No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

After Mel tells drivers they could sell shirts all year, behind the grandstands at his track, he comes back the second week and says drivers selling shirts the first week "KILLED" business in his I-69 souvenir shop. He even waited until everything was set up THEN came over and had them take everything down! He also stopped USAC from selling anything that was driver related in their trailer. For the life of me I can't understand why a track will not set up areas to HELP drivers sell their shirts. They say you can sell in the pits but most people don't go into the pits. Drivers put on your show and make very little money doing it and shirt sales is just one little thing that helps their expenses.
The driver I know bought extra shirts and hats thinking he would be able to sell there all year long only to be told one week later NO. It means so much to drivers, in many ways, when a shirt is sold and worn on race day.
What started out as a positive situation has been overtaken by GREED. If a couple hundred dollars makes or breaks this promoter then I will have to agree with another post that this place is in trouble. SAD

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

I am sure the track lost money last night. There was no crowd. Feel bad for the drivers selling shirts. I did see Jack Himelick the guy who owns the track. Maybe you could make a bid to take it over and save it.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Paul Hazen runs sprint cars for 57 years and has a tee shirt to commemorate the accomplishment ,two big words ha, and Mel would not let that shirt to be sold ether !! But you can order one at chadboespflugracing.com . Everybody order one and wear it at GAS CITY.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

no crowd at Bloomington either

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Its a double edge sword IMHO and it all comes down to back scratchin. The tracks going to charge each car 30 bucks a person with that car no matter what. It cost the team several hundred just to put the car on the track. The more cars, The more fans paying 25 bucks to get in. Sad but true, expecially in USAC if they have less than four heats and consi and feature its not much more than a regular 13-15 dollar show. Most of the local guys can get back to the track, replace some stuff and help the track put on a good show by Selling some T Shirts. Some of the USAC regulars put their merch in the USAC trailer

I know some of the larger shows, WOO Kings Royals Knoxville Nationals T shirt sales are a major $$$ maker but most of them guys came from the weekly ranks running all your tracks, USAC? Maybe Sprint Week. Oval Nationals, Eastern Storm where big crowds are expected.

Truth is, some tracks have basically cut off Fans from the drivers. Unless the fans willing to pay a extra 15 bucks just to go back and see them or wait a extra half hour or hour till the other classes are done.

Without the cars, you have nothing but prepped dirt, lights and the bills that come with it. No matter how hard you work or how nice your facility is. Not knocking anyone and know tracks have to make a little to open and be worthwhile as well.

Chuck

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Don't think there was ever a track that made it's fortune on tee shirt sales. A driver souvenir row or section would add excitement and activity for fans. Shopping at the track could be fun and benefit everyone involved, including the tracks shop. Ever been to a NASCAR race and visited all the souvenir trailers, don't think Humpy or any promoter ever worried that the drivers were putting them out of business.

If Mel is in this to make fortune it is going to be a short race season. I do not know Mel or his business plan I do hope he can make everybody happy this summer. I will be there just about every Friday they race!!

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by robert gatten:
Don't think there was ever a track that made it's fortune on tee shirt sales. A driver souvenir row or section would add excitement and activity for fans. Shopping at the track could be fun and benefit everyone involved, including the tracks shop. Ever been to a NASCAR race and visited all the souvenir trailers, don't think Humpy or any promoter ever worried that the drivers were putting them out of business.

I know a retired couple who traveled the NASCAR curcuit selling driver shirts, caps, sweatshirts, jackets, etc........First off they had to bid to a team in order to sell their wares. Then they had to pay NASCAR a percentage of sales for their licensing agreement. On top of that, each track charged a fee in order to set up and do business at their facility.

We were at Charlotte and saw first hand the police coming in and confiscating all of a vendors wares due to non payment of the tracks fee. Humpy didn't worry because they were receiving money up front before the weekend racing even started. No pay, no sell.

I hope that Mel can make a go of it at Gas City. If not, I certainly don't see anyone else sticking their neck out to buy/promote the facility. I also hope that some sort of an agreement can be worked out for the teams and drivers to be able to sell their wares. If anyone thinks that promoters are making huge amounts of cash, think again. Look at car counts and check the grandstands. This economy is certainly causing hardship for track owners/promoters, car owners, drivers and fans alike.

