Just when you thought Big Bucks Bracket Racing couldn’t get any bigger, along comes 2019 and what I’d say will be Massive Money Bracket Racing!

With the latest announcements from Bracket Races, LLC’s Seipel & Biondo this past weekend to go along with SFG Promotions’ Inaugural SFG500 and the already very stout Original MILLION Dollar Bracket Race and the Vegas Spring Fling Million, the total 1st Place Money will likely exceed 1.5 Million Dollars in 2019 for just 4 days of racing!

Prior to this year the largest single event Winner’s Purse was $365,000 at the Original MILLION in 2016 where Jeff Verdy scored his remarkable 2nd Million Dollar format win after his previous $270,000 victory in Vegas at the Spring Fling Million just 6 months earlier.

Flash back to 2015 and there was only 1 feature race that even paid over $100k and that was the original MILLION. Along with that there were 3) $50k to win featured races – Mid Michigan Motorplex’s Original $50 Grander on Saturday and the $50,000 Saturday at the Great American Bracket Race. Also, there was the $50,000 Ultimate 64, which was limited to 64 cars.

Now from time to time there were other Big Money Shootout’s like the Ultimate Gambler in Vegas and SGMP’s Saturday Night Big Money Event but for the most part these rarely approached the levels we are talking about.

For DragRaceResults.com this is a very exciting time to be able to bring racers information about such Massive races. The customer demand from the racers seems to be supporting these types of races right now and as a racer myself I’m glad there are other racers out there like myself to support and keep it growing. It’s also nice to see the promoters putting in such hard work to bring the racers these types of events across the country.

Racers, along with all the new races and promoters that have come to surface in 2018, your 2019 season should be filled with many options for elite events all across the country. Plan now to have your race cars and tow rigs ready to do battle from all 4 corners of the United States.

Where there once was 1 life changing race in the country for nearly 20 years, 2019 will surely bring at least 4 to the bracket racing world. For now on at least, heck it’s only September!

And some say bracket racing is on the decline?

What a level of competition for all involved and we are seeing all types of cars winning with people of all ages!

Very good time to be involved in bracket racing with ginormous pay days involved!

Next year is going to be amazing. Not one but two 500k to win races. I’m getting my new car done just in time. Who’s going to try and top what SFG and the spring fling are doing? This year has been awesome to watch and I can’t wait to be a part of what next year has instore. To all of the promoters keep up the great work.

I just wonder where are these massive money bracket racing going in the future?



Could this go to a guaranteed ONE MILLION in the coming years? Where is the ceiling for pay outs and entry fees... I guess we will find out in the coming years....A friend who runs these believes the largest field at the million was 335 so these new $500,000 are going to need a few more entries or have some huge sponsorship. Who said bracket racing is on the decline , looks very health to me....

quote:

Originally posted by J178RED:
Could this go to a guaranteed ONE MILLION in the coming years? Where is the ceiling for pay outs and entry fees... I guess we will find out in the coming years....A friend who runs these believes the largest field at the million was 335 so these new $500,000 are going to need a few more entries or have some huge sponsorship. Who said bracket racing is on the decline , looks very health to me....

Big money bracket races seem to be doing really well, but I think the big picture for bracket racing overall is declining. I would guess probably 60-70% of the crowds at these big events are the same faces, and that's great for those particular races but that isn't enough to sustain the whole industry. With the exception of a few tracks, the days of getting 100+ cars for their regular weekly program seem to be long gone and although there seems to be a whole bunch of really big events, is that going to be enough to sustain the tracks and the parts manufacturers? Lets say you wanted to just concentrate on the big races - you could stay busy every weekend going from track to track chasing big checks, but can the track survive on the 1 or 2 big races they host a year? Can a manufacturer stay in business catering to the few hundred "big money" racers without THOUSANDS of "little guys" wearing their stuff out every weekend? Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to argue and I am digging the current big money climate, but I'm skeptical if it means our sport is healthy in the long term! Just my thoughts....

Wait till the Democraps get back into office, that will be the end of most of it when the economy crashes again.

Just how many people can afford $1000+ entry fees multiple times a year? Right now there are obviously a good amount, how about a few years from now? How do these tracks stay open in the meantime when the weekly bracket racers stay home to save their money for the big pay day races?

Would love to see them keep rolling, but times change.........

I seriously doubt every single dragstrip in the country is basing their existence on a weekly bracket program. Palm beach has test and tunes twice a week down here now because it’s so popular and it’s paying the bills too. Along with other events. So don’t blame big money bracket racing on local track problems.

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Hammond:
I seriously doubt every single dragstrip in the country is basing their existence on a weekly bracket program. Palm beach has test and tunes twice a week down here now because it’s so popular and it’s paying the bills too. Along with other events. So don’t blame big money bracket racing on local track problems.

I'm not - I just don't think that the current health of the Big Bucks scene is an indicator that bracket racing in general is alive and well... Its like thinking Sears is doing well because you're happy with your Kenmore refrigerator!

I agree with Billy 100%

2019 is shaping up to be awesome for bracket racing. Just wish we could get some more in California....

