Small purses, Small crowds, small fields

[Lucky161]

giveing out tickets helps alittle ... BUT IF A TRACK IS GOING TO DO THAT ..MAY ASWELL LOWER THE GATE TO 4 OR 5 DALLORS .. OR EVEN LOWER FOR A MONTH OR SO ..JUST UNDER WHAT IT COST TO GO TO A PICTURE SHOW ..MAY GET SOME OUT THAT WAY ..AND IF YOU GET MORE THEN YOU ATLIEAST MAKE IT UP ON FANS IN THE STAND ... MAY HAVE TO GET WITH THE DRIVERS AND MAKE SOME DEAL WITH ALITTLE LOWER PURSE ... MAY BALLANCE OUT . BETTER ..OR ONCE A MONTH 3 DALLOR GATE FOR A SHORT ..IF YOU FELL TOGET POEPLE IN THE STANDS .THEN NOMATTER WHAT YOU DO .IT WONT HELP ..

 

Case in point. In Lubbock there was a great paved track. 3/8 mile and wide, moderate banking. They had been plagued with rainouts the previous year and the promoter, a drag racer, buddy of Kenny Bernstien's had tried to really raise the bar, but the rainouts just killed him. He sold the track to a former racer, famous in the area. Stands held around 2000 and in previous years they were full every week. Good car counts until the rainy year. Over 20 late models regularly. Only about a dozen sprints, but Bobby Marshall from Dallas came out regularly. Winged sprints on pavement are awesome! Street stock fields? Back of the field would be going into turn 3 when the front of the pack got the green. A few miles away a couple of brothers built a small dirt track. Not much of a track, low car counts, but it was new. Stands held about 200 people. One night at the dirt track the owner of the paved track mentioned to me how full the stands were. I said sure they were full but there were not nearly as many people there as came to the paved track. But the impression was made. His stands weren't full and their's were. A month later there was no more paved track. Just one dirt track where the paved track had once been and an idle dirt track. Did they cover the pavement with dirt so they could revert back to pavement if the dirt didn't work out? Nope, they plowed up the pavement first to eliminate that option.

The new owners came to our association meeting and told us they had the records of the track going back to the years when the stands were full. They said they were going to do all the same things as the previous operators had done, except instead of charging $2 admission, they were going to charge $4. They had missed the entire point.

Until the stands are full, I don't see how anyone can consider raising the admission prices. It's called supply and demand. And unless you've run out of room to build more stands, why go up on the prices when you can just get more customers and not raise prices?

 

 

Dirt isn't cheaper. I was under that impression till I turned to the dark side and went pavement racing. My cost dropped by a significant amount. Thats been one of the things that I've told all my dirt buddies when I talk to them. They are as surprised as I was. Upon hearing that a good number reply maybe I'll give it a try. I think that myth holds back a lot of dirt guys from giving it a try. Now it may not have always been that way but that is my experience so far.

 

I only ran on pavement, so I don't have personal experience. But my friends that ran both dirt and pavement mostly agreed that pavement was actually cheaper to run and much easier to maintain the cars. I am sure there are those with contrary experiences, but that is what they told me. I still say the track surface is not the key, car counts are.

[firemdk]

I believe that ticket giveaway and ticket promotion are two different things. You can give something to someone and make them feel that they have gotten a very valuable item that makes them want to use it. We need to get some of the radio stations to have some ticket promotions and give the tickets to their callers. These people fight for these tickets and after taking the time to hit the redial button 10 times their going to go and see what ever it is they won the tickets for. They have all of the sudden put some value in the ticket. If I get 10 tickets in the mail to an event that I'm not sure what it is and I've never heard anything about it, I'm going to be skeptical about the event and wasting my time to attend. We need to put some value on these tickets and goto the radio stations, TV stations, grocery stores and offer them to customers with the purchase of a certain product to help the store promote their products. There are many ways to promote a ticket as a valuable item not just as a seat in the stands that we can't fill.

