals dont help i tried them.

975' ? what happened to the other 25'?
I was wondering the same about flier Wayne sent me but I will be in Norwalk for the Classic that sunday and working saturday so it is irrelevent to me.

saw a post that said it was going to be 1/8 mile this year....guess they gave up on 1000' given they always have to finish the event as 1/8 mile.

I will be at Norwalk on Sunday, not sure whether this race will fit into my schedule prior to going there. We will see.