Atco is done

[rboyle]

It’s a business. If anyone set this business model up for review by an investor how do you think it would go?
I have roughly 50-100 acres of land and open for business 3 to four days a week. My business sees roughly 100-250 customers per day we are open but most of those customers purchase the minimum such as food, drink tshirts and souvenir's. My maintenance crew includes an ambulance with emt a-tractor, tow truck, along with roughly 5 to 10 support vehicles, trash removal, epa inspections, noise complaints, law suits, curfews and if the weather doesn’t cooperate I have to give makeup dates or refunds. But I do it for my customers because I am passionate about it even though most of my loyal customers only patronize my business twice a year.
What would most or all of us do then if an offer Don Corleone put together would eliminate all those headaches and let us live the lifestyle most consider rich?
Just understand what we do is not a good business model for most and the amount of bashing that goes on is really sour grapes.
Many a racer will go to a race, park on test n tune day but skip the tnt so they don’t have to pay for it, park their motor home and stacker across the equivalent of 4 spots, buy race fuel from an outside source instead of the speed shop on premise, bring food in the motor home and grill it up in the pit, dump it in the race tracks garbage change the oil and dump it in the race tracks oil repository. Never visit the concession stand or t shirt stand, and expect the track to have a manned gate all night to accommodate the comings and goings of them and their crew. Then break the rules like no minors driving pit vehicles, or no noise before or after a curfew, or don’t dump your RV waste here. Top it off with rudeness and complaining about track conditions in person and on social media platforms. I include myself in some of these abuses.
We have to be better customers. It’s an expensive sport, hobby, business or whatever but let’s not abuse the privilege when given it.
Sorry if I offended anyone but have empathy for the track owners, most started doing it in spite of the bad business model that it is because they were passionate about racing too

[David Lee]

Originally Posted by rboyle

It’s a business. If anyone set this business model up for review by an investor how do you think it would go?
I have roughly 50-100 acres of land and open for business 3 to four days a week. My business sees roughly 100-250 customers per day we are open but most of those customers purchase the minimum such as food, drink tshirts and souvenir's. My maintenance crew includes an ambulance with emt a-tractor, tow truck, along with roughly 5 to 10 support vehicles, trash removal, epa inspections, noise complaints, law suits, curfews and if the weather doesn’t cooperate I have to give makeup dates or refunds. But I do it for my customers because I am passionate about it even though most of my loyal customers only patronize my business twice a year.
What would most or all of us do then if an offer Don Corleone put together would eliminate all those headaches and let us live the lifestyle most consider rich?
Just understand what we do is not a good business model for most and the amount of bashing that goes on is really sour grapes.
Many a racer will go to a race, park on test n tune day but skip the tnt so they don’t have to pay for it, park their motor home and stacker across the equivalent of 4 spots, buy race fuel from an outside source instead of the speed shop on premise, bring food in the motor home and grill it up in the pit, dump it in the race tracks garbage change the oil and dump it in the race tracks oil repository. Never visit the concession stand or t shirt stand, and expect the track to have a manned gate all night to accommodate the comings and goings of them and their crew. Then break the rules like no minors driving pit vehicles, or no noise before or after a curfew, or don’t dump your RV waste here. Top it off with rudeness and complaining about track conditions in person and on social media platforms. I include myself in some of these abuses.
We have to be better customers. It’s an expensive sport, hobby, business or whatever but let’s not abuse the privilege when given it.
Sorry if I offended anyone but have empathy for the track owners, most started doing it in spite of the bad business model that it is because they were passionate about racing too

never better words spoken

[SSDA Hemi]

Richie Boyle hit it right on the head. Racers take note at future races

I'm saddened Atco was sold. That was a very good track. My new home track is now 2 hours from me instead of Hour and 45. Just tell me when and where the divisional is rescheduled. The sun came up again this morning and I have work to do and complaining is not included. My fun does not include Atco but is not over yet!! See you at the races lol!

[BKSG1198]

As much as NJMP makes sense to build a drag strip, they don’t want to. I live 10 minutes from it and work at the Longhorn PT where alot of teams come in to eat. I can tell you the drag racing clients are not what they are shooting for there. They want the team Porsche, Ferrari teams to come in from overseas drop a couple hundred grand and leave. They don’t want the racer who’s going to complain about a $50 test & tune pass or having to pay $15 for their wife to come in to watch.

