|
|
|
|
|
Topic: What is really going on with Enid Speedway Park??????
|
Email this topic to a friend |
Subscribe to this Topic
| Report this Topic to Moderator
|
|
Page 2 of 2 of 33 replies
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
04:19:20 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
03/22/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
207
|
|
|
|
One of the things that is nice is we do have a track in our home town. Im not trash talking our track at all. I think alot of guys dont come run at our track because they would be running for something other than first. We have some of the fastest cars around in every class. Our car count has been picking up, and the only class they cut the pay in is modified if they have ten or less. I think they have been nothing but fair so far this year.
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
05:10:15 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
06/03/2008
|
|
Posts:
|
1628
|
|
|
Reply to:
Posted By: 1dirtracer on May 19 2009 at 04:14:16 PM
The problem the track is running into, is the current state of the economy. Right now, more than ever, the track needs to compete for the "entertainment dollar" with other businesses within the community. Right now Enid is probably averaging 125 paid people in the grandstands at $10 per person, which equals $1,250 for tickets paid to get into the grandstands. There are alot of things people can do in this town for $10 or less per person. So what about this idea. What if they charged $5 per person in the grandstands with kids under 10 getting in free with an adult. With this, if you only get 300 people, you come out ahead of what you are currently making. Who knows, with proper advertising, you may even get over 1000 people. The days of telling people about the races and expecting them to be there are over for now. Now, you have to give people a reason to show up and I think $5 tickets would be a good enough reason to come to the races. People in the Enid area like the races, its just that for some, $10 per person is to much for the way the economy is. Just my opinion.
Darin Busch
|
I know they have a date set that they are going to try a $7 night. They are going to do it on a warmer night. Your right it needs to be advertised so the word gets out.
JIMMY MINTER 'AKA'dirtrack234
Yesterday
is history,
tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is
why they call it the present.
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
06:50:18 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
03/22/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
207
|
|
|
|
They should def try a cheap night and see if it attracts people in. If it does change it where its cheaper but more people come. This last week KNID radio station was gonna knock 2 or 3 dollars off tickets i believe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
07:20:27 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
04/15/2008
|
|
Posts:
|
24
|
|
|
This message was edited on
May 19, 2009 at
07:21:41 PM by 1dirtracer
Here is another thing you can do. If the "cheap night" is a success and you have more people there, then while those people are in the stands that particular night, you announce that there will be another "cheap night" and tell everyone the date it will be. If it was me, I would probably do it the following week. I think it would be more successful at $5.
Darin Busch
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
08:26:14 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
03/22/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
207
|
|
|
|
I think your right and if you get people in the stands and attracts local businesses to sponsor and more people to wanna race.
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
08:38:07 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
06/03/2008
|
|
Posts:
|
1628
|
|
|
|
I agree but I hope they do it when all are sport mods are here and not during a NCRA show. That way the fans get to see the best show they can with all classes.
JIMMY MINTER 'AKA'dirtrack234
Yesterday
is history,
tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is
why they call it the present.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2009 at
10:32:16 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
04/15/2008
|
|
Posts:
|
24
|
|
|
|
One other thing I forgot to mention earlier is that I got spend some time with C-Ray Hall and pick his brain a little about the racing industry. One of the things that stood out from the conversation was the part about announcers. He said it did not matter if it cost $150 a night for a good announcer, that is the one position you must have quality in. They need to be knowledgable about racing and the local drivers, as well as being an entertaining person when there is no racing going on. C-Ray said the worst thing you can do is allow your paying customers to lose interest. Keep people entertained at all times.
I do not know the current announcers personally. I am sure they are great people and good people to listen to on the radio, but when it comes to announcing at the races, they are definetely out of their element. I have sat in the stands twice this year and both times I found myself as well as the other people in the stands around me commenting on how bad the announcing was. They don't know racing, they don't know drivers, and they don't know anything about the history of Enid Speedway. Again, its not their fault. They are getting paid to do a job and they are doing the best they can. They just aren't cut out to make it entertaining for the fans at the speedway.
Darin Busch
|
|
|
|
|
May 20, 2009 at
11:40:33 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
04/15/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
27
|
|
|
Reply to:
Posted By: Sportmod5 on May 19 2009 at 01:46:13 PM
The fairboard has let Garfield county tax payer's down in my opinion. The truth to the matter of raising the promoter's fee's is, they did. I've heard it was 25% over last year which would bring it in around $1,200 a night. That's not the problem Enid's facing. The problem is the $30 pit pass, drop in payout for the best class they have going, racing at a place where your made to feel you don't matter, no promotion of the track locally at all.
If Charles Lupi or C Ray where to come to Enid it would be back to the old days in my opinion.
The fairboard needs to let the promoter have the concessions back (for a weekly fee) instead of the way they operate it now. You can't buy hardly anything after the feature's have started.
The raise in the pit pass is what hurts most of us. The tracks insurance cost them a set amount every night and it's not based on how many bodies are in the pits. We used to bring 4 to 5 guys a night with us when it was $20. I wouldn't mind paying $30 for the driver and car but give the pit guys a break and you'll see allot more people in the pits.
Give some of the out of town cars a couple of free pit passes if they come to race. Give the locals guys a free pit pass if they have more than 4 paid people with a car. Try something instead of nothing.
