Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I wish I had the money to buy that place. There would be at least 25 410s and 25-30 360s every week. There is no reason they shouldn't get that many cars. I would do away with their stupid little "next generation sprint cars" they started this year (they had 4 last week). You can't run these cars at any other track in the area and be competative. The motors aren't strong enough to run up front in the 360s and the block is to big to run with the 305s. Instead, I would run the 305 sprint cars (they run at Jackson every Saturday night) and I would bet you could get atleast 12 or more. I would work with Hartford as far as their rules for the 360 class so they are all the same. I would keep both the Hobby Stocks and B-Mods but run them under a national sanctioning body (such as WISSOTA or IMCA). More than likely it would be WISSOTA because that is what Hartford runs under. It is very similar between the two and I dont believe you have to change much to the car other than different tires and a few other minor changes. Most of the guys in those two classes run Hartford anyway. There is not much of a reason to try and increase the car count in those divisions anyway (18-20 is is a good number).

Ok, now that we have the classes set, lets talk about how I would get more cars. Lets start with the pay-out. The dollar figures I am using might not be exact, but they are in the ball park so don't quote me on that. 410s would pay exactly like Knoxville, $3,000 to win and $500 to start. I would also put a $250 tow guarantee if you can't start the main. Husets is currently at $2,500 to win and i believe $200 or $250 to start. 360s would pay just like Jackson. This is right off their website (which is another topic I will get into in a second) $1,000 to win and $150 to start with a $75 tow guarantee. I believe Husets is somewhere around $800 to win and $100 to start. 305s would I would up a litte from Jackson and pay $400 to win and $100 to start with $75 in tow money if you cant take the green in the main. I am not sure what Husets pays just show sign in at the gate. This in itself will get you around two to three more cars in each sprint class a week and should get you around 10-12 305s if not more. I would more than likely leave the payout for the other two divisions the same. I am not even sure what the pay is, but they seem to get plenty of cars in those classes the way it is now so if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The payout would be listed on the website like Jackson does so everybody can see. Why don't more tracks post their payout on their website?

Now, lets move to a couple other little promotional ideas to draw a few more cars. Point funds, dont need them. This is where both the track and sponsors come in. Give away anything from new chassis, to racing suits, to helmets, to wheels and tires, to rear ends, etc for your champions. Give something to the teams that will give them a head start for the next season.

I would set up a $2,500 bonus to any driver in the 410 class who races every race at both River Cities Speedway and Huset's Speedway. You will get two "provisionals" you can use and still qualify for the $2,500. There will also be a seperate $2,500 bonus to anybody who competes every race at both Knoxville and Husets with the two "provisional" rule. In the 360 class, I would set up a seperate point system combined with Hartford. The top three in combined points between Hartford and Husets would break down like this $1,500 for 1st, $1,000 for 2nd, and $500 for 3rd. 305s Would be set up just like the 360s only with Jackson instead. The breakdown would be $1,000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, and $250 for 3rd.

Now you might be asking where am I going to get all of this extra cash. It's simple. Between the increase in cars through the gate, the additional people these cars will bring with them, the additional fans in the stands, sponsors, and me not being greedy like the Rubins and trying to make a ton of money, the money would be there. If I could run a race track and make $50,000-$75,000 in my pocket after its all said and done, I would be more than happy with that. You can't tell me the Rubins aren't making at least 6 figures each. Heck if they are making $100,000 each and I come along and take over and I am happy with $60,000 in my pocket, that in itself frees up $140,000 that could be going elsewhere. Hell, I would be satisfied with $40,000 a year!!

Ok, I'm off my saddle now. Sorry for the rant, but I am just so tired of how the Rubins conduct business and then walk around with their noses in the air like their you know what doesnt stink.

Add up all of those extra expenses, including payouts for the 305's vs. the "next generation" cars and then figure out the difference in what the payouts are now. Don't forget to add in all of the extra cars that your plan is going to bring in.

Then get back to us.

If you think anyone is taking $200,000 out of a dirt track in these times you are seriously deluded. If it wasn't for the Nationals Knoxville wouldn't be running the sprinters weekly, and there are more and more dirt tracks closing every year. Too much demand on the meager expendable cash that people have nowadays means less goes to them.

I am lucky enough to work at one of the best tracks 
anywhere.

As per your post, you haven't been to Huset's in a long time. They aren't living in those fancy houses and drive nice SUV's because their wives have a big paying job. Don't want to buy Huset's, it will probably be gone in a couple of years as Brandon continues to expand.

EPS, "from a sponsor" couldn't have said it any better. You must not have been up here in awhile. If they aren't banking some serious coin from that track, I want to know what pays for their mansions and $55,000 vehicles they are driving around in. That includes the kids as well.

A Few problems with your post. 1st the 360's, why change to 1-90's rules, Hartford is now kind of the Step child as far as rules go. They are different than any other track.

