what can I 37 do to get more cars?

[SASPEEDRACER24]

Darin I completely understand. And I cant wait to see the shrimper here again soon too...

 

Marc

 

I will say that there was a comment made earlier that needs to stick. The back gate should not be relied on to pay for everything. You have to find a way to put butts in the seats to help pay for bills, improvements etc.

And see you friday, God willing, and if my wife lets me(j/k).

 

I can tell you that Ty has been working really hard to get outside sponsorships for the track... Seems every week there is someone new that they have signed up.

[F5RACING]

SIGNING UP SPONSORS ISNT EXACTLY HELPING CARS GET TO THE TRACK. TRACK IS DOING BETTER THAN THE DRIVERS OBVIOUSLY.

[NickHolt]

SIGNING UP SPONSORS ISNT EXACTLY HELPING CARS GET TO THE TRACK. TRACK IS DOING BETTER THAN THE DRIVERS OBVIOUSLY.

But obtaining sponsors for the track is helping to keep the track open.

 

These days there is no such thing as a guarantee that any track will be able to make ends meet financially. Tracks are having to scramble for every nickle, just like you and I do.

 

Nick

[sprintsrule]

I hope the track makes a boat load of money. Then I know I will have a place to race for a long time. Nothing worse than building a car for a track and then having the track go on hiatus or even close. Besides that, the more they can bring in the more they will forward to the purse.

[JohnnyT66]

Lots of folks are missing a MAJOR point...RACE TRACKS MAKE NO MONEY!!..I am talking the majority of a small weekend type track.The folks that get behind them do it for the love of the sport or future property investment..The folks that work at them do it for the LOVE of the game..When it looks good, everyone wants a piece.I can remember some going on here and saying that they would race for almost nothing.. Then they go on here and cry that they wont bring there car out because they need more purse..PLEASE...I have had some nice boats in my life,.They cost me more to play with with no return.. But its called enjoying my hobby..I can personally tell you that i saw the nights at HWY 16 when i worked there for JOE HORNE..I also know that I37 had nights it lost money... And the NEG. nights outran the POSITIVE nights.. plain and simple..And if you want to talk about how hard the work is at the track, i can give you my doctors number..While many dont see that side of it, Eric is seeing it first hand..The track is going in the right direction, but it does not take much to make it look bad... some have done a good job at that this season.. I hope that i37 will work with OWEN and his knowledge to get i37 going the right direction.. you can see what the car count is at STS..And a class needs to support its self..PURES and SPORT MODS so far have pulled there weight.. perhaps a bonus payout special for the PURES as a reward for the most cars would help... Then the other classes might work on there car counts.... frank t

[F5RACING]

I AGREE. I AM REDOING A CAR NOW AND IT IS ALMOST READY. THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF MY DREAMS. JUST WANT TO HAVE FAITH IN THE TRACK AND KNOW THAT EVERYONE IS TREATED EQUAL FROM SPECTATOR TO DRIVER TO OWNER. ALL OPPINIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THAT IS WHAT THIS GREAT COUNTRY WAS BUILT ON(DEMOCRACY). I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TRACK IS NUMBER ONE COCERN AND SHOULD BE OR THERE WILL BE NOWHERE CLOSE TO RACE. GREED IS ONE OF THE SEVEN SINS AND I JUST HOPE THAT IT DOESNT SWALLOW THE TRACK OR DRIVERS. THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A FUN FAMILY SPORT AND THAT IS WHY I AM GETTING INVOLVED IN IT.

[doninaustin]

Lots of folks are missing a MAJOR point...RACE TRACKS MAKE NO MONEY!!..I am talking the majority of a small weekend type track.The folks that get behind them do it for the love of the sport or future property investment..The folks that work at them do it for the LOVE of the game..When it looks good, everyone wants a piece.I can remember some going on here and saying that they would race for almost nothing.. Then they go on here and cry that they wont bring there car out because they need more purse..PLEASE...I have had some nice boats in my life,.They cost me more to play with with no return.. But its called enjoying my hobby..I can personally tell you that i saw the nights at HWY 16 when i worked there for JOE HORNE..I also know that I37 had nights it lost money... And the NEG. nights outran the POSITIVE nights.. plain and simple..And if you want to talk about how hard the work is at the track, i can give you my doctors number..While many dont see that side of it, Eric is seeing it first hand..The track is going in the right direction, but it does not take much to make it look bad... some have done a good job at that this season.. I hope that i37 will work with OWEN and his knowledge to get i37 going the right direction.. you can see what the car count is at STS..And a class needs to support its self..PURES and SPORT MODS so far have pulled there weight.. perhaps a bonus payout special for the PURES as a reward for the most cars would help... Then the other classes might work on there car counts.... frank t

 

Frank, it is my understanding that Pat Wilson at Texas Thunder makes a decent living from the track. It is NOT impossible. Unfortunately it is not common.

