NickHolt Posted June 22, 2003 Report Share Posted June 22, 2003 This is from the "Strictly Rumor Department" and it is second hand information at best... but... I got an email from a SAS car owner (who shall remain nameless) that said: "I was told saturday( from another car owner) that the purses @ SAS was going to be cut in 1/2 starting next week due to the low car count." Anybody heard this or is this just a nasty rumor? Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 San Antonio Speedway Purse Changes Effective July 5th First amount is Old Payout Second Amount is New Payout effective July 5th Late Models 1. 750 – 650 2. 500 – 400 3. 400 – 300 4. 350 – 250 5. 250 – 200 6. 200 – 175 7. 175 – 150 8. 150 – 125 9. 125 – 100 10. – 20th 100 – 75 Sportsman 1. 300 – 250 2. 250 – 200 3. 200 – 150 4. 150 – 125 5. 125 – 100 6. 100 – 90 7. 90 – 80 8. 80 – 70 9. 70 – 60 10. 60 – 50 11. 50 – 45 12. 45 – 40 13. 40 – 35 14. 35 – 30 15. – 20th 30 Road Runners 1. 150 – 125 2. 100 – 100 3. 80 – 75 4. 75 – 65 5. 70 – 55 6. 60 – 50 7. 55 – 45 8. 50 – 40 9. 45 – 35 10. 40 – 30 11. 35 – 25 12. 30 – 20 13. 25 – 20 14. – 20th 20 Also if there are 6 or less Late Models the purse is reduced by 50% This info came from sheets given out at the Drivers Meeting June 21st. Also In the coming days I have a Comparison of all the Series I.E. ROMCO TSRS and the THR purse compared to the new SAS purse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted June 23, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Marc, Well, I guess it wasn't just a nasty rumor after all.. I wonder what effect this will have.. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Nick I dont think its as drastic as some may feel and when you look at the comparison to the other tracks and series its not too bad either. If they start getting more cars the purse will go back up its either that or there. From the comparisons I saw and I think you can get most of the info off of each series website and THR's website SAS payed a great purse comparitively... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Marc, Thanks for the info. I look forward to seeing you post how SAS' purse stacks up against the purses from other tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Real encouraging way to build a car count,but their payout is still better than most tracks in the state.I hate to see this,but I understand the tracks point of view,lower admission prices,and the car count continues to drop,I hope things improve soon for all.Again the payout is still better than most tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 They are trying to fix the problem but I just don't understand where the root of the problem is? Is it the bad econonmy? Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 23, 2003 Report Share Posted June 23, 2003 Jason you hit the nail on the head a lot of people have lost good paying jobs and the jobs out there to replace them don't pay nearly as well. Besides look at the cost of housing now much less the cost of a new car. I hope this situation corrects itself soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerjim2 Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 I have opinions but dont wish to air them in public at this time.I will say cutting the purse will not help matters with car count in the stressed economy.History seems to be repeating itself.This stratagy has been tried (unsucessfuly)before Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debwill Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Jason & 97, I agree that the economy is a factor . . . but not the only one. We are all facing economic issues in our personal lives, yet we manage to figure out ways to survive. The same is true in the racing world. What are we doing to promote racing in our community? As a fan, I don't have as much to lose if racing doesn't survive, other than giving up something I truly enjoy on a Saturday night. But the drivers have a lot to lose . . . their monetary investments in their race car(s), license fees, etc., and more importantly, the inability to compete in a sport (hobby) they love. On several occasions, I've had the opportunity to speak with Mike Sepich and have openly offered some suggestions. He has never slammed the door in my face! But again, I'm offering solutions instead of dumping problems. I don't think the problems facing SAS are unique. But we all really need to pull together to save our local tracks during tough economic times. Sorry . . . didn't mean to preach, but difficult situations don't normally fix themselves! Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meredith race engines Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 that is the same pay out (new pay) in road runner as we get in thr late models are still getting paid more there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tqj3 Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 If the money to pay purses has to come from the drivers, you will always have a problem with car counts. The ONLY source of money in racing is the fans. If you don't work to put more fans in the seats, there won't be money for anything. And, don't tell me you are working to put more fans in the seats, because you aren't. You can post all the messages you wish on this site or others like it, but you're just preaching to the choir, talking to all the folks (what, nearly 300 by now, or not enough to make a crowd at any track) who already know about ROMCO and TSRS and TAMS and TPS and ARTS and HMS and THR and CC and SAS. It's really time to tell the rest of the world; to act like a real sport by working the media the same way the stick and ball sports and the sanctioning bodies like NASCAR, ARCA, ASA and the rest of the world do. Along the same line, how many drivers want to race in an arena larger than the Texas series? I'll tell you how many: the number who are promoting themselves. I think it's three, or maybe four. And, no, I'm not soliciting business. I'm just saying publicizing a track, a series, a team or a driver isn't optional, it's mandatory. Do it yourself, hire someone to do it, try to get a volunteer. But do it. Otherwise, you can kiss any chance of getting to the top goodbye. Rick Hendrick and Richard Childress aren't watching the ROMCO series looking for a new driver. You've got to get enough attention to attract a sponsor who can take you to the next level, and the next, until you get to a level (or a level of awareness in racing) where they are paying attention. Don't try to tell me I'm wrong, or that it doesn't work. It works for every other sport, and for the racing organizations, teams and tracks that do it. Those successful tracks I keep hearing mentioned on this site aren't successful due to gimmicks; they're successful because they publicize what they are doing. I'm still waiting for someone in Texas to put out a poster with a picture of a freaking race car on it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 300 registered Many more who aren't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Uhm Meredith the way it looks in the comparison ( I dont know if you saw that thread) the Roadrunners are a bigger purse after 1st place compared to the THR purse. Also which SAS purse are you comparing the limiteds too? If Comparing them to the SAS Late Models the numbers are also in the favor of SAS. If compaing to the Sportsman then yes they are higher. I.E. Total purse for the top 10 in Limited's is $1545 at San Antonio its $2425. Also if you compare the top 5 in Roadrunners/Pure Stock the totals stack up $420 for SAS and $320 for THR. Now TQJ I understand where your coming from to an extent but SAS is promoting on TV and attendance is going up but car counts are going down. Now is that becasue of promotion or is it becasue of a struggling economy. I say a stuggling economy. It wont matter how many fans you have in the stands if they dont get a product in front of them that is worth buying. The more fans that come in after watching one of the ads that SAS has on TV do you think they are getting their money's worth if they only see a total of 23 cars in the two local classes. I dont. SAS still has the best purse in the area for the classes that they run and now its out in print for all to see. Lets see if the potential drivers will come out and keep the potential customers that SAS is trying to reach, in the stands on a constant basis. Thats my .02 cents. For Now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckLicata Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Here, here, TQ Jones... Well put, sir.