Fans indicate a desire for time limits on classes during special events

[Mindwalker]

I'm curious now how much more would you pay 5.00 10.00 more?

I know of a couple of promoters have told me that the guys that support their track on a weekly basis deserves to race that night just like the big dogs.

I dont mind the supporting classes at all. I enjoy dirt racing. Its when a track drags a show out with the supporting classes that folks seem to get pis sed at so paying an extra 5 or 10 bucks shouldn't be a problem unless its a family with kids on a strict budget. Imo to be fair to all you have to let the fans decide if they want to sit through many classes and run the headliner first.

[cgrace]

All of us (usually 5 - 10 seats) would pay $5 - $10 more each to only have 4 classes on reg night and 2 or 3 for specials. We don't mind paying more if the purse and payout justify it as well. IMO the problem becomes when we have more in our party who bring kids to watch the lates and end up leaving because of all of the support classes. fans who only come once in a while have kids who are used to waiting for ever for their fav driver to race. Goes back to having a quick show. If the promoter runs 5 classes and we are only there for four hours total that is great. When shows DRAG ON that is the problem.

[Mindwalker]

You would think in todays world tracks would no better to not run the big dogs last. In the long run... You're losing fans! Most tracks have figured this out.....

[flagone]

My philosophy has always been I don't care how many classes you run as long as you can run them in 4 hours or less. I don't get to hit that mark many times but that is out of my control. I do set the schedule at some places and I always include time limits for support classes. Yes they absolutely deserve to race and are just as important to the program as the headliner. But it is up to them to race and put on a show. If they are not and keep having yellow after yellow then the time limit gets them.

Also if I get to make the schedule I always make the headliner 1st or 2nd feature. The issue with that is sometimes in your effort to go fast you end up having some dead time because you have to give the racers a little time to make adjustments or change a tire or add fuel. So I generally try to have at least one event in between each time they hit the track. As long as the track I am at keeps cars rolling to the track I am happy.

And I HATE intermissions. I cannot for the life of me see how a track manager can know that they are behind schedule already and come to a complete stop. Obviously there are some exceptions to that. Fund raisers or presentations can be important and usually don't take away from the show. But stopping just to stop drives me nuts. If an employee needs a break or whatever someone should be able to step into their place to keep the show moving along. Once that time is lost you can never get it back if you need it.

[CIRF]

For shows that have more than 1 support class and aren't clear in their advertising as to the order A-main's are going to be run our group has adapted a hard and fast rule. That rule is we contact the promoter/track a couple of days ahead of the event and request the A-main order. If they refuse to commit to an order or if the headliner A-main is going to be 3rd or deeper in the order we will not attend and we make that clear to the promoter/track.

Our group refers to Bobby Sargent as "Back Gate Bob" given his propensity for running 4 or 5 support classes. However, he's generally forthcoming as to when the headliner A-main will be run and almost always it's second in the order. We can live with that. But, ol' Sarge doesn't live up to his nickname for his USAC sprint car and Silver Crown shows over at Terre Haute. He usually includes just 1 support class and sometimes none as is usually the case at the Silver Crown events! We like that!

[formercrewguy]

As a driver from a small team I like having some support classes. Really hard if your off or have an issue to get repaired and or tuned before the B main after a heat if no support class.

Totally agree. I hate being rushed between heats, Bmains,etc. especially when i'm the only pit guy!!

[Bubstr]

I guess, I don't see this the same way as others. The object, isn't to get less and pay more. The show should be made better so more fans come and pay less, but the tracks make more. A long drawn out show or exorbitant prices are a business model of a dying business. For Pete's sake, promoters, do your job. If you can't give them a better show, make them think you did. I see so many putting very little effort into this and saying," Take it or leave it." A lot have left, no wonder why.

[kidrock]

All in our group agree we would pay $5.00 to $7.00 more to attend a show with no support classes.

The USAC National Midget/UMP Summernationals show at Lincoln, IL was a prime example of how two top of the line dirt racing series' can do the promoter, and the fans, good. It was standing room only and fans of both genre's got exposed to national caliber talent. Sarge ran what was considered the headliner (USAC Midgets) first with the late models immediately after. No one left and both races were exemplary. We can live with that scenario.

I dont mind the supporting classes at all. I enjoy dirt racing. Its when a track drags a show out with the supporting classes that folks seem to get pis sed at so paying an extra 5 or 10 bucks shouldn't be a problem unless its a family with kids on a strict budget. Imo to be fair to all you have to let the fans decide if they want to sit through many classes and run the headliner first.

All of us (usually 5 - 10 seats) would pay $5 - $10 more each to only have 4 classes on reg night and 2 or 3 for specials. We don't mind paying more if the purse and payout justify it as well. IMO the problem becomes when we have more in our party who bring kids to watch the lates and end up leaving because of all of the support classes. fans who only come once in a while have kids who are used to waiting for ever for their fav driver to race. Goes back to having a quick show. If the promoter runs 5 classes and we are only there for four hours total that is great. When shows DRAG ON that is the problem.

Sounds like something the promoters should consider.

I always believe if you have more than 2 classes the headliner should be 2nd in the running order.

[3 wide]

I agree with everybody else too many classes and I know promoters do this to make the back gate look good but if they would run about 4 classes and pay more money in each class they would draw more cars and the races would be better and they wouldn't be spending anymore money than when they run 8 or 9 classes.

[turnleftandgasit]

I would prefer 2 classes with each car running 2 heats. Each heat would have full inverts. Feature line ups would be on a point system from heat finishes. Basically run like a typical kart track. I would gladly pay 5-10$ premium. Acceptable classes would be LM, mods, sprints or midgets.

[GEAR_HEAD]

I like how most (not all) UMP Summernationals programs run: Lates, Mods, and ONE of the track's classes. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Except for Farmer City, who gets to run 5 classes so that they can run the Late Model feature last and make sure there's nothing left of the track for their feature and create as big of a cluster as they can for folks trying to leave.

[t3r3e3]

Cough.....” East Alabama”.......cough

[Bigdirtfan]

I was at the farmer city debacle last year. I will never be back. More classes doesnt mean your getting more for your money its just a promoter trying to make a little more money that night. The show should be 3-4 hours every night and when you have a special that should take precedence. How can anyone in their right mind argue otherwise, who the hell wants to sit on a bleacher seat for 6 hrs watching some local turd spin out over and over.

[dirt crow]

I would gladly pay more to eliminate support classes.

Right on! Me too!

[dirt crow]

Speaking of support classes, I’m tired of seeing the same type appearing car in every class. Leaving supers out of it, there’s the crates, sportsman, limited lates, cadet, super hobby, 2 barrel lates, late this and that, and on and on..... 4 classes at a track is enough. And make em all different appearing.