Last weekend this happened at a local race. We are seeing more riders go to tracks for practice but not come back for the race day. Race weekend (two day event) saw 15 riders show up for the Sat. race! Track switched over to having a practice till noon or so.
Washougal had a similar weekend with turnout for Sat. practice roughly double the race turnout on Sunday.
I have read lots on getting more ride time at practice,but our local track splits it up to the point of only getting 1 hr. for spending 5 hr at the track. Cost is roughly the same less gate fee. All this has me thinking it is something more than amount of track time? JR

For us it is more economical to practice than race. Kid, mom and dad gate fee=30, 2 race classes=65. 4 motos, 6 laps average here and supercross track times not much more than a minute lap times=24 minutes racing and probably 10 minutes practice.

Don't get me wrong, we still race, just not near as much as we did before. Also traveling for bigger races kills the pocketbook.

Why practice if your never going to race is my feelings.....

quote:

Originally posted by spin05:
Why practice if your never going to race is my feelings.....

MXPPA

Perhaps I have finally after 27 years found my problem. I have ALWAYS just raced and never practiced ever since the Whidbey Island Navy base MX track closed down WAY WAY WAY back.

Honestly, as a head of one of the promoters, and I know there is other promoters that would disagree, but I feel by the time you get to the track pay $10/person/day-gate, $10/vehicle/night-camping, and $25+/class/day, it costs too much to come out and race. I race our series and I only ride one class. For a two race weekend with just my girlfriend and I through the gate, im out a bare minimum of $100 just at the track, that doesnt include fuel, food, and whatever else one might need at the track, and thats every week. Its just getting too damn expensive. Frankly, its cheaper, and you get more track time if you just hit practice days. So no I dont blame people for not racing, if the promoters want more people to show up to races, they need to start bringing down prices, Thats what you do in a poor economy to try and get people to buy your product.

more track time only works well thou if...... A) You show up as soon as they open. B)hardly anybody else shows up. I can remember waiting over an 1 and 1/2hrs i think it was horn on a buisy day,between practices.Last time at burnt ridge i think i only got out 4 times.....sure its more riding,but i just enjoy the rush of racing and smack talk before.....It seems like the more my kid and i practice the more we forget what the race speed is really like.....

quote:

Originally posted by Justin Anderson:
Honestly, as a head of one of the promoters, and I know there is other promoters that would disagree, but I feel by the time you get to the track pay $10/person/day-gate, $10/vehicle/night-camping, and $25+/class/day, it costs too much to come out and race. I race our series and I only ride one class. For a two race weekend with just my girlfriend and I through the gate, im out a bare minimum of $100 just at the track, that doesnt include fuel, food, and whatever else one might need at the track, and thats every week. Its just getting too damn expensive. Frankly, its cheaper, and you get more track time if you just hit practice days. So no I dont blame people for not racing, if the promoters want more people to show up to races, they need to start bringing down prices, Thats what you do in a poor economy to try and get people to buy your product.

Very well put Justin

quote:

Originally posted by Justin Anderson:
Honestly, as a head of one of the promoters, and I know there is other promoters that would disagree, but I feel by the time you get to the track pay $10/person/day-gate, $10/vehicle/night-camping, and $25+/class/day, it costs too much to come out and race. I race our series and I only ride one class. For a two race weekend with just my girlfriend and I through the gate, im out a bare minimum of $100 just at the track, that doesnt include fuel, food, and whatever else one might need at the track, and thats every week. Its just getting too damn expensive. Frankly, its cheaper, and you get more track time if you just hit practice days. So no I dont blame people for not racing, if the promoters want more people to show up to races, they need to start bringing down prices, Thats what you do in a poor economy to try and get people to buy your product.

thats about right. i guess when things are like this you have to pick and choose what races you want to go to. for us this has been very few this year. one question i do have is why would one race cost so much more than another. you can race one class for $35 at a normal pro race, get 2 motos and 1 practice each day.but $80 a class?even if you take out maybe $15 for a shirt that is still double. i dont know how many people have told me this race is stupid crazy expensive and were not going. sorrry ted but i like this race alot but why is it any different

If you pay for two classes, you still only get one shirt. I think alot of it is Ted's cost for the track. I'm sure it isn't cheap to rent the track. Ted's in the business to make money, as are the other promoters. The only cost of racing that really irks me is the camping fee. It costs the track nothing to have me camp. I'm not using power or water but they want to charge me $20 a night.