TRUST ME, the area could use a drag strip and a National Event because we’re a depressed area but, neighbors already complain about the noise from the track so running a bracket race till 10pm on a Saturday isn’t going to fly.

[Steve1118]

All of that is true. Add to that the hidden costs, real estate and amusement taxes, Workman's Comp insurance for employees. Plus, track prep. A close friend has a large facility in western Pa., and he has $3K in spray and track prep for a quarter mile race before he sends a car down. If it rains, kiss that $ goodbye. And, right now there is a shortage of that stuff. One of the big reasons they are going to 8th mile. Insurance? You bet. In today's world daddy big bucks can buy his 17 year old kid a 1000hp Challenger and turn him loose. The cars are just so fast. The other night some kid had a high end Tesla at test and tune that ran 9.50s at 150 mph. Another reason for 8th mile. Any $ he makes comes from special shows, bracket racing pretty much breaks even because local business pretty much pays the purse for each class. Entries and what gate there is covers pretty much the rest, plus the sale of t-shirts, trinkets, stuff like that. There are a number of class racers in the area, and he gets zippo support from any of them, although it is a first class facility. He does it because he's a good guy, and he loves this sport. As far as a business model, it stinks, frankly, and I can't help but notice that the tracks that are in trouble are these big time facilities, Atlanta, Houston, Atco (greater Philly, NY), because they have big bills to cover. The ones that are doing OK are the out of the way 8th mile tracks without a lot of overhead. Just an observation.

[Dave Gantz]

Originally Posted by Steve1118

There are a number of class racers in the area, and he gets zippo support from any of them, although it is a first class facility.


As far as a business model, it stinks, frankly, and I can't help but notice that the tracks that are in trouble are these big time facilities, Atlanta, Houston, Atco (greater Philly, NY), because they have big bills to cover. The ones that are doing OK are the out of the way 8th mile tracks without a lot of overhead. Just an observation.

Local tracks, in general, have a (possibly) unearned reputation for not having a well prepped track on test, grudge, etc., nights. Class racers can't spend the money and time to chance a surface that may not be ultimate.


The real estate near the big cities is probably more valuable to the owners, giving an incentive to sell.

[Steve1118]

[QUOTE=Dave Gantz;683294]Local tracks, in general, have a (possibly) unearned reputation for not having a well prepped track on test, grudge, etc., nights. Class racers can't spend the money and time to chance a surface that may not be ultimate.


Oh, yes, I forgot. Class racers are much too important to race with commoners. Ler the Top Sportsman cars do that. My mistake. A friend ran the Tri State S/SS series in PA and Ohio, and it folded from lack of support. He eventually allowed NMCA NSS cars, which carried it for a while, but eventually gave it up. Worked hard it, paid a good purse, too. The last event he had at a top notch facility, it drew 2 (two) legal class cars. And, the track never charged admission to the competitors, the circuit handled all of it. Frankly, and with all due respect, I think your attitude sums up the problem.

Some good points there. IMHO that guy bought the track to flip the land. It didn’t work the first time and got a lot of pushback. So he told everybody he was going racing and got the support of everybody so they would pay his bills and his taxes why he figured out an end run around the opposition and was able to grease the local politicians to get it rezoned. Kept his plans silent and then acted when everything was in place.
Business wise it’s a good move . As a racer, i’m not applauding or supporting it, nor do I have to. Personally if I knew the plans, I would’ve never set foot back in that place or given that guy a dollar of my money.

For decades as Division I racers, we have been spoiled by the close proximity of tracks and events. There are other divisions that have a lot more travel to go to races. It looks like that will start to change more rapidly. New Jersey is a dead area for drag racing. At this point the land is worth too much money and most of the people and politicians don’t want it here.

From here on, we need to support the race tracks that want to stay open and keep racing. It would be nice if the NHRA could maybe get US 13 to take a division race back or something. That place was a lot of fun to go to back then and was fast for setting records. Or even Budds Creek. A conversation for another time.

