Why are there higher paying late model races?

Gee2 · 6/30/12, 1:34 PM

Seems everytime I look at racing news I see big money dirt late model races, 20k, 30k, 50k to win? Just seems like there are alot bigger money late model than sprint races. Why is that? I know there are a few big sprint races but seems to me there are alot more big money late model races thru out the year. just wondering? Thanks

Jrp4554 · 6/30/12, 1:39 PM

They also have a lot higher car counts. I know I've seen car counts at eldora at well over a hundred. Can you imagine over a hundred non wing sprinters enter? It would be epic.

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treecitytornado · 6/30/12, 2:25 PM

It was at the Mopar Million for sure! Almost 150! Late Models are actually more expensive to run than Sprint Cars and many parts of the South and other areas are more into the big name Late Model drivers and don't even care about Sprint Cars. It's a shame, but true, unfortunately!

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Jake · 6/30/12, 3:32 PM

There's a number of reasons. They do have slightly higher pit pass prices, I believe most events have entry fees and most events are multi-day races. Another reason, which has been beaten to death on this board several times, is exclusivity. Your not going to see Moyer, Bloomquist, O'Neal, Owens etc. at your local track racing for "peanuts". Some people call it a double-edged sword, some people say "****** if you do, ****** if you don't". I like to consider it a snowball effect, and dirt late model guys have been playing their cards right for decades now, and have built their sport in to a massive snowball, whereas non-wing sprint cars have stayed pretty flatline. But, I think the main reason is, and best place to get the snowball rolling, the fans SHOW UP, bottom line! The more fans(that also buy the ***** out of merchandise), the higher the purse, the more elite teams show up.

Jake

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arctic monkey21 · 6/30/12, 3:57 PM

Sprint car are too split between winged and non winged and engine size. While late models are basically all running very similar rules. They might have some different tire rules for different series, but that's about it. So when you have a big sprint car race its either basically going to draw winged cars or nonwinged cars and fans of each of those types. I think you can count on one hand the number of drivers that cross over very much between the two. Even when Eldora put on the Million for sprints they didn't even get all of the biggest winged guys. When somebody puts on a big late model show there is a lot larger base of fans and cars that will support those races.

Pine · 6/30/12, 5:12 PM

I've been saying for years the sprint car world could learn alot from the Late Model's....

Late Model fans are not afraid to pay the price for a 20, 30 or $50,000 to win show. This board would blow up, ( or stay home and wait for updates), if they had to pay 45$-55$ a ticket for a big Non-Wing show.

The Late Model's' bigger shows are Multi day shows. Most are run like the 4 Crown used to be run. Qualifiying one night, feature the next. Extra revenue towards the big race. But the kicker is, I've seen them run non-qualifier features that pay 3 or 4 thousand to win, with a decent payout back through. So if you run into trouble the first or second day, you know you have a shot at taking home a couple grand.

Delaware restarts, keeps things interesting. A yellow don't usually kill the action. The Non Wingers think there would be to much carnage !!! The Outlaw Sprints even started doing this??? I think?????

Infield reporter, interviews the heat winners as they cross the scales. At least I know Lernerville does/did.

And they have one of the best announcers in the game to do Driver intro's on frontstretch before the Feature. Adds alittle excitment !!!

Most driver's have nick names !!!

During the afternoon of the last night they might have a horseshoe tournament or a cornhole tournament somewhere in the parkinglot, where one of the driver's teams up with a fan and plays whatever the tournament is. Today A guy I work with won a cornhole tournament at the Fire Cracker 100 at Lernerville, teamed with "Big Brother" Dan Stone. Or they have a band or bikini contest. Somethings going on somewhere.

They just know how to make a "SHOW/EVENT/PARTY out of whatever race their at.

AWWWW....And just a little FYI, they don't hustle ya in and hustle ya out. The SHOW might not be over til midnight or 1am....Dang, I know....

ossuks · 6/30/12, 10:02 PM

Late Models market their product! Late Models run for huge money!
WOO markets its product! WOO run for huge money!!
When organizations are managed by intelligent individuals they prosper! There must be good leadership and good marketing people in these organizations? While some organizations are growing (MSR,POWER-I), others seem to be going backwards. It all comes down to leadership, the powers in LM,WOO, MSR, Power-I, ARCA, all seem to be growing their product, they have TV, they have growing or steady car counts. When these organizations make changes they do so with the car owners input, and the betterment of their product is the priority!

Also, there seems to be a loyalty between the successful sanctioning bodies and their customers, some sponsors have been a part of certain groups for a long time. Again, that is marketing, they do not have a slam, bang, got your money attitude, or, these long term deals would not be in place. Good leadership does not lose 50%,60%, and in some cases 70% of their car owners.

