Ticket prices?

[klemmabyna]

growing purses have come with increased ticket prices. has that effected the number of events you will attend in person?

my racing options are limited so it usually doesn't figure in my decision of where or when to go. i do think it has decreased the amount of risk i am willing to take concerning weather and potential track conditions.

thoughts?

[J&Jsteel_fan]

For me it wasn't the prices but when 1 day shows switched to two day shows and I had to decide to either come for heats and no feature or vice versa.

If I come out, I want to see a complete show in one night.

[BTExpress]

After 40 years of being a dirt track racing fan, I have changed how many races I attend a year. I rarely attend a weekly show anymore. They just don't hold my 5interest. I still watch a ton of racing weekly on DV and Flo but I usually attend bigger events, mostly sanctioned shows. I go to about 12 to 15 races a year, and have no problem paying the higher ticket prices to feel the big time atmosphere. Paying $35 to $50 for those type of races is worth it to me at this point of my life. Even at those prices, it is still cheaper than to go to a professional sporting event or concert. I can bring my own food, beer and parking is free.

[riddle28]

most promoters are very lazy, especially for a weekly program. The fans are out there but most think posting an AI flier on their facebook page once a week will get the fans there. Im fine with raising prices but asking the ones that are already keeping the track afloat to pay more is dumb. Theres some weekly tracks near me calling their limited late models "super late models" and charging $50 for pit passes for a weakly race

[Dirt Clod]

I'd be curious to see what races that fans feel are overpriced. If anything, I'd think select pit pass prices now hitting $50 are at their breaking point.

I'm definitely willing to pay for special event races I want to see. Price doesn't matter. As BTE and riddle say, I'm a special event race fan now. Give me a well-run show, limited support classes and a feature over at a decent time. That's all I want. Blessed here in the Indy area to see late model, USAC, dirt, pavement and special events.

I'm nearly 70 years old, retired from a job and work a two day a week part time job to support my racing, concert and sports ticket prices.

[lurker]

I’m the same as some of you, I’ll go to whatever races no matter the ticket price —- and I normally buy a pit pass. Same goes for who attends with me. On a side note; the best bang for the buck ticket price wise is hitting a local micro sprint track for a regular show or a KKM Give back race.

[chathamracefan]

After 40 years of being a dirt track racing fan, I have changed how many races I attend a year. I rarely attend a weekly show anymore. They just don't hold my 5interest. I still watch a ton of racing weekly on DV and Flo but I usually attend bigger events, mostly sanctioned shows. I go to about 12 to 15 races a year, and have no problem paying the higher ticket prices to feel the big time atmosphere. Paying $35 to $50 for those type of races is worth it to me at this point of my life. Even at those prices, it is still cheaper than to go to a professional sporting event or concert. I can bring my own food, beer and parking is free.

I've been at this point for several years. TBH the weekly shows are just not that good at most places. In IL only Fairbury regularly hits 20 plus LM. I like support classes but a weekly show that is A Mod as the headliner just doesn't interest me. Most of races I go to are at least a regional type of show. MARS LM or Mods, Mowa sprints or higher levels. MARS has done a real good job since Matt Curl took it over of adding more quality late model events in IL/MO/IA. A fair # of weekends I can hit one of those shows within a 2 hour drive of Springfield. Same with MOWA on the sprint side.

One off the wall one I went to last year & really enjoyed was the IMCA SuperNationals in Boone Iowa. I went for 2 days & saw close to 24 hours worth of action. Hard core racing.

[BTExpress]

I've been at this point for several years. TBH the weekly shows are just not that good at most places. In IL only Fairbury regularly hits 20 plus LM. I like support classes but a weekly show that is A Mod as the headliner just doesn't interest me. Most of races I go to are at least a regional type of show. MARS LM or Mods, Mowa sprints or higher levels. MARS has done a real good job since Matt Curl took it over of adding more quality late model events in IL/MO/IA. A fair # of weekends I can hit one of those shows within a 2 hour drive of Springfield. Same with MOWA on the sprint side.

One off the wall one I went to last year & really enjoyed was the IMCA SuperNationals in Boone Iowa. I went for 2 days & saw close to 24 hours worth of action. Hard core racing.

Maybe I am just old, I still love going and watching dirt track racing, but I guess streaming has spoiled me. I have trouble watching weekly races on Flo or DV. The excitement is just not there even from the comfort of my Lazy Boy. There is either too many classes, or the announcer is BLAH, too much down time or I miss having an infield reporter like they have for the Regional or National races that are streamed. Although I have no IMCA racing where I live in Central Pa, the IMCA SuperNationals is on my bucket list of tracks to see. I did take a ride up to Boone a few years ago when I attended The Knoxville Nationals just to see the track and facility.

