quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
It is a BRACKET RACE, as long as you put a dial on it I do not care what color the car is, Big block or small block, if it is a door car, altered, roadster or dragster. Really does not matter much ET as long as you put that dial on there.

Back to original subject I think the Index racing is better for spectators so if you can run one of those on a bracket racing night could bring in more spectators. Which lets be honest we need more spectators.

1. Heads up all out racing Top Fuel or No Prep what ever will bring in more spectators.
2. Index racing is somewhat spectator friendly.
3. Bracket racing is not that great a spectator sport.
4. Throttle stop racing, watching paint dry and grass grow is a better spectator sport. Quickest way to empty 90% of the people in the stands and get them to go to concession stand.

I do not mean that as an insult I know some of best racers in the Country throttle stop race, they have killer reaction times and drive the finish line tough. What I am saying is from spectator side of it.

Exactly my point. Spectators will show up and fill the stands for nearly anything that is heads up/first to finish wins. Even with all the down time that heads up races generate, the spectators show up for them. You can see heads up races that only have four entries, paying $100 each entry fees, running for $2,000 or more (and that is without any b*ybacks).

I would like to see bracket racing tapping into that. The track operator makes money and the participants have a place to continue competing.

Bless your hearts to those small places that are having healthy bracket programs without that help, but I think those places have become more the exception than the rule. Take care. Tom Worthington

The best thing about bracket races on the same day with heads up races is they usually pay well. I know we have a race called The Throwdown in T Town here at my home track in the spring and fall. I can run 6.0 index and Footbrake. Pays $2000 for 6.0 and $750 for FB. I made both finals before it rained. We just split even on both and I made $1750.

Sept. 8-9th they have a 10.5 heads up race at our track and I'm going to go race a no-box .400 pro tree class they offer. That should be fun.

Diddly squat out here! Sonoma has a race Monday, been a while.. Testing both cars.
Sacramento is done after Governor’s Cup we hear. Lots of travel to race now.

Bracket racers also want to show up in a million dollar rig and complain about 50 dollars more in the entry fee than they think it should be.

If every bracket racer purchased an extra spectators ticket when coming into the track, I’m sure it sound help tracks want to put on bracket races. What’s the extra 20 bucks going to hurt you in the grand scheme of things on your cost for the race weekend? 100 racers doing it would help the track I’m sure

quote:

Originally posted by racerdude2054:
Bracket racers also want to show up in a million dollar rig and complain about 50 dollars more in the entry fee than they think it should be.

If every bracket racer purchased an extra spectators ticket when coming into the track, I’m sure it sound help tracks want to put on bracket races. What’s the extra 20 bucks going to hurt you in the grand scheme of things on your cost for the race weekend? 100 racers doing it would help the track I’m sure

You have lost your mind. I race 20-25 weekends a year. That'd cost me an extra $400-500. That's a lot of money. I'm all for making it financially feasible for tracks to operate, but not charity. As I've stated, I'm happy to run with other classes that can help bring in more spectators and I understand when I go to those events that it's not all about me. Besides, I don't know who the hell you race with with a half million dollar rig but I've got a 20 year old truck and a clapped out open trailer. That extra $20 you want to take from me every week is half my gas money.

All these racetracks around here and only 1 racing. And what a deal that is.

My observation is the same as Tom’s in that a track can’t make it with a bracket program only.

My home track, Lebanon Valley, offers lots of different events and has really expanded them over the last few years and it seems like that’s what tracks need to do to survive. They’ve been hosting no time events both prepped and no prep. Night of fire (jet cars, funny cars, etc) is a big hit every year. Fall and spring muscle car shows (and race) do well. Import faceoff events. Gamblers race series, different club races, pro dial events, just about weekly Friday night track rentals from different clubs. They even started doing drifting events in the pits on many Friday afternoons. These events are rain or shine and often get 50 cars there that pay $80 to drift and $15 for spectators. Not many employees are needed to run them and it’s all profit, no payout, plus concession stand.