Years ago a bunch of racers got together,( and with a man and a station wagon), there where no big names at the time, just a group of racers and Ted Johnson, they now race for a living, a real nice living! The LM's put a similar situation to work a few years back and, they race for a living, a real nice living!

Where does the MSR series go, or where is it going, are they the next success story? MSR has a TV deal, races at some of the best tracks in the country, has a growing purse structure, and, they are doing this with a pavement sprint car, the same kind of car that 2 other organizations have done away with! POWER-I averages 35+ cars, when other organizations are struggling to have a full feature (let alone full heats and a Semi).

LEADERSHIP, good for those that are successful, car owners, drivers, crews, fan, ect... be thankful for what you have..... for those of you in a less than stellar situation, why are you there?

slick01 · 6/30/12, 11:07 PM

Late models are heading for trouble. In the south they are rapidly becoming extinct and everyone is going to crate late models. The late model guys are the biggest whiners on the planet. They race for more money than anyone and they want to qualify and run a feature, nothing more in the south. There is a reason we drive through 4 states or more to see guys who want to race. I do have to give credit to the cats running the Summer Nationals. As far as car count there have been some high paying races this year that didn't draw 20 cars. I will take 24 good open wheels anytime anymore.

6/30/12, 11:34 PM

With tracks that don't run late models on a weekly basis will have low car counts. Fact being no where to pull them from. Next problem is that lower budget teams can't afford to run with the big guys so tracks that do run them weekly stay home. Take a family of 4 at 20 to get in that 80 plus gas food and fans cant afford that with this economy. Then say a tracks runs a show on weekday then try run there normal night and lose money. Your looking at 80-90 grand for best of best late model pushing 950hp. Minimum start money for feature in summer nationals is 500.

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7/1/12, 10:08 AM

They raced late models here till last year, they priced themselves out of the class. I think four were running last year. They never made sense to me, for less money I'd be in a big block modified. Just be happy you guys have nonwing 410's.

6/30/12, 1:34 PM	#1 Why are there higher paying late model races?
Gee2 Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 228	Seems everytime I look at racing news I see big money dirt late model races, 20k, 30k, 50k to win? Just seems like there are alot bigger money late model than sprint races. Why is that? I know there are a few big sprint races but seems to me there are alot more big money late model races thru out the year. just wondering? Thanks

6/30/12, 3:32 PM	#4
Jake Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 74	There's a number of reasons. They do have slightly higher pit pass prices, I believe most events have entry fees and most events are multi-day races. Another reason, which has been beaten to death on this board several times, is exclusivity. Your not going to see Moyer, Bloomquist, O'Neal, Owens etc. at your local track racing for "peanuts". Some people call it a double-edged sword, some people say "**** if you do, ** if you don't". I like to consider it a snowball effect, and dirt late model guys have been playing their cards right for decades now, and have built their sport in to a massive snowball, whereas non-wing sprint cars have stayed pretty flatline. But, I think the main reason is, and best place to get the snowball rolling, the fans SHOW UP, bottom line! The more fans(that also buy the *** out of merchandise), the higher the purse, the more elite teams show up. Jake Posted via Mobile Device

6/30/12, 11:07 PM	#8 Re: Why are there higher paying late model races?
slick01 Member Race Count This Year: 31 Race Count Last Year: 48 Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 127	Late models are heading for trouble. In the south they are rapidly becoming extinct and everyone is going to crate late models. The late model guys are the biggest whiners on the planet. They race for more money than anyone and they want to qualify and run a feature, nothing more in the south. There is a reason we drive through 4 states or more to see guys who want to race. I do have to give credit to the cats running the Summer Nationals. As far as car count there have been some high paying races this year that didn't draw 20 cars. I will take 24 good open wheels anytime anymore.

6/30/12, 11:34 PM	#9
19racer Posts: n/a	With tracks that don't run late models on a weekly basis will have low car counts. Fact being no where to pull them from. Next problem is that lower budget teams can't afford to run with the big guys so tracks that do run them weekly stay home. Take a family of 4 at 20 to get in that 80 plus gas food and fans cant afford that with this economy. Then say a tracks runs a show on weekday then try run there normal night and lose money. Your looking at 80-90 grand for best of best late model pushing 950hp. Minimum start money for feature in summer nationals is 500. Posted via Mobile Device

7/1/12, 10:08 AM	#10 Re: Why are there higher paying late model races?
backitin Posts: n/a	They raced late models here till last year, they priced themselves out of the class. I think four were running last year. They never made sense to me, for less money I'd be in a big block modified. Just be happy you guys have nonwing 410's.