Top gun is $30,but i think that is for the 3 days total...

Paul...I agree. I've bitched at several tracks with camping fees when there are no hookups. I've been told it is to handle sani-cans and the like. My kids and I all go number 1 and number 2 in our camper (never in the sani cans) and even if we did use the cans, I don't think they poop enough to cost $20/night!!!

Correct me if I'm wrong but you veterans might remember back in the olden days didn't race winners receive more "goodies" for winning races.

I wouldn't know, I didn't win any races back in the olden days

I totally agree with the lack of seat time at races...but I am biased a bit from racing off road for awhile now. For a pro to race 9 to 12 minute motos max is just warm up. At least at practice days, even if you wait 1 1/2 hours, you get 20 mins straight(I think)3 or 4 times.

Money is another factor. Take Top Gun for example. For me to go(family of 5) would be $150 gate, $30 camping, and $330 for 3 classes. That's $510 before I put my boots on and that's minus fuel and food. Kinda spendy. But in defense of Top Gun, it is a special event and a vacation also. At other races it is less but still at least double from a practice day.

It also takes a lot to put on races compared to practices. Flaggers, checkers, trophies, watering, dozer work, front gate and sign ups to name a few. Practices are easier with good profit...but who wants to only practice. To be a good racer one must race...period!

I wonder if less classes and longer motos would entice more racers to show up. I would

quote:

Originally posted by Justin Anderson:
Honestly, as a head of one of the promoters, and I know there is other promoters that would disagree, but I feel by the time you get to the track pay $10/person/day-gate, $10/vehicle/night-camping, and $25+/class/day, it costs too much to come out and race. I race our series and I only ride one class. For a two race weekend with just my girlfriend and I through the gate, im out a bare minimum of $100 just at the track, that doesnt include fuel, food, and whatever else one might need at the track, and thats every week. Its just getting too damn expensive. Frankly, its cheaper, and you get more track time if you just hit practice days. So no I dont blame people for not racing, if the promoters want more people to show up to races, they need to start bringing down prices, Thats what you do in a poor economy to try and get people to buy your product.

Agreed!

I guess I've been on to something here..... (go MXPPA!)

I guess its kind of a tug of war, do the promotors get their money at the gate by the cost of entry or by the increased numbers that come though the gate thru lower costs.

I would be willing to race more if the price went down some and/or seat time increased.

Until then I am content with just winning practice!

OK so at what price would you come to a race. Motos at Port Angeles have been 30.00 for at least 4 years. We have several races a year that we lose money on. If entries are down and there are less motos we give more track time ie 5-6 lap motos. So its a catch 22 you lower the price and have more riders then less track time or higher moto fees and more track time. Are 2 day races better than a single day????
Jerry

From what Lance said, I think less classes more track time. I know for me 5 laps is just a warm up. Another good point is pro purse. It's what drive entry fees up as well. Look at how huge the Top Gun pro purse is. That is pretty rediculous. Top Gun is about a battle between the area Teams and Dealerships not necessarily about the 1% who can race the pro class. Another is track layout. Arenacross is the worst, that being tracks built for maybe 10 guys out of the 3-400 others. Maybe the track is easier but you don't fill up the ER in half a day and you make for some good battles. This is a good topic. I really don't mind paying $30 per class for a well groomed track, a promoter who listens to concerns and a track crew that knows when and went not to water!!