Originally Posted by TQ97:
Just a random comment that I bet the average fan doesn’t know. At local shows most tracks pay the same to finish 10th as they do 20th and the incremental increases up to the top 3 are pretty small. For instance, at one place 8th pays $20 more than 20th, and 5th pays $80 more than 20th. So it’s really hard for the car to help pay the bills, unless you’re running top 3 every night with a couple wins sprinkled in. Below are the stats from someone who most would say is a top 5 local driver and has 3 non local starts (usac/boss/mwts) where payout might be a bit more. Barring disaster he finishes top 10 every night locally, and 2/3 of the time he’s in the top 5. They’re averaging $550 a night that’s covering their fuel, 1 tire, and their pit passes.
Races: 21
Wins: 1
Top 5: 13
Top 10: 17
Payout: $11,550
I have always said that top heavy purses are killing the sport especially weekly racing.
There was a push a few years ago to have purses pay no more than 3 times the start money but it pretty much died. I feel weekly tracks would be much better if they took the top-heavy money and spread it back through the field.
There are teams who will spend what ever it takes to dominate no matter what, but they are not the teams that are parking their race cars. It's the ones back through the field that can no longer take the big losses we have now.
Heck in the Mo./Kan. area there are many tracks who will not even pay you the start money unless you complete all the laps.