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

If they lost $$ on the AMA show, they lot $$ on every WoO show this year too....

AMA show cost $25 admission (Few if any kids attended) and crowd was at least 5000 (I did hear a Fairboard member say they sold 7000 tickets, don't know if it's true or not, but let's give both sets of #'s). Purse was $50,000.

5000 attendeed (@ $20 just to make sure we cover any kids that attended) = $100,000 - I would think that $50,000 above the purse should have covered the sanction fee and all expenses.

7000 attendees @ $20 = $140,000 - I'm pretty certain that $90,000 DEFININETLY would have covered sanction fee and expenses.

They had a better crowd for the Saturday AMA show then they had for EITHER World of Outlaw event this year (as a FAN that was in ATTENDANCE for all the shows). The purses on the WoO nights were nearly $100,000 + the $20,000 sanction fee.

Which one looks more like a loss to you?

Where in the hell did you get your numbers , Tinkerbell

I would like you to do my taxes

7000 attendees ?

There wasn't 7000 in the town total that night

I got that 7000 # straight from a Fairboard member before I walked in.

Everyone always forgets that the suites HAVE to be counted as ticket sales (the Hall of Fame has to pay the Raceway every racenight). Suites account for 1000 tickets EVERY night of the year (used or not used, they have to be considered PAID admission as you pay for a suite on a YEARLY basis, even if you don't use your suite, you still paid for the tickets for the event).

I didn't say they had 7000, just said that was a # that a Fairboard member told me that they sold (the # was actually slighly more than 7000, but I rounded down).

I figured there was closer to 5000 (which is also a # I used).

I stand by my post that they SHOULD have made $$. The Friday Night motorcycle race the track is RENTED and there is ZERO purse $$.

I've been told MULTIPLE times that the biggest $$ making nights of the year (outside of the 360, 410 and Late Model Nationals) are the Harris Clash (#1), the Saturday Night before Nationals (this year it would have been the Capitani Classic), and the AMA motorcycle race. The WoO nights aren't even as big of $$ maker for them (the combination of purse and sanction fee make it nearly impossible to make $$ anymore on anything other than a one night show (which is why they only do one night shows anymore).

My Hawkeye Ovals blog is updated after talking to Toby on the phone this morning....

http://www.positivelyracing.com/index.shtm

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

The purse for the WoO show was 100k? Not quite.

The total one night show cost including purse and all is around $78k.

well from a fairboard members mouth the harris clash pays for the absolute blood bath they take on a world of outlaws show. One year alone at the clash they profited from their ticket sales # $50000 that did not include what they profited from the pits because we all paid $25 a piece to get in and the purse does not even get close to what the pits brought in.

If it was so easy to make $$ on the Outlaw shows @ Kville, I GUARANTEE that they would have more of them.

Heck, when I was a kid they used to have a 2 day show in April, a 2 day show in June, a 1 day show in July (on a Wednesday night no less), the Nationals, and then a 3 day event in October.

2012 - a 1 day show in April and another 1 day show in June and the Nationals.

2013 - sounds like the Nationals will go unsanctioned again and just the (2) 1 day shows in April and June for the WoO.

Yep, they must make a killing on those since they keep reducing the # of times they race here....

The Outlaws ARE NOT the $$ maker that everyone seems to think they are @ Knoxville. I'd bet they make more $$ on the Harris Clash than any Outlaw show the last 5 years.

Weekly shows will be cut back I have a feeling. Maybe not in 2013, but that day is coming. We might see events like the Late Model Nationals and AMA moved up to the May-June-July time frame and we will have some weekends in the summer with no sprint cars.

I think we will see a Knoxville Modified Nationals in the coming years. You could have a 3 day show similar to the 360 Nationals and make a killing with a relatively small purse.

One thing I want to see badly is a tail-gate atmosphere. Knoxville has very limited parking. If they could work out a deal to use the land (or buy) next door at the VA for parking and have a walkway installed over the rail road to the track, you could create a much more exciting atmosphere similar to a college football game, iowa speedway event, etc.

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

I agree, the day will come when weekly shows don't exist (I just hope it's farther off then I fear it actually is).

The Federal Government has already stated that they WILL NOT sell the land the VA sits on. Hopefully the Enhanced Use Lease will get signed someday (but it's dragged out for close to 2 years already) and maybe something can be done for parking lots.

