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

Good run for Stewart picking up the win and prize money at the Eagle ASCS Midwest regional race. Not that $1,500 is going to make or break his career, he isn't going to turn it down. The real money comes from his appearance money that he requested prior to agreeing to go to Eagle to race the event. Thus it leads me to ask the question......racer or businessman? If he was a "true racer" as he often portrays himself and portrayed by the media, why should he need to get money from the promotor for just showing up?

because his plane does not fly for free.

I don't know anyone who would go to work for free.

LMAO

. 

If a promoter wants to advertise Tony Stewart is going to be there thus bring in more fans because of his name then Tony Stewart requires appearance fee because the promoter is gaining based on his name. Now if Tony just shows up unannounced to race that is his choice and no fee required.

This techique of promoting is not new. Back in the day to get Kinser, Wolfgang, Allen, Opperman, Swindell, etc promoters would give the guys appearance money to advertise to get more fans in the stands.

If it helps bring new fans to short track racing I think it is a plus.

I can see it 2 ways. Yes brings people to the stands and hopefully brings new fans to the track and the sport grows. Thats a plus, but it also takes a win away from a local driver or a regular that supports the local track. So i think maybe the promoter could throw some extra cash at the other guys. Tony has unlimited funds so hard to compete with that equipment, Now hopefully the RACER that he is will come back and defend his title without pay. Always thought that appearance money was a slap in the face to the racers and teams that support you the rest of the year. Its a no win situation in my eyes.

What happened to the old Ford wagon with the open trailor.....Those day's are long gone.........!First and formost Tony is a RACER!

That old Ford wagon wouldn't make it from the Kansas Speedway to Eagle Raceway in time for hotlaps!

He made 46 million dollars last year. ! Why`s on god`s green earth would he need to ask for money just to show up?

Defending track champion Stu Snyder ran 2nd and nearly passed Smoke for the win. Acouple more laps as Snyder was closing in a hurry. Stu`s car comes to the racetrack on an old open trailer every week. You can spend all of the money you want, but you still need the talent in the seat. Someone needs to pick up on young Mr. Snyder, this kid has big talent.

Tony is a racer, right down to his bones. It's already been noted that he brings fans to the stands, as was seen in spades last night. The stands were FULL!!! Heck, we probably had double the normal number of folks in the pits to boot. I have never seen that many people in the pits.

After the races he stayed until every last fan got their autograph, and still had time for me to interview him. All this on top of the fact that he had to be up at 8:30 today after the plane flight back to Kansas City. It had to be after 1 A.M. before he hopped that flight.

And, if you question his racing chops, you weren't there last night. That was THE best sprint car race that I personally have seen at Eagle Raceway in a lot of years. Stu Snyder got passed, but Tony didn't pull away from him after the pass in traffic.

If he ever wants to come back (and he does...believe you me), he's more than welcome by this fan and track employee!!!!!

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

you assume that the Stewart car would win the race by just showing up.. He could of crashed in heat race and never made it to feature . I would call Tony a great driver that has won in every class of cars he raced in, and also a good bussiness man> To drive in nascar, own one of the best race tracks in america, drive sprint cars, midget and even a go kart race last winter. I would hate to see what his things I have to do list. They paid for drivers to show up clear back in 1920-1930 in IMCA. WOO travel money is sort of paying drivers to show up.

Appearance $ has been paid to drivers since the beginning of time, heck I used to get paid a little extra myself to show up at some places!

I don't know if Tony Stewart got paid to go to Eagle or not but I do know he shows up and races at a lot of sprint car events that he doesn't get paid.

Whether it's fair to the other drivers who support the track week in and week out, you can argue that it may not be, but on the other hand when a "Star" driver shows up it brings attention to that event and to sprint car racing and it might just make some new race fans.

Just think if Stu Snyder was able to get around Stewart and win the race...talk about bragging rights! He could tell everyone to tune into the NASCAR race in Kansas today and see the guy he out ran just last night!

Just my opinion

Brad Doty

What Brad says is gold ! Its not like Tony was running for the points championship. I would bet 90% of the fans were thrilled to see Tony there. Just like any other top name driver that pays a visit. Half want to see the locals beat him, and the other half want to see what a high dollar team can do against their regulars. Hey wait isnt that called the WoO ? Would also like to know how man kids got to see Tony in person and get his autograph. From experience that is priceless.

P.S. I got to meet Brad Doty and get his autograph

I have no problem with Tony asking for appearance money. Asit has been stated before, Tony races at the local level for appearance money and at a spur of the moment. I know I was surprised when he showed up at Sedalia on Friday night to run with the Outlaws.

The real difference is whether or not the promoter is advertising the fact that Tony is going to be at the track. If the promoter is advertising Tony's appearance, it is now a commitment for Tony. There are expectations that he is going to be there. There are going to be more fans show up. There is going to be more demand on his time. There are going to be bigger crowds around him in the pits. If he just shows up unanounced, the expectations are lower. The amount of "casual" fans are less. The pits are less hetic. He has more control of his time.

It should be remembered that he races sprint cars as a form for fun. When it is no longer fun, he will no longer race the local tracks. I have a feeling that overtime, we are going to see more unannounced trips and less appearance fees. It just makes more sense for Tony to have fun.

"racer or businessman?"

Both...CZ

All his cars run the much more affordable small block chevy. He shouldn't need any extra money. Only a Ford guy should be asking for more than Tony makes tolerating NASCAR nonsense.

Luna's Ford engine style that won 2 WoO titles and 3 
Kings Royals before a weight rule against the best EVER
in their prime and now DOMINATES super dirt late model
racing is no longer allowed/wanted in a WoO sprint
car.... Was Luna a miracle worker?

So why should a promoter be able be able to profit and fill up his grandstands for free when the only reason many of the people attending these Sprint Car races where Stewart is competing is because Stewart is there? Stewart makes a lot of money for promoters by showing up to race for what is essentially a meaningless amount in purse money. So he shouldn't be compensated when he is the only reason many people even attend a lot of those races?

FWIW, from looking around the web, I call BS on the claim of $46 million earned last year. Can you link to a source on that?

Agree....this post should be titled "Racer AND businessman".

I agree with most on here, Tony coming to the race and the track being able to promote that = more people in the stands and probably more cars in the pits due to people wanting to say they raced against Tony. I'm sure the track was paid back on their investment at least double. These are the types of events that tracks are able to do to keep the doors open. 1 large successful event for a track can probably cover alot of the overhead possibly for the year.

Yeah Tony won but lots of fans got to see that guys that race there weekly are able to compete even against someone with alot of money invested. Not much different than when the Outlaws come to your track, go out and see how the locals stack up, always exciting when you go and are able to cheer for 1 of the local guys running up front.

I say he's both a racer and business man and I see nothing wrong with that.

http://gph.is/XMLGff