[jumbo]

I ran a SS and then a mod on dirt. Took the same mod to pavement with a few changes.I bought 4 new tires to start the season. Half way through the season I bought 3 more which gave me 3 usable spares. On dirt your always bending an swedge tube , shock,tire,wheel or something. Now if you buy a set of tires every race all bets are off.If that is the case maybe that class needs to look at a smart tire rule cause that could be a big stopper. I have found in my case it was cheaper.

[97car]

Since almost everyone says that the free tickets do not work, Devils Bowl has been doing that promotion for over 10 years now. Maybe the promoters are loosing too much money by not running their own concession stands. Another issue is too many of the same class type cars without enough difference to be worthy of a seperate class, this dilutes the car counts for each class and the payout as well as the track profit.

[Brad]

Who is or has sponsored the Devil's Bowl?...recently?

[HiTech]

paved track.... dirt track ..cost either way you go aboult it ...just depends on where you want to finish /// on tires dirt verses paved ..all depends on your set up ..how fast you run .your driveing style ..the track condition plays into affect ..more on dirt ..if it dries to much you.ll burn more tires up .paved if its ruff ..and hot .you.ll burn more tires ..evens out ..pave you dont whear out the suspention as much ..but i find it. s harder on motors .imop ...dirt you probably spend more on racen fuel ..that some of the dirt guys can answer.

[97car]

Exactly Brad, I know it has been a while since I have been there,but I don't recall a bunch of billboards for advertising ever being there, he relies on getting butts in the stands and tells the drivers that they are here for the spectators,without them you will not be here.

[rebelracewriter]

dirt racers make an excuse to race, asphault racers make an excuse how to not go racing!!!!

LMAO @ Stoney.......and just where did you get that quote from?

 

Lanny, Bev and Lanny Ross have been doing things THIER way for years and years, Brad. Quite successfully I might add!! Funny thing, every year I hear how the airport is planning to take over the land Devil's Bowl is on.........yet it never happens.

[jumbo]

I never heard the speech about the fans. I did hear the one about he could pay in watermelons and we'd still come race there.

[Lucky161]

I didn't but here's some excerpts and comments from posters at the Super Dave website:

Wind Tunnel/Tom Curley=Refreshing

Posted on 6/5/2007 at 14:39:39 by SuperDave

 

Tom Curley the promoter from Barre VT. Thunder Road Speedway was on Wind Tunnel last Sunday. What a class guy and a past promoter of the year . He has been packing them in for many years and runs on Thursday night of all nights /days.

In case you missed it, you might want to catch the re-run. He says todays promoters have gotten lazy in their approach to modern day promoting.

He said something that they (promoters) thought that todays promoters would ride the coat tails of NASCAR and it just hasn't happened.

He is also an advocate of crate motors and rules to keep competitors equal. Along with motor rules you need shock rules and other high dollar items kept under control.

 

He said people want to see cars on the track that they can relate to.

 

As a Super Fan I can't agree with everything he said but maybe as a race fan he makes sense.

Whether you agree or disagree it was a refreshing segment and to see his track packed with race fans was a sight to behold. Note this is the comments of the fan, not Tom Curley's comments. When Carl said Super Fan, he means a fan of supermodifieds, not that he is a special fan, even though he is that too.

 

I don't know a thing about Barre Vt. maybe that is the only form of entertainment they have up there.

Anyway good show.

.................

I think that segment should be a must on every promoters list of things to view.

Maybe he will accept phone calls.

 

Oh by the way I put Barre Vt.in a search.

Believe it or not on the list of the local attractions is the Hope Cemetery and St. Monica Cemetery so maybe the race track does have a captive audience LOL!!!