Having a "bridge" to cross the Railroad tracks is almost impossible unless someone is willing to spend a couple hundred thousand on it (and the Railroad would give permission). I know that was bandied about some years back (15 or so) and the answer from the Railroad was "no, they would not allow that, too much risk as people could cross it while a train was moving underneath". My guess is they fear a derailment and a lot of pedestrian traffic scares them from a financial risk standpoint.

The last event of the season is only 2 weeks away (The Late Model Nationals). Looking forward to another great weekend of racing.

The VA land is a pipe dream I'm sure. I know the Durham Mine east of Knoxville (by Harvey) nearly had to have a act of congress to mine the ground underneath the tracks. It's finally happening though. Just a shame to see all that land next the fairgrounds sitting there....

Eric Arnold
Social Media Manager & Track Historian
Knoxville Raceway

I agree, the buildings, parking lots etc. are falling into disrepair very quickly as well.

Hopefully the KVA has some tenants lined up and we start seeing those buildings used in the near future once the lease finally gets signed. Nothing like the government, its like watching paint dry on a humid day...

If you think Brian Stickel is the answer, how did his sign go out along highway 14??

Knoxville is a sprint car track. I wish it was so easy to switch races here and there and change things to the better. If you drop sprint races during the season, cars will start racing weekly at other tracks. I think some people on forum should apply for the job since they know so much about facts and figures. Others thould put the cap back on the tube of glue they have been sniffing.

the knoxville raceway may be a sprint car track but how many are really left? you cant survive on 20 cars and 26 cars and 18 cars every saturday night. Without bmain cars that dont get good money you cant afford to keep paying the purse when you have over 400 employees in the spring summer and early fall. You either have to raise ticket prices or pit passes and when you do that then guess what another problem arises because people stop coming. as for the modified nationals idea that has been thrown around. one of the issues a fairboard member mentioned to me was where would we put everybody they dont have a huge pitting facility like vegas or boone which draws 300 cars for $2000 and $7777. btw for three days youre only guaranteed $300 bucks costs that much just to get in. doesnt include people that comes to watch or hang out in the pits. honestly the only solution for knoxville is to open themselves up to change. without it even the biggest event for sprintcars in the world will soon be in jeopardy. this coming from a born and raised knoxville resident that would do anything to not only drive a sprintcar but see that sport flurish.....

I was told by a Fairboard Member after the Harris Clash that several board members commented on maybe they should have a modified show like thaty once a month, and then another said "Once a month hell we better do that every week.

Was also told 5 to 6 years ago by a former board member, that they wanted Cappy to look into a mid-week stockcar type show.

If thats what they want seems to me that they most definately let the wrong person get away. Face it Toby has connections with those (the stock car crowd) people.

I'm sure Toby has good reasons for leaving, and wish him luck.

The best thing Knoxville can do is lose the attitude, they will come.

I have watched Newton Speedway come into Knoxville's backyard and participate in school functions and no one from Knoxville Raceway is anywhere around. Newton is giving out tickets promo items to students, their pace car is there with the lights flashing, but no Knoxville. Watched a breakfast for students and Newton and the Hall of Fame was there,,but No Knooxville Raceway. Maybe if the employees or Fairboard members would get off their A** and show people they are interested in something other than standing around with their hands out, they could start attracting more people. If they don't have anyone that has any idea of public relations they need one. They have a simulator that sits in a trailer beside the ticket office, go out and use it to promote the race track. It doesn't do any good sitting in the trailer.

you cant put that on the empolyees when the fairboard wont allow them too.... or wont put up any money for those extra advertising....brian stickel was at lazer fest what a joke! he is not a people person and absolutely sucks at being a marketing person. He sat there like he was better than everybody. hes a nobody! plain and simple and they wonder why hes not on the city council oh wait those of us from knoxville know.

I didn't want to mention Brian's name , but that is his job and it didn't cost anything to go to the schools other than some promo items and free tickets. To bad Newton can see the potential but not Knoxville. He should be out hitting all the areas around Knoxville instead of having his advertising budget that is doing nothing

well when part of his pay is based off his bringing in advertising dollars he probably doesnt see the importance, but in my eyes he should be giving away free tickets at all the knoxville schools this week for kids to get in with the purchase of an adult ticket to the latemodel nationals. why not try to bring in more people to this big event and get kids excited!

Goes back to their philosphy, they will come. And do you really think Brian would be the right person to go into schools and promote the race track.