Be careful what you wish for, it very well may come true.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

I only wish the best for Gas City and Mel running the place with success , hampering drivers from making back a little expense money should not hurt his efforts, only improve it.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Years ago you went to a track and you could see people selling all kinds of race related items and shirts including the driver shirts. It was really an event to see all the things available. The promoters were happy because each both would pay a small fee to rent space. Promoters still were the only one to sell there track shirts. I really wish Mel great success in this venture, but think he is missing the opportunity to help the drivers and in return help himself.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

I have no beef in this at all..but i believe a certain amount of money has to be made each week for the track to operate..There is so much extra stuff to do anymore and running a race track is not the greatest especially with the economy the way it is..I for one do not want to see Gas City close..its in my back yard..I stand behind Mel 100% because if it wasnt for him gas city would not have opened this year..Its his first year running the track..hopefully the drivers can reach out to him or Jack and explain their sides..idk..

ty

Originally Posted by robert gatten:
What started out as a positive situation has been overtaken by GREED.

It's sad that people actually think a promoter is overtaken with greed when every "promotion" has lost money.

The racing community can look in a mirror to see their own worst enemy.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

I would suggest allowing tee shirt sales on premise with an agreement that the track gets 10 - 15% of the proceeds (fair to all):32:

Originally Posted by johnnythunderhead:
I would suggest allowing tee shirt sales on premise with an agreement that the track gets 10 - 15% of the proceeds (fair to all):32:

How would a track police that?

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Your not talking about thousands of dollars here. A couple hundred dollars in sales is a good night and about half of that is profit. Only reason I brought up the napcar thing was to try and explain the fun and even excitement they create with all the trailers and booths, it gives fans some extra things to do while at the track. After all it's an entertainment business and anything you can do to keep fans busy and interested helps in the long run. One other thing, you don't tell some one for weeks that your going to allow sales and even allow it 1 week then just change your mine and stop without any concern for what your action has caused. He made a big deal about how he had raced and done several things and pointed out that he understood and wanted to help drivers, the first week , only to stop and hope everyone forgets what he said a week later. If a track has to charge a small fee to let drivers sell shirts then be up front with it. It's like everything else in racing where "the clowns have to pay to be the stars in the show".

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

r a k, there would need to be some trust involved between the promoter and the racer's selling the merch, either he trusts them or he doesn't and either they're upstanding people or they're not

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Drivers create the fans,not the track,the promoter or the souvenir shop.Although a big draw for me is pickles and onions

Maybe it is just me, but if I want to buy a driver's shirt, I am going to buy a driver's shirt. If I want to buy the track's shirt, I am going to buy the track's shirt. It doesn't matter if the track refuses to let them set up in the stands, if I don't want to buy the track's merchandise then you're not going to entice me buy removing other options.
If the drivers were able to sell 10 shirts a night at $20 each then that is $200 in their pockets to help them come back next week and race. The promoter has already gotten the pit pass money from the driver and already gotten the general admission money from the fan. I think this promoter's decision is a little extreme. Why couldn't he charge them a percentage or something to make it a win win for both parties.

I've bought a lot of shirts from drivers and I've raced a lot, so I know the costs involved and how buying the shirts from the drivers can help with expenses. And if I know one thing, no drivers = no fans = no profits for promoter.
Just my opinion.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Buy an ad on here and sell 'em. :32:

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Buying an ad on here isn't that easy,,,,I have tried twice to get info and have gotten no responce.

Originally Posted by Honest-Sam:
Buy an ad on here and sell 'em. :32:

While I never advertised it, it cost the drivers a Tshirt to advertise on IOW. All they needed to do was ask me about it.

The direct advertising on IOW is over. I'm not taking any new ads or renewals.

I don't know about anyone else, but trying to find someone to sit at a table and sell ur shirts is kind of a pain anyway. I would be willing to pay the tracks souvenir booth a couple dollars a shirt that they sell for me if nothing more than to get my name and sponsors out there.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by Newport13:
I don't know about anyone else, but trying to find someone to sit at a table and sell ur shirts is kind of a pain anyway. I would be willing to pay the tracks souvenir booth a couple dollars a shirt that they sell for me if nothing more than to get my name and sponsors out there.

Its more family than you imagine. There is no I in team :) Wives, parents, grandparents and even hubbies and fathers when the racer is female.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

I even said to Mel, the first night, that he should buy Paul Hazen shirts at a discount and sell them in his souvenir shop but he said "oh no, don't want to start that".