 

 

SPEED 51 INTERVIEW:

 

Curley has never been accused of not thinking things through or being shy about stating his opinions. Earlier this week, he gave his thoughts on several topics heading into the ACT Late Model season. We rolled our tape recorder, and tried not to interrupt, as Curley discussed everything from Late Models to short track heroes to the Boston Red Sox

 

On short track heroes:

 

“One of the things in short track racing that we are lacking is that we have lost that hero status. 20 years ago, there were guys with reputations in different regions. It was 30 years ago when in Northern New England, we knew who the Richie Evans and the Jerry Cooks and the Ed Flemkes were. We knew who Bob Senneker, Mike Eddy, Mark Martin and Alan Kulwicki were. You could follow that and everyone knew on Monday who won in other parts of the country. Over the last 20 years, we’ve lost those regional heroes

 

Why that is the case…

 

“It was because of the rise of NASCAR and their dominance

 

On NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Racing…

 

“How much fun is it to watch a Cup race at Martinsville when you literally see everyone go around in a line? Where if someone is fast they whack a guy, go by and wait until you whack the next guy? Short track racing is supposed to be who can get around someone once in awhile.”

 

On parity and cheating…

 

“It’s not fun if you are complying with the rules to get beat by someone who you know isn’t. These things are so close that anything that you do to beat the system is going to give you a magnified edge. If you have a $40,000 racecar and a $40,000 motor, there’s a pretty wide margin [to hide in], when everyone is equal, it comes down to the drivers"

 

On too much parity…

 

“I do think that you can get it too cookie-cutter. I think that has been a knock on us and it has been a fair knock on us. If you give everybody the same cars, you are asking for a not-very-exciting format. We’ve almost gotten to that point. We’re close and we can’t restrict stuff any more. We need to leave it alone

 

On adjusting the rules to keep someone form winning too much…

 

 

“There is a tendency to want to do something if this guy or that guy goes and wins four races in a row. But you have to realize that it is because they are experienced drivers with experienced teams. Not because they have a better motor than everyone else. You have to let it go. That’s the way that it is. If you put more restrictions on them, so they can’t win four or five races a year, than you end up hurting the series"

 

On qualifying this weekend at Oxford…

 

 

“If we get 50 or 60 cars this weekend, we are going to send half of our cars home. There’s nothing wrong with that. It shocked and prepares people. It gives them that fire in the belly.”

_________________

[ProTree]

I watched the show when Curley was on.The reason he runs his track on Thursday was because most of the people in the area and town work in the granite industry and they get paid on Thursdays,so you get the people while they have $$$ in their pockets,Thursday, and they are looking to spend some of it.If the races were on Saturday,they wouldn't have extra $$$ to spend.I think he said he's had the track like 30 years.Was an interesting show to watch.

[Racer26]

dirt racers make an excuse to race, asphault racers make an excuse how to not go racing!!!!

LMAO @ Stoney.......and just where did you get that quote from?

 

Lanny, Bev and Lanny Ross have been doing things THIER way for years and years, Brad. Quite successfully I might add!! Funny thing, every year I hear how the airport is planning to take over the land Devil's Bowl is on.........yet it never happens.

 

Jay,

When dirt racers are rained out at there local track they find another track even if it's 150 miles away. We were running Friday at Tri City and Saturday at STS but now that's up in the air. Asphalt racers usually can't do that because there rules are all so far apart. That's where Sarge and his preaching IMCA comes in real handy. I'd rather wash my car twice a week and have racing that's not single file buts that's just my opinion. Motors don't cost any more, damage is the same and tire cost is WAY LESS. Otherwise COST is the SAME.

[TRACK ANNOUNCER]

This thread is with out a doubt a very interesting subject. I love these types of postings. Thanks to all that have added a comment or two. Here is my two cents worth.

 

EVERY major sporting event, including auto racing circuits from the bi leagues use free ticket programs to improve attendence at various events. In auto racing. You will see this program used for everything from time trials to featured events. I am a track announcer for Texas Motor Speedway. And I can tell you it is a MAJOR marketing tool for events and for the sport as a whole with NASCAR, Bush, IRL and many more. At the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track events. The majority of fan attendence was provided with free ticket admissions. Anyone see the fan count in the blistering cold for Pro Cuts World Dirt Track Championships this past March? Imagine if free tickets were not offered. Smart marketing, smart sponsorship programs and smart promotional efforts have made NASCAR what is is today. And the biggest tool used was free admission tickets that had been distributed wisely to the public.

