[Ken Bonnema]

Originally Posted by 767 Don I am a promoter of fair events. We do several forms of motorsports. This year has been pretty hard on local participents and really hard on the fairs. I know several of our events lost money this year, and that was including the pit passes and entry fee's. So if we are not going to charge those fee's, then the loss would be much bigger. Thus meaning these events can not happen again. Now I do not work for the big tracks or do shows that are able to make huge amounts of money, so I do not know what there answer is for you. My response to you being a small time nobody promoter.... Drivers and owners want me to garuntee a purse for them to race to. Drivers and owners want me to prepair a track for them to race on. Drivers and owners want me to purchase saftey equipment to help them in a crash. Drivers and owners want me to have my facility up to code so that there individual insurace will be good when they race there. I am good with these demands and I follow through with these items. If I really need to I could list out MY COST for these items. Now lets look at the drivers. Now as a promoter I need to advertise who is racing to drawl the fans in to cover the expenses and your purse. How many drivers will commit 1-2 months in advance of a race? At my last show I spoke with 24 drivers the week of the event that said they were coming. 12 showed up, 4 of the 12 never spoke to me. Its no different than drivers on this very board that say they are running somewhere and never show up. Ok so at my level I can not trust the drivers for my advertising. So now I want to go a different direction. I provided everything the drivers need to race. Its race day, only 100 people show up. That money is not even enough to cover my expenses to allow you to race. Are you going to race for free since I am losing money? 1 other thing to think about. I may have 2 or 3 shows that lose money, but 1 show that makes enough money to cover the other loss. Many places oporate like this. I normally like alot of what you have to say on here, but this is one I can not agree with from my own personal experience. sorry for being long winded.

Since the previous thread got "off topic" and I don't want to wreck anyone's day I'll start this one.
767, You were not long winded at all as there are a few more expenses you didn't even mention.
(1) Track rental. I'm sure the Fairgrounds does not let you use the facillity for nothing. Any promoter leasing a private track has the same situation.
(2) Liability Insurance. Don't know what the policy is back there but in Ca. a promoter MUST carry somewhere between a 3-5 Million dollar blanket liabilty policy that protects the Fairgrounds. That is before any Medical policy for participants which is sadly, becoming a thing of the past. If you are leasing from someone I'm sure the same expense is there and if ya OWN the joint........
(3) Taxes. If you own the land there will be property taxes every year.
Out here,( Madera County) if you lease a track from the Fairgrounds you are going to pay Property taxes for the duration of the lease. No matter if you run once a month or 24/7 the cost is the same. BTW, that is reason #478 why I'm leaving the state.
I'm sure I've missed some expenses ( who pays for the lights, water,ect. Is it in the lease agreement or.....) but one things for sure. NO promoter simply swings open the gate and has the show go on.
Regarding Officials (hope this isn't too far off topic) it is true that when a racer straps in, He/She is putting their life on the line. But when our race is done and another one is on the track the Flagman, Corner and track workers and any other official on or near the track continues to put themselves in harms way, every lap,every race,every race night. There is not a season that goes by that we don't hear of one or more of these folks killed or seriously injured. Their reward is to be screamed at, called names, ect. Here's a thought, try runnin' a race without them and see how THAT works out.

[AustinSprinter]

Ken....nice Avatar!!....is that (45)??...squirmin' Herman??.....ole' Tulley Rd speedplant, 50's-60's, was my home track!!.....man those were the days of good hard Sat. nite racin'!!...Sargent,Pombo,Howard,Clyde,Bill,Bert,Lo bia,Cetti,Eiland,Edlund,Vucavich,Astone,Ede,Brazil ,Henderson....list goes on n' on!!........
___________
Brucer'

[brian26]

Right on.

Some promoters are bastards because they have to be. After what little I did learn this past year, it would take a pretty good size pile of pennies to get me to promote on a regular basis. It is a thankless, ****** job sometimes.

[Ken Bonnema]

Brucer, No, that's me at S.J. circa 1974. It's the ex Lil' Red Rooster #9 originaly owned by Mike Gurrera. Former drivers include Nick Ringo,Bill Scott,Junior Coppla, Joe Diaz Sr. and Jr. Herman's (45) is alive and restored but since the owners would not sell it to his son, he built an exact replica and it was at Stockton 99 last Sat. night along with the Pombo (3) (driven Sat. by leroy Van Connett), the ex Pete Winters #1 formerly driven by Johnny Brazil and a host of other cool ol' Supers. Here's a link to the message board that has the story and some pics.
http://boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?&user=curtk
uh-oh think we just went OFF TOPIC

Brian, So ya tried a little promotin' huh?? SO sorry to hear that:2:
I've done the Flagman,Pit/Chief Steward,corner worker,board member,rule maker,ect but never a Promoter. One thing those of us who have worked on the "other side" learn is that most racers thought process end at their front bumper. Take Care Buddy.........