They’ve even been hosting mud truck events in the “back field” and have gotten some large turnouts. This is in addition to the circle track that runs weekly and has its own special events like monster trucks, eve of destruction, etc. Basically there is something going on all the time and they’re creative with trying new things.

On the bracket side there are often 250+ cars on the property for a Sunday bracket race. Pro and Super are almost always seven round races which means there are 65+ cars in the class. It appears as though the bracket program is doing just fine but as we know there are limited spectators for bracket events so the real money comes from the special events when the front gate is packed and concession stand lines are long.

quote:

Originally posted by Nim Rod:

quote:

Originally posted by racerdude2054:
Bracket racers also want to show up in a million dollar rig and complain about 50 dollars more in the entry fee than they think it should be.

If every bracket racer purchased an extra spectators ticket when coming into the track, I’m sure it sound help tracks want to put on bracket races. What’s the extra 20 bucks going to hurt you in the grand scheme of things on your cost for the race weekend? 100 racers doing it would help the track I’m sure

You have lost your mind. I race 20-25 weekends a year. That'd cost me an extra $400-500. That's a lot of money. I'm all for making it financially feasible for tracks to operate, but not charity. As I've stated, I'm happy to run with other classes that can help bring in more spectators and I understand when I go to those events that it's not all about me. Besides, I don't know who the hell you race with with a half million dollar rig but I've got a 20 year old truck and a clapped out open trailer. That extra $20 you want to take from me every week is half my gas money.

If you can’t afford 500 dollars in “tip money” in a year for your local track then you may not need to race at all

quote:

Originally posted by racerdude2054:

If you can’t afford 500 dollars in “tip money” in a year for your local track then you may not need to race at all

I can't speak for anyone else, but I already know that I can't afford to race. That is why I run brackets instead. $500 goes a long way toward paying for my yearly bracket expenditures. Take care. Tom Worthington

Most of the successful tracks I know of run Back half racing one week, Do brackets and Index another week, Test and tune, Pro Mods, No Prep / Ghetto racing and the key there is variety so they are not just running one deal every week while eliminating the others.

You race what ever you want and can afford. While I do not make much money I have been blessed to be able to make a little more than it costs me every year. At least for 10 of the last 11 years.

While I do not enjoy the big money races for many that is what they like. You run what ever you like.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
At small and/or local tracks, I am seeing fewer and fewer bracket race dates/events. I am also seeing more and more heads up type dates/events. It makes sense. The bracket events draw little or no spectators and the heads up events draw BIG crowds (so much for the theory that there is simply no interest in drag racing).

Many of the heads up events also have a gambler's bracket at the same time. This also makes a lot of sense, because while they draw a spectator crowd, there is plenty of downtime without the bracket racers. I would like to see more of these events where both types of competition take place at the same time, on the same track. And not just a gambler's bracket race, maybe something a little bit more structured for the bracket racers.

I see it as a possible way to keep brackets alive at local/small tracks. As things stand, it is looking like only a matter of time before brackets simply fade away through fewer of them on schedules every year, on the local level (in this area anyhow). Please discuss. Take care. Tom Worthington

Shadyside Dragway does exactly what you're talking about.

quote:

Originally posted by Brktracer:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
At small and/or local tracks, I am seeing fewer and fewer bracket race dates/events. I am also seeing more and more heads up type dates/events. It makes sense. The bracket events draw little or no spectators and the heads up events draw BIG crowds (so much for the theory that there is simply no interest in drag racing).

Many of the heads up events also have a gambler's bracket at the same time. This also makes a lot of sense, because while they draw a spectator crowd, there is plenty of downtime without the bracket racers. I would like to see more of these events where both types of competition take place at the same time, on the same track. And not just a gambler's bracket race, maybe something a little bit more structured for the bracket racers.

I see it as a possible way to keep brackets alive at local/small tracks. As things stand, it is looking like only a matter of time before brackets simply fade away through fewer of them on schedules every year, on the local level (in this area anyhow). Please discuss. Take care. Tom Worthington

Shadyside Dragway does exactly what you're talking about.