 

Free admission programs has it's draw backs. But not doing such is also a major set back. What you end up with is small attendence numbers, lack of exposure and the entertainment buying public not having a clue that a raceway exist near them. Gee, this sounds like what we have today for many of our raceways does it not?

 

All other forms of entertainment offerings that compete with the racing industry and other forms of entertainment know up front that the first thing is to be ready for paying customers. The facilities must first be upgraded and made to be family friendly. This means a safe, clean and modern enviroment for fans of all ages. Having a entertianing show of racing activities is important also. Missing any of these and a few other attributes can tell you in a hurry that you are not ready for marketing and promoting your raceway. Even with free admission tickets. Because the first visit is always the most important with NEW fans. EVERYTHING must be up to excpectations of new fans. Unfortunately. Many race tracks in the USA are in bad shape and far from being ready to improve fan counts. I like the free admission promotional programs. But tracks need to take care of the ground work first before taking on this step.

 

Maybe I can post more later. But for now...I gotta go. Later!

 

Douglas Rollo

[thumper]

As far as giving away tickets,when I started racing in Houston years ago you would get 1 free general admission for i pit pass paid,Mainly this was for the wives because they did not allow women in the pits.Maybe a buy one get one free promotion might work so a person can take a friend or family member.Thing is if you have to give away your product theres something wrong with your product.Those early Houston days had no women in the pits because it was a rough for them.Every team had its bodygards and the racing was REAL and ROUGH.Crouds were large and the pits were full.Dont get caught looking under someone elses car or you would get a black eye.Spin someone out in a race and your guys better be at the track exit afterwords.I was a kid racing minis so I went unnoticed but I always had my kid buddies with me just in case.(not that we could have done anything anyway.)I always went to the track nervious but never missed a nite.My point is there was more to racing than running around in circles.It really was a team sport.This sold tickets and the violence was more preceved than real but occassionally it got real.The same reason the dirt tracks are enjoying more success all over the country,they have more and more spactular accidents.Cars flying,jumping wheels,multicar incidents especially in open wheel cars.Asphalt cars bump and slide and most contact is with the wall.Its the show that needs improvement,not the selling procedure.The tracks selling tickets have excitement of some kind.Nothing is more boaring than watching a bunch of people you dont know driving around in circles.

If I was a race director I would have at least one class with roll bars,nurf bars,and strong bumpers,not necessarly super fast cars to do battle for real.Spin the guy out,run him in the infield or wall,block etc like rollerball.Have some GOOD guys and some EVIL guys.I would also add a thrill show,2 wheel driving,jumps,rollover contests and maybe a figure 8.I love Sarges idea with the gauntlet race,I saw one on Speed.A mini bus and 5 mini stocks with the cars job to keep the bus from completing 5 laps.Even demo derbies are no longer facinating.Again what racing needs is a new look and added attractions,music,games and excitment.Forget about the race to win.MAKE A SHOW.

It doesnt matter what we all say or do the ultimate decision is with the track owners and too many of them are loaded in self pitty so badly they take it out on the few fateful that do show up regulary with the same old worn out excuse "we dont make any money" Tough.Get out there and do your job or hire it done and pay us what were worth.Hire an events promoter,not a racer and pay him commission.Then watch the stands fill up[.

[HiTech]