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusty_rusty Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Marc, What do most of the drivers think about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Most of the drivers have told me that for them it looks like the payout from last year. Other than that I dunno You would have to ask Outlaw22 Pacecar Becka29 or some of the others but I dont think its as bad as they first thought. Definately not cut in half. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoom Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 I race at SAS. While I don't race to get rich it is nice to have money coming in from racing. I look forward to seeing those checks. But, I totally understand why the track must cut the purse. I don't like it, but with the dwindling car count and low fan attendance it is a matter of survival at this point. As drivers, I feel it is our responsibility to "market" racing, maybe not to the degree that the track should be marketing, but we should be helping none the less. All gripes and complaints of the track management (whichever track) need to be secondary to promoting the sport both for future drivers/pit help and spectators. It was stated in the drivers meeting last saturday, that although the purse is going down a little, it is dynamic. Meaning that if the car counts go up, the purse can increase as well. I encourage everyone I talk with to have them come out and watch the races. I also encourage everyone I talk with to build or buy a car and go race! I can't say I have been a part of the car count these last few weeks due to repairing some major wreck damage, I do plan on being out there soon. I support racing in whatever way I can because I have seen the community and believe that it has all the qualities that makes America great. Plus as a bonus, it is just downright fun Just my .02 Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickracer Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 You can insert this in whatever gripe area you wish. Every year or every other year we load up the family to head to SAS from Corpus to see some real race cars on the high banks. The little ones can`t wait till after the races to go to the pit area to see the drivers, look at cars that have been rearranged and pick up pieces to be autographed. BUT when you have people stand on the front straightaway and shoot the breeze or take a 45 minute Intermission and the program doesn`t get over till 12 or 1 o`clock in the morning with a 2 hour drive back home !!!! Enough Said!!! What kind of fan base, Crew member, new driver or sponser interest does that build??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoom Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 rickracer, I think that SAS has done a pretty good job of addressing that issue this year. The races start at 7:30 instead of 8:00 and they try to move the show along quickly. Barring any major incidents such as the alamo dragstrip fire or having to wait on another ambulance to show up because someone got carted off to the hospital, the show has been finished by 10:30 - 11:00. BUT when you have people stand on the front straightaway and shoot the breeze or take a 45 minute Intermission I don't know anything about that, I have never seen it. I know that as racers, intermission can go pretty fast, but as a fan who is sitting on a hard board seat, it takes hours. However, I appreciate you and your family coming up for a show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Zoom,Rickracer has a good point,with no more car count than the track has the races could be over at nine. Yes I know asphalt takes longer to clean up after a wreck,but I am used to tracks that get over 100 cars a week and start at 8 and the heats are usally over by 9,people don't come out to watch a social event or have a picnic,that fun can be had after the races. Some of us have to get up at 4 in the morning to go to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Unfortunately if SAS didnt take any breaks the races would not be worth going to. Also if there was no break Larry Bendele may not have been able to set up his son's car enough for him to drive. I do beleive too that in asphalt racing vs. dirt you need time to work on the car because of changes to the track surface and wear and tear to the cars. Im not familiar enough with dirt to say much there. But the old days of SAS getting out at 12 and 1 o clock are gone and its much more enjoyable now that they get out at 1030 to 1100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97car Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 No offense,but dirt tracks change all thru the night,they only get one hot lap session,maybe 5 minutes if lucky. Asphalt does not change nearly as much,and the times I have been out there this the races were not near being over at 11pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SASPEEDRACER24 Posted June 25, 2003 Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 Like I said I don't know all that much about dirt. Now one thing I will say is that the best show I have seen so far was on dirt @ Kennedale during the Texas Nationals. Hey had over 200 cars to run through before midnight came and did it easily both nights. I just think that with as few cars if you run the show too fast folks wont feel like they are getting their moneys worth. As it is with as low a car count we have they dont. BTW I do like dirt just have not seen enough races to understand some of the aspects to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerjim2 Posted June 25, 2003 Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 If a racer was going to run a race in the SAS late model class and had a driver and 2 crew members these are the costs of a saturday night for his team:1 NASCAR licensed driver and two licenced crew members $60.00,10 gallons of SAS racing fuel$43.00,sodas ,Gatorade,water and ice $23.00,8qts mobile 1 15w-50w oil and filter$42.00,4 Hoosier 2045 racing slicks(good for one race night)@118.00 $472.00,dinner for 2 crew and driver $36.00=$676.00 if he finishes 5th and wins $250.00under the current purse structure the racer has a net gain or loss of (-$426)and he does this for 22 week per season.This may be the root of the car count problem.with this kind of loss, $50.00 is a big deal.with these figures I hope it will give you a better understanding of what racing really cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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