Indiana Open Wheel - View Single Post - So is there a real, lasting tire option for full up sprints?

JDavis#11 (Offline)
#28 4/15/22 9:31 AM

Originally Posted by kdobson:
I hate the implication that the tracks or series somehow are getting fat off of having a Hoosier 'kickback'. Yes, we all know that series that elect to enter a contract with Hoosier are going to get paid for mandating a tire. But over the years I've been a part of those agreements, I haven't bought as much as a loaf of bread or gallon of milk with Hoosier's money as a track/series.

In our circumstance here's where it goes. For the MOWA series, 100% of the money we receive from Hoosier Tire goes directly into the $100 tow money each of our top 10 teams get each night. It's not quite enough to fund it all but it's close enough. It all ends up in the racer's pocket. In our case the tracks don't pay that tow money. Memberships don't pay that tow money. Our series sponsor money is 100% allocated to our points fund. Personally, I don't care if we have a Hoosier contract/rule at all. But at the end of the day it's going to cost 10 racers $100 per night if we don't. And until/unless I know of a viable alternative that is better, cheaper and in abundant supply for years to come - I'm not dying to kill it.

For the past 10 years that Hoosier has been funding those 10 spots every night the racers haven't seemed to complain. In the short lifespan of our series, Hoosier has put well over 100k into the pockets of our teams - when there really wasn't any other viable tire option out there without having guys own a bunch of tires they can't race anywhere else. I know and realize that it's built into the price of the tire. Yes, I suppose it would be better if they reduced the cost of the tire by the proportional amount that they pay series and tracks and just save the racer money at retail and eliminate us passing it out as points/tow money. But it's all the same money. You pay it when you buy your tires and you get it back (whatever that extra built in cost is) when you get paid by your track or series. But at least you theoretically get it back, unlike the marketing fee built into a pair of Nike's that ends up in Jordan and Tiger's pockets.

Same goes for local tracks. I wanted to add midgets more regularly at Jacksonville but it was cost prohibitive with my sprint car purse already in place. Among the places I reached out to for a little extra each night was Hoosier Tire. Although not much at all, Hoosier was willing to support the midget program a little (obviously more races on midget tires = more tire sales) and so I figured that small amount into the midget purse which along with other support made me decide to go for it.

Now I have guys wanting an open midget tire rule. I fully understand that. But I'm not at the same time going to send Hoosier a bill for my midget payout along with a picture of a winner with an American Racer. The race wouldn't even happen without Hoosier's support. If we want to go that route - which is fine by me... seriously fine by me... I guess my solution will be to have two payout scales. One if you race a Hoosier - which they subsidize.... and another smaller payout if you race with another tire. Again, what I'm not going to do is take their money by agreeing to require their brand of tire - and then let people race whatever brand they want. So I suppose if that's what the racer wants to do the track series simply lets the racer decide... Here are your benefits if we require a Hoosier - and here's what money you lose if we don't. Right now I'm leaning toward an "Open Hoosier" rule for midgets which brings all the RD-12's you have laying around for Tulsa back into your trailer. Probably wouldn't work for a big series - but might work for our little gig.

Open tire rules are fine. There's just a financial consequence to that for the racer - because 9 times out of 10 or more that Hoosier 'kickback' is ending up in the racer's pocket anyway. I'm for sure not a fan of the price increases or the short supply we are expecting this year. But do you burn that bridge forever with a partner that has put 6 figures of money in your racers pockets over the past 10 years? And where does that leave us 3 years down the road if you burn it down? All questions I don't have an answer to - except to know that to make them you need to think of all possible outcomes over the long term without the influence of emotions of the moment.

I appreciate the view from another perspective. I have no idea how much a series or track gets to have an all Hoosier tire rule. I also have no idea how tracks or series ,other than yours, spend that money, (thank you for sharing) but I cannot imagine we the racers, would not be in a better situation on tires right now if we had some competition among manufactures. A monopoly only benefits the owner of the monopoly. Hoosier could still sponsor tracks or series without the mandate, as well as American Racer , Good Year or any other company that wants to get in the game. NOS doesn't mandate everyone drink their product at a USAC show. I am not against Hoosier, but I don't like the Hoosier only rule!

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