Now gb the old days your talking aboult was not for the races poeple came to see ..it was for the cheap but really good food ..better than any place today ..to many restrictions on how you make the food now days .......cheap beer ....... some good racen .for some ..but it was the fights that most poeple came out for ....i did .. figure 8 racen was fun to watch .... i agree on two wheel shows and and such .that makeS money for that week ...and if its what it takes to make money with those shows .try and do it once a month ..but cost is so high ....ALOT OF TRACKS ARE NOT KIDS FRIENDLY ..THEY BRING THE PARENTS OUT .BUT AS YOU KNOW YOUNG ONES GET BORED . AND FALL ASLEEP AND IT MAKES IT HARD FOR THE PARENTS ..... IF YOU REMEMBER .CC SPEEDWAY USE TO HAVE A PLAY GROUND .SMALL AS IT WAS .BUT PARENTS LOVED IT ..THEY ALSO HAD A VERY SMALL GAME ROOM .THAT BROUGHT OUT THE MIDDLE AGE KIDS ..THAT ALSO HELPED ..FRANK USE TO TELL ME THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST IDEALS HE HAD ..BUT I THINK ONEAL ADDED THAT ..HECK THAT LITTLE GO CAR TRACK WORKED GOOD ........ ANOTHER THING IS MOST TRACKS CLOSE AT THE END OF SEASON .AND THATS JUST WHAT THEY DO ..STAY CLOSED ... PUT SOME OLD JUNKERS TOGETHER AND LET FANS DRIVE THEM ...... BIKE SHOWS ...CAR SHOWS .. SIDE WALK SALES LIVE BANDS .... SOUND SYSTEM DUAL S .. BBQ.S SOMETHING BESIDES SITTING THERE DOING NOTHING .....JUST MAY MAKE MONEY FOR THE NEXT YEAR TO PAY FOR UP GRADES ..PURSES ..LIGHTS ...SPECIAL SHOWS ... FREE NIGHTS ..AT THE SAME TIME GET POEPLES JUICES FLOWING ..WILL GET NEW DRIVERS THAT WAY ... HELL A PARADE ...

[Lucky161]

This thread is with out a doubt a very interesting subject. I love these types of postings. Thanks to all that have added a comment or two. Here is my two cents worth.

 

 

EVERY major sporting event, including auto racing circuits from the bi leagues use free ticket programs to improve attendence at various events. In auto racing. You will see this program used for everything from time trials to featured events. I am a track announcer for Texas Motor Speedway. And I can tell you it is a MAJOR marketing tool for events and for the sport as a whole with NASCAR, Bush, IRL and many more. At the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track events. The majority of fan attendence was provided with free ticket admissions. Anyone see the fan count in the blistering cold for Pro Cuts World Dirt Track Championships this past March? Imagine if free tickets were not offered. Smart marketing, smart sponsorship programs and smart promotional efforts have made NASCAR what is is today. And the biggest tool used was free admission tickets that had been distributed wisely to the public.

 

Free admission programs has it's draw backs. But not doing such is also a major set back. What you end up with is small attendence numbers, lack of exposure and the entertainment buying public not having a clue that a raceway exist near them. Gee, this sounds like what we have today for many of our raceways does it not?

 

All other forms of entertainment offerings that compete with the racing industry and other forms of entertainment know up front that the first thing is to be ready for paying customers. The facilities must first be upgraded and made to be family friendly. This means a safe, clean and modern enviroment for fans of all ages. Having a entertianing show of racing activities is important also. Missing any of these and a few other attributes can tell you in a hurry that you are not ready for marketing and promoting your raceway. Even with free admission tickets. Because the first visit is always the most important with NEW fans. EVERYTHING must be up to excpectations of new fans. Unfortunately. Many race tracks in the USA are in bad shape and far from being ready to improve fan counts. I like the free admission promotional programs. But tracks need to take care of the ground work first before taking on this step.

 

Maybe I can post more later. But for now...I gotta go. Later!

 

Douglas Rollo

 

Thank you for your comments. You have a different perspective than even the promoters, yet you are an insider. I joked on another thread about Danica/Wheldon that Eddie Gossage paid them to fight. It was only half joking. Eddie in my opinion is the ultimate promoter.

One year after the BGN race on Saturday, my dad and I decided to leave the track going by the Dirt Track and if it looked like we could get in, then we would go to the IMCA modifieds running that night. While we didn't rush, we also didn't waste anytime getting over there from the other side of the speedway. We parked again and I went to buy our tickets while my dad waited near the gate. When I got to the front of the line I bought our tickets from Eddie himself! From what I've seen he puts everything into promoting TMS.

