[racefan20]

Originally Posted by ossuks Reading the Gas City thread there was one reacquiring idea: Running Sprint and Midgets together at a weekly show. A promoter would be looking at $10,000 purse if he paid $2000 to win Sprints $200 to start and Midgets $1000 to win $100 to start. That equals 833 spectators at $12 per at the gate (666 at $15 per). Lets do a little break down of the costs to run a weekly show, jump in and correct or add any thing I might forget. I am guessing at these cost, lets use this thread to come up with a final number.Not to take shots at my over sites or poor estimates, just a starting place! Lease: $40,000 by 18 weeks= $2222 Insurance $800 per night Employees 1 Full time $400 per week/ nightly 20 at $40 per= 800 for a total of $1200 Equipment maintenance $500 per week (we will call that gas, oil, fixing, ect... this number is most likely low) Ambulance/staff $750 Advertisement $3,000 Sprint/midget purse $10,000 Utility bills $500 (again on the low end) Permits for the season ? lets guess $1800 per year or $100 per night We are over $19,000 Now lets say we get 22 sprints and 18 midgets for a total of 40 cars, lets average 4 people per car (some bring more, many bring less) that is 160 at $25 per pit pass for a total of $4000. I would guess for a weekly show around 800 spectators per night, keep in mind the low turn out for bad weather could bring this number down just as good weather could make the number go up. 800 x $15 per is $12,000. We are only $3000 short of breaking even. I have no guess what is made off concessions, I know it is not even close to what most people think it is, there is a huge cost in refrigeration, oils to fry in, and loss of product to waist. But if we are looking at concessions to make up the loss to profit ratio why not open a restaurant instead of a race track? Obviously there are other ways to generate revenue, selling sponsorship is one that comes to mind, but most local small tracks do a lot of trading....

Thanks I am glad someone started a reality based thread on this subject.

[Grocery Guy]

Looking at your employee costs, do you really think that is accurate? Employees working for $40 per night? And I think you forgot the most important employee cost. What is the promoter getting paid? He certainly deserves to make a profit for his efforts and to invest some $$$ back into the track.

I want to see Gas City make it, but we need to be realistic about their business model.

[ossuks]

SO, we all agree the employee cost is low (I was actually factoring in that some of the smaller tracks have some employee's that work for a pit pass and their family gets in free). The purse is low , other cost are low, so, we are up to $25,000 ish? NOW we need another 400 spectators which pits us at 1200.....Would sure like to know the average spectator count at local tracks for a weekly show, not the number on the 2-3 nights the weather is perfect , but the average for the season???

I started this thread because so many casual spectators, fans, ect... keep bashing support classes, I for one am not a fan of any stocker on dirt ( but do enjoy any class on pavement with ample car count). But do realize they are needed to boost up the cash intake as they pay the same pit fee for a much smaller purse and bring a few spectators with them. A midget purse will pay for maybe three support classes with 3 times the participants.

I would love to go to any track that had Sprint/midget only shows, how cool would that be? But, not very realistic....

[Grocery Guy]

You did a great job coming up with this thread and a realistic look at what it takes to operate a regular season night at any track. It made many of us stop and think just how hard it is to operate a dirt track in this era. We all agree the drivers need a bigger purse, but how does a promoter get to that pay off and still make a profit.

Another good thing.....all the answers to your suggestions were very professional. We can all see that a racing message board can quickly get off topic. Nice job trying to figure out the combo show.