Originally Posted by rboyle

It’s a business. If anyone set this business model up for review by an investor how do you think it would go?
I have roughly 50-100 acres of land and open for business 3 to four days a week. My business sees roughly 100-250 customers per day we are open but most of those customers purchase the minimum such as food, drink tshirts and souvenir's. My maintenance crew includes an ambulance with emt a-tractor, tow truck, along with roughly 5 to 10 support vehicles, trash removal, epa inspections, noise complaints, law suits, curfews and if the weather doesn’t cooperate I have to give makeup dates or refunds. But I do it for my customers because I am passionate about it even though most of my loyal customers only patronize my business twice a year.
What would most or all of us do then if an offer Don Corleone put together would eliminate all those headaches and let us live the lifestyle most consider rich?
Just understand what we do is not a good business model for most and the amount of bashing that goes on is really sour grapes.
Many a racer will go to a race, park on test n tune day but skip the tnt so they don’t have to pay for it, park their motor home and stacker across the equivalent of 4 spots, buy race fuel from an outside source instead of the speed shop on premise, bring food in the motor home and grill it up in the pit, dump it in the race tracks garbage change the oil and dump it in the race tracks oil repository. Never visit the concession stand or t shirt stand, and expect the track to have a manned gate all night to accommodate the comings and goings of them and their crew. Then break the rules like no minors driving pit vehicles, or no noise before or after a curfew, or don’t dump your RV waste here. Top it off with rudeness and complaining about track conditions in person and on social media platforms. I include myself in some of these abuses.
We have to be better customers. It’s an expensive sport, hobby, business or whatever but let’s not abuse the privilege when given it.
Sorry if I offended anyone but have empathy for the track owners, most started doing it in spite of the bad business model that it is because they were passionate about racing too

[Signman]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

Some good points there. IMHO that guy bought the track to flip the land. It didn’t work the first time and got a lot of pushback. So he told everybody he was going racing and got the support of everybody so they would pay his bills and his taxes why he figured out an end run around the opposition and was able to grease the local politicians to get it rezoned. Kept his plans silent and then acted when everything was in place.
Business wise it’s a good move . As a racer, i’m not applauding or supporting it, nor do I have to. Personally if I knew the plans, I would’ve never set foot back in that place or given that guy a dollar of my money.

For decades as Division I racers, we have been spoiled by the close proximity of tracks and events. There are other divisions that have a lot more travel to go to races. It looks like that will start to change more rapidly. New Jersey is a dead area for drag racing. At this point the land is worth too much money and most of the people and politicians don’t want it here.

From here on, we need to support the race tracks that want to stay open and keep racing. It would be nice if the NHRA could maybe get US 13 to take a division race back or something. That place was a lot of fun to go to back then and was fast for setting records. Or even Budds Creek. A conversation for another time.

Great post Todd!
Those paying attention would know real estate is being bought up at premium prices by large corporations think blackrock. The average businessman cannot compete these corps have cash and a lot of it.

US13 is trying to survive and thrive. unfortunately they are WDRA not NHRA. They left NHRA for financial reasons have focused mostly on 1/8 mile bracket racing but do offer 1/4 mile for testing track rentals and their hobby class on days separate from bracket races. Am sure they are open to all opportunities where there is profit to expand and improve. The facility has not changed significantly from the past and management wants to drag race. There are restaurants and hotels over the border in MD the only issue is the tow but as we are having this discussion NE racers need to change and be willing to go where the races are. Look at the big money bracket racers they will tow 800 miles for a chance and big money at the top when in reality they are contributors to the elite big money racers.

[BKSG1198]

Originally Posted by Todd Hoven

Some good points there. IMHO that guy bought the track to flip the land. It didn’t work the first time and got a lot of pushback. So he told everybody he was going racing and got the support of everybody so they would pay his bills and his taxes why he figured out an end run around the opposition and was able to grease the local politicians to get it rezoned. Kept his plans silent and then acted when everything was in place.
Business wise it’s a good move . As a racer, i’m not applauding or supporting it, nor do I have to. Personally if I knew the plans, I would’ve never set foot back in that place or given that guy a dollar of my money.

For decades as Division I racers, we have been spoiled by the close proximity of tracks and events. There are other divisions that have a lot more travel to go to races. It looks like that will start to change more rapidly. New Jersey is a dead area for drag racing. At this point the land is worth too much money and most of the people and politicians don’t want it here.

From here on, we need to support the race tracks that want to stay open and keep racing. It would be nice if the NHRA could maybe get US 13 to take a division race back or something. That place was a lot of fun to go to back then and was fast for setting records. Or even Budds Creek. A conversation for another time.

Just not Delmar in March when you wake up to snow on the ground....lol