[chathamracefan]

Maybe I am just old, I still love going and watching dirt track racing, but I guess streaming has spoiled me. I have trouble watching weekly races on Flo or DV. The excitement is just not there even from the comfort of my Lazy Boy. There is either too many classes, or the announcer is BLAH, too much down time or I miss having an infield reporter like they have for the Regional or National races that are streamed. Although I have no IMCA racing where I live in Central Pa, the IMCA SuperNationals is on my bucket list of tracks to see. I did take a ride up to Boone a few years ago when I attended The Knoxville Nationals just to see the track and facility.

Funny you mention Knoxville. That is one place I would go for a weekly show if I lived closer. Routinely pull 25 plus 410 & 360 sprints each week. There, Fairbury for late models & maybe some of the PA sprint car tracks are the last of the weekly tracks where you can see an ample car count in a premier class every week.

Most weekly shows these days seem to be 6 or 7 classes of no more than 15 cars in any of the classes.

[3 wide]

Funny you mention Knoxville. That is one place I would go for a weekly show if I lived closer. Routinely pull 25 plus 410 & 360 sprints each week. There, Fairbury for late models & maybe some of the PA sprint car tracks are the last of the weekly tracks where you can see an ample car count in a premier class every week.

Most weekly shows these days seem to be 6 or 7 classes of no more than 15 cars in any of the classes.

The price of tickets doesn't matter to me what markers is I got 2 race tracks within an hour of my house that run 10 classes or more the next track close to me is a 3 hour drive an people wonder why. I don't go to races if your running that many classes all you got is a wore out race track

[TBSprintFan]

After 40 years of being a dirt track racing fan, I have changed how many races I attend a year. I rarely attend a weekly show anymore. They just don't hold my 5interest. I still watch a ton of racing weekly on DV and Flo but I usually attend bigger events, mostly sanctioned shows. I go to about 12 to 15 races a year, and have no problem paying the higher ticket prices to feel the big time atmosphere. Paying $35 to $50 for those type of races is worth it to me at this point of my life. Even at those prices, it is still cheaper than to go to a professional sporting event or concert. I can bring my own food, beer and parking is free.

I am the exact same way except 56 years for me. Only modifieds near me as the top class and they do not excite me at all, plus the races take at least 4 hours long plus 1 hour of travel there and back. Between streaming and attending the bigger specials for super late models, I am satisfied with that.

[chathamracefan]

The price of tickets doesn't matter to me what markers is I got 2 race tracks within an hour of my house that run 10 classes or more the next track close to me is a 3 hour drive an people wonder why. I don't go to races if your running that many classes all you got is a wore out race track

Yep - I'd rather go in person 1/2 or less as often, pay more at the gate but see a higher quality show vs a 10 class show with a total of 100 cars. Not sure where you are from but I don't know how the southern fans do it. I've been to a few Lucas shows in TN & those had limited support classes so werent bad but every regional show I see on streaming seems to have a ton of support classes. And like 5 of those classes are some kind of late model.

One thing that has hurt the weekly shows IMO is that the top line late model is so far removed from what raced at weekly shows maybe 20 years ago. So many of the local/regional guys have either dropped out of the sport or dropped down to crates, mods, etc.

[Jim11h]

Quit going to world or dream because format changed to too expensive, less cars, and zero chance for small guy. Last Friday attended atticaracewaypark.com and saw a b main in all 3 divisions of 410, 305 sprint cars and super lates. Showvran later than normal but was $35 pit pass and track was great. Competition was very solid with a invert of qualifying and draw for top 10 in feature (top 2 each heat and fastest 2 qualifiers not in top 2 of heat). Some cry about it but racing was very good. Schlenk battled hard with Moore and pinkerhouse from back with others for like 5th to 8th.

Good quality tracks and divisions will survive but crap promoting, track prep, and back gating will kill the rest

[DirtTrackin52]

Hagerstown today is probably the steepest I've ever seen for a single day $10k Lucas show.

$60 Pits
$45 General Admission

[Dirt Clod]

Hagerstown today is probably the steepest I've ever seen for a single day $10k Lucas show.

$60 Pits
$45 General Admission

Dang, $60 for a pit pass for $10k! A pit pass for Eldora's Dream is $65. $45 for the Wed FLO night.