Let me first start by saying I'm not a "participation" guy and I've always went to races in which I felt I could win on any given day.

But with today's higher entry fees I'd be lying if I said I don't look at round money. That's what keeps the train rolling down the tracks.

Something I've noticed lately is that the round money keeps getting cut on a lot of the long running races.

It seems like the day's of winning 3rd round get's your single day entry back or even your buy back at some races.

I hate seeing this as that's what keeps 90% of the guys who attend continuing to be able to attend.

Just an observation. What are your thoughts?

SL...

I have said this many times. But I think the draw is the winning amount. But I will not attend a race that only pays back say 16 places. While yes I go into every event with the mind set that I'm going to win lets be real. There is only one winner. SO I do look at round money because at any given time you can be taken out early. I would rather have a lower top prize and better round money personally.

It went to Norwalk for Labor Day weekend. 40 Grand Nationals #nosplitnationals.

I'm like you Scott.. I like my rd money. If I can get to the pay rounds a couple days and cover on a long weekend great. Do any better than that and its just gravy. I don't race to get rich, I do well enough with my day job. I race because I don't really have any other hobbies.

Racers are not very smart. They look at the winners paycheck and then the entry. If the middle looks like **** we always can make an excuse for it... close to home, like that track, friends going etc.

Kurt Harrington

quote:

Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
Something I've noticed lately is that the round money keeps getting cut on a lot of the long running races.

Could you be specific and name these races that you observe this at?

I've noticed that as well. That being said, I've got big money event flyers going back to 2005, as I've done the design work for tons of them. It's extraordinarily rare that any of them had round money that covered the single day entry fee. It's more the case that at the good races, third round win on one day would cover 1/3 of the Weekend Entry (or cover what would be that day's discounted entry rate). Many haven't even done that, so I don't think you can call that a new phenomenon. It *is* getting more top-heavy at a lot of events, though. Since most big money races are structured around a 3-day event with some sort of discounted weekend entry rate, what I look at is "what do I have to accomplish to pay for my weekend entry?"

There are now some races where you need to make it to the 6th round just to (hopefully) pay for ONE day's entry fee. It's getting to the point with some races that if you don't make the split, you will lose your butt. At our 5/10/5 Virginia races, if you make it to the 6th round on any one day, you've more than paid for your entire 3-day weekend entry. If you win 3rd round each day, you've done it as well. At out 10/20/10 Piedmont specialty events, if you just win 4th round in Saturday's main event, you've won more than the entire 3-day weekend entry! That's a smokin' hot deal, and those are my favorite events -- and our customers' favorite events as well!

I've always said, I need you (the racer) to be able to win enough money to pay for a big chunk of your expenses, so that you can afford to go race somewhere else next week, the week after that, and maybe run another event with us a few months down the road. The sport NEEDS to be sustainable. If I take every dime out of your pocket that you've saved for MONTHS, and you don't get much back, nobody's going to see you at the track again for a long time, and that's not good for the sport.

They seem to only be concerned about the TOP PRIZE and that’s it...who can be the first and pay the most but just on the TOP....knowing good and well EVERY big payout will get chopped up.....much rather see a race where no CHOPPING would be needed...WHOMP OUT....

MY MILLION.....250,000W..150,000RUP...100,000semis...50,000quarters.....25,0000....

I like it WHOMP...

Reality is 1.1 million to win... 3k RU. Slight drop off there. All It takes is one a**hole to not cut and you got a mess on your hands.

Why not just post the total purse to win and say yall cut it up when you feel the need. That is basically where we are at now.


Kurt Harrington

Thanks MB. To clarify I said "single day" entry but I guess what I was meaning was basically 1/3 or 1/2 or 1/4th of the entry based on how many days. Hopefully ya'll get my drift.

I remember Fuqua telling me as one of the first racers to put on a main stream type race that he felt when you got paid it should at least be enough to cover either the buy back or the day's entry which made a lot of sense. Doesn't come across as an insult. Just his opinion.

SL...

I also understand you can't payout the "farm" with low entry fees and top heavy purses, but there has to be some balance and there is that with a lot of races.

I just know when ya put 30 or so laps on a car for a weekend, you should be able to cover the tab without making the split.

