For an example of what I'm talking about check out Kentucky Dragway. https://www.facebook.com/claycityky
Only thing I think he's doing wrong is he doesn't promote his website the same.

To many events to count.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by David Covey:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:

Seriously? It's because a large percentage of today's bracket racers will only run for large guaranteed purses. Heck, they might never even get close to winning one of those purses, but that doesn't seem to be a factor. The same sort of logic keeps casinos drawing big crowds and raking in big bucks. Please tell me you already knew this. Take care. Tom Worthington

Sure seriously.. Did you not read Fern's statement? Same money, just track owner versus promoter (someone not affiliated with track).
What is to stop any track from promoting any race.
For years the local track to me held several 5000.00 races. Normal payouts were 1500.00
Then they quit promoting them and wondered why no one showed up.

Does every race have to be for a 100,000.00?

Dave

There is another key difference in the two examples Fern gave. One word: guaranteed Track operators don't have to risk actually taking a loss on a guaranteed bracket race purse when they would be guaranteed to make a tidy profit simply opening for test and tune on the same day...with no promotion required. How many track operators want to gamble, especially considering the thin profit margin they are likely to get anyway.

The track operator nearest to me has run a $20 entry/ no b*yback/ $1,000 purse bracket race (box and footbrake run together) for years now. He has never had a minimum car count requirement to pay the full purse. I've never seen more than 20 entries on any night. 20 x $20 =$400, so he lost money on them every time. However, he also always made money on those nights because test and tune ran also. A HUGE crowd of spectators always comes to watch that. $10 each times 1,000 spectators = $10,000. Don't ask me why he even bothered with the bracket racers, but I think it may have been because the spectators wanted to see a few ETs and MPHs posted on the boards, and the bracket racers were happy to oblige.

Unfortunately, he and his wife closed the gates during COVID and have never opened them since. It appears to me, after getting by without the hassle of running the track, they may now have closed up for good. Take care. Tom Worthington

I have been told MIR (Budds Creek) in MD is so packed at bracket races that parking is scarce. Darlington, SC is the same way, packed for the 2 day bracket races.
Another thing I have noticed is tracks don't even maintain their web page. I personally have missed races I would have attended because of this. Is it that hard??

Our local 1/8th mile track started a Friday night "Street Racers Night" that has been incredibly sucessfull both for the local novice racers and profitable for the track, they pack the place. The entry fee to run your car is $20 and $10 for spectators. If you want to enter a bracket race there is a small additional fee coupled with a modest purse structure. If you are looking for a million dollar purse this ain't the place. The money gained from the Friday night events will provide the funding to make significant track improvements, funding they would have never gotten from high pay out bracket racing.

Once upon a time the biggest issue was competing with many LA drag strips, here in Southern California that certainly is NOT a problem, not any more.

Bob

Tracks have began to rely to much on social media promotion for races. I recently had this discussion with the track manager at my local track bc they had a habit of only updating social media pages. I know allot of racers dont even have social media. so when the track would share stuff i tried to relay the info to everyone i knew that didnt have social media accounts but iIm sure the handful of people i told only made up a small percentage of the ones missing out due to not having a social media platform.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
I have been told MIR (Budds Creek) in MD is so packed at bracket races that parking is scarce. Darlington, SC is the same way, packed for the 2 day bracket races.
Another thing I have noticed is tracks don't even maintain their web page. I personally have missed races I would have attended because of this. Is it that hard??

quote:

Originally posted by Race King:
Tracks have began to rely to much on social media promotion for races. I recently had this discussion with the track manager at my local track bc they had a habit of only updating social media pages. I know allot of racers dont even have social media. so when the track would share stuff i tried to relay the info to everyone i knew that didnt have social media accounts but iIm sure the handful of people i told only made up a small percentage of the ones missing out due to not having a social media platform.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
I have been told MIR (Budds Creek) in MD is so packed at bracket races that parking is scarce. Darlington, SC is the same way, packed for the 2 day bracket races.
Another thing I have noticed is tracks don't even maintain their web page. I personally have missed races I would have attended because of this. Is it that hard??

Because you can reach 10 times more people on social media than you can on a webpage. All you have to do is follow the tracks you want information about.

Back in Super Pro bracket racing hey day when I raced, they never posted a schedule I knew of, didn't need to. Racing was every Friday night at Sunshine Drag Strip, no time for buy backs 100 Super Pro cars in the lanes, 41 weeks a year every Friday night.

Maybe they should all go back to that.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,

Mike that was the same back 50 or so years ago where I raced. We knew where we were going every Sat. Winning points meant going to the bracket finals and that meant something.

And as far as the track getting 10 times the hits on social media as on their web site, wonder which attracts the most racers that will actually show up? Every little bit helps.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Mike that was the same back 50 or so years ago where I raced. We knew where we were going every Sat. Winning points meant going to the bracket finals and that meant something.

And as far as the track getting 10 times the hits on social media as on their web site, wonder which attracts the most racers that will actually show up? Every little bit helps.

Paid $1300 to win in 1998, $700 r/u. $1300 in 1998 had $2200 purchasing power.

