Don, I agree 100%, the posted purse is what has to be paid. The drivers who showed up can't be held responsible for the fact that others didn't. The payout was based on paying 24 cars, so if only 5 or 6 show up, there's 18 or 19 positions that aren't being paid out; look at that as your savings and don't penalize the drivers who supported your show. As far as not having a good crowd, JP really needs to look in the mirror on that one : years of putting on poor shows is the biggest reason for a lack of fans. If it's not Autumn Colours or $2 or free admission night there is rarely any crowd to speak of.
Which brings me to how we view racing today. Doug, you say it was a good show. Are our expectations so low that two of the top three classes having 10 - 12 cars and the third 6, constitutes a "good" show? Those are half and quarter fields; that's not much to be excited about. You also say Mosport's steadily improving and putting on a good show? Really? Two weeks ago 6 Late Models started the feature as well as 6 or 7 Sportsman and 11 Pure Stocks. This past week 7 Sportsman cars started the feature and 11 Pure Stocks again. I'm sorry but 6 to 10 cars on a half mile track isn't a good show. I'm not trying to be overly negative, just realistic. I know there's people who say we need to be positive about racing, but we really need to be honest - if promoters hear people saying everything's fine, why should they work to improve it? If fans hear a track's putting on a good show and shell out their hard earned money only to see classes with with 10 or fewer cars, isn't the person who told them how good it is doing them a disservice? Being negative just for the sake of being negative isn't helpful, but neither is being hugely over positive.
Well Said..... should be thread over
If you end the thread now, what is the answer gained? Every post here has been a valid point and it seems easy to "fix" from the outside looking in. I agree that at least JP is trying to do something. Everyone needs to remember that this is a business first and foremost. Although we as drivers are a major part of the business, there aren't many hobbies that offer anything at all back. We all need to remember that this is what 99.9% of us at this level do - a hobby. Cottages, boats, hot rods, truck pulling etc etc all cost a ton of money and they sure don't get much back! Ask a truck puller about payouts after he finishes telling you about his $50,000 alcohol injected, blower keith black hemi and you will almost gag lol We have to try and remember we do this for fun. As a business owner myself, I've learned the hard way that doing something once doesn't help. For example a newspaper ad run once is a waste of money, it takes dedication and commitment to a program to make it work. Running the show at Ptbo on a Sunday once and getting no fans isn't a sign it can't or won't work, it needs to be continually advertised in print, web, radio and talked about before it will become a fixture in people's minds. I liked the Sunday show personally, sad or a sign of the times whatever you call it 11 or 12 cars sure beats 5 or 6. You all have a point with advertised payouts - people need to see and understand period. It's also a great point if not a lot of cars show not having to pay all the extra cars helps save. I don't think it's necessary to pay 1500 to win to bring a lot of cars out, pay 1000 or 1100 and spread the rest through the field. If you're sitting at home looking online and know you can't afford to buy 4 new tires or don't feel you can win but still see that it pays $200 to take the green, maybe it will add a little motivation. For what it's worth, I don't think there is any one thing that can right the ship at Ptbo, it will or would take an entire revamp of the business model to fix it properly. But consider this....Free or $2 dollar admission nights the stands are jammed, reduce the schedule a little so it puts a small premium on the nights that do run and make ALL the nights free or $2. The difference should be made up in concession stand sales and t-shirts, hats, checkered flags for the kids etc. etc. 1000 people at $2 is as good as 100 people at $14 or whatever front gate fee is and 1000 people eat a lot more! The cost to open the door is the same either way to JP for insurance, staff, electricity and so on. Maybe the extra people that show would be a potential sponsor and or turn into a repeat customer...
Yes but we are repeating ourselves......I love goin to Pete and got caught guessin the weather on Sun but a garantee in pay or share of risk if better put like the $200 to take Green may have tip the scale to go....but a guess at pay and weather is a hard call to make....... at any rate will be there for colours just like most who visit this site
not sure if I read on this thread or not but if you are posting payouts for an invitational would you not throw the disclosure on it "minimum number of cars required per field to guarantee advertised prize?" That way those that are on the fence realize if they do go and less then the posted required field is there they know right away full prize payout is not happening. Would this be a sign of confidence given by the promoter that they are trying to get the required car counts there so they can pay the full advertised payout? Definitely like the idea of less top heavy prize payouts but the only way that will work is if the racers themselves are ok with that.
not sure if I read on this thread or not but if you are posting payouts for an invitational would you not throw the disclosure on it "minimum number of cars required per field to guarantee advertised prize?" That way those that are on the fence realize if they do go and less then the posted required field is there they know right away full prize payout is not happening. Would this be a sign of confidence given by the promoter that they are trying to get the required car counts there so they can pay the full advertised payout? Definitely like the idea of less top heavy prize payouts but the only way that will work is if the racers themselves are ok with that.
Bottom heavy seemed to work for the Great car count at the Sauble Invys this year and no it didnt happen right away it has taken Jason and Aimee this and last year to see the change work but they Paid with low car counts and keep payin and the last 2 have gotten very good car counts I think the first beat the heat 150 2 years ago paid $5000 at the top and like $150 at the bottom and got around 14 cars and the one this year paid $3000 at the top and $400 at the bottom with $200 Tow money and got a full 24 with two cars getting tow money not makin the top 24 for a total of 26......ya I know the colours gets more payin less but.......well everyone can take their own stab at ending that sentence