Usac/cra
 

Did I miss something? Is Flo not covering these races anymore?

Re: Usac/cra
 

Perris is not streaming thru Flo. They're adamant that the money lost by fans not going to the track and watching is not being made up or exceeded by the payment flo gives them.

Just seen a post on FB about this by some pretty expert people on it. One said Tracks lose by not streaming, The other says they are without better compensation.

If the tracks owner is to be believed, It's taking a couple hundred fans away in attendance per night vs one thousand the stream pays them.


If any of this is wrong, Please, Those in the know, Correct it. I'd much prefer a hundred percent fact backed source.

Me, I personally believe that in the long run streaming helps if the product is good or great. Makes people want to go. Just because I can see it, Is not the same as being there. Period.

I would guess he loses more money by charging your first born to get a family in the gates at that track. The place looked empty before Flo and when Oval Nationals paid $25k to win. I don’t remember pit prices exactly from the several times I have been out there but it was more than twice as much as any other USAC show I’ve been to.

Streaming is the least of their problems. They went dark for a pot party and didn’t have a single car parked on their lot. Look at the empty billboards around the track. It’s not a streaming issue…

Re: Usac/cra
 

A pit pass there is 50.00

Some of the reason is due to the high prices. $11.00 for a beer $8.00 for hamburger. At the Oval Nationals $14.00 tacos, $16.00 quesadilla and that’s without meat. But they were good. Did I mention $10.00 to park. And you cannot leave after entering the entrance gate. They lost more fans because of cost than from streaming.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Never the less, There's a business model he must meet to at least not lose money. I do think it's the promoters job to promote and get as many people as possible to their events.

Im kinda weird when it comes to cost of things, It's always been a perceived value thing, And I always spend more when I feel i'm receiving value. The cost of the event is what it is, It's either worth it to go or not. 35-40 sprints competing for twenty grand? Fifty- Sixty isn't out of my bounds of value, Knowing they racers are going to throw down to get it.

As far as food or drink goes for amusement parks, movies, whatever. I'll buy five or six cokes at 2 dollars and opt out of one coke for 4-5 dollars and walk to the car.

I don't know what the problem is in Perris, The racing makes me want to go someday. Hope they figure it out.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Without getting into pol-i-tics, I'll just say it's California. What do you expect? Everything costs 3-4 times more. I enjoyed watching them on Flo and disappointed that they no longer broadcast the races there. I'd never in my life attend a race at Perris or any other California track because I have no desire to go there. Too far and cost to much as California Mike pointed out.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Just my opinion, but I think racing in California is all but done or soon to be. Let's face it, the CRA has lost their dominate driver to retirement and he was on the latter side of his stint. From what I've watched of racing in California the competition level is not as high as it once was. Cost of everything is through the roof there and I know that's part of the reason USAC has stopped the Western swing. We could get into a whole political debate but under the California political climate I think they would just like to see racing gone!

Re: Usac/cra
 

Wish more drivers out there would make the move to Indiana and maybe they will.

What’s a grandstand ticket cost for a regular USAC/CRA show?

Maybe history will repeat itself, they came here many years ago, and a lot of them have roots here today, it could be the start of something again.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Sounds like with the price of pit passes, concessions and distances traveled out west racing in Hoosierville would be a break even proposition:D

Our racing family did a 10 day road trip and started out in Arizona and drove to Perris for the finals and had a great racing road trip with alot of Kodak moments and life time memories together. Perris was on our bucket list and we made it happen. Great facilities and what everyone is saying is correct. It was the year that grant had his time of running over the field 😳. I think 2015 . But it was a great time and glad we did it . Hopefully things will work out in California and they will continue to do the same things that they can do. God bless America 🇺🇸. Thanks ❤️

Re: Usac/cra
 

A couple of things to note. It was mentioned here that the costs at Perris/California is why the Western swing is done. If memory serves correctly the track announced it wasn’t going to host the ovals this year due to the uncertainty of the project with the dam at the lake. Usac is going out west with the midgets thru California again in November. So I don’t know that cost is the issue. Non wing sprint cars do not have the following they once had. It’s that simple. If it cost way to much to race out there then all of the tracks up north that run wings would be empty too. I was fortunate to see the SCRA and UsacCRA many times. Perris was packed and I didn’t always go to the ovals. Traffic sux but you plan accordingly. There are plenty of places to go for a meal before hand then maybe only need a snack during the nite. Have a few in the parking lot then you can nurse an expensive one inside. I travel the 3,000 miles to see them race. Sure it would be easier to go out to the car for a beer like at Kokomo since I don’t like what they sell. Sometimes you need to adjust to the conditions. The stands are empty because non wing sprint car racing isn’t as popular as it once was. It’s always been expensive to watch them race no matter the time period.
Maybe some of our California readers can help me out with this, I understood the parking fee went to the fair board not the promoter.?. Also please help me I believe pit passes were 40-45$ in the mid 2010s. Point is people were still interceded back then.

Re: Usac/cra
 

I don't just think it's the cost of things, If the products great or very good.

I do think there are a lot less $$$ people in the sport and two and three car owners combining to run one instead of three cars. Demon had a heck of a sponsor in Pace. Pace Lighting supplied all the exit lit with battery backup signs for about any building apts etc in the country if not a good portion of the world. Sponsors today would rather run a bunch of commercials or sponsor the race than put their name on the side of a car today. This goes all the way up to Nascar and Indy.

