Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
Honesty, I don't know the cost of putting on a show and won't claim too. The USAC purse and sanction fee are set, So that isn't the issue
I think I was told something Like the old burg could be run with about 18 to 22 people on race night and the new track has around 35 to 40 with three gates, four concessions, The lighting has gone from four poles to sixteen. Takes three times the water both in track and pit size.
Here's another, Both LPS and Burg allow you to bring in coolers and food, Others don't, They charge you five more but they don't get the six or nine you'd pay for drinks.
I honesty get sick of this issue, Yeah, I've been in the position the last two years where cost was a issue of attending or not and realize a hundo to get a family of four in isn't cheap. A movie is two hours max for ten to twelve bucks. A race is a solid four hours or more thats normally 12-15 bucks. Its USAC Midget week where you got 40 midgets and 20 plus sprints. Something in IN your only going to see about eight times a year. I know one thing, I went to that boat across the street from burg one night and dropped a hundo in 20 minutes and some people consider that fun? NOT TO ME.
You have a choice, Go or not, I know for a fact this price at Burg hasn't changed since 2009 while reds tickets almost doubled while the teams tanked. The first couple years of Midget Week at Burg were run at a loss as it opened the week and midgets since Namars went under, were almost totally forgotten and many drivers that didn't also do Sprints were Unknown.
Think about this, The tracks prepped and advertised for the event and spent a ton of money doing so. If it rains, They get nothing.
I know one of this weeks tracks may not be around next year and I know a couple of the tracks only make a profit on Midget, Sprint weeks and maybe a couple other races but the norm is either a loss or break even. None the less, The work load and staff are still there.
Have a good time, Stay safe and Let's go racin!
One last thing, You'll pay more in parking to see BC at the 500 or Larson at a Nascar Race Than to see both at a midget and sprint race. Think about that for a minute.
I would also add that at the Burg you have the best of the best in safety crew and they pay out a little more on a regular race for the non wing sprints. Those two reasons are enough for me to haul my sprint car there and race every time we get the chance rather than a track that is half the distance from our home that isn't quite up to the same level of professionalism as the Burg.
If a track wants to attract more and better teams they have to do what the Burg does....treat the teams with respect and understand that it costs on average about $500 for even a budget racer like my team to show up and race.
The Burg also has some of the nicest spectator surroundings of any tracks around. The closest track to me may cost $5 less to get in than the Burg but as a spectator you won't have to worry about the old rickety stands falling down if too many fans do show up. And you don't have to worry about twice as many push vehicles as needed speeding through the pit area every 2 minutes.
Not trying to slam any tracks as this is a tough business to make any money at....but if as a fan or as a racing team you want better.....someone has to pay for the better. To me $5 extra is way more than worth it for what a track like the Burg or Eldora or some others offer in the experience alone....let alone the added safety those tracks offer.