On the smaller rack issue , which I was not posting about . Show me a track with a great track owner or manager that is not doing well ? Just like any business you got to work to make any program work. Car counts down here in the southwest deserts are slowly growing, because the managers are hard at work trying new things monthly. Good management is the key for any track to grow.... Yes if we have a big dump like in 2007-2008 we all will be in problem with cash flow but that's a whole different story...... just my 2 cents

as long as the economy continues this "run" (9 years now); bracket racing will continue growing.....BUT all indicators point to a recession in 2020

Good or bad, this "evolution" of bracket racing is not news. For the most part, I think most dragstrips in this area have moved on from bracket racing. There are other ways to keep a track operating without bracket racing, and that is just how it is. I do not see the big buck bracket racing as the main reason for local tracks turning in another direction. On the plus side, at least I can actually watch some bracket racing, online, now! If I can't necessarily participate, I can at least watch! Take care. Tom Worthington

No doubt that the mega money stuff is booming. Unfortunately the local scene is pretty sad here in the Midwest. Not much to choose from for us little guys. Points programs and payouts are very weak in my opinion. Little to choose from as far as decent payout races, (as in 5k area). As many tracks as I’m close too(100 miles of Indy) I have to drive far past that to get to the better races. Gonna have to start top bulb racing and going less I guess.

IMO its best thing to happen to drag racing.

On the cost to run deal.Is it more expensive? Yes in entry fees. Does it pay lot more per round won? Seems most you can be even if get 4th or 5th round,about same as local races here. I know one track that normally has 7 or 8 rds per weekend,mainly due to dbl buy backs. Pays 1000 bucks at best to win. So thats what 125 bucks per round to cover wear and teat and fuel. Most big money deals run same or maybe cpl more rounds and pay 10 or 20 times that. To me its pretty simple math.

Don't like cost take look at what a headsup class cost to run. I know 20 years ago on good weekends and winning we lost money every weekend. * runs to qualify and win in Top alcohol paid 8000 bucks. 1500 avg expenses and at roughly 1000 to 1500 per run cost wise we where in the whole when we won a race.

I know nobody got into racing to make money! How many got into it to see how fast you could go broke running car for net to nothing?

Not many on here as old as me and can remember racing BEFORE bracket racing came around or what caused it. Facts were, like the way it is going now, only the people with plenty of throw away money could afford to build the cars and afford the expense to race anymore. And it just did not pay. I have come to a race track and only 9 or 10 cars showed up. So tracks started booking in match racers--Top Fuel, Funny Cars, Pro Stock, etc just to stay alive and many didn't make it. Then Pappy Parker at Lions devised bracket racing. It has enjoyed a little over 50 years of success and has been slowly eaten alive by money be it parts, entry, buybacks, purse, or whatever. Just as before Money has removed it from so many and the ranks of those that participate in these races today are already starting to dwindle. When SFG started they would sell out in hours and now they are offering gate entry, 2 day entry, etc. Only so many can afford these races and when those racers are gone what then? I still don't understand how a track can't have, and make a profit, on an added purse race yet a promoter can rent the same track and make a profit using all the tracks assets. Lots of cars parked waiting for someone to motivate them to race again.

quote:

Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
Where there once was 1 life changing race in the country for nearly 20 years, 2019 will surely bring at least 4 to the bracket racing world. For now on at least, heck it’s only September!

Your interpretation of life changing (Event $$ to Win) and mine are completely different. To me, a race that pays $20k or more to win would make a big difference in where and when I’d be able to compete for the entire year and perhaps several years in the future if I were lucky enough to make the split or win.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
I still don't understand how a track can't have, and make a profit, on an added purse race yet a promoter can rent the same track and make a profit using all the tracks assets.

I think this is because there are track owners/operators and there are promoters, but no one seems to do both. All of the "must attend" races are put on by people who promote them and pack the track, but I can't really name a track that hosts a really big flyer-worthy event that promises a payout and really promotes it to the point where it piques your interest enough to fuel up the motorhome and head out. Not saying it never happens, just not the norm. It seems like most of the track owners slap an event on their website & schedule, MAYBE a Facebook post, unlock the gate and hope for the best. Peter & Kyle obviously put on a great race and have their reputation as awesome racers working for them, but are they doing anything that Bristol or Galot couldn't do themselves?

Peter & Kyle obviously put on a great race and have their reputation as awesome racers working for them, but are they doing anything that Bristol or Galot couldn't do themselves?[/QUOTE]

Well they have proved for going into 10 years they pack the house...Have yet to see Bristol, Galot or Vegas pack the house for a big money bracket race at the level of attendance Peter and Kyle bring to these venues.

Most importantly, these track would not book these races with Peter and Kyle if they could do it better themselves...for many years to boot.

I have also raced with SFG...these guys are doing a great job as well and the tracks keep booking with them as well.

Just an observation.

These Big money races are growing bracket racing to levels of money that has never been seen before with frequency...Big $ is not hurting bracket racing...again just another observation.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Not many on here as old as me and can remember racing BEFORE bracket racing came around or what caused it. Facts were, like the way it is going now, only the people with plenty of throw away money could afford to build the cars and afford the expense to race anymore. And it just did not pay. I have come to a race track and only 9 or 10 cars showed up. So tracks started booking in match racers--Top Fuel, Funny Cars, Pro Stock, etc just to stay alive and many didn't make it. Then Pappy Parker at Lions devised bracket racing. It has enjoyed a little over 50 years of success and has been slowly eaten alive by money be it parts, entry, buybacks, purse, or whatever. Just as before Money has removed it from so many and the ranks of those that participate in these races today are already starting to dwindle. When SFG started they would sell out in hours and now they are offering gate entry, 2 day entry, etc. Only so many can afford these races and when those racers are gone what then? I still don't understand how a track can't have, and make a profit, on an added purse race yet a promoter can rent the same track and make a profit using all the tracks assets. Lots of cars parked waiting for someone to motivate them to race again.

You are completely wrong about the SFG races. All of their races have sold out in the past except for maybe two and one of those was canceled and moved to a different track due to weather. He just put a cap on the SFG 500 at 600 cars. Which I bet will be sold out. The reason he didn’t sell out the other races was because he let a few people stay on the pre entry list without paying and then a few didn’t show up. And even when they do allow gate entries those races are at or very near capacity.