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

On dirtvision's website it has scheduled an event, on May 8th, at Knoxville. Is this a live race, or something else?

https://worldofoutlaws.com/news/world-of-outlaws-return-to-racing-begins-at-knoxville-boone/

Thank you! After I posted the question, someone texted my wife about it.

I'm ready for this.

Man, this announcement kinda rubs me the wrong way.  While I'm sure everyone is happy that they'll have a chance to watch the outlaws again soon, this  "no fans in the stands" model is not the answer and definitely not sustainable for much longer as other tracks begin to slowly open up.  If anything I feel this is greed from WRG based on the apparent success, or at least the overwhelming interest in ppv from the Park Jefferson event and they want their hand in that cookie jar too, so they'll make their teams haul out for a one-off event to get some of that moola.   This model only had the success/interest it had is because there was NOTHING competing against it.  This will likely be the case for this race as well. However when more small/local tracks start to open up, possibly hoping to grab some ppv money to offset their reduced restricted attendance, they will all be competing against each other, on several different ppv platforms and it will not work. So therefore, restricted attendance programs won't work unless they charge entry fees, inflate pit passes an admission and cut purses. I hate to say it, but I see MANY tracks not even opening this year as restricted attendance, concessions, merch, etc will be profit prohibitive for these businesses.  One poster on another thread said tracks should open up even if they take losses this year.  No way that will happen. Any word if this is going to be a points race for the outlaws?

So who is paying the purse? All the Front stretch

Suite checkes that were cashed on April 3rd or the Dirtvision Pay Per View money?

Yes it's going to be a points race and a full $10,000 to win race...

I don't think it's greed or them copying Park Jefferson to get a cookie out of the cookie jar. It has been a forgone conclusion for a few weeks that if sports continue it would be with no fans attending. They were talking 3 weeks ago about football being in empty stadiums most likely so the thinking had to be that racing would be too. With WRG showing Iracing I'm sure they knew they would have to utilize dirtvision as a platform. Donny Schatz said in an NBC sports interview they had talked to him with some ideas as well so they have been thinking. If anything,no would say the Park Jefferson event was using the dirtvision model reaching in the cookie jar to get the moola. 

WRG & all tracks probably knew weeks ago most of the season that it would be without fans. WRG has developed a platform over the years in dirtvision when many promoters & sanctioning bodies were against the thought of streaming the races. "If you want to watch it, show up & pay for a ticket" has been the thought of most promoters. Over time, many opened up & if anything, they will now be rewarded with the development of the package.

But I do agree that it will be successful since there is nothing to compete with. Mostly because this is out of am ordinary situation. This is nothing long term, just to keep the product on the track which is important. Many small tracks will not be able to open but it's not because of the WRG, just the situation. Under regular schedule, most of the tracks have suspended or postponed their seasons until otherwise stated. Iowa has allowed Knoxville to open under guidelines so it makes sense for all parties to work together. The outlaw teams don't have an issue with going, social media shows they want to race. As for the other tracks, they have to make the best decision for them. Not all of them can run empty track ppv, too much money. Dirtvision already made their business model to have streaming so I have no issue with them using it. However the purse & bills get paid is between tracks, WRG, and the teams. They had the vision, they get the reward

I pretty much agree with this. If the powers in control see it that this is the only way going forward I'll lose complete interest. Long term its only sustainable for a select few. I love the podunk track gems to watch a race at. They can't live in this model if forced upon. Time to grow a set and move on with life. Act like we can stop all illnesses going forward in an imperfect world.... 

Ill be finding some races in Missouri to go to in the coming weeks watching via the interwebs computer gadget ain't for this redneck.

I don't know why so many don't like this.  When health dept's don't give them a choice, what are they supposed to do?  They run a business and have to find a way to at least try to bring in some revenue.  

I don't disagree with everything you say, but what else are they supposed to do?  

Yeah totally agree,  unless the ppv lease the tracks and pay the purse,  wear is the money going to come from. Might work a couple more times, but it will not last long.

PPV will pay the purse. Of course won't make as much as if fans there, but sure thosands will pay to watch at home. Probably be $30, that what it cost last wk on Speedshift.  Just hope the site can handle that many customers at once.

If I were a Knoxville resident I'd be sneaking in there somehow, maybe even Andy Dufresne style through a sewer pipe. 

Hmmm.... does anyone have a map of the Knoxville sewer? 

I was thinking I'd pay some crew to be a mud scraper. You heard that right ID PAY THEM!

Not sure if they let people watch from outside the fence but I'd consider that If I am even allowed on the grounds. If all else fails it's to Missouri for IMCA racing.

wow.. how can this not be a good thing.. Now, right now, we have zip, nothing.  They say they are going to have a race and I can watch it..  I think thats a good thing.. I must have missed something in race-fan 101 class.....

      I don't see this as the wave of the future that will change everything. I see this as the start of trying to figure out how to start racing again. You have to start somewhere. Would it be better if they just decided to do nothing?


     To quote that great race fan Winston Churchill:  "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps the end of the beginning".

I dont like this one bit, this is like a slap in the face to all the people that have supported Knoxville for years.

They are the bully of this whole thing, this could of been a normal knoxville show with no support class and taken off just fine. 

But I forgot its the Outlaw Teams that have all the local sponsorship, buy all the local tires, fuel, parts, and are going to continue to race there and support the track.

The Circus is coming to town to steal your money and leave, wonder why no "outlaw" team showed up last weekend to race?

Cant imaging being someone who has been racing for years and all your sponsors hear about it, and you dont get the nod to attend the show because your not "elite" enough.

The Outlaw teams weren't allowed to race last weekend; it wasn't an Outlaw sanctioned event and the Outlaw do not race at Parks Jefferson, so the only way a team could race would've been to ask WRG permission, and it wouldn't have made sense to allow them to race.

As for Knoxville, they said a couple weeks ago they were going to push their opener back to May 16th and right now they can't handle the 80 so cars they'll get for a regular weekly show. Iowa relaxed some of it's guidelines, but you're still going to have to use every other pit stall, which is why the field size is llimited. 

I'm excited for this show, while I'd rather go to then race, this is the best we got right now and I'd much rather watch racing on PPV then have no racing at all! 

Got to remember Dirtvision is a subscription service so for $39 you will be to see both the Woo sprint and Woo late model events or pay the one night PPV. At the end of the day Woo is covering the purse through their series sponsors. The Woo has taken in alot of sponsor money and they have to show some return on the investment to keep sponsors happy. Plus you have to remember a lot of the Woo events are promoted by the Woo so they are loosing a lot of income due to cancellations. I look for the Woo to hand pick other tracks and do the same thing to get 3-4 events a month. Would think Charlotte would be logical one.

Not sure why there are so many unhappy people as to run without fans is the only option at these current times. Say they limited it to 2,000 fans then there would be people complaining they didn't get a ticket. Face it, no state Governor has the balls to be the first state to allow a event with a large crowd. Just don't see that happening.

I'll be happy to sit back on a Friday evening and enjoy some real racing.

Boy this sure brought out the idiots.  

Hard to imagine someone being so angry over this, and I have no clue why.

This is a starting point. Not a long-term solution.