$2200 x 41 = $90,200

41 races x $30.00 entry = $1230

My track that I moved to close to 20+ years ago because I loved drag racing is now a frick*ing mess!
ATCO DRAGWAY
The owner is a piece of shift, he doesn't like racers in general. He tried to sell out to an auto auction.
The twp shut it down because of local opposition!


It's hard to support a track that you are banned from! He hated the regulars that were there every weekend/ week night.
I never asked for anything for for free.

The owner is just an assh0le! Owning a funny car doesn't make you capable of owning a dragstrip.

Len Capone is an A55hole!

On another note, I do know there's a health issue, in the Capone family, so I wish the best for there health.

quote:

Originally posted by M120:
My track that I moved to close to 20+ years ago because I loved drag racing is now a ****ing mess!
ATCO DRAGWAY
The owner is a piece of shift, he doesn't like racers in general. He tried to sell out to an auto auction.
The twp shut it down because of local opposition!


It's hard to support a track that you are banned from! He hated the regulars that were there every weekend/ week night.
I never asked for anything for for free.

The owner is just an *******! Owning a funny car doesn't make you capable of owning a dragstrip.

Len Capone is an *******!

On another note, I do know there's a health issue, in the Capone family, so I wish the best for there health.

Move to Orlando! Being banned from Bradenton was the best thing that ever happened!!

Orlando is the cleanest, nicest, friendliest, most organized, professionally run track I've been, ever!!

It's immaculate, smoothest track you'll ever go down.

Being banned from ATCO will be the best thing that ever happened to you too!!

Move to Orlando!

Mike in about 1970 I drove all the way from Baltimore to Salem Ohio to what at that time was the highest paying race I had ever been to. It payed $2000 to win. At the time at home we were racing for $300 but we were there every Sat. No buy backs no double entries and you could not change your dial in for the whole race. Times have changed.

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Mike in about 1970 I drove all the way from Baltimore to Salem Ohio to what at that time was the highest paying race I had ever been to. It payed $2000 to win. At the time at home we were racing for $300 but we were there every Sat. No buy backs no double entries and you could not change your dial in for the whole race. Times have changed.

You're racing for $2285 in 1970. $300 had $2285 dollars purchasing power in 1970.

Mike my 65 GTO cost $2950 in Nov 1964. 2 years later I got a 66 442 Olds for $2950. While in the Marines in 1960 I got a new Ford for less than $2000. I also back in the early 60s worked for $1.25 an hour

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
I have been told MIR (Budds Creek) in MD is so packed at bracket races that parking is scarce. Darlington, SC is the same way, packed for the 2 day bracket races.
Another thing I have noticed is tracks don't even maintain their web page. I personally have missed races I would have attended because of this. Is it that hard??

Facebook is free and you can do it all from your phone. If you look at some tracks web pages they rarely get updated.

Iconic Super Pro bracket bracket racing Texas Raceway up in smoke. Just saw this on FB.

Sunshine Dragstrip is registered with Library of Congress as a historic landmark.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
I have been told MIR (Budds Creek) in MD is so packed at bracket races that parking is scarce. Darlington, SC is the same way, packed for the 2 day bracket races.
Another thing I have noticed is tracks don't even maintain their web page. I personally have missed races I would have attended because of this. Is it that hard??

Facebook is free and you can do it all from your phone. If you look at some tracks web pages they rarely get updated.

So we are saying everyone needs to have Facebook? Like a utility more or less?

MG had a car count of 397 last Saturday. Had the normal weekly classes plus pro dial and the dot 90 cars.

quote:

Originally posted by Bucky:

quote:

Originally posted by Eman:

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
I have been told MIR (Budds Creek) in MD is so packed at bracket races that parking is scarce. Darlington, SC is the same way, packed for the 2 day bracket races.
Another thing I have noticed is tracks don't even maintain their web page. I personally have missed races I would have attended because of this. Is it that hard??

Facebook is free and you can do it all from your phone. If you look at some tracks web pages they rarely get updated.

So we are saying everyone needs to have Facebook? Like a utility more or less?

I guess if you want the info that's where it's at. You don't have to "have" FB unless you want the information. Most tracks don't answer the phone or have any info on their recording. I guess I could drive 100 mi. to the track and find out they cancelled or I can look at FB.

I think most of us all want to support our local tracks, but like said by a couple others, its a two way street as we are the customer. Our local track has slowly over the last couple years went out of their way to try and push the local bracket racers away. For the last few years they continue to raise entry fee's and reduce payouts to the point it is getting hard to justify going there. It's no secret they would like to do away with the program, but it is ashame as 3-4 years ago, they had the program going in a good direction. This year they got creative with their fancy flyer for the program, which is even posted on the front page here and the initial look of it, you think it doesn't look bad. What most don't realize though, is that there is no guaranteed payout for it, just a guaranteed winners purse. There have been a couple races this year where you raced 6-7 rounds and it paid 1st place only! Nobody wants their local track to die, but its no different than any other business in America, if you don't want your customers and treat them like that, they will go elsewhere.