Sprint Car Payout vs Late Model Payout

[mcarter815]

Which I have yet to figure out why they have more fans. Most of the time it is follow the leader, not a lot of passing.

Sprint cars are just so fast and the racing feels more tense because it feels more dangerous.

[15b24fan]

Coming from someone that grew up and lives in Eastern Iowa, I was always a late model fan first. Saw my first 410 winged sprint car race at Knoxville a little more than 10 years ago. I would say over the last two or three years, I found myself attending as many or more sprint car shows than late models. The big thing for me is the speed difference. Other things that appeal is the level of danger raises the intensity from a fan standpoint, the cars are cool looking, etc... With that said, I still consider myself a big fan of late models too. Looking forward to attending the three nights in Knoxville a couple weeks from now.

[highgroove]

Put starters on the sprint cars and i will come...

[t3r3e3]

Never thought about the sprint vs late model engine angle, but it stands to reason the sprint car guys have lower engine costs because they’re turning less laps on them at big paying shows. Those midget gas tanks and push trucks help keep the costs down.

[mcarter815]

I bet 410 guys are spending more on motors that the national late model guys are. Those 410 motors don’t last very long before they need a rebuild and even a 305 motor is close to $20,000. The USAC midget guys are using $50,000 four cylinder engines.

[TBSprintFan]

Put starters on the sprint cars and i will come...

Sprint Cars take less time to realign themselves during cautions, have a lot less drivers going into the
hot pit during cautions, etc., etc. compared to late models so for the few times that there is a flip during a race and the sprint cars needing to be push started does not really interfere in any time being wasted during a race.

I will agree that there is a lot of follow the leader sprint races during the heats, but during the feature there is a lot more action than late models, esp. when they hit lap traffic.

Also when the WoO Sprints do the 4 a breast, they get into formation immediately, do 1 lap and go green the next lap unless smoke needs to be cleared from fireworks compared to late models taking at least 5 laps to get into formation then having the 4 a breast and starting the race, plus in that time they cannot get into a formation as nice as the sprints.

[buster83]

but u leaving out the usac sprints that have very different formats yet and draw a good many sprint cars and have a big race fan base probably one of the biggest.

[play4kps]

The payouts for winged sprints is a whole lot better for weekly shows. Also looks at Knoxville nationals, the 1st car to miss feature wins 8000 dollars plus what ever he won if he ran the c,d or e. I personally enjoy non-wing much more than winged. Most winged sprint car fans have to respect for other classes, they leave after sprint cars, foolish if you ask me. But winged sprint car racing has a rabid and huge fan base, especially on a local level. Sprint car racing has a much larger corporate sponsorship.

[play4kps]

When you go to a big World of Outlaws sprint race, half of the fanbase will have local drivers shirts on and the locals have a very good shot at winning or placing very high. Late model racing use to have a large local racing fan base, thats gone, if you go to a big race, world, dream, north-south, knoxville nationals you see little if any support for the local drivers if any, 90% of the shirts and support is for Bloomquist, Pierce, Davenport, or Owens. Western Pa has huge support for their locals, Attica and Knoxville has the same.

[Josh Bayko]

Top 410 sprint motors are 60k+. They're more expensive than super late motors, though not by much. The do require more frequent rebuilds though, because winged sprints twist them way harder way than a super late does.

[mcarter815]

Speaking of weekly pay, the weekly pay for Knoxville probably rivals most regional tours. Weekly 410 features pay $4,000 to win, $1,500 for 360 wins, and $600 to win a 305 feature. The payouts go up for mid-season and season championship nights.

I can't find information on the current points fund, but the last I knew it was a million dollars paid out across the three classes. It was sponsored by Lucas Oil at that time.

https://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/Pages/Championship-Cup

[brsteg]

I can't find information on the current points fund, but the last I knew it was a million dollars paid out across the three classes. It was sponsored by Lucas Oil at that time.

https://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/Pages/Championship-Cup

I don'y know about total pay, but read on Twitter that it pays $20,000 to win the 410 Track Championship

When you go to a big World of Outlaws sprint race, half of the fanbase will have local drivers shirts on and the locals have a very good shot at winning or placing very high. Late model racing use to have a large local racing fan base, thats gone, if you go to a big race, world, dream, north-south, knoxville nationals you see little if any support for the local drivers if any, 90% of the shirts and support is for Bloomquist, Pierce, Davenport, or Owens. Western Pa has huge support for their locals, Attica and Knoxville has the same.

The state of Late Model Racing and Sprint Car Racing has flipped in the past 10-12 years. Used to an Outlaw would run over most locals anywhere but northern Ohio and Pa and some Ca tracks. While a local in a late model could race for the win against the big touring series. Like I said now it's flopped; more and more local regional sprint guys have equipment nearly or as good as the WoO guys and they can run competitively. It seems to be more accessible as the chassis are more basic and haven't had drastic changes in a long period. I think all those factors have laid a base for guys to stay in a sprint car and get better, and now all the equipment is close. That makes it easy for fans to get excited on a weekly or regional level and have a guy to root for and continue to root for the home teams even when All*Stars or Outlaws come to town.
Now in the Late Models, the locals don't even show up to the Lucas races, and the regional guys usually (but not always) get beat by the same 5-6 tour guys.

[TBSprintFan]

Top 410 sprint motors are 60k+. They're more expensive than super late motors, though not by much. The do require more frequent rebuilds though, because winged sprints twist them way harder way than a super late does.

But have you compared what a new rolling sprint car chassis costs compared to a new late model rolling chassis costs . The sprint car is way cheaper chassis wise.

[mcarter815]

But have you compared what a new rolling sprint car chassis costs compared to a new late model rolling chassis costs . The sprint car is way cheaper chassis wise.

Sure, but unless you are wrecking all the time, you don't need that many chassis in a season. Those motors are a regular maintenance cost. I think I read that they only last a dozen races before needing a rebuild.

[play4kps]

Brsteg you hit on something! Attica pay 3000 to win for winged sprints and 1200 for late models. the fans there still love both, but when the outlaws or Lucas late models come in, the locals are nowhere to be found, I realize they arent heavily bankrolled by series sponsors, but for local fans that sucks. When the All stars or World of Outlaws come in, the locals run and are competitive. Until something can be done to keep locals competitive, dirt late model car counts will continue to fall. In dirt late model racing there is way too many races paying 30,000 dollars plus, so they can claim their race is a crown jewel, A crown jewel should be a race that pays extremely well thru the field. If you cant pay 10,000 to win and pay the additional 20,000 thru the field. Example: this year the dream payed 125,000 to win, you could pay 50,000 and the same cars will be there. you could pay 2nd 40,000, 3rd 30,000, 4th 25,000 and 5th 20,000, 6th 15,000, and the field 1000 less from there and pay 3000 to start.