2nd, the b-mods not that i care much but ..... They are sanccationed USRA Hartford is the one that is not sanctioned.

3rd The new sprint car class. This u might be right on. 305s may be they way to go BUT Wesmar built a Very strong 305 last year that was for fun but would have sold for alot!! i rember hearing 15- 20 grand but as you say repeadtly dont quate me on it.

4th your payouts Nobody knows but them if they are possible.

I do love your bonus payouts for running 2 tracks great idea Hope it works in Ohio, but would be hard to pull off to make S.d drivers go to G.F on friday nights as well as G.F. drivers run Husets on Sundays.

I don't have time for a lot of input on this, but the only thing that really needs to happen to rebuild the 410, 360 and 305 numbers is this:

Multiple tracks need to run identical rules on different nights within a 50 to 100 mile radius of each other. If even one other track in the area would run identical rules and run on a different night the car counts would rise for these classes. A side effect of running these 3 classes together would be that the grandstands would be full and who really wants that…

Want proof... Look at all the junk classes out there. They run on different nights, almost identical rules and they are within 50 to 100 mile radius of each other and the cars flock to the tracks like locusts, but the crowds are nothing to brag about hence the increased fees.

I have said it for f!@#ing years on here. If the area promoters won't work together nothing is going to change. These days promoters are increasing back gate fees, pill draw fees, membership fees, front gate fees, concession prices but the one thing that hasn't increased is the level of entertainment. That has only continued to decline. Don't believe me just go to Jackson Speedway or Huset's and it easy to see the crowds are nowhere near the size they were 5 to 10 years ago and they will continue to decline as fans are finding a better bang for their dollar.

Thanks for your constructive criticism. As far as going with the Hartford rules, I know they are different than any other track, but they still seem to pull around 20 or more cars. I feel that if you have two tracks running the same rules within 20 miles from each other, not only will you guarantee yourself the same cars running both tracks (especially with the points bonus), but you might find a few more people in the area build run to run since they have two nights they can run the same set of rules instead of one.

As far as the b-mods and hobby's are concerned, I would more than likely go with WISSOTA Midwest Mods and the WISSOTA Streets. There are a ton of tracks that run them within 150 miles that you could easily see 15-20 or more in each class each night. I would like to go with a national sanctioning body just because the name is out there.

On your point with the 305s. I know (just like any other sprint car class or any class out there) somebody is going to spend way more than they need too to be able to run up front. I feel Husets (a tight little bull ring where the driver has a ton more say than the motor) would be an ideal place for this class. With Husets being known as (if you can win here, you can win anywhere) I don't see a better track anywhere for the 305s.

With the payouts, I feel what I would have to offer would be very enticing and you would see at least 2-3 extra cars in the 360 and 410 class each night (not the same cars every week, but cars would definitely stop in from time to time). Also, as far as the bonus funds are concerned, I wouldn't't expect them to bring in a ton of cars from each track. What I am looking at is being able to bring in an extra 2-3 cars each. If you look at the numbers, and the total amount of money an extra car would bring in to the track a year, they would actually pay for themselves.

Ok, math time on the bonus car from Knoxville (or River Cities Speedway) that shows up every week. On average, you figure around 4 people per car including driver. Husets has 17 (at a quick glance) regular weekly shows this year. Looking at reality (with rain outs) I would say you are going to get at-least 13 shows in. So, just based on the car and the people it brings in the pits you are looking at around $1,300 in income just on pit passes alone per car. Then, lets say at the least, each additional car is going to put another 5 people in the stands at around $10 per person would be another $650 coming in per car. By just having another car their every week (and this is just the 410 example) you would almost have your bonus money covered. Once you have the other additional fans that will show up every week because you have some big names and a good car count there every week, I can't see how the additional car count can not pay for itself.

All in all it goes back to the old saying, it takes money to make money. Hell even if you spend the money and break even on it just to give the drivers and fans the best experience possible it would be more than worth it. It will pay off in the end. I might get beaten to death on this and I don't care. The only thing I know is I wish I could have Husets for at least 3 years and I know it would be amazing to see everything start to fall in to place.

Thanks for the input wertz and I know you are on my side on this one. I have spoken to you briefly on a few occasions (Go Bears, nice to see us finally get a qb) but I don't believe you know who I am. If I see you at the one and only Knoxville Nationals this year, I will mention it and we can have a beer or two. We both know the DUDE quite well...

Anywaze, back to my main point in my post (that wertz pointed out) these local tracks and sanctioning bodies need to start working together. Thats the main reason why I wanted to have the same 360 rules as Hartford (20 miles from Husets) and the same rules in the 305s (82 miles from Husets). If the promotors would work together on rules, possible bonuses for running both tracks, and etc. The sky is the limit for every one involved!!!