I agree that round money is important, and the first thing I look at on a flyer is where I need to get to recoup the entry. 3rd-4th round is generally what I like to see, but there are variables.

If the entry is really cheap relative to the winning purse, I'll be more accepting of less round money. The price of the buyback and how many rounds to recoup that is another factor.

I haven't been tempted to attend any of the really high-dollar stuff because I'm risk-averse and focus first on what I might be losing. I'm also my own worst enemy because I have two cars and would feel the need to enter both, which doubles the entries and buyback cash necessary.

There was a time that I'd attend every $5K+ race within 6 hours of me, but for the last couple years the local races have mostly been $2K to win with no buybacks and solid round money, so I've mostly done that.

quote:

Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
I just know when ya put 30 or so laps on a car for a weekend, you should be able to cover the tab without making the split.

You mean like THIS ?

Great pay structure, but VERY poor run field rules imho.

Racing a 6.40 door car I do not have a problem being on a ladder for the 7th and remaining rounds racing against a dragster. But being subject to racing against a dragster for the entire event is not what I race at. It’s bad enough having to race against many roadsters that are as fast as a dragster, have the same field of vision (open air) that run with the door car field.

BTW, although capped at 425, this event is still open for entry as of yesterday (8-19) morning.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:

quote:

Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
I just know when ya put 30 or so laps on a car for a weekend, you should be able to cover the tab without making the split.

You mean like THIS ?

Great pay structure, but VERY poor run field rules imho.

Racing a 6.40 door car I do not have a problem being on a ladder for the 7th and remaining rounds racing against a dragster. But being subject to racing against a dragster for the entire event is not what I race at. It’s bad enough having to race against many roadsters that are as fast as a dragster, have the same field of vision (open air) that run with the door car field.

BTW, although capped at 425, this event is still open for entry as of yesterday (8-19) morning.

Too bad i have other plans. I would attend that race.

I favor decent payout across the board vs top heavy events.

That aside putting on an event, even a small one in the scheme of things, takes so much more planning and foresight than it would seem. As I am putting together my first junior race things that I did not even think about seem to pop up too often. I knew it wouldn't be easy but its interesting to see the sport from the other side of the coin for a change.

At this point, to me, the only big money races around here worth running are the Loose Rocker races. I know one local track that only pays back 16 spots for a points race. $100 entry, 5 grand to win sounds good until you realize you have to get to 8 cars to get your entry fee back. That has ZERO appeal to me.

We were there this past weekend---you are a little off on the purse but 8 cars was it. But you forgot that the purse gets cut if the impossible minimum is not met and 2 rounds of buy backs. But for me I knew the deal and I had a good time

Haven't we talked about this many times? And there is always someone who insists that everyone who doesn't want to race top heavy is a pu22y?
I have said for years, give me some decent round money and it's a lot more fun racing.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Beard:
I've always said, I need you (the racer) to be able to win enough money to pay for a big chunk of your expenses, so that you can afford to go race somewhere else next week, the week after that, and maybe run another event with us a few months down the road. The sport NEEDS to be sustainable. If I take every dime out of your pocket that you've saved for MONTHS, and you don't get much back, nobody's going to see you at the track again for a long time, and that's not good for the sport.

Really? I said as much a month ago and you didn't seem to agree with that idea then. (although I give Kudos to you and Anthony for moving coin down to the early rounds when you can)

I think with any race the top 25% of the racers should at least break even and that means paying lower down.

Even on local races I always look at the payout to see if it is fair. If I do not think it is then I consider other races.

quote:

Originally posted by chasracer:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Beard:
I've always said, I need you (the racer) to be able to win enough money to pay for a big chunk of your expenses, so that you can afford to go race somewhere else next week, the week after that, and maybe run another event with us a few months down the road. The sport NEEDS to be sustainable. If I take every dime out of your pocket that you've saved for MONTHS, and you don't get much back, nobody's going to see you at the track again for a long time, and that's not good for the sport.

Really? I said as much a month ago and you didn't seem to agree with that idea then. (although I give Kudos to you and Anthony for moving coin down to the early rounds when you can)

HUH? There must be some misunderstanding, because I've been consistently saying the same thing for YEARS, which you can find documented here on DRR, on Facebook, as well as in podcast interviews, etc., and we've walked the walk with our events as well.