Pro Lates at Bronson Speedway

[OldSchool+]

I am thinking run a few lower classes with maybe Sportsman as the top class, and pay well throughout the field.

As things improve, elevate the class level and payouts accordingly.

[Frasson118]

As a fan... I wouldn't cross the street for a program that featured entry level classes. An exception could come into a play if their Sportsman class regularly had over 20 cars, and ran heats.
I love RACE CARS... not street cars with bashed out windows and duct tape numbers.
You have to have something with both horsepower, and eye appeal.
I don't claim to know the right answers, but MANY pockets around the country don't have the same issues we have here... too many divisions, all with different rules from track to track... Saturday racing is your ONLY option... tracks that schedule on top of each other...
I could go on and on with the difference between Fla and everywhere else.

[OldSchool+]

Frasson,

Oh, I agree.

And I might drive right by a track with entry level classes to go to St Pete.

But what do you think Joe Local would prefer to see-- a track with 3-5 strung out cars per 6 or so classes, or 10+ in three?

If there is limited purse fundage, that may be the choice for the track.

And from the track's point of view, which do you think will most quickly increase the ticket sales at both gates?

[Benny The Mule]

As a fan... I wouldn't cross the street for a program that featured entry level classes. An exception could come into a play if their Sportsman class regularly had over 20 cars, and ran heats.
I love RACE CARS... not street cars with bashed out windows and duct tape numbers.
You have to have something with both horsepower, and eye appeal.
I don't claim to know the right answers, but MANY pockets around the country don't have the same issues we have here... too many divisions, all with different rules from track to track... Saturday racing is your ONLY option... tracks that schedule on top of each other...
I could go on and on with the difference between Fla and everywhere else.

My Streetstock had over 400hp and my numbers were decals. Lol. Though it was a stock body. The sportsman class with all of the wedge and fabricated bodies need to come back though.

[Phil Jacques]

As a fan... I wouldn't cross the street for a program that featured entry level classes. An exception could come into a play if their Sportsman class regularly had over 20 cars, and ran heats.
I love RACE CARS... not street cars with bashed out windows and duct tape numbers.
You have to have something with both horsepower, and eye appeal.
I don't claim to know the right answers, but MANY pockets around the country don't have the same issues we have here... too many divisions, all with different rules from track to track... Saturday racing is your ONLY option... tracks that schedule on top of each other...
I could go on and on with the difference between Fla and everywhere else.

You would be hard pressed to find more competitive, more action filled and more REAL racing than a Street Stock division ANYWHERE in the country. The more expensive the cars are, the worse they race generally.

Speed and Grip doesn't always equal good racing...

[Phil Jacques]

Phil & Scott:

If you were a promoter, and for whatever reasons and/or mistakes, for years things have been in a state of decline at your track.

Now, your attendance is down (both gates) and your deal is close to break even. Let's say you are working a day job to pay your personal mortgage.

How would you proceed?

This isn't supposed to be inflammatory, that scenario may come up sometime & perhaps your suggestions would be helpful.

There's a simple math equation for results it seems...

Action on the track = fans in the stands = better payouts = more cars = action on the track ∞

If you want action on the track you need to have strong car counts. To have strong car counts you have to treat the drivers well and compensate them appropriately (see my above link to payouts for Thompson Speedway) If you get good car counts, you'll draw crowds every time... Look at what Citrus seems to be doing... Every time I see a picture or video, they have it all together. When you put a good payout up (and advertise it), cars show up and that creates good competitive action on the track.

$10 for adults $5 for kids under 12 free is a good deal. If you save people money at the front gate, they will spend it on food and beer at the concessions. Dirt tracks around the country seem to use this mentality. I constantly see pictures with cheap concession prices and cheap front gates. Why not asphalt tracks?

Something else I would love to see more of and I think really helps is sponsors for divisions. Up here, every division at almost every track has a sponsor. Monster Energy, Xtramart (convenience chain), Sunoco Race Fuels etc. Get sponsors to put up part of the purse or sponsor special bonuses in each divisions. Make it lucrative for both sides. It can be done!

Lastly I'll say this... Frasson is right... There are too many different and similar divisions in FL. I have said it a billion times. Combine rules packages and give weight penalties and breaks to get everyone more equal and slowly phase them into one don't do it like the sportsman rules... Now there are 3 different sets of those rules again lol Be smart about it and it can work, be too aggressive and you'll get too much kickback and it'll backfire as seen.

