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

I saw Knoxville increased their weekly purse for $6,000 to win, and $1,200 to 10th. Knoxville has a great purse already, and way to add more icing on the cake. 

Looking forward to David Gravel's video that's releasing Wednesday, and includes Jason Reed from Knoxville. 

Keep It Real

Appreciate everything knoxville does for the 410 class, but what about the 360 or even the pro spring class? I guess the 360 have the booster club, but what do the pro sprint class have?

This is great.    Happy to see somebody post something here that isn't about the HL and WoO crap...

Can't wait for the Season to start. Last year was relentless with the Rains! Hoping for a Summer with drier weekends this year. 

Knoxville - the leader of the pack.

Let's go Sprint Car Racing!

Knoxville - Best Track In the USA!
Eldora - 2nd Best Track in the USA!

I knew this response would come up...

The 360 has the booster club like you mentioned. This will probably piss off a lot of parents, wives, drivers, GFs, but in my opinion, the prosprint class purse is good. Each year I see wives and GFs on twitter get into pissing matches about why isn't the 305 class upping their purse.

The 305 should be an entry level class. If special races are paying $2 - $3k to win, then a weekly 305 race should be a fraction of that. Again, entry level, affordable class. And as you progress, if you're able, move up to the next level. 

Keep It Real

I'm in sw Ohio and have the opener and the WoO the following weekend penciled in. Hopefully good weather 

The best thing Knoxville could do for the 360 class is ban 410 drivers from racing in it.  The 410 drivers are taking the prize money from the 360 drivers who are trying to work their way up.  This is hurting the 360 participation and races.

You can't tell a driver that he can't pull double duty if he wants to field a 360 as well as a 410 and you can't tell a car owner that wants to put a 410 driver in his 360 car he can't. That's the car owners business and perogative. It happens at all tracks that run both 360's and 410's it's just part of racing.

The older I get the faster I was

Don't want people moving down in ranks to cherry pick pro sprint or 360? Raise the purse of the 410s and don't raise the purse of the others. Keep them entry level. Also there are plenty of weeks the 360 class pays quite well even so. 

Good point, however I don't believe we have a significant amount of drivers not participating b/c some 410 drivers are running two classes. How many do you know of?

I also do not believe that prize money, or lack of not winning the prize money, is hurting a driver from moving up. 

Keep It Real

Are 360 drivers wanting to move up?  In some areas or tracks they run 360's and not 410's.  Are 305 drivers wanting to move up or are they just wanting to race a sprint car on a budget?  I don't think all 305 and 360 drivers are interested in moving up. As long as the drivers/owners that drop down and run 305's and 360's follow the rules I do not see anything wrong with it. Higher car counts are better and raising the bar in 305 and 360 shows should help improve the competition shouldn't it?  Perhaps if the 305 & 360 drivers have success against the drop down drivers they will decide to move up?

Ford, I see your point. From a fans perspective, I want to see more 410 drivers running both, however from an owners pespective and other racers I can see the frustration. 

What about this... any 410 driver that runs in the 360 class can't start in the top half of the field? Let them run as many360 races as they want, but start in the 11-24 range. 

Keep It Real

I suppose guys running a lower class might be doing it more for the lap experience than the money so putting them toward the back to start would give them a chance to pass and develop more. Of course this is a paper perfect scenario. But handicapping 410s to the back might add a lot of excitement 

also I think in the 305 class you could probably split the purse evenly for all with a small carrot to win. You might not risk your life for an extra $500 but I do believe everyone in the race track would still want to win just to say they did. The money spread out would help all teams. I know that sounds a bit like socialism but think of it as a pay check to perform as an employee. 

Whenever I attend a race I look at distance, how much gas will I have to buy and will I need a motel.  Never once have I gave a flyin' leap and rolling donut what the purse was.  Dare to be different...always look out for #1 first.  

Stan Meissner

The cars for all 3 classes cost the same, granted the motors dont but when i look to race with my team i look at the overall purse. Pro Sprints should be $1000 to win, 360 $3000 and 410 dhould be 6000-8000 respectfully.

This discussion is very much like what used to be said about NASCAR Cup drivers racing Busch/Nationwide/Xfinity and/or Truck races.

Signature here.

The motors are a huge part of the cost. Most 410 drivers freshen their motors fairly frequently as do many of the top 360 teams.  Some of the regional 360 classes don't allow aluminum blocks which lowers the cost a bunch. So there are exotic 360's and plainer 360's. Big difference in the costs and maintenance required for them. I suspect that many of the 305 & 360's that are non traveling or bigger national shows run the same motor all year without freshening them unless needed. Some have special 305 & 360 motors for the big events. 

Promoters should pay what they are comfortable paying. They are running a business and drivers need race tracks to survive and prosper too.

Knoxville has been the leader in sprint car racing. The Nationals makes up for weekly shows that struggle to break even. 

The motors are the only thing seperating the 3 classes. 410, 70k. 360, 45k. 305, 26k. So if that guy in the 305 ends up 10th but gets crossed up after the checkered flag and tears a car up he doesn't tell suppliers his pile of junk can't cost as much as the guys running 410's. Wrong

Promotors benefit greatly because of the back gate 360 and 305 classes bring in but yet they get stoned when the nights over and they head for the pay window. 

Straw move to Iowa, hopefully you won't have internet