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by robert gatten:
I even said to Mel, the first night, that he should buy Paul Hazen shirts at a discount and sell them in his souvenir shop but he said "oh no, don't want to start that".

Don't worry, Robert. With support like this the doors will be closed soon.

___________
Wes Stafford

I believe that TSS charges a flat fee to setup and sale merchandise behind the grandstands, that seems fair to everyone.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

you cannot expect a track owner, espeacily a startup track owner to buy merch to sell, but putting merch into the gift shop on consignment is the way to do it folks

Originally Posted by johnnythunderhead:
you cannot expect a track owner, espeacily a startup track owner to buy merch to sell, but putting merch into the gift shop on consignment is the way to do it folks

Clay County Speedway in Flora IL will sell your shirts at their concession/souvenir stand for $1 a shirt. You settle up afterwards when you pick up your pay. They win and you win.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by mscs20:
Clay County Speedway in Flora IL will sell your shirts at their concession/souvenir stand for $1 a shirt. You settle up afterwards when you pick up your pay. They win and you win.

That sure seems like a fair, sensible policy.:6:

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by mscs20:
Clay County Speedway in Flora IL will sell your shirts at their concession/souvenir stand for $1 a shirt. You settle up afterwards when you pick up your pay. They win and you win.

I'll take 20 of them 1$ shirts provided there's 20 drivers selling :)

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Would love to hear the other side of the story. Give the fans a reason to walk by the area of t shirts and stuff will make them walk by the gift shop/concessions. Has to help in the tracks sales.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

MSCS20, that would work if Mel would go for that.

Mall craft shows seem to have a working system, 8 foot table space, a different colored wrist band to show you are a vendor all for $20.00. Includes grandstand access (but not a pit pass), then sell racing stuff to the fans, everybody is happy. JMHO, but if this piddle contest goes on to long it just becomes ANOTHER nightmare for a promotor, on top of everything else, and too many problems lead to failure. A happy ending for all on this or not, we CAN NOT take a chance on losing a race track like Gas City ! bob

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

So now the future of the entire race track hedges on driver tee shirt sales. Really ?

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

The one thing about Gas City you have a choice of buying a 50/50 ticket and using it as a pass to the pits before hot laps..You can go back there and buy shirts at the trailers if you want too..I am not gonna say its right or not right to not be able to sell your stuff outside of the pits..but there is an option if you want to buy a shirt from a racer..

Ty

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

At Lincoln Speedway PA, teams sell tee's at the base of the scores tower and they even left the fans know over the PA as to who's selling shirts that night, I don't know if the track is getting a cut or not, but they are not sold in the tracks own stand. Williams Grove has a good system were fans can go into the infield and buy tee's through the fence were the rigs are parked. Again this is announced over the PA system, the track even calls this area "Tee Shirt Row".

It would seem to me that a fan wearing a Sprint Car tee is helping to promote the sport for both the team and track.

Originally Posted by robert gatten:
So now the future of the entire race track hedges on driver tee shirt sales. Really ?

I believe you're being a bit shortsighted.

I really do hope ALL of you folks who SUPPORT Gas City can find a workable solution. I'm confident that the solution won't come from social media.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by Bill Gardner:
I believe you're being a bit shortsighted.

I really do hope ALL of you folks who SUPPORT Gas City can find a workable solution. I'm confident that the solution won't come from social media.

I couldn't agree more. People who complain on social media are killing the sport. Mowerman said something last year that I thought was pretty good. If you have a complaint talk directly to the promoter. If you have a compliment say it on social media. I can't name one promoter in Indiana who hasn't taken the time to answer a question, if asked at a decent time.

Re: No driver shirt sales @ gas city
 

Originally Posted by BrentTFunk:
I couldn't agree more. People who complain on social media are killing the sport. Mowerman said something last year that I thought was pretty good. If you have a complaint talk directly to the promoter. If you have a compliment say it on social media. I can't name one promoter in Indiana who hasn't taken the time to answer a question, if asked at a decent time.

I can think of one:5:Thank goodness he know longer has his claws in any track I attend:D

When I have a complaint with one of the promoters I'm friends with... I tell him my complaint and then when he does something good, I say nice job then quickly tell him something else I think he needs to improve. I've truly earned the nickname jackass.