Class Nationals event planning

[Dan Nugent]

I would drive quite a ways to compete inthis type of race. I have limited time window every year fo racing, so if it wasn't held when i could go then i would buy an entry fee just to support Michael and this race.
I live 20 mi. from Joliet and there are a lot of interstates that intersect near here and they have a lot of weekends where that place is empty.
U.S. 41 at Morocco is just a slippery mess these days and thepeople that own it now don't have any interest in making the track better to help there facility.
Earlville, Cordova or Byron are all good places.

[Michael Beard]

Thank you all for the support and spirited discussion. I've discovered that a lot more people read ClassRacer than ever post, but I think a public display of support means a lot, not only to let other racers know how much interest is there, but also sponsors. The interest and discussion regarding the event ramped up dramatically during this week's IMIS show at Indy, amongst racers and sponsors alike.

As I had addressed earlier in the thread, I've been researching this event for many years now. Any event we put together is going to fit some people's geographic location, finances, scheduling, etc, and not others. It is an impossibility to be all things to all people. What I can promise you is that we will try to put together the best event that we can, in the hopes of satisfying a wide array of customers. We've heard a wide variety of suggestions on facilities: some of which have issues with geography, some with scheduling, some with prohibitive rental costs, etc. Each variable must be weighed on a scale.

I mentioned it earlier in this thread, my selection at this time is National Trail Raceway in Hebron, OH, for May 3-4, 2014. I received a set of quotes on Oct 29, which were reasonable for the facility. I spoke with a number of the staff at IMIS this weekend, who were all excited about the prospects. We will discuss the viability of the date and finalize projected rental costs etc. If we run into problems with scheduling or costs, I may revisit facility options, but if these things remain acceptable, I would seek to move forward.

Given the level of participation at similar events, it would be unlikely that the event could stand completely on its own, unless we had another 'Woodstock' moment like the US Class Nationals. My plan would be to do two $5,000-to-win No-Box races in addition to the Stock & Super Stock races to 1) fill another existing market gap 2) provide S/SS racers with the opportunity to run multiple events if they choose and ultimately 3) bolster the bottom line and viability of the event as a whole.

Rough outline: Subject to change.

Northern Class Nationals & Bottom Bulb Shootout
National Trail Raceway
Hebron, OH - May 3-4, 2014

Friday
Parking & Tech
(If the track wishes to do a test n' tune and/or gambler's race, up to them)

Saturday
No-Box Time Trials and S/SS Qualifying
Class Eliminations (Stock and Super Stock, each)
No-Box Race #1 Eliminations
S/SS Clean-Up Run

Sunday
No-Box Race #2 Eliminations
Stock Eliminations
Super Stock Eliminations


Class Winners will receive Iron Tree trophies. I will work on potential contingency sponsors.




Stock or Super Stock (separate classes, same entry/purse)
Entry Fee: $260
Win: $5,000
R/U: $2,000
Semi: $500
5th Rnd Loser: $300
4th Rnd Loser: $250
3rd Rnd Loser: $200
With 129 or more cars in a class, that class would receive $7,000/win, $3,000/RU, $1,000 semi. (Round money as listed)
I will work on contingency sponsors for the main event.

No-Box (2 races: 1 Sat, 1 Sun. S/SS cars welcome.)
Footbrake and Transbrake cars will be called separately
Entry Fee: $90
Re-Entry: $50 (1st Rnd Only)
Win: $5,000
R/U: $1,000
Semi: $300
6th Rnd Loser: $160
5th Rnd Loser: $120
4th Rnd Loser: $80

All winners will receive Iron Tree trophies, "Big Checks", and collectors trading cards of their winning rides. (Examples from one of our past Footbrake races)





Other random tidbits: Redman is on board. While we haven't talked about it yet, I'll collar Nitro Joe, and I will talk to Travis, Wesley, et.al. for potential Tech positions to provide some credibility and a knowledgable eye. The plan would be to have scales, fuel check, and heads-up runs. I am working on fine-tuning plans for class structures (NHRA/IHRA), but at first glance, I can safely say we run off of the old NHRA indexes, and I would plan to have "new cars" in their own classes.

[treessavoy]

Sorry,

Won't be there. I'm not traveling 2000 miles round trip just so you Yankee boys won't have to travel more that 200 miles away from home.

Physically, Bristol is a pretty much even distance from everyone but we would travel to Bowling Green.

JimR

[Andrew Hill]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

Sorry,

Won't be there. I'm not traveling 2000 miles round trip just so you Yankee boys won't have to travel more that 200 miles away from home.

