CLASS RACER FORUM - View Single Post - What happened to Divisional schedule release?

BKSG1198 · 11-10-2022, 10:43 AM

So being around the Northeast and speaking to some of the track managers / owners when doing my schedule for the MA .90 Series I get a lot of insight into how the Divisionals work (Rather I want to know or not, they seem to just tell me when chating). As Bader said they pay a fee to host a divisional event, from what I was told it's $15k for under 350 cars and as the car count goes over that it's like 15-20 per car that comes in the gate. The 15k pays for the NHRA travel expenses, car rentals, crew fees, hotels, etc so the $15k isn't just a drop in the bank account it's used for expenses and if they have a rainy day the fee doesn't go up but, they have to eat that expense (The MG rain fest in 2021). The track takes all the entry fees in and pays out the payouts, so if you get a well-attended no alky event it plays in the tracks favor because the payouts are set on a pro-rated xxx...(over 32 cars pays 2K, etc). I think some forget that the payouts are pro-rated which I know surprised a few TS / TD folks when there weren't 16 cars at a few D1 races this year. In D1 for the most part we hit or go over the 32 car fields in the main categories (Stk. SS, .90).

The tracks basically make their cash off of spectators and concession stands for a Divisionals, like Bader did a few years ago, he passed out like 15,000 free tickets to local auto part stores, grocery stores, charged $15 to park and threw an additional $1 or $2 onto the hot dog, t-shirt and soda stands which in turn makes up for the FREE ticket. People will come when the word FREE is placed onto it, most people don't read the fine print saying parking....etc. When you add Alky onto the bill, the track pays for their payouts and depending on where they finished in the division the year before determines what they get next year. I believe Champ gets free entry and driver & 7 crew, 2-5 get driver and 3 crew and 6-10 get driver plus 1 crew in for free, plus they have to add additional insurance onto the event because you have faster cars which also require a higher ambulance squad to be on location....so you look at around $18k in expense if you get a full field of alky cars and I believe #9 & 10 non-qualifiers get paid also. When you add in a show for the fans (Jets, Wheelstanders, etc) they need to get paid also. I think jets get like $1,000 for 2 passes per car and still get paid even if it rains out.

So hope this puts a little perspective on how the divisional work and what the tracks have to endure with costs. So when a track doesn't show up on a divisional schedule I don't think the track is trying to hurt the racers but, more or less saying we could host a Test & Tune that weekend, have no payout and clear $20k.

11-10-2022, 10:43 AM	#49
BKSG1198 VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Vineland, NJ Posts: 2,631 Likes: 96 Liked 1,286 Times in 393 Posts	Re: What happened to Divisional schedule release? So being around the Northeast and speaking to some of the track managers / owners when doing my schedule for the MA .90 Series I get a lot of insight into how the Divisionals work (Rather I want to know or not, they seem to just tell me when chating). As Bader said they pay a fee to host a divisional event, from what I was told it's $15k for under 350 cars and as the car count goes over that it's like 15-20 per car that comes in the gate. The 15k pays for the NHRA travel expenses, car rentals, crew fees, hotels, etc so the $15k isn't just a drop in the bank account it's used for expenses and if they have a rainy day the fee doesn't go up but, they have to eat that expense (The MG rain fest in 2021). The track takes all the entry fees in and pays out the payouts, so if you get a well-attended no alky event it plays in the tracks favor because the payouts are set on a pro-rated xxx...(over 32 cars pays 2K, etc). I think some forget that the payouts are pro-rated which I know surprised a few TS / TD folks when there weren't 16 cars at a few D1 races this year. In D1 for the most part we hit or go over the 32 car fields in the main categories (Stk. SS, .90). The tracks basically make their cash off of spectators and concession stands for a Divisionals, like Bader did a few years ago, he passed out like 15,000 free tickets to local auto part stores, grocery stores, charged $15 to park and threw an additional $1 or $2 onto the hot dog, t-shirt and soda stands which in turn makes up for the FREE ticket. People will come when the word FREE is placed onto it, most people don't read the fine print saying parking....etc. When you add Alky onto the bill, the track pays for their payouts and depending on where they finished in the division the year before determines what they get next year. I believe Champ gets free entry and driver & 7 crew, 2-5 get driver and 3 crew and 6-10 get driver plus 1 crew in for free, plus they have to add additional insurance onto the event because you have faster cars which also require a higher ambulance squad to be on location....so you look at around $18k in expense if you get a full field of alky cars and I believe #9 & 10 non-qualifiers get paid also. When you add in a show for the fans (Jets, Wheelstanders, etc) they need to get paid also. I think jets get like $1,000 for 2 passes per car and still get paid even if it rains out. So hope this puts a little perspective on how the divisional work and what the tracks have to endure with costs. So when a track doesn't show up on a divisional schedule I don't think the track is trying to hurt the racers but, more or less saying we could host a Test & Tune that weekend, have no payout and clear $20k.