I certainly wish it was more common so I could feel good about building a car for a given track's rules over the off-season.

 

Don in Austin

[rebelracewriter]

Don, Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought Pat was involved with Kwik Kar Oil & Lube too?

[Nathan]

last I knew Pat owned the Kwik Kar oil and lubes in Killeen and he may own the new in Harker Heights

[doninaustin]

last I knew Pat owned the Kwik Kar oil and lubes in Killeen and he may own the new in Harker Heights

If so, I stand corrected! Not the first time!

 

Don in Austin

[JohnnyT66]

I,like many want to see it servive..And i know that the purse should not come from the back gate..But if you dont bring it in the spectators gate, you start taking money from the pit side,snack stands, or the bosses hand,or purses get cut..We know what that starts.!.It will just take time to prove that new blood is serious about the track..We all know that the tracks reputation left a bad taste in many hearts..But the biggest thing that hurts is the BASHING..And a select few have been GOOD at it..If treated right, perhaps they will continue on.. but if there is NO RESPECT to them, why should they work on our behalf??There are many things to make it a good show,DEMO DERBYS,CHAIN RACES,KIDS RIDS,the list goes on and on...But if the new leaders continue to not get thanks, only bashing,will they continue on??..frank t

[sprintsrule]

Frank makes an excellent point. If the track is not making any money but the owners and management are having a good time, they will continue working with us to make it better. If the track is not making money and all they hear is a bunch of whining so they can not enjoy themselves, why would they continue on? The owners and management are obviously making big improvements at the facility. They have learned from week one all the way through last race. The track surface is better and the organization at the track is better. Ask people who race there and they will tell you. Is everything going to be run exactly like everybody would like it to be? Hell no because we all do not even want the same things. No matter what the rules are, how they are enforced, what the surface is like or how the track is run there will be somebody not happy.

 

"What can I-37 do to get more cars?" - The track needs to keep doing what it is doing. I know of several cars being finished up that will help car count.

[Braunfels99]

I have been to every point race this season(as a fan/pit crew lately) and the last 3 weeks the track has been smooth. They are still paying the advertised purse. Bring your car out and lets hope the track continues to get better...And I agree with Frank, Owen's involvement has been a great help to the track. If the track keeps up with track prep, driver support , etc. the drivers will come, word will spread...The Gonzales's are great people. I-37 has the potential, heres to hoping they make it bigger and better. and the fan count has been good from what I have seen...

[texasprd]

If getting more spectators will perhaps lead to higher purses and thus more cars, they could try advertising in the La Vernia and Wilson County newspapers. Wilson County is basically an hour's drive from the track and has a rapidly growing population, but I see no advertising for the track in either paper. And, you never know when someone will come as a spectator, catch the bug, and build a car. It happens.

[Jamie]

Some one said something about Texana making it and my understanding is they race every other week to help with the cost of a weekly tow there. Good thinking to me. I-37 has just as much if not more potential than they do due to location.

 

I don't make a lot of money with my pictures but the one thing I have learned is you have to spend money to make money. It may be true that a very high percentage of tracks don't make money but there are some exceptions, Eldora, Lernerville, Williams Grove ect. What are they doing differently than us? Why are their stands full and not ours? All of those tracks have a great racing surface, which costs money to get and maintain, and have awsome lighting which also takes money to obtain.

 

Can anyone add any other tracks to this list. If so, what do they offer or have that we don't?

[Danielsen Motorsports]

All of those tracks also host major events that are not only hugh draws but they are televised with lots of sponsorship opportunities. WOO Sprints, WOO Late Models and big money Mod races draw so good that even if there local events loose at times they are so far ahead it doesnt affect them. They have been doing this for so long that those events simply get bigger and better because they are established. The upside is enormous but its takes a monster pocket book to even get it that position. Even the tracks in Houston do very well with the USMTS Mods and ASCS Sprints as those races are cash cows for them to help them on questionable weekends. Local attendance will not get it done.

[Jamie]

All of those tracks also host major events that are not only hugh draws but they are televised with lots of sponsorship opportunities. WOO Sprints, WOO Late Models and big money Mod races draw so good that even if there local events loose at times they are so far ahead it doesnt affect them. They have been doing this for so long that those events simply get bigger and better because they are established. The upside is enormous but its takes a monster pocket book to even get it that position. Even the tracks in Houston do very well with the USMTS Mods and ASCS Sprints as those races are cash cows for them to help them on questionable weekends. Local attendance will not get it done.

