Chapter 1: What Would You Do If You Were the Track Promoter

[Ben Shelton]

Fans, crews and racers talked, and I listened. Check out my first installment of "What Would You Do If You Were the Track Promoter."

>> https://www.onedirt.com/features/edi...rack-promoter/

- Ben

[HoosierDirtFan]

Very good article Ben. Shed some light on the subject as a whole.

[Paradox28]

When these people are referencing having a show over by 10pm.....what kind of shows are they talking about???? To run even just 4 classes with 20 car fields from hot laps to last checker is pushing 4 hours. I agree that the "special" feature should be over by 10pm at the latest but in the heat of summer where I live you would have to start when its still roasting hot outside and you'd have no chance of keeping any moisture in the track. I have no problem with a 6 hour night for a 4-5 class weekly event.

[TS3g]

I agree Ben. Barring something out of the ordinary, there is no reason a weekly show cannot be finished in 3 hours with 4-5 classes. Here are things I think are needed to keep the show moving. Remember, the on track racing is the show, not all the other garbage

-If the start time is advertised at 7pm, the National Anthem better be queued up and ready to hit play by 6:59. The first heat should be hitting the track almost immediately after. Hot laps are not part of the show IMO. If you want to watch them, arrive earlier

-There is no need for 6 parade laps ever. Heats and Bs should roll onto the track and be racing the next time by the flag stand. A mains, 2 or 3 laps, then green

-Make the yellow flag weigh 25lbs so the flagman has to NEED to pull it, rather than throwing it out every time someone farts (I'm exaggerating, but you get the gist). All cars / all classes must use Raceceivers to promptly line back up and be told of cars off pace or in the way. It's also the drivers responsibility to line up under cautions. The officials will put you where you need to be. Riding around three wide because you think you were ahead when the caution flew doesn't help anyone

-One and done rule in heats and Bs. If you can't make 2 laps without spinning out and causing cautions every race, stay after and practice, not hold the show for everyone else

-Teach the tow truck drivers / safety crews how to properly and promptly remove damaged cars. One track I attend hires in commercial tow trucks and OMG are they slow about getting cars off the track. It's not difficult. Also be prepared when cars get hooked together. Having a simple set of tools (lug wrench, hammers, sawzall if need be) would help a ton

-Time limits for all races. It sucks as a driver when you only run a 4 lap feature (been there done that), but it sucks even worse for the fans having to sit through that nightmare of a race

This all pertains to a normal weekly show. Special shows tend to go longer as there is other things going on, but a lot of same stuff applies. And of course, these are just my opinions as a driver / sometimes crew member / sometimes fan of 32 years

[nc mudcat]

11:00 is the right time for me. I'll stay a little longer, but I won't be happy about it. I think 10:00 is pushing it. 6 hours? No way. One of my local dirt tracks did that too me with a 7-class "Fan Appreciation" night, and I haven't been back.

[Rocal145]

Depends on what part of the country and the challenges that region's competing tracks have to throw at you.

[mcarter815]

There are tracks here that can get a five class night done from hot laps to final checkered flag in just over three hours. Six hours is crazy for a weekly race.

[Rocky]

This summer I went to a race track for a wild West tour modified race. Nice place friendly people.... Started the Modified A main at 1230 PM when nobody was there to see it. I bowed out on about lap 15 with a 2 hour drive ahead of me. They did so much right, but never ever run the show last. Don't have 3 intermissions, even if they are for track prep.

[waaac77]

As a promoter you're running a business and you need demand for your product. Dragging out the show does not help create a demand. Putting a good product out there and giving the people what they want is how you have success, putting the customer first and these days with the swift technology you really need to get people in, wow them and get them out. That's how they come back.

TS3g makes a lot of great points and if tracks actually followed those guidelines and ran less classes they would have much more success because people don't have time to wait around. You make customers wait, they get upset. Goes for any business.

[strong08]

My two cents. I agree with starting the show on time. To me 7 oclock is reasonable time to start hotlaps. The show should have a steady pace. But i dont dont understand why people want the show to only last a couple of hours, especially when people are complaining about not getting there moneys worth. Going to races is a hobby and it usually takes place on Saturdays which means there is no work that day or the next day for most people, there is no hussle and bustel of the world, so I dont understand why people get bent out of shape for being there more than 3 hours because we go to race to enjoy ourselves and get away from the real world for a while so I am not any big hurry to return to the real world especially when I am having fun. I really dont want to stay all night either so I think 12 to 12:30 is a resonable time to end a show. I am also a driver and when a track is rushing through the line up it makes it really hard to get the car ready between each runs, most weekly drivers dont have a bunch of people helping turn wrenchs and if a problem occurs through out the night it makes it hard to make repairs when the track is rushing.

[play4kps]

Wow, Probably first and foremost a healthy prize for rookie of the year, hopefully keep interest and promoting new drivers. Work with other tracks on dual point programs to help insure good car count for yours and other tracks.
On time ( dont waste peoples time.)
Weight breaks and or spoiler breaks for smaller or crate engines, hopefully not slowing down races, but keeping same speed, that should insure better car counts.
If a travelling series comes in, a nice healthy bonus to the top 3 finishing locals who have raced at least 80% at your track.
3 divisions at most.
Some good, some bad.

[dirt crow]

I’d implement everything Todd Turner has said for decades. The man is a genius. He knows what tracks do right and do wrong. He’s correct in every aspect. His “Throwing Cautions To The Wind” article in National Dirt Digest is my favorite.

[thexfactor0210]

My two cents. I agree with starting the show on time. To me 7 oclock is reasonable time to start hotlaps. The show should have a steady pace. But i dont dont understand why people want the show to only last a couple of hours, especially when people are complaining about not getting there moneys worth. Going to races is a hobby and it usually takes place on Saturdays which means there is no work that day or the next day for most people, there is no hussle and bustel of the world, so I dont understand why people get bent out of shape for being there more than 3 hours because we go to race to enjoy ourselves and get away from the real world for a while so I am not any big hurry to return to the real world especially when I am having fun. I really dont want to stay all night either so I think 12 to 12:30 is a resonable time to end a show. I am also a driver and when a track is rushing through the line up it makes it really hard to get the car ready between each runs, most weekly drivers dont have a bunch of people helping turn wrenchs and if a problem occurs through out the night it makes it hard to make repairs when the track is rushing.

A show running from 7:00-12:30 seems okay to you? I can gurantee you that is one reason why the sport is dying. No one wants to sit on a wooden bleacher for 5 and half hours past midnight. Then you have to drive home afterwards. Also, kids cannot attend then and won't be awake to see drivers in the pits which is an awesome thing in the sport. A hotlap start time of 6 with the show done by 10:00 p.m. is ideal in my opinion.

[Rocky]

I don’t want to sound like I was bashing that race track. They were 45 minutes from having a home run event. All they would have had to do is flip the order around or run the main event second to give the b main cars time to fuel and put a right rear tire on the car.

[fryefan]

As a promoter you're running a business and you need demand for your product. Dragging out the show does not help create a demand. Putting a good product out there and giving the people what they want is how you have success, putting the customer first and these days with the swift technology you really need to get people in, wow them and get them out. That's how they come back.

TS3g makes a lot of great points and if tracks actually followed those guidelines and ran less classes they would have much more success because people don't have time to wait around. You make customers wait, they get upset. Goes for any business.

I agree 100% with this assessment.