Big $$$ S/SS Races as a Business Model..Viable?

[GUMP]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Take a look at The Southeast Gassers on Youtube (SEGA) before anyone disagrees with me
1/8th mile only
Stick shift only
Straight axles and wheelies required
Flat out racing
No ET on scoreboard.
Car names highly recommended
Racers do not pay entry..They are the show
They do race for money..It comes from the spectator gate.
...People drive halfway across the country to spectate and race
More new cars every year

Doesn't relate? Okay, what does?

We get two SEGA races at Shadyside Dragway each year. The place is packed beyond capacity for both. They sell tons of food and souvenirs. Quain runs a great race!

The place is also well attended for the Shadyside Owtlaws and No Prep races.

The one thing that they have in common is that all the racing is HEADS UP. Fans can relate to that.

Bracket racing is dumb to most people that don't race.....

[Nick Heath]

Originally Posted by GUMP

We get two SEGA races at Shadyside Dragway each year. The place is packed beyond capacity for both. They sell tons of food and souvenirs. Quain runs a great race!

The place is also well attended for the Shadyside Owtlaws and No Prep races.

The one thing that they have in common is that all the racing is HEADS UP. Fans can relate to that.

Bracket racing is dumb to most people that don't race.....

Daren, I gotta comment here because I think you hit on an important point. A while back, I took my wife to a S/SS combo race at Brainerd. I explained Stock Eliminator eliminations (e.g. the bracket racing) to her. She laughed and said, "I don't get it." Then when two B/SA's line up, I say, "Watch this, a heads up race! First to the finish line wins!" She intently watched that round and asked, "Are there any more of those?" I laughed and said, "Now you know why I take 2-3 days of vacation every year to go to Indy!"

Bracket racing will always be a niche attraction to most spectators because it takes more than 10 seconds to explain. If you want spectators, I think you need a lot of promotion and a lot of heads-up racing. If you don't care about spectators, then then you need other avenues make money - and I'm not smart enough or qualified enough to comment on that.

[Mark Yacavone]

Okay..Lots of folks think heads up racing would be the big draw for spectators.

Lets think about this , but first a little history lesson. Heads up class racing was all there was in the beginning . Someone got the idea to run all the class winners in eliminator fashion.. You had to win class to be in the eliminator..Obviously, you had to have class runoffs first.
Not so today..Everybody gets a chance to qualify.
But maybe , for the sake of promoting heads up, spectator friendly racing, we need to re-think this.
I'll just throw this out here.
What if class runoffs were held Saturday night, under the lights? You can imagine what the local radio commercials would sound like?
Maybe channel some of the entry and / or advertising money towards a class win. Or racers could put up a Franklin towards the pot. Strictly an optional program.
Of course, run them in order...A,B, C and so on.
How about that, Larry Hill? 1500 bucks cash for a class win?

How about it? Any merit to this?

[GTX JOHN]

How about combining classes stick and auto plus lumping three together
ABC@B weight DEF@E weight GHI @ H and so on = no limit to ballast and run them each heads up.

The winner of each Mini Eliminator could then
run off with each other winner on a dial in for a final winner.

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

How about combining classes stick and auto plus lumping three together
ABC@B weight DEF@E weight GHI @ H and so on = no limit to ballast and run them each heads up.

The winner of each Mini Eliminator could then
run off with each other winner on a dial in for a final winner.

John, I see your point but I'm thinking we would keep this simple and easy as possible.

Thursday.parking, .tech and possible T&T.

Friday..Two Q hits, then go right into a random paired gambler race, S/S combo, rather than having a consolation deal later on..Run a few rounds, then pair up for Main event , 10 grander .Run a few rounds here.

Saturday, finish Main event and Gambler.
Guys who want to run class...Take the pairings right off the original Q sheet. Nobody, including spectators have seen the cars run all out, weight out oil out ,timing up ,etc. yet. Lots of surprises for all..and all heads up!
I suppose you would have to have the combo classes. Handicapped, but still flat out. The fans should be able to understand that, with a bit of help from Unk or whoever.
Manufacturer's contingency could be posted here


Would this be enough racing to make the trip worthwhile?