Physically, Bristol is a pretty much even distance from everyone but we would travel to Bowling Green.

JimR

Divisions 1 and 3 have the most Stock/SS cars, it just makes sense to have it somewhere that will draw a lot from those two divisions. Plus, it's pretty much necessary to have the event organizer close to the location.

It sounds like an awesome race, I will be there!

[Mike Carr]

Originally Posted by treessavoy

Sorry,

Won't be there. I'm not traveling 2000 miles round trip just so you Yankee boys won't have to travel more that 200 miles away from home.

Physically, Bristol is a pretty much even distance from everyone but we would travel to Bowling Green.

JimR

It's been explained, more than once, why this is a better option. If you can;t grasp that, sorry for your loss.

[Mark Yacavone]

That's it... 1865 miles..I'm not going now.
Michael, couldn't you have it in Albuquerque or something...for ME?

;-)

[Greg Hill]

Columbus is not my favorite track, but this past Sports National race the track was the best I've ever seen it. With VHT and Redman it should be fine. I will be there also and if you need some help let me know.

[Billy Nees]

"Thank you all for the support and spirited discussion"

Kinda like herding cats isn't it?

[69Cobra]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

Rough outline: Subject to change.

Northern Class Nationals & Bottom Bulb Shootout
National Trail Raceway
Hebron, OH - May 3-4, 2014

Friday
Parking & Tech
(If the track wishes to do a test n' tune and/or gambler's race, up to them)

Saturday
No-Box Time Trials and S/SS Qualifying
Class Eliminations (Stock and Super Stock, each)
No-Box Race #1 Eliminations
S/SS Clean-Up Run

Sunday
No-Box Race #2 Eliminations
Stock Eliminations
Super Stock Eliminations


Class Winners will receive Iron Tree trophies. I will work on potential contingency sponsors.




Stock or Super Stock (separate classes, same entry/purse)
Entry Fee: $260
Win: $5,000
R/U: $2,000
Semi: $500
5th Rnd Loser: $300
4th Rnd Loser: $250
3rd Rnd Loser: $200
With 129 or more cars in a class, that class would receive $7,000/win, $3,000/RU, $1,000 semi. (Round money as listed)
I will work on contingency sponsors for the main event.

No-Box (2 races: 1 Sat, 1 Sun. S/SS cars welcome.)
Footbrake and Transbrake cars will be called separately
Entry Fee: $90
Re-Entry: $50 (1st Rnd Only)
Win: $5,000
R/U: $1,000
Semi: $300
6th Rnd Loser: $160
5th Rnd Loser: $120
4th Rnd Loser: $80

All winners will receive Iron Tree trophies, "Big Checks", and collectors trading cards of their winning rides. (Examples from one of our past Footbrake races)

Just curious if you could explain the reasoning for the big gap in the entry fees for those who might not understand where you are coming from. I'm assuming that its because the bracket race will have buy backs and pay out less for the round wins. I just thought it would be something to talk about so people understand instead of not asking the question for one reason or another and coming to their own assumptions.

[Michael Beard]

Just curious if you could explain the reasoning for the big gap in the entry fees for those who might not understand where you are coming from. I'm assuming that its because the bracket race will have buy backs and pay out less for the round wins.

That is exactly it. Class Racers don't like buybacks, which reduces revenue, and the gap between getting paid $200 for winning 2 rounds vs $80 for winning 3 rounds is huge. The round money that S/SS classes are paid is more than double that of No-Box. The total purse for one S/SS class is thousands of dollars higher than No-Box, with half the cars. No-Box has an established base for this type of event for roughly 125 cars. Stock and Super Stock should have an attainable base of 65 cars per class, and if we do our job with promotion, sponsorship, and generally providing the type of race that you the customer wants, we could see 100+ cars per class. We'd also laid out where S/SS classes could earn an extra $5,000 added to the purse if a given class got more than 128 cars -- a bonus not offered in No-Box, which needs that kind of car count to start with. S/SS has the added expense of additional staff required, around $1,500 in trophies just for Class winners, and two days of track time on just one entry fee as compared to No-Box which is an entry fee each day.

I have a Race Purse Calculator spreadsheet that I have spent years developing that crunches just about every number you need for a race: Give it entry fees, buybacks (with multiple options), car count, payouts, spectators (actual # or calculated as 'people per car'), and it will tell you how many cars are in each successive round and how much the payout is for each round, how long it will take to run the race, front gate/back gate income, itemized expenses, and much more. Realistically, just for two days track rental, purse, and misc. expenses, you're looking at close to $60,000.

Great question. Hope this helps!