[JMA1181]

While a Sprint and Midget show may be at the top of your list and many others, it is feasible but a far stretch for anyone to put their neck on the line for. 20 sprints and 20 midgets don’t pay the bills. Use some real world numbers instead of your fairy tale. Using a Kokomo sprint car payout and Montpelier’s Midget payout, both taken directly from their websites, purse money for FEATURE EVENTS ONLY totals $11,690. That is based on starting 20 cars in each feature, includes no non-transfer money or any additional prize money. Let’s assume each car brings a driver and three crew members at $30 per pit pass totaling $4,800. We will also assume each car brings four fans per night at $15 general admission totaling $2,400. That leaves $4,490 left to pay the purse of these two races. Given a $15 general admission ticket, that would require an additional 300 fans.

Keep in mind, this pays the feature purse only. Let’s not forget about the track lease, insurance, workers, utilities, marketing, taxes, facility maintenance, equipment to work the track, paying someone to work the track, concession stand equipment, trash service, and so on.

While additional classes may not fit your schedule, they are a necessity. They bring in additional revenue for the track with paying customers both in the pits and in the stands. They also can have a positive impact on the feature events you would like to watch. Smaller, skinnier tires can bring back moisture in the track and help widen the track. While I am not a fan of them, they do serve a purpose. I also don’t like bees, flies, wind, or rain but they serve a purpose as well.