[Lucky161]

As far as giving away tickets,when I started racing in Houston years ago you would get 1 free general admission for i pit pass paid,Mainly this was for the wives because they did not allow women in the pits.Maybe a buy one get one free promotion might work so a person can take a friend or family member.Thing is if you have to give away your product theres something wrong with your product.Those early Houston days had no women in the pits because it was a rough for them.Every team had its bodygards and the racing was REAL and ROUGH.Crouds were large and the pits were full.Dont get caught looking under someone elses car or you would get a black eye.Spin someone out in a race and your guys better be at the track exit afterwords.I was a kid racing minis so I went unnoticed but I always had my kid buddies with me just in case.(not that we could have done anything anyway.)I always went to the track nervious but never missed a nite.My point is there was more to racing than running around in circles.It really was a team sport.This sold tickets and the violence was more preceved than real but occassionally it got real.The same reason the dirt tracks are enjoying more success all over the country,they have more and more spactular accidents.Cars flying,jumping wheels,multicar incidents especially in open wheel cars.Asphalt cars bump and slide and most contact is with the wall.Its the show that needs improvement,not the selling procedure.The tracks selling tickets have excitement of some kind.Nothing is more boaring than watching a bunch of people you dont know driving around in circles.

If I was a race director I would have at least one class with roll bars,nurf bars,and strong bumpers,not necessarly super fast cars to do battle for real.Spin the guy out,run him in the infield or wall,block etc like rollerball.Have some GOOD guys and some EVIL guys.I would also add a thrill show,2 wheel driving,jumps,rollover contests and maybe a figure 8.I love Sarges idea with the gauntlet race,I saw one on Speed.A mini bus and 5 mini stocks with the cars job to keep the bus from completing 5 laps.Even demo derbies are no longer facinating.Again what racing needs is a new look and added attractions,music,games and excitment.Forget about the race to win.MAKE A SHOW.

It doesnt matter what we all say or do the ultimate decision is with the track owners and too many of them are loaded in self pitty so badly they take it out on the few fateful that do show up regulary with the same old worn out excuse "we dont make any money" Tough.Get out there and do your job or hire it done and pay us what were worth.Hire an events promoter,not a racer and pay him commission.Then watch the stands fill up[.

 

I didn't go to any tracks in Houston when I was young, but I grew up going to tracks all around DFW. Yes, they had fights, but more often they just had heated discussions. I do remember the no women in the pits rules. But they didn't let kids in the pits back then or even sponsors unless they were also part of the crew. The pits were considered a work place and a dangerous work place at that. And maybe Houston was rougher than DFW, but I was a kid too and I was never nervous at the race track except worrying about what might break on the car that night. But there is still more to racing than just running around in circles. As to watching a bunch of people you don't know being boring, I would say that I have a different opinion. I don't and never have gone to the races to see crashes and I've seen my share of wild ones and tragic ones. Mostly they were just expensive to the racers and slowed down the show, in my opinion. As far as thrill shows, I think they rank right up there with wrestling. Lots of hype and not much substance. They are in my opinion more entertaining than demo derbys though. Of all the gimmick races I've seen, the only one I can think of that I liked was the "Australian Pursuit" which was actually a real race where if you got passed, you were eliminated. I am ok with your idea of some gimmicks as long as they don't take up too much time from the actual racing program and don't cost too much for what they bring in. I think figure 8 racing is exciting, but VERY dangerous. You can have hundreds of near misses, but it only takes one direct hit to ruin a life. I wonder if anyone can even get insurance for a figure 8 program anymore? And I don't think anyone would disagree that they should make a show, but good competitive racing is a good show in my opinion.

I also think you are being a little rough on the promoters in general. Yes I am certain there are some lazy promoters, some crooked promoters and some dumb promoters. But on the other hand I know there are promoters that are losing money catering to some lazy, dishonest and dumb racers too. When racing in general starts having sellouts on a regular basis and the pits are full, then I think we can consider taking potshots at different groups, but until then, I think we all need each other to do the best they can in what ever capacity they can.

