Funny Cars running for nothing... Selling ourselves short!

Oh ,..and if I had the money,
.......damn straight,,........ I would do what I could
to help lease, run, operate, own, manage, promote, sponsor, contribute
in anyway I could with a track,..in fact I would have garages, and motels
and casinos, and auto dealerships, and a museum too.



Vic


BRING BACK PRO COMP

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A very interesting thread, if I may comment.

We have a Killer facility here in Sydney Australia and when we run bracket races we get 300-500 spectators but we still make a good $.

The reason, as I see it is that we charge $110 to enter a car, driver plus 3 crew and we get 200-250 entrants, JD's pay $55 to enter.

I raced at Bakersfield last year and I could not believe how cheap it was to compete compared to what we do here.
Check it out www.wsid.com.au
It is a copy of Route 66.

Lawren, I understand your anguish, it costs HEAPS just to open the doors let alone try and keep the facility upgraded and looking good.

Anyway, damn fine thread.
CYA
Geoff

 

its sad to hear that a city the size of alburqureque,nm. (500,000) cant support a track that size. I know what it costs for travel with my program. thats kinda my bottom line I guess. I will help to the point Im going broke. if it cant grow, then I guess it dies. personally for me I think 400 a pass for a high 6sec,200mph pass should be affordable.

 

Lawren, thank you for all of the inside knowledge you have shared, makes it a little easier to understand why some tracks do what they do.
I think you make a very good point when you say that the community you rely on to fill your spectators from is key. I live close to Las Vegas and have watched many spectacular events come there. Many didn't do well since they have to compete in the entertainment capitol of the world. Your dollars can be spent in to many directions in Vegas.
We live in rural community and that makes us a better bet to draw spectators since the choices for entertainment are more limited.
What I also know form other business experience is there is a real danger in overcharging for everything.From the gate fee to the cost of hot dogs.
Isn't it true that if the stands are full then the race cars are more likely to come? I realize this differs from the conversation about payouts but it goes to the root of the problem of putting people in the stands.
I also have a hard time seeing a track owner turn cars away at any race, no it wouldn't be a smart move to bring in so many "show " type cars and still run a huge bracket race, but once the gates are open you pretty much deal with whatever comes in, and correct me if I am wrong but the more the better.
I truly understand the problem of the cost to run a car, but as was pointed out, I personally have never known anyone who built a car intending to make money with it. I don't mean to imply guys shouldn't have the opportunity to make good money but it seems odd to expect it.
Look all of us would love to be able to race and at the same time be able to recoup some of the expenses too. But at the same time we, including me, never worried whether the track did all right. And they have to , because there are more closing then being opened up. So it seems to me there are two sides to this coin to be considered at every race.
As was also pointed out, if a certain car doesn't perform then don't have them back. So to with a track, if they don't perform then you shouldn't go back.
We all need to find that magical thing that brings the people in every weekend and then pay all the racers we can so we all can do it again the next weekend.
I think conversations like this help and I like the fact that it seems to all be in a construtive manner.

 

Hi Bob,..how ya doin ???

Actually I think its the other way around,
.its how the promoter promotes the race with who they book/bill that will be there, wether its popular named funny cars, or a sanctioned group of high power race cars,...the advertisiment/promotion of a race is what brings
in and fills the stands,..but if you only want to fill half of the stands,
then as a racer/owner/or driver,. you can only expect half the amount of purse or a pay rate that would other wise MAYBE break even, for all your efforts of getting there and running, if the stands were full.
Yes Bob,.. lots of talking, discussions, and constructive positive conversations does help, and does move our efforts forward in a positve manner so that all that are involved will be, and can be on the same page.
Vic

 

Funny Cars

Hey guys,
This has been a great thread with a lot of constructive information from both sides. I just want to thank everyone who chimed in. My main point was simply that the cost of our obsession has risen 100%. From the cost of equipment, tools, haulers, rigs, gas etc.... The expense for the team owner has sky rocketed. The money that we are being paid at match races....... Exactly the same. I also realize that the cost of putting on these shows from a tracks standpoint has skyrocketed. I have never said that the point to these machines was to make money. Anyone in the business who thinks that these cars are money makers are nuts and probably need to be institutionalized! I have worked hard during the last 3 years at not only asking, but receiving more money for all of my teams. You DO NOT get more money by not performing well. I do not sell our show as all teams being able to run 3.80's at 190 M.P.H. Where the occasional track record is a feather in our cap, the consistent ET's, better then average burnouts, throw in a few old-school dry-hops while supplying teams that are professional in both performance and appearance are key in gaining the tracks respect and trust. I would feel ill if my guys were to get paid well and the track did not make money. But the crowd numbers I leave in the tracks hands. I do NO advertising for these shows. I bring the number of teams asked for by track management in race ready condition and the promotions are up to the track. I do believe that the track will reap what is sews. And when the track management, the teams that are hired and the promotion itself all do their jobs... Money is made all around. When I send my contract to the track I expect to get paid exactly as contracted. From the shows purse to the rain money if mother nature interferes. In my contracts a "run" is 1) starting up and doing a burnout. 2) Backing up and staging. 3) Leaving the starting line under the vehicles own power. There are no promises of E.T's at any of my shows. These are 3,000 horsepower machines and shit happens. The last thing I need is a driver pushing it too far, or a driver getting in over his/her head because they are pressured by HAVING to run a 3.90 or a 4.0. A lot of these fans that find me at my shows just love the smoke, the noise and the experience of being around a flopper. At our team meetings on race day, the only thing I ask of our teams is try to be consistent. Put on a good show. When we have fun the fans have fun. Don't come to me and tell me that the computer says that run was a 3.88 if I had not shook my brains out at the 60'. I would rather see a side by side 4.15 to a 4.15 pass then a couple of floppers up in smoke. On the same note I would never ask the track for more money just because they had a great turnout and made $20,000 more then expected. Though match racing seems to be on a decline as of late, it is still a business that I enjoy being a part of. From the ulcers I get from nerves on race day... to the reaction from the crowds after Earth Shaking Entertainment delivers on its promise for a great show. I will be striving to book quality shows in 2009. The ingredients are all there. I have a great stable of teams and we are expanding ever year. We have teams from Illinois to Daytona running for us. The number one hurdle every year is the team that goes out and makes 4 passes trying to qualify for an open show and if he looses 1st round might make $300. I do not think everyone should make the same amount of money. If you are an ex champ that can draw a crowd simply based on your name....you will get paid more. If you have 10 years of proven track experience and can get your beater down ANY crap hole track...you will get paid a little more. Everyone IS NOT equal. Once you have that experience or name draw you too will... GET PAID MORE! I owe any success this company has had in the past and will have in the future to the guys and girls who believe we can still put on a good show and that we should not be in the red by the time we leave the track. Billy Naves, Monty Todd, Bunny Burkett, Tony Cannoy, Delbert White, Lance Vanhauen, Cecil Roberson, Charlie "The Godfather" Gambino, the late Peter Osterio, these are just a few of our teams that loved to perform on race day. There are so many other great teams not mentioned that are looking forward to running with us in 2009. I just want to wish everyone good luck. If you will be a contender for the IHRA or NHRA championship or if this is your first year and you will be starting to live your dream just getting licensed. Good luck, always put safety first, and do not sell your self short.
Thanks,
Jagger Naves
Earth Shaking Entertainment