Is it time for dirt racing to revise its purse structure?

[Returning to Dirt]

https://insidedirtracing.com/will-the-success-of-the-dirt-million-bring-about-more-big-races/

Will the success of the Dirt Million cause the dirt late model industry to rethink its purse structure?

[Highside Hustler25]

I am currently kicked back wearing a 12th Annual, 2003 Dirtcar Fall Nationals T Shirt. On the front, it boasts $12,000 to win. Last year at Eldora, they paid 5 G.
This year at I55, 5G to win.

Somethings wrong with this math.

[Zonks32x]

I am currently kicked back wearing a 12th Annual, 2003 Dirtcar Fall Nationals T Shirt. On the front, it boasts $12,000 to win. Last year at Eldora, they paid 5 G.
This year at I55, 5G to win.

Somethings wrong with this math.

Spot on HH.

I'd be willing to bet you paid around $15 to buy your ticket in '03 and today looking at twice that easy.

So....fans paying more, drivers paid less, and nobody is making any $$$?

The hell with the circus...if PT Barnum was alive today, he'd run a dirt series.

Charge 'em more, pay 'em less and then skip town.

[Krooser]

You can fix that by running your own track....

[Zonks32x]

You can fix that by running your own track....

I think you took what I said as an afront to track owners/promoters. They are NOT the ones who get to leave town after the night's event is over.

The $$ is being made by the series/sanctioning bodies. That's what I was getting at.

When you dive deep into the cost-benefit analysis, there's few business/investment opportunities that are worse than owning a short track (dirt or pavement).

I followed a plan my entire adult working life so I can retire before age 60. I didn't do that just to turn around and put a match to it.

Someone else can buy a racetrack and take on all the headaches and stress that go along with it. I'll buy my ticket, like I will tomorrow, and drive home stress-free afterwards.

[Krooser]

I think you took what I said as an afront to track owners/promoters. They are NOT the ones who get to leave town after the night's event is over.

The $$ is being made by the series/sanctioning bodies. That's what I was getting at.

When you dive deep into the cost-benefit analysis, there's few business/investment opportunities that are worse than owning a short track (dirt or pavement).

I followed a plan my entire adult working life so I can retire before age 60. I didn't do that just to turn around and put a match to it.

Someone else can buy a racetrack and take on all the headaches and stress that go along with it. I'll buy my ticket, like I will tomorrow, and drive home stress-free afterwards.

Just look how many traveling series run a few years then toss in the towel... its no huge money maker for anyone except the select few who had the financial ability to weather the lean years until they could get established.

Without the WoO sprint series the late model deal likely would never have lasted. Forest Lucas has his $$$ behind his series.

One short lived modified series in WI was run by a former employee of mine and backed by one of my former drivers at a track i used to run. They had big paydays for the drivers, a good fan base and a number of good sponsors but hung it up after seeing the series could not stand alone without a substantial subsidy every year. The loss of one partner doomed the deal but, on the outside, it looked like those boys were taking a dump truck load of cash to the bank after each event.

Look at NDRA... gone after their primary sponsor was sold.

WoO and Lucas Oil series no doubt are profitable but most deals run on a pretty tight budget IMHO.

All my retirement $$$ went bye bye backing up my last foray into the dirt track business... I've been both a hero and a zero in this business.

[Highside Hustler25]

You can fix that by running your own track....

Really poor reply coming from someone who actually races.

[kidrock]

Just look how many traveling series run a few years then toss in the towel... its no huge money maker for anyone except the select few who had the financial ability to weather the lean years until they could get established.

Without the WoO sprint series the late model deal likely would never have lasted. Forest Lucas has his $$$ behind his series.

One short lived modified series in WI was run by a former employee of mine and backed by one of my former drivers at a track i used to run. They had big paydays for the drivers, a good fan base and a number of good sponsors but hung it up after seeing the series could not stand alone without a substantial subsidy every year. The loss of one partner doomed the deal but, on the outside, it looked like those boys were taking a dump truck load of cash to the bank after each event.

Look at NDRA... gone after their primary sponsor was sold.

WoO and Lucas Oil series no doubt are profitable but most deals run on a pretty tight budget IMHO.

All my retirement $$$ went bye bye backing up my last foray into the dirt track business... I've been both a hero and a zero in this business.

I know a promoter who lost over 200,000 of his retirement running a track here in Illinois so, I know he could identify with you in that regards.

[kazual]

Owners and Promoters deserve their place in Heaven because they’ve served their time in hell. I’m glad some choose to do it but I’ll remain a fan. Don’t know much but when looking around at sources of revenue you see entry fees, gate fees, concessions, sponsors from billboards to weekly purse bumps and all that goes into that category, it would seem to fall short of making the nut. Can’t imagine taking this business model to a bank to secure financing. The average fan is turned off paying more then $15 in most cases and complains about concession prices at a weekly show. Just throwing a number out there looks to me like tracks would need to charge $50 at the gate to have a financial chance but the fans can’t and won’t accept that obviously. Some few tracks that have a longer history, a smaller debt service, and a niche will survive. But the majority are on the brink just like their asphalt brothers from 30-40 years ago. The thing that is most telling to me is the lack of younger generation fans at a weekly event. Next time you are at a weekly race take a hard look around and guess the average age of fans, it’s concerning from my view.

[flagone]

If anyone thinks that ANYONE involved in racing, save for maybe parts and equipment suppliers, is getting rich in racing you are living on Venus. Most of the people are in this sport because they love it. The rewards certainly don't usually match the effort.

You can make some money here and there in all sides of the sport. But get rich? Not even close.

The racing series that I run pours every penny back into the program for the most part. We have a large point fund and a cost of operation (insurance, employees, etc.).

[Zonks32x]

Flagone,

I don't doubt a single word of what you said, but at the end of the week, end of the month, end of the year, how many of your employees don't get paid??

I know at least a dozen people in my small circle who work at short tracks (dirt & pavement) and their compensation for doing so is admission to the night's races each week. Yes, they love racing, but it speaks loudly to how tight the budget is to run a track.

Small sanctions, like tracks come and go. That's nothing new, but I don't believe for a second that WRG, Lucas, Usac, etc. are not making money.

[play4kps]

People have this misconception that these track owners are making a ton of money, other than Eldora and Knoxville most tracks are lucky to break even.

[ride height]

It’s Catch 22. No cars...no fans. No fans..no cars. Until you get mom dad and the kiddos packing the stands again with some popcorn and a mt dew, dirt racing s screwed on a weekly basis. People want lots of cars, a little banging of sheet metal, a villain, a hero, and passing. They aren’t interested until they know that’s what they’re going to get. Lax tech runs off more people than anything...racing is hard...after enough BS cheating that isn’t punished, they sell their $hit and buy a boat. Fans pay the bills. Sponsors too. There’s another Catch 22. No fans...no sponsors. (Ask NASCAR how it’s working out for them lately). No sponsors...no cars...no fans. Racing itself was built on Joe Average worker guy building a car with his buddies and going out there and giving it their all. Getting that back is going to be one heck of a chore, but I hope something is done.