But again, I'm in the nawth... what do I know? Probably nothing...

[OldSchool+]

Actually two things currently being discussed, I think...

>Frasson is talking loooooooooow dollar cars. I have a lot of respect for anyone that makes it on the track, period, but certainly watching high dollar modifieds is preferable.

>Street stock racing is generally very good--if they have decent cars and decent car count, and Phil's car looks close to Cup quality. But I am not certain that they can be a weekly headliner with long term success for a track.

[Old Sunshine Fan]

Alert - Alert - Alert

This horse is DEAD, that's right folks.... died a long time ago. There's been many great ideas tossed about - - - but no one is listening. OSF

[fred23]

When I was a young lad, I remember going to NSS or OSW and there being 4 classes. Late models, Thunder cars, 4 cyl and bombers. That was it.

They have to bite the bullet and condense / merge classes. It will piss off a lot of people for a year or two but in the long run it would work itself out.

There needs to be an entry class (bombers), a practical class (Street Stock/4cyl), a mid level class (sportsman/ mods) and then the top class (Supers/Pro Late models).

Trucks and modifieds and Sportsman are all basically the same. NOT EXACTLY, (don't kill me) but basically stock clip chassis, crate motor, 8" wheels etc.
My point is, there doesn't have to be 3 divisions. If all those folks were in one division it would be a real good division.

Just throwing it out there. More is not better unless it means more cars in a few races. Not spread out over 8 or 10 races.

[Phil Jacques]

This horse is DEAD, that's right folks.... died a long time ago. There's been many great ideas tossed about - - - but no one is listening. OSF

Nobody ever listens, and that's the cause of the decline. If people were open minded rather than believing they have the world by the balls, things would be great again... And that goes for HERE near me too!

[OldSchool+]

"Action on the track = fans in the stands = better payouts = more cars = action on the track ∞"--Philco

No doubt. Where does the jack come from to pay the purses to generate the "action on the track"?

OSF--re: Daid--no doubt, but ya gotta try, and as Phil sez, he is from up North, so it is required that we jack him up about details.

Because, you know, they tend to do a lot of deficit spending up there, and yet the local tracks do not have The Fed to print money for them...

We wants to know how it is done, bucks down.

[Phil Jacques]

"Action on the track = fans in the stands = better payouts = more cars = action on the track ∞"--Philco

No doubt. Where does the jack come from to pay the purses to generate the "action on the track"?

Gotta get off that comfy office chair and pound the pavement like some of us drivers do to find sponsors that want to be part of what you're doing. They are out there, but you have to put in the effort, something very few seem to want to do because it's not easy and sometimes, you might even have to sacrifice a little bit up front out of your own pocket, to do a whole lot better in the end.

A race track is a business and sometimes you have to spend money to make money...

[OldSchool+]

Very good.

My point is a different way of stating essentially the same thing: If you do not have the money to properly promote and run the place, do not mortgage your home a second or third time, sell out and get a hot dog stand.

BUT, as OSF states, it is their deal and they will handle it as they like. Until things inevitably slow to a stop and new money comes along (aka Citrus), or it doesn't (aka Bithlo).

Except, of course, my take is closer to reality, and yours is optimistic theory (another Northern thing--but I am profilin').

And more power to you, but the only dream you can actually realize is your own--and I am so glad you are doing so.

[Phil Jacques]

Very good.

My point is a different way of stating essentially the same thing: If you do not have the money to properly promote and run the place, do not mortgage your home a second or third time, sell out and get a hot dog stand.

BUT, as OSF states, it is their deal and they will handle it as they like. Until things inevitably slow to a stop and new money comes along (aka Citrus), or it doesn't (aka Bithlo).

Except, of course, my take is closer to reality, and yours is optimistic theory (another Northern thing--but I am profilin').

And more power to you, but the only dream you can actually realize is your own--and I am so glad you are doing so.

Nah, not optimistic theory, it's how we do it here, and why things are much more successful, but I get it. You guys don't want to hear success stories. It's cool lol I only offer up this "optimistic theory" because I hate seeing it that way down there.

[Phil Jacques]

There are a couple tracks down there doing it right, or mostly right. The rest could screw up a shit sandwich it seems lol It's actually kind of comical. How do you get fans to come watch 6 cars chase each other in circles 10 car lengths apart? How is that exciting? But don't worry, they know just how to fix it lol