My uncle was plant manager at a local plant that makes CNC machines. For their 750k machine they got a stop at the plant with a team show-car and a 1X3 inch Makino sticker on the cars at Petty Enterprises.. This was 20yrs ago

Re: Usac/cra
 

While I will give you that non wing doesn't draw as big of crowds as wing cars. Wing cars are really good at drawing casual fans. Yes, I agree that in AZ and CA, they are not doing well. In CA it has been going down since Ascot closed. The SCRA did a good job keeping it alive for a while, but no new car owners or fans were coming. I think you nailed it with traffic. I would venture that less than 5% of the people who live within 60 miles of Perris have never heard of it or a sprint car. I am not sure how you could affordably reach those people, or if they would come if they did.
AZ has never recovered from the loss of Manzanita. Tracks die out there at a rapid rate. Hard to build a fan base at a different track every year.
I think that in some parts of the country, things are on the upswing. I think your state of PA has helped with that. I also see USAC taking Sprints to places they have never been, or haven't been in a long time.
Purses are up. Yes they are not as high as wings, or late models, but for the smaller tracks they are pretty good. One time coming home from an early Eastern Storm, I stopped at I70 and US 127 for gas. There was a van with 5 guys who had been to the dream the night before. I asked them who won and not 1 person knew who won. You have to draw thousands of those type of fans to pay those purses. Those people are not going to a track every weekend. Just a couple of times a year.
I am pretty optimistic about this year. I am looking forward to getting to some new tracks. Mostly looking to have fun. You should try it sometime.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Losing the San Tan Valley track didn't help either.

Re: Usac/cra
 

That track seemed to be getting good count and a good fan base.

Re: Usac/cra
 

I am once again glad I live in Indiana!

I have never been to Perris Speedway (I have been to Paris France!) I have friends in California and they were very enthusiastic when the track was announced. They used to go half a dozen times a year then it just kind of ebbed away. They said it was just a giant hassle and wasn't worth the trip anymore?

I can jump in my vehicle and be at four different tracks in under two hours. I have paid money ONCE in my life to see winged Sprint Cars! I don't know how many Sprint features I have seen, no doubt North of 200.

Our racing family was there for the last 7 years after they moved from the usa Raceway Park racing facility. We always enjoyed the racing events and with the mountains and scenery was great 👍. But you seen the developments around the track coming and we knew it was going to happen. That usa Raceway track is still running I think but under a different name. Cool little place to watch a racing events. Air force base sitting behind it and they were doing touch and go on the tarmac at night. I also got to go back in the pits and congratulations to Robert Ballou for his 1st usac championship 💙. Lmao. Have fun and enjoy 😉. God bless America 🇺🇸. Thanks ❤️

Re: Usac/cra
 

USA raceway in Tucson has been idle since 2016, and was recently sold to a developer of commercial/industrial properties. The only track still open in the Tucson area is the paved track near the county fairgrounds.

What about the track at Casa Grande… they ever run sprint cars?

Re: Usac/cra
 

Yes, had a pretty good field for a 2 day ASCS race last weekend. Central Arizona Speedway. No website that I can find, but they have a Facebook page.

Central Arizona Speedway has a new promoter and a new name, Central Arizona Raceway. There site is up under that name.

Very interesting points on the thread. I do remember watching an interview with the promoter. I will stand to be corrected if necessary but I don’t remember them mentioning exorbitant concession prices and traffic delays as factors in losing attendance. I by no means claim to know anything other than a distant observation about life in California, but it appears from my vantage point, everything is more expensive there, so I don’t put a whole lot of stock in the concession price thing. I would bet concession’s are probably the same price at a minor league ball game or any other comparable activity. I will say this however, streaming is an easy target now days. While I understand tracks concern’s, my belief is there are many factors at play here, that affects all of us. My wife is a professional at spending money, without shame or regret. She came home last week from the dollar store complaining about how little she got for what she spent after going to get some snacks for the kids. I’m here to tell you, that should tell everyone that there’s bigger factors going on than streaming

Re: Usac/cra
 

I saw USAC sprints there a couple years ago and the track held up remarkably well for being in the middle of the desert.

How do you sell a potential track or series sponsor when their extremely limited exposure is the small fan base that actually goes to the races? With online purchasing and shipping nationwide, I would think reaching anyone outside of the area would be a benefit for the sponsors as well.

Say what you will about the concessions but a $9 hotdog is tough no matter the location and cost of living. Go to Putnamville and you can get a tenderloin, hotdog, and a bottle of water for that same $9.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Do you have a link? I'm not finding it.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Try www.thecentralarizonaraceway.com. Takes a minute or two to load.

Re: Usac/cra
 

Saw a non wing show there last year. There were 16 cars and the racing was good but a big gap in from the front to the back of the field. Talked to one of the drivers he said they needed every car the could get. I think it was ASCA 360's

Re: Usac/cra
 

I had a friend who moved to Phoenix about 25 years ago. He worked in a machine shop. He started asking people about Manzanita, because he wanted to go there. He said out of the 25 people who worked there only 1 had heard of it, and none had actually been there. He told me it seems like it is a bigger deal in Indiana than it is out here.
At the last Western World held at Manzy, I was lucky enough to sing the National Anthem. I was talking to the track owner's daughter. I asked her if they had a good year. Her reply was, better than last year we have only lost $125,000 this year. We lost more the last 2 years. I hated it. It was a great track, but I knew it was in trouble.

Brent, that really speaks to the small niche we are in the big scheme of things. Here’s a place with an iconic race track that nobody knows about. Imagine if there’s not a race track around, we would be even more obscure.