Originally Posted by Sandy Lowe:
From this 2006 press release when they switched to the new pavement cars they put a substantial amount of additional money in the car owners pockets via increased purses and point fund. Had this idea worked (which USAC expected it to) and they were able to continue to race at the larger tracks for a larger purse the car owners would have recouped their expenses in transitioning to the new car. Then in the following years the increased purses would have made the owners more money.
2006 SILVER CROWN POINT FUND ESCALATES TO RECORD QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS
A quarter of a million dollars is the lofty figure representing the cash bundle which will be distributed to USAC Silver Crown Championship participants at the end of the 2006 racing season, nearly triple last year’s point fund. The record series payout was announced today by USAC President/CEO Rollie Helmling.
“We are proud that we have been able to arrange for this significant amount,” said Helmling. “It represents the impact of our expanded schedule, the substantial increase in purses, the influx of major venues, the expansion of our fan base and the valued commitment of series presenter K & N Engineering. With a $250,000 point fund, which is almost three times what we paid in 2005, and total posted purses exceeding $1.3 million (over twice the 2005 figure), USAC Silver Crown participants are enjoying the rewards of this expansion.”
The increased point fund will allow for a wider distribution base with the emphasis on a tremendous increase in the amount realized by the series championship team.
“This is a good deal,” said 2006 Silver Crown point leader Brian Tyler, winner of the March 25 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. “I love racing, but I’m racing for the money too, so I hope I can be there when the champion’s money is handed out. I’ve been close several times but haven’t been able to land the big check yet. Maybe this will be the year.”
Tyler, who finished second in points in 1998, realizes the importance of racing in front of larger crowds and at larger venues.
“The bigger the track, the better,” he said. “I enjoy super-speedways and the increased money is important to me. Plus, I get to showcase my talent in front of some influential people. My team (6R Racing) has done a great job so far and now it’s up to me to do the rest. This huge point fund is obviously going to stir interest in new
participants for this series.”
The series which has expanded this year from 10 to 14 events and to tracks up to 1.5 miles in length, will also realize average purse increases of more than $30,000 per race from 2005, with race purses topping out at $150,000 and winners shares reaching the $25,000 figure.
The next series event is the prestigious “Hoosier Hundred’ at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, where the 1-mile dirt oval will play host to the 54th running of one of America’s greatest dirt-track traditions. The next series pavement event is the “Kentucky 100” as USAC’s new generation Silver Crown cars visit the 1.5-mile Sparta, Ky. oval for the first time in their history.
I can say that when we ran on the 1,5 tracks we made money yes the new cars were expensive but if you took the money we were getting and applied that over the life of a car in basically 5 years we were going to be even also sponsership for the teams was comming along but with the change at usac and the changes in NASCAR it was all scraped and the owners were left holding the bag so now we are where we are and the light is dim but at least there is a light
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