 

Now don't get me wrong, the new owners have put some money into their investment but they have only just scrapped the surface. Yes they bring in the big shows but there is a reason for that. The all still run weekly events to which I know 2 of them are very successful shows week in week out.

 

So again I say, what can the owners/drivers do to bring out the crowds? Remember, drivers have almost just as much to do with the attendance as the owners do.

[byproduct]

Just a idea.....

ONCE EVERY MONTH....

Give 2 free SPECTATOR passes to each driver, so they can pass them on.

No real lost revenue.

BUT, maybe those 2 freebies will bring along some other people and for sure bys concessions.

 

Could also do this same thing with sponsors.

 

Hopefully some of those freebies will turn into regulars.

 

Also, have a monthly random drawing, which includes every driver that ran that month, for a free tank of fuel, what ever flavor the car runs.

 

 

Every race, give every car a ticket for $5 of free FOUNTAIN DRINKS.

 

Your pit passes, or even spectator passes.... devise a reusable ticket system.... then entry purchase, punch a hole n their ticket... buy 5, get 1 free entry.

 

 

There are a truck load of lil things that really don't cost you anything, that you could do.

 

LOWER THE COST FOR KIDS UNDER DRIVERS AGE... BOTH SPECTATORS AND PITS.

Make it cheaper for the family.

 

Sale a discounted family pass!

 

Every 4th member free.

 

Season pass?

 

PREFERRED PARKING AREA. for the next week only. (hint & reward to come back soon)

Can do this for the races and the spectators.

 

In the surrounding areas towns, run a coupon in the papers.. discounted entry, concession discount... pot luck drawing.

 

Once a month open a lil earlier... have a "street" party.

 

Maybe monthly have a feature with increased purses.

Every 5th week?

6th?

 

 

Consession window where pit pass get priorty.. go to front the line

 

20% concession discounts for drivers, crews, family, etc... (pitpass)

(cars do list personnel don't they? send copy to concession stands)

 

Your making money off everything here, including off the cars, drivers and their people.

Thats fine.

Just doesn't need to be so much... give them some discounts.

 

MAKE EVERY CAR RUN YOUR TRACK DECAL in exchange for the discounts... bit like sponsoring.

 

Pass out cards or something, have each driver write their name on them, every entry that has that card gets $1 discount, every 1th card form a driver he gets a free admission.. or something to that effect.

that gives fans a discount, gives driver a possible savings and advertises for you too.

 

Heck give last place car (if didn't get purse money) , of each class, their entry fee back.

 

Some this may be to much, some may actually work, but you could surely modify to fit.

[NickHolt]

Take a look at your suggestions, byproduct. How many decrease the revenue to the track? How many increase the revenue to the race teams?

 

If I owned an ice cream shop, I bet I could fill my store up every day with customers if I gave ice cream away. But then how would I pay the wholesaler for my next batch of ice cream? Most of the tracks I am familiar with are paying for the "next batch" out of their own back pocket while loosing lots of money each time they open the gates.

 

I guess you suggestions would be great if the track owner is sitting on a big pot of gold to start with and could afford to take huge losses for a few years hoping that somewhere down the road it will all pay off. I don't suspect, though, that the I-37 owners are sitting on a pot of gold or have a money tree growing in their back yard.

 

Nick

[Harlin Covert]

I like the sticker idea. I always had one from HCR [aka mountain home rock pit] on my car,but I changed

back ends. I'll put one on our car. But first I have to put my tailpeice back on after this weekends battles.

 

People always ask where we race. Maybe they can read the sticker.

 

Harlin

[Danielsen Motorsports]

Somehow, someway you have to try to recreate the first two weeks with the car count numbers and fan numbers they had on those nights. If that can be gotten without breaking the bank then your show and entertainment needs to send the fans and drivers home being a night they wont forget and want to return the following week. Maybe a fan and driver appreciation night with plenty of time to set it up right and a strategic date with lots of ideas and input from everyone to see what sticks and what doesnt. We dont want nothing to happen to i37 either but its going to take something big to get a big push by everyone on the same night. If something like this was put together we would support it with several cars most likely.

 

Just an idea but you could let drivers in free that are racing if they have 4 or 5 pit crew members at the time the driver purchases his. This will inspire those drivers that come with 2 or 3 to bring a friend and at the same time saving the driver himself alittle money. The track should break even at the pite gate but will have more bodies in the pits for concession sales and whatnot. Just an idea, I am sure there is lots of others out there with better ones.