So are they doing Gambler's Races during their Heads Up events or is a true Bracket program being run with the Heads Up events? Is whatever they are doing working well for them? Are all or most of the parties involved happy with how it is working out? Thanks and take care. Tom Worthington

quote:

Originally posted by Nim Rod:

quote:

Originally posted by imakehp:
I guess I'm just stupid....I've always thought all you need to have fun drag-racing was to cut a light and run you dial/index....Doesn't matter to me if I open the door to get out or climb up and out out like a monkey...

Agreed. If you wanna drive a roadster, fine by me. But:
1.) it’s not a door car
2.) don’t pretend it is
3.) it doesn’t belong in a door slammer class

Bracket race it all you want tho, if that’s what tickles your pickle.

I don't presently own a roadster....I also don't own a "door" car at the moment....bUT I do own a dragster right now that I run in brackets....It doesn't matter to me what I'm racing...racing is racing...cut a light and run your number....If you get something out of whining about what a racecar looks like, have at it.....I don't care

quote:

Originally posted by imakehp:

quote:

Originally posted by Nim Rod:

quote:

Originally posted by imakehp:
I guess I'm just stupid....I've always thought all you need to have fun drag-racing was to cut a light and run you dial/index....Doesn't matter to me if I open the door to get out or climb up and out out like a monkey...

Agreed. If you wanna drive a roadster, fine by me. But:
1.) it’s not a door car
2.) don’t pretend it is
3.) it doesn’t belong in a door slammer class

Bracket race it all you want tho, if that’s what tickles your pickle.

I don't presently own a roadster....I also don't own a "door" car at the moment....bUT I do own a dragster right now that I run in brackets....It doesn't matter to me what I'm racing...racing is racing...cut a light and run your number....If you get something out of whining about what a racecar looks like, have at it.....I don't care

I don't understand what this dumbass comment seeks to achieve given that in the quote of mine you used I explicitly say that I don't care what you drive to bracket race. I am just opposed to allowing roadsters to race against door cars in a race where dragsters and altereds are separated from door cars. To me, roadsters do not equal and are not the same as door cars. That's all I'm saying.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:

quote:

Originally posted by racerdude2054:

If you can’t afford 500 dollars in “tip money” in a year for your local track then you may not need to race at all

I can't speak for anyone else, but I already know that I can't afford to race. That is why I run brackets instead. $500 goes a long way toward paying for my yearly bracket expenditures. Take care. Tom Worthington

Thank you Tom, at least there's one sensible person in this thread. Guy is trying to take $500 from me as a "tip tax." Bet he voted for Biden too. Besides, I'm willing to bet, knowing I race 20-25 weekends a year, that I'm supporting my local tracks more than racerdude is anyways. Maybe if I only made it out a few times a year it'd seem more reasonable to throw them a little extra dough. But making my weekly donation, they are getting plenty from me already, and I am perfectly fine with that.

Down here on the desert SW we only have two tracks , I used to race both plus all the super Street events. But lately I’ve been having more fun at the local track running team events a couple club events and only one big buck race here in Tucson adds up to 16to 20 races a year. Both tracks have outlaw races and also no prep races but my car is too slow to run at most those events .

The heat is on!


I just hope those tracks stay profitable for their owners so we down here in the desert can keep racong. Jim Hughes has been doing Monthly improvements for that I’m grateful and everyone races at the track is happy about. If you’re in the area stop by.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: J178RED,

I'd love to get out there sometime myself. Question for you: what's the air like out there this time of year? I assume it's pretty dry, but I bet it's thin too. what's corrected altitude typically?

Tom, Rico (Farmer's Union) has exactly what you are describing. The bracket class is the filler between rounds of heads-up racing and test-n-tune. Payout is extremely generous for the car minimum.

quote:

I'd love to get out there sometime myself. Question for you: what's the air like out there this time of year? I assume it's pretty dry, but I bet it's thin too. what's corrected altitude typically?

I looked up the D/A near Tuscon Dragway & it was 6600' with 34% humidity yesterday at 6pm.

man that sucks.