[Dave Muller]

How about this for an event-within-the-event to get more spectator interest. Have a no breakout race where everyone races off of their index. Make the entry a separate deal so it's just those who feel they have a shot at it.

While I agree the bracket format is confusing to spectators I think it's only the dial-in/breakout combination that confuses them. They can easily understand that the guy with the little engine gets to leave first and the guy with the bigger engine chases. In fact it adds excitement in many cases. People always seems to like it when a 9 second car chases a 14 or 15 second FWD car. So basically just run it like one big combo race.

Seems to me that's just about how it was done way back when.

[4spdJohnny]

Originally Posted by Dave Muller

How about this for an event-within-the-event to get more spectator interest. Have a no breakout race where everyone races off of their index. Make the entry a separate deal so it's just those who feel they have a shot at it.

While I agree the bracket format is confusing to spectators I think it's only the dial-in/breakout combination that confuses them. They can easily understand that the guy with the little engine gets to leave first and the guy with the bigger engine chases. In fact it adds excitement in many cases. People always seems to like it when a 9 second car chases a 14 or 15 second FWD car. So basically just run it like one big combo race.

Seems to me that's just about how it was done way back when.

Dave, that was the idea behind the CIC race like they had at The Class Racer Revival. It was very cool and fun to watch. U lost any index under a second under. So like comp just with a faster under the index competition control trigger, very fun and exciting

[Pistol Pete]

Originally Posted by GTX JOHN

How about combining classes stick and auto plus lumping three together
ABC@B weight DEF@E weight GHI @ H and so on = no limit to ballast and run them each heads up.

The winner of each Mini Eliminator could then
run off with each other winner on a dial in for a final winner.

I love this idea.

My proposal would be:
ABC @ B wt.
DEF @ E wt
GHI @ H wt
JKL @ K wt
MNO @ N wt
Combo for PQRTUVW
Combo for FWD cars
Combo for Factory Stock Cars unless theirs 4 cars in 1 class.
Combo for Stick Cars unless theirs 4 cars in 1 class.
Charge $300. Per car
Out of the $300., $200. Per car Goes towards class pot. (Example: 20 cars are in ABC
$200 x 20 cars= $4,000, winner gets 90% or $3600 R.U. Gets 10% or $400)
If theirs only 8 cars in your category than it’s 90% of $1600. Or $1440. to the winner.

Consolation Race will be for ALL 1st Rd losers in class.
Winner in this race gets: $3,000
R.U. $1000.
Semi $ 500.
1/4 finals $300.
3rd Rd Losers $100.

Just a thought.....

[Pistol Pete]

Another idea would be:
Class will be 1 race on 1 day.
Next Day All Cars Race.

[james schaechter]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

Okay..Lots of folks think heads up racing would be the big draw for spectators.

Lets think about this , but first a little history lesson. Heads up class racing was all there was in the beginning . Someone got the idea to run all the class winners in eliminator fashion.. You had to win class to be in the eliminator..Obviously, you had to have class runoffs first.
Not so today..Everybody gets a chance to qualify.
But maybe , for the sake of promoting heads up, spectator friendly racing, we need to re-think this.
I'll just throw this out here.
What if class runoffs were held Saturday night, under the lights? You can imagine what the local radio commercials would sound like?
Maybe channel some of the entry and / or advertising money towards a class win. Or racers could put up a Franklin towards the pot. Strictly an optional program.
Of course, run them in order...A,B, C and so on.
How about that, Larry Hill? 1500 bucks cash for a class win?

How about it? Any merit to this?

II think offering class is a great idea. It could be a separate entry fee and these should be some effort to pair up by class. Maybe an incentive to get more heads up. Move up or down a class so there is less in the combo. It might get a few more cars to show up?

As far as an entry fee, just figure out what it would should cost for entry, consider a format and try it out. The more side by side races, the better.