Racing without a purse.......

[BG56]

Originally Posted by CMcAllister

Pro Mod cars are self funded. NHRA just getting the use of free monkeys for the circus.

Jackson says "You can go any weekend and race for $10,000 with a Pro Modified car, and the type of resources it takes to come run for $7,500 is disheartening." Yet, he shows up for the big show. Granted, he has other sources of income to help offset the costs of running NHRA events.

Walliser says "We look at Pro Mod as a category we want for a long time to come, It's got a huge future with us" Then he says "It has to be self-sustainable. The entertainment value is one thing. We need a sponsor..." So, if it's not paying to be there, it's not so huge or entertaining enough?

Do people pay to see Pro Mods or Sportsman racers or not? If neither have any value to the people putting on the show, then I guess they just need to expect that they have to pay to be there.

But if they are considered to be self sufficient and with 100 cars showing up @ $300+ each, I would hope to see more than $1500 to win offered by whom ever is promoting or running the event. And maybe a little more effort put into contingencies.

My ears are always open, I hear a lot of things. What I've heard about PM (not from a competitor) ranges from each driver/team putting up IN ADVANCE, either $30k or entry fees from every race. Maybe fees total the 30k, I don't know. But with the price of those operations having to race for $7500 (to win or purse?) is a large joke. I didn't see J&A (sponsor) at Gainesville. Sounds like a Gubmint scheme!

[AJ Laferty]

Yes, i would race without a purse. I autocross (a form of class racing) at least 10 times a year for the last 30, none of which offered a purse---most don't even offer a trophy except end of year. IMHO, adding a purse only motivates people to invest more money to chase that elusive money. If i recall correctly, i read somewhere the Internal Revenue Service said that auto racers will spend on average, eight times what they have the possibility to win. That is, if they won EVERY time they raced. I don't know the validity of it, but my observation is that people throw money at racing... it is the old story, if you want to become wealthy by racing, start out filthy rich...

[Dale Hulquist]

I would never attend another race as a competitor if there was no purse nor would alot of other racers, it's way too expensive to maintain the racecars and run the support equipment up and down the road with no chance of recovery of expenses or for free, just like I wouldn't go to another casino or sporting clay event if there was no chance to win money, I believe if NHRA takes that stance sportsman racing with them will rapidly diminish along with their enhancements like executive salaries that membership fees and entry fees support 100%. My observation is we all have options and it's not Illegal to save money in this country Yet ...

[novassdude]

I guess that would depend on the entry. I sure wouldn't pay $375 to be there to win nothing.

[GTX JOHN]

Last month when Jon and I got to the Semis. =
We went to get our contingency verified and where
there we about a dozen postings a couple years ago,
There was only owene and they did not pay because we
had purchased their product over 3 year ago -We got zip.

I went to Semis on a $375. entry and got $500. - Whoopee!

Basically - Compared to Racing years age we are pretty much
racing for NOTHING!

Do I Care?
Not really!

[JWhalen58]

We are just racing for tow gas/fuel money these days.

[Larry Hill]

(nmca)