 

Now gb the old days your talking aboult was not for the races poeple came to see ..it was for the cheap but really good food ..better than any place today ..to many restrictions on how you make the food now days .......cheap beer ....... some good racen .for some ..but it was the fights that most poeple came out for ....i did .. figure 8 racen was fun to watch .... i agree on two wheel shows and and such .that makeS money for that week ...and if its what it takes to make money with those shows .try and do it once a month ..but cost is so high ....ALOT OF TRACKS ARE NOT KIDS FRIENDLY ..THEY BRING THE PARENTS OUT .BUT AS YOU KNOW YOUNG ONES GET BORED . AND FALL ASLEEP AND IT MAKES IT HARD FOR THE PARENTS ..... IF YOU REMEMBER .CC SPEEDWAY USE TO HAVE A PLAY GROUND .SMALL AS IT WAS .BUT PARENTS LOVED IT ..THEY ALSO HAD A VERY SMALL GAME ROOM .THAT BROUGHT OUT THE MIDDLE AGE KIDS ..THAT ALSO HELPED ..FRANK USE TO TELL ME THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST IDEALS HE HAD ..BUT I THINK ONEAL ADDED THAT ..HECK THAT LITTLE GO CAR TRACK WORKED GOOD ........ ANOTHER THING IS MOST TRACKS CLOSE AT THE END OF SEASON .AND THATS JUST WHAT THEY DO ..STAY CLOSED ... PUT SOME OLD JUNKERS TOGETHER AND LET FANS DRIVE THEM ...... BIKE SHOWS ...CAR SHOWS .. SIDE WALK SALES LIVE BANDS .... SOUND SYSTEM DUAL S .. BBQ.S SOMETHING BESIDES SITTING THERE DOING NOTHING .....JUST MAY MAKE MONEY FOR THE NEXT YEAR TO PAY FOR UP GRADES ..PURSES ..LIGHTS ...SPECIAL SHOWS ... FREE NIGHTS ..AT THE SAME TIME GET POEPLES JUICES FLOWING ..WILL GET NEW DRIVERS THAT WAY ... HELL A PARADE ...

 

Lots of good ideas in your post.

[landlord]

One thing everyone is missing is the fact that in the old days you could knock the glass out of a street car and go racing.(you did'nt even have to weld in a roll-bar)but now,with the flemsy front wheel drives,those days are over.My 13 yr old ask me one night at the race track why they race them "old timey"cars.He was talking about the stock class and to me them are not "old timey"but to the younger generation they are.None of the other classes(besides trucks)even look like a modern day street car.I have been going to the races my whole life and have seen the highs and lows of racing and it seems to come in cycles.It was real popular in the 70s,cooled in the 80s,came back strong in the 90s and now we seem back in the slump cycle.I will say this the cost of racing in the last 10 years has went through the roof while peoples pay checks have not.My sons friends that come racing with us have never been to a local racetrack.Until we reach the younger generation and make them "WANT"to be a racar driver,I don't see it getting any better.

[poorboy]

Landlord there are alot of younger people that want to be race car drivers but I think the #1 reason they don't is because younger kids now days don't learn to work cars or work on anything else as far as that goes. That stuff is too hard and too messy.

[Lucky161]

One thing everyone is missing is the fact that in the old days you could knock the glass out of a street car and go racing.(you did'nt even have to weld in a roll-bar)but now,with the flemsy front wheel drives,those days are over.My 13 yr old ask me one night at the race track why they race them "old timey"cars.He was talking about the stock class and to me them are not "old timey"but to the younger generation they are.None of the other classes(besides trucks)even look like a modern day street car.I have been going to the races my whole life and have seen the highs and lows of racing and it seems to come in cycles.It was real popular in the 70s,cooled in the 80s,came back strong in the 90s and now we seem back in the slump cycle.I will say this the cost of racing in the last 10 years has went through the roof while peoples pay checks have not.My sons friends that come racing with us have never been to a local racetrack.Until we reach the younger generation and make them "WANT"to be a racar driver,I don't see it getting any better.

