If I was giving the Gateway Dirt Nationals a letter grade...........

[ReignMan23]

Heard from the grapevine. Todd Staley, the USMTS and USRA sanctioning body president, is trying to get the rights to the mod's for next year's Gateway Nationals. I think his end goal is to make it a USMTS modified race that would come after the Jamboree. Not sure if he will get this done, but just a rumor. Also, I think they should up the late model purse to 40-50 thousand to make it a crown jewel. Hopefully this should bring any "big names" that decided not to show. Other than that, A++++. We are racing in December, Bloomquist keeps on rollin, life is good.

[Ryan21mid]

Before we go upping the purse to 40-50k to win they need to pay down through the field. Pierce said they got $100 for running 12th Friday. Haven't heard any other figures but Sheppard and at least two others said the payout needs work. Was told if you didn't make the A-Main you went home with nothing as well. Not complaining but for $200 to enter + all the other fees the drivers had to pay, they weren't compensated very well it sounds like.

[Clayton_Wetter]

Wrong they didn't enough water it that much they tilled it up too much

I agree, loose dirt needs more water to bond better and it lessons the loose fluff.

[plunks7]

Heard from the grapevine. Todd Staley, the USMTS and USRA sanctioning body president, is trying to get the rights to the mod's for next year's Gateway Nationals. I think his end goal is to make it a USMTS modified race that would come after the Jamboree. Not sure if he will get this done, but just a rumor. Also, I think they should up the late model purse to 40-50 thousand to make it a crown jewel. Hopefully this should bring any "big names" that decided not to show. Other than that, A++++. We are racing in December, Bloomquist keeps on rollin, life is good.

If you raise the purse you will lose the little Teams. Which you will have less cars. A better payout through-out the field would make more sense, than paying more to Win!!!!!! JMO

[Bubstr]

Before we go upping the purse to 40-50k to win they need to pay down through the field. Pierce said they got $100 for running 12th Friday. Haven't heard any other figures but Sheppard and at least two others said the payout needs work. Was told if you didn't make the A-Main you went home with nothing as well. Not complaining but for $200 to enter + all the other fees the drivers had to pay, they weren't compensated very well it sounds like.

This if true, is justifiable to complain about. Paying $200 entry fee and getting half of it back after beating 80% of the entries, you should get your entry fee back at least. That is wrong, I don't care who you are. There was a lot that wasn't told about this race before you got there, and then they wonder why the negativity.

[ride height]

That cant be true. $100 to start the Feature for LM in this race? Three days of work, wear and tear, 20000 fans, 5.00 beer, $200 entry, oh and on pay per view. No way thats right. please tell me this earlier post is total BS. No team in their right minds would return if that was true. Surely it was at least 500.00 or north of that.

[modfan24]

Unless Todd and the USMTS opens up his rules to allow ump and Hoosiers for the event, I highly doubt they would go that direction. In all actuality they should leave it open sanction and allow the ump and IMCA Hoosiers along with the American racers. Tires won't make a difference, either will slight differences in the body rules. It's a non-points race so...

I'm thinking if they could of had all the drivers show up that had entered, it would of elimited a lot of the "caution cars". Same with the lates. There were a few drivers that hit the track and would guarantee a yellow flag was imminent. Lol. If those drivers would of been eliminated Thursday, we would of had a higher percentage of capable racers for the rest of the weekend.

Also a lot of these guys have never raced on a track that small. Having absolutely zero practice I think was a huge problem.

[TUTY]

Not sure what to think. In the 70's there was no tow money. A track would run 1 or 2 classes of cars and only the A-Main got paid. I kind of agree as if you have a bad weekend then u had a bad weekend. When u say 20,000 fans 225 cars and pit passes that's true but what's the expenses?

[Bubstr]

You would think, if the expenses don't allow you to compensate the drivers, it might not be a good place to put on a race. Sorry racers, I gave your share of the profits to the Dome? This is why racers complain about the cost of racing.

[Clayton_Wetter]

$800,000 dollars in ticket sales for Saturday alone, well over a million for the weekend. 80,000 in entry fees alone. around a half a million going to food and drink just for Saturday. Plus other incomes for at least 2000 people pits fees totally around a hundred grand and what else?

Now what were the total expenses and profits?

[Clayton_Wetter]

Wonder what the lease and prep fees (dirt included) totaled for this event, plus advertising.

[TUTY]

May not have gotten any of the concessions?

[Clayton_Wetter]

That may have all gone to the stadium and vendors. Good question.

[thexfactor0210]

Unfortunately this is true. A late model team I know made both B-mains each night. He did not recieve a dime. This was not told to drivers prior to coming. How in the heck can you charge entry fees and pit passes then not even provide drivers with any purse money? I was a big supporter of this event until I heard this information..i have attempted to contact the promoter but have not heard anything back. I know of a few teams who will not be returning due to not recieving anything and spending a ton of money to attend. Cody needs to make this right with the teams and mail them each a check after he a made a killin on this deal

[Clayton_Wetter]

Holy cow, that would be downright crooked if true. Chime in perverton-old fang-lite-inn.

[calverton]

unless todd and the usmts opens up his rules to allow ump and hoosiers for the event, i highly doubt they would go that direction. In all actuality they should leave it open sanction and allow the ump and imca hoosiers along with the american racers. Tires won't make a difference, either will slight differences in the body rules. It's a non-points race so...i'm thinking if they could of had all the drivers show up that had entered, it would of elimited a lot of the "caution cars". Same with the lates. There were a few drivers that hit the track and would guarantee a yellow flag was imminent. Lol. If those drivers would of been eliminated thursday, we would of had a higher percentage of capable racers for the rest of the weekend. Also a lot of these guys have never raced on a track that small. Having absolutely zero practice i think was a huge problem.

the event was non sanctioned

[a25rjr]

Wonder what the lease and prep fees (dirt included) totaled for this event, plus advertising.

Bruton Smith said the clean-up expenses were astronomical, and that was the reason for not running Bristol again.

[calverton]

Heard from the grapevine. Todd Staley, the USMTS and USRA sanctioning body president, is trying to get the rights to the mod's for next year's Gateway Nationals. I think his end goal is to make it a USMTS modified race that would come after the Jamboree. Not sure if he will get this done, but just a rumor. Also, I think they should up the late model purse to 40-50 thousand to make it a crown jewel. Hopefully this should bring any "big names" that decided not to show. Other than that, A++++. We are racing in December, Bloomquist keeps on rollin, life is good.

in the middle of UMP country you going to bring another sanction now how is that going to work out

[SLIDING SIDEWAYS]

Unfortunately this is true. A late model team I know made both B-mains each night. He did not recieve a dime. This was not told to drivers prior to coming. How in the heck can you charge entry fees and pit passes then not even provide drivers with any purse money? I was a big supporter of this event until I heard this information..i have attempted to contact the promoter but have not heard anything back. I know of a few teams who will not be returning due to not recieving anything and spending a ton of money to attend. Cody needs to make this right with the teams and mail them each a check after he a made a killin on this deal

This promoter chitted drivers at another race a few yrs back.not sure if he ever paid them in full yet

[Clayton_Wetter]

Bruton Smith said the clean-up expenses were astronomical, and that was the reason for not running Bristol again.

I bet they were, that was so much more clay.