Indiana Open Wheel - View Single Post

cecil98 · 9/30/08, 7:41 AM

Cecil98 made so much money promoting Lawrenceburg he only did it a few years and retired to his multi-million dollar island home in Florida :rolling ......Dave R

Actually, Dave, I didn't retire. Here's my story. We were kind of victims of our own success. In 1979, Carroll Hamilton decided he had had enough of the promoting. At that time, I was the only person to make a serious offer on the business, thus, I bacame a promotor in the winter of 1979 (I was 26 years old then!!! Time flies!) In the first part 1980 we were averaging less than 1000 people on the grounds per week (including the pits), 17 sprint cars and 19 late models. By the end of the 1982, we were averaging around 1600 spectators (old grandstand held 1800) plus the pits, over 30 sprint cars and around 45 late models. We also added an amateur street stock class (at the behest of Terry Eaglin!) that drew around 20 cars per week. The business doubled in three seasons. At that time the fairboard (American Legion) controlled the property and would only allow one year leases. I asked for a multi-year lease each year so I could make improvements to the grounds but, each time I was denied. I soon found out why. Keep in mind that we were Buckeyes in a very parochial Hoosier area at the time. Well, as the business flourished, more people became interested in it. Mel Johnson was one of those people. To put it simply, the fairboard called me and told me "you are out and Mel is in". That was the end of my promoting career. I was very, very bitter about the way it was handled. You see, when I bought the place the fairboard allowed Carroll Hamilton to sell the "business" and the equipment, as a package. Once I came to terms with Carroll on the business, we then worked out the lease with the fairboard. The fairboard didn't grant me the opportunity to do that. They just said you no longer have a lease and to get the equipment off of the property by such and such date. Mel Johnson is a great guy and I've never held any animosity towards him. He saw a business opportunity and simply took what was available. I would've done the same thing. H$ll, I was even down there on Mel's opening night driving a sprint car and continued to support Mel until I gave it up circa 1990. As far as money? We lost money in 1980. We had to loan the corporation $6,000 to open the gates for 1981. In 1981, we came out a few thousand ahead at the end of the year. 1982 was a breakthrough year and we were finally being rewarded for our efforts. Car counts were high and crowds were excellent and consistant. I guess things happen for a reason, and as bitter as I was over losing the lease in the winter of 1982, as the 83' racing season approached, I realized the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders! All we had to do was work on the race car and go racing. By opening night 1983 I was as happy as I've ever been.
That's the story of Cecil's promoting career! I don't envy you, Dave!!!!!

9/30/08, 7:41 AM	#54 Re: MSCS @ The Burg Admission Price?
cecil98 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 1,399	Cecil98 made so much money promoting Lawrenceburg he only did it a few years and retired to his multi-million dollar island home in Florida :rolling ......Dave R Actually, Dave, I didn't retire. Here's my story. We were kind of victims of our own success. In 1979, Carroll Hamilton decided he had had enough of the promoting. At that time, I was the only person to make a serious offer on the business, thus, I bacame a promotor in the winter of 1979 (I was 26 years old then!!! Time flies!) In the first part 1980 we were averaging less than 1000 people on the grounds per week (including the pits), 17 sprint cars and 19 late models. By the end of the 1982, we were averaging around 1600 spectators (old grandstand held 1800) plus the pits, over 30 sprint cars and around 45 late models. We also added an amateur street stock class (at the behest of Terry Eaglin!) that drew around 20 cars per week. The business doubled in three seasons. At that time the fairboard (American Legion) controlled the property and would only allow one year leases. I asked for a multi-year lease each year so I could make improvements to the grounds but, each time I was denied. I soon found out why. Keep in mind that we were Buckeyes in a very parochial Hoosier area at the time. Well, as the business flourished, more people became interested in it. Mel Johnson was one of those people. To put it simply, the fairboard called me and told me "you are out and Mel is in". That was the end of my promoting career. I was very, very bitter about the way it was handled. You see, when I bought the place the fairboard allowed Carroll Hamilton to sell the "business" and the equipment, as a package. Once I came to terms with Carroll on the business, we then worked out the lease with the fairboard. The fairboard didn't grant me the opportunity to do that. They just said you no longer have a lease and to get the equipment off of the property by such and such date. Mel Johnson is a great guy and I've never held any animosity towards him. He saw a business opportunity and simply took what was available. I would've done the same thing. H$ll, I was even down there on Mel's opening night driving a sprint car and continued to support Mel until I gave it up circa 1990. As far as money? We lost money in 1980. We had to loan the corporation $6,000 to open the gates for 1981. In 1981, we came out a few thousand ahead at the end of the year. 1982 was a breakthrough year and we were finally being rewarded for our efforts. Car counts were high and crowds were excellent and consistant. I guess things happen for a reason, and as bitter as I was over losing the lease in the winter of 1982, as the 83' racing season approached, I realized the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders! All we had to do was work on the race car and go racing. By opening night 1983 I was as happy as I've ever been. That's the story of Cecil's promoting career! I don't envy you, Dave!!!!! _________________________________________________ Last edited by cecil98; 9/30/08 at 7:46 AM.