 

You are absolutely correct on getting the younger ones involved. That's how most of us hard core got started. I haven't been very complementary to the promoters in Lubbock that tore up the pavement to run dirt, but I will say one thing for them. They went to the City of Lubbock and got the city to buy discount tickets for the poor kids in town. Some sort of give them something to do and get them off the street plan. I don't know the particulars, but they sold the tickets at a steep discount, but not free, to the city and they may have included a coke in the price.

[HiTech]

Landlord there are alot of younger people that want to be race car drivers but I think the #1 reason they don't is because younger kids now days don't learn to work cars or work on anything else as far as that goes. That stuff is too hard and too messy.

POORBOY SO TRUE ..I SEE IT EVERYDAY AT WORK ...ALOT OF THAT HAD TO DO WITH BOTH PARENTS HAVEN TO GO TO WORK AND EITHER NOT HAVE THE TIME OR TAKE THE TIME TO GET THIER KIDS OUT FROM THOSE THINGS WE DIDNT HAVE WHEN WE WERE YOUNG ..I POD .GAMEBOY.S COMPUTORS ... PHONES . AND SO FORTH ..ITS THE AGE OF EASY STREET THAT CAME ALONG AND DESTROYED THE GOOD LIFE WE GREW UP IN ..HECK THERE REALLY WASNT ALOT TO DO GROWING UP COMPARED TO TODAY .SO WHERE I GREW UP EVERY CORNER EITHER HAD A RACE CAR OR DIRT BIKE .OR RACEN BOAT ..AND IF YOU WANTED TO RACE YOU HAD TO LEARN TO DO THE WORK ..

[ProTree]

amen

[RETrott]

Fantastic topic. Should be studied. Repeat, should be STUDIED, not just read!

[dano36]

Fantastic topic. Should be studied. Repeat, should be STUDIED, not just read!

It is a good topic that really deserves attention. Any studies should be done by the promotors who are the ones who have to deal with the bottom line of the operation. And I am sure that promotors have studied this problem for many years now and the scenario changes as often as the weather does. What I am simply saying is that what might work today, or at some other place, may not necessarily be the answer now. So promoting is a difficult task and the better promotors work hard to stay a step ahead. I can probably come up with many an idea for them to try but I really doubt it would be anything that they have not already heard or even tried before.

I would like to add one comment I thought was appropriate for sporting events which I borrowed from an old well known great San Antonio Sportscaster who I will not name since I don't have his permission to pass on what he had said. This is not an exact quote but this is the general idea of what he said. You can get away with about any gate admission charge as long as the beer inside the premises is cheap. I'm not suggesting to sell beer cheap; rather, I am saying that maybe lower concession prices would be a more appropriate lure. Face it, the drivers are the show. They all perform well and deserve to compete for good purses. So spread the word that besides a really good show, race tracks have great reasonable concessions. JMO

[tricknology]

this is to a start discussion on what race tracks could do to get more use and more positive Cash Flow from their facilities.

 

I never thought about about the Haunted House deal being a good use for a local race track during October/november, UNTIL i heard of Kalamazoo doing it...It seems like a great IDEA.

 

Race tracks have great parking, and CONCESSIONS.

 

Some race tracks are ajacent to wooded areas that could also serve as a venue for hay rides during the haunted house deal. ( Springport)

 

How about Figure 8 hay rides??

 

I do not know anything about Haunted Houses, so please enlighten me...

 

I thought it was only a dollar or 2 to get in,,,I hear it is much more..

 

do they typically have HOT concessions...Hot chocalate, coffee, Burgers and fries? a race track does...

 

do they Sell Beer? many raCE TRACKS DO.

 

do they have coin operated video games?

 

how much does it cost to go in?

 

Waht makes a great haunted house?

 

how many peolpe are required to work inside a haunted house? Are the summer track workers qualified to work inside a haunted house, would they be scarry enough?

 

What kind of job inside the haunted house would be delagated to the track anouncer? to the flag man? to the Tech guy?

 

How many people go to a typical haunted house?

 

would a Haunted house be a good way to get people to know about the summer racing while standing in line?

 

How long is the typical waiting period?

 

more at,,

 

http://www.mstrc.com/index.php?showtopic=7208&hl