JMO
Mark
|
Mark , I can't agree with you any more! Your exactly right in every aspect of your statement! I wish you'd write a letter to the editor stating the exact same facts! I hope it turns arond for all of us! This is a damn shame!
|
|
|
|
|
May 20, 2009 at
11:54:43 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
04/15/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
27
|
|
|
Reply to:
Posted By: 1dirtracer on May 19 2009 at 04:14:16 PM
The problem the track is running into, is the current state of the economy. Right now, more than ever, the track needs to compete for the "entertainment dollar" with other businesses within the community. Right now Enid is probably averaging 125 paid people in the grandstands at $10 per person, which equals $1,250 for tickets paid to get into the grandstands. There are alot of things people can do in this town for $10 or less per person. So what about this idea. What if they charged $5 per person in the grandstands with kids under 10 getting in free with an adult. With this, if you only get 300 people, you come out ahead of what you are currently making. Who knows, with proper advertising, you may even get over 1000 people. The days of telling people about the races and expecting them to be there are over for now. Now, you have to give people a reason to show up and I think $5 tickets would be a good enough reason to come to the races. People in the Enid area like the races, its just that for some, $10 per person is to much for the way the economy is. Just my opinion.
Darin Busch
|
Darin your right too! You'd think whoever is running this show would think that but they're not! Why can't we have a Fairmont, or Garber, or Waukomis night and let those people in for free? Is James afraid that might cost him some money? I'm very glad to say that I did hear that they're doin something similar to this! Dusty just said all Monroe elementry students will get in free with their report cards and a parent. I hope this kind of promotion keeps up!
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 21, 2009 at
12:57:20 AM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
07/10/2007
|
|
Posts:
|
1315
|
|
|
Reply to:
Posted By: 1dirtracer on May 19 2009 at 10:32:16 PM
One other thing I forgot to mention earlier is that I got spend some time with C-Ray Hall and pick his brain a little about the racing industry. One of the things that stood out from the conversation was the part about announcers. He said it did not matter if it cost $150 a night for a good announcer, that is the one position you must have quality in. They need to be knowledgable about racing and the local drivers, as well as being an entertaining person when there is no racing going on. C-Ray said the worst thing you can do is allow your paying customers to lose interest. Keep people entertained at all times.
I do not know the current announcers personally. I am sure they are great people and good people to listen to on the radio, but when it comes to announcing at the races, they are definetely out of their element. I have sat in the stands twice this year and both times I found myself as well as the other people in the stands around me commenting on how bad the announcing was. They don't know racing, they don't know drivers, and they don't know anything about the history of Enid Speedway. Again, its not their fault. They are getting paid to do a job and they are doing the best they can. They just aren't cut out to make it entertaining for the fans at the speedway.
Darin Busch
|
Darin, you just answered the hundred dollar question. The Track Announcer is worth his weight in gold if he knows the racers and what is happening on the track. I myself have dogged the SFS announcer on past post, and I can't say that my criticism changed anything but I know that SFS currently has a fantastic announcer in Brian Ward.
These are the things that former SFS announcers Jack Miller, Jack Claxton, and Randy Ward are famous for and what every track needs.
Nobody wants to hear Bubba say; we dun throwed a yeller, quick as we get er figured out we gonna line em on back up.....watch the flagman if he throw the green we gunna get back to some racin.
jmo
|
|
|
|
|
May 21, 2009 at
08:29:13 AM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
03/22/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
207
|
|
|
|
LOL! Thats good stuff.
|
|
|
|
May 21, 2009 at
08:43:53 AM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
05/20/2008
|
|
Posts:
|
133
|
|
|
|
Something I always remember @ Tulsa Speedway was they would have Ford Night about once a year, in which everyone could go to any ford Dealer in Tulsa and get a free ticket to the race. Well sure enough year in year out the track would have 5000+ spectators and 150+ cars would show up ready to race. And trust me those 5000+ spectators were eating and drinking their fair share of concessions.
The problem with a lot of promoters these days is they have forgotten how to promote a race. Most don't have marketing degrees, or any advertising ability. The closest I have seen so far has been Outlaw Motor Speedway. They have one of the best Dirt Track facilites in the World if not the best. They consistently update their website. They bring in good sponsors. They invest in radio and get on there at least once a week to talk to Big Al Jerkens and they aren't afraid to keep the drivers happy. They have smooth fast shows, payout is good, and competion is their. If we can just lock Skaggs in the Bathroom there would be a different winner every week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 21, 2009 at
03:55:45 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
03/22/2009
|
|
Posts:
|
207
|
|
|
|
Well the problem here is the track doesnt see the profits from the concession. The county runs the concessions. Updating the website is big though. We havent raced much due to rain outs but what ticks me off is whoever updates the pictures on the enid website hasnt updated the winners in weeks.I dont care if i offend this person or not but i have won a feature since then and Ryan B has won an A feature and if im not mistaken its ryans first in street stock so it would be nice if our pictures were on there for our fans and sponsors to see. Nothing agianst the guys that are up there but those are weekly results and if you cant keep up with it dont have it on the website.
|
|
|
|
|
May 21, 2009 at
04:06:55 PM
|
|
|
Joined:
|
06/03/2008
|
|
Posts:
|
1628
|
|
|
Reply to:
Posted By: DustinAllenRacing on May 21 2009 at 03:55:45 PM
Well the problem here is the track doesnt see the profits from the concession. The county runs the concessions. Updating the website is big though. We havent raced much due to rain outs but what ticks me off is whoever updates the pictures on the enid website hasnt updated the winners in weeks.I dont care if i offend this person or not but i have won a feature since then and Ryan B has won an A feature and if im not mistaken its ryans first in street stock so it would be nice if our pictures were on there for our fans and sponsors to see. Nothing agianst the guys that are up there but those are weekly results and if you cant keep up with it dont have it on the website.
|
Dustin, I dont have anything to do with the tracks website, but I have put alot of photos of Enid racing here on the photo page on tidbits. See you guys on the 30th.
JIMMY MINTER 'AKA'dirtrack234
Yesterday
is history,
tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift. That is
why they call it the present.
|
|
|
