Free Track Entry for Racers?

[Ryan29]

Here is something I have been wondering about. Would allowing racers to come race at your track for free help boost car counts and therefore more fans in the seat? I think promoters should be thinking about this since without cars you have no show and if you get more people to come to the track you can still make money. I feel like this could work if track promoters would give it a chance. Thoughts?

[kendo]

[OldSchool+]

Ryan,

A good idea, no doubt.

But like a band at a honkytonk that more than needs to pay for itself with additional drink sales, will the front gate increase more than overcome the rear gate decrease?

It has been discussed here that in some cases, the rear gate is the primary gate.

It could work, but it would take a big fat loss of a "chance" until it turned things around. Few promoters want to take that chance...

[Phil Jacques]

Donnie and I discussed this at one point. Drivers free, crew 25 per person. I think it would be a craps shoot though.

[jacko241]

On the surface, it sounds like a good idea, but if $25 keeps you from racing...........

[Matt Albee]

Here is something I have been wondering about. Would allowing racers to come race at your track for free help boost car counts and therefore more fans in the seat? I think promoters should be thinking about this since without cars you have no show and if you get more people to come to the track you can still make money. I feel like this could work if track promoters would give it a chance. Thoughts?

It would for sure, but the back injector is the main source of income for most tracks. At least the ones who refuse to go out and sell advertising. The pit entrance fee also includes insurance for everyone in the pit area, so i would guess there would have to be some sort of fee paid, or the track owner would have to pick up the full tab for racer insurance.
You're correct, the more cars you have, the more fans you should be able to bring in.

[andre]

You're correct, the more cars you have, the more fans you should be able to bring in.

And the other way around is true too, even maybe more true.

Did you ever notice when there is a big show at your local track, any track, all divisions have more cars? Ever wonder why? Expectation of big crowd. And nobody bitches about back gate price, it's show off time.

If by promotion magic, (BGS comes to mind) you could pack your place with fans, way more racers would come. Any racer would kill (and probably race 4 very cheap) in order to be able to tell his sponsor(s) and friends he races in front of 10,000 fans every Friday night at such speedway. Can you imagine the media impact!?

BTW, racer in for free, I've personnaly tried it, and another track I know of is doing it since few years, not one more racers.

[Groundpounder]

This premise is incorrect. The SCCA races this weekend at Daytona will have many cars (400 plus) paying a $220 entry fee. The cost to spectate is free, but there will be relatively few fans. The racing is good and premises the best around. Splain it to me Lucy....

BTW, the rent at Daytona is high and SCCA insurance is adequate.

[andre]

It's like comparing a Wine and Cheese Gathering at the Winery to a Blue Collar Happy Hour at the neiborhood bar, two different beast.

All racers race for their own reasons.

But one thing we all know for sure, the crowd has big effect on oval racers, and basically none on Road Racers. Oval racers are more incline towards the money side of it. Road racers more towards their own pleasure, beat their own performance of last lap, last week, or last year. Two completly differents ways of thinking.

Why it's like that? It's like asking why the sky is blue.

[Matt Albee]

This premise is incorrect. The SCCA races this weekend at Daytona will have many cars (400 plus) paying a $220 entry fee. The cost to spectate is free, but there will be relatively few fans. The racing is good and premises the best around. Splain it to me Lucy....

BTW, the rent at Daytona is high and SCCA insurance is adequate.

There couldn't be any more diametrically opposed models than the SCCA and Florida style short track racing.
So are you saying that if the entry fee for cars was free at Daytona, there would be less cars?
So are you saying that fans won't show up to an SCCA race even if it's free?
So are you saying that either the France family or the SCCA is making a butt load of money off of the racers since they pay $220 each and receive nothing?
I'm not sure that free entry to short tracks would make a difference, but until 1 Florida track tries it, we'll never know.

[Groundpounder]

Oh, now you are saying "short tracks"...

Believe it or not, some feel it is a privilege to race on this iconic speedway and $220 entry is very reasonable. Other Road Race tracks charge substantially more. BTW, no pit fees.

I think you don't really have a good argument here and just so you know, racers are racers whether it short tracks or sports cars.

[Matt Albee]

Yeah, i thought i'd try and start a brand new trend by calling them short tracks. Think it will catch on?
I don't doubt that some racers are thrilled to be able to race at Daytona. It's a great track owned and managed by morons. If you check, you'll find that many racers feel it's also a privilege to race at Five Flags and Desoto, not to mention NSS.
A $220 entry fee but no pit fees. That's different, for a minute there i thought it was going to be expensive.
I hadn't considered the fact that racers are racers, but now that you point it out, i can see how that might be the case.

[Phil Jacques]

Yeah, i thought i'd try and start a brand new trend by calling them short tracks. Think it will catch on?
I don't doubt that some racers are thrilled to be able to race at Daytona. It's a great track owned and managed by morons. If you check, you'll find that many racers feel it's also a privilege to race at Five Flags and Desoto, not to mention NSS.
A $220 entry fee but no pit fees. That's different, for a minute there i thought it was going to be expensive.
I hadn't considered the fact that racers are racers, but now that you point it out, i can see how that might be the case.

Curious why you believe Daytona is managed by "morons"?

[bubba]

Cmon Phil, if it aint Desoto - they are morons. Albee 101.

[Phil Jacques]

Cmon Phil, if it aint Desoto - they are morons. Albee 101.

Sorry, I don't really keep track of who's dick is in his mouth this week.