The Sportsman feature (well, there were only features…) was worth the entry fee.
Patrick Thomas is really on top of his game right now, but beyond that, there is a lot of skill throughout the field, and interesting cars. Leaf springs, no leaf springs, Monte Carlo bodies, radical 80’s style bodies…and lots of side by side racing.
That was my assumption. That’s what happens when every track in the state runs the same night. I bet some guys may have attempted to pull a double if they could have. I prefer the way we do it here. Only 2 tracks run the same night, but that doesn’t always work everywhere I guess.
Actually in viewing the results on the Bronson facebook page it looks like only one NSS regular driver, Austin Howell, was in the field at Bronson. The rest of their roster looked like a combo from Citrus and Bronson. The heavy possibility of rain may have kept some drivers at home as well. Sure is nice to see the NSS counts continue to grow each and every week. Small increases sure, but still growth in a positive direction, After going to Texas and Alabama for the Nascar Cup races, I returned to NSS on the 23rd and they had double figures in all but one division. Not too long ago it was small single number counts in all. Wanted to attend last Sat but health issues interfered with my plans. Hopefully be back at the track again this week…See ya at the races…
I’m thinking that the small regular purse at NSS for Sportsman is starting to affect the car counts. When you start 20+ cars and it only pays $50 from 8th on back it’s not that motivating. With 20 cars a whopping 60% of the field are all going home with a measly $50. These new tires last but not enough to justify that kind of chance of loss. They need to step up the purse and stop the bleeding now before the car count falls to last years average which is about half of what they are averaging this year. Lately Sportsman are the biggest draw at NSS. It would be unwise to piss that away.
pits $30
Adult 18
Senior $15
Kids 6-14 $5
5 and under free
Waterford Speedbowl
Adult 17+ $17
13-16. $5
12 and under free
You have to pay well at Thompson. A stout motor is required and those long straights and high banks keep em wound up. It’s bigger and faster than New Smyrna. Waterford if I had to compare to a FL track is closest to Citrus. Bullring with exceptional side by side action.
pits $30
Adult 18
Senior $15
Kids 6-14 $5
5 and under free
Waterford Speedbowl
Adult 17+ $17
13-16. $5
12 and under free[/QUOTE]
The price of admission cannot be compared to any track I have been to in Florida as the facilities are FAR superior in Connecticut. Everything is paved in the pits, the stands are well cared for and updated as are the bathrooms, there are several food vendors, I can go on and on. As a result of this more cars show up, as a result of that the places are packed on a regular night. I was happy to pay $40 (that was for the pit entry) or whatever is was to get into Stafford every time I went, I’ve seen better racing in my one year up here than my eight years racing in Florida. I hate to say that because I will be back in Florida racing again soon but honestly I don’t want to after being up here.
I was fishing for higher admission prices = higher payouts.
But that is not the case.
Nevertheless, there are mo’ people in the stands, and more in the pits, all adding up to a larger pile of available cash to pay deeper into the field.
It is unclear IF bigger/deeper purses brought more cars if there would be enough return in additional fans for the track to make more net cash.
I would like to think so, but there is the period of time that the additional purse will just be another expense–and they know that.
I can tell you that I pretty much do not attend big events that have a admission price greater than $20. I have turned around and walked back to the car & driven away…
We’ve sorta beat this horse to death, but you only race 5 months up there. Plus, people tend to have a little more money. Just the same, Thompson has cut to a bare bones schedule just enough to keep their NASCAR sanction. Being a Thursday night track doesn’t help it either. It’s a different area than down here. 100 lap super late model events are very uncommon. They focus more on a weekly deal. Here, they have a big race every weekend somewhere for some class. It’s just very different.
Car counts are even down up there, but they are still far superior to what we experience down here. I think a lot of the same factors that affect FL also affect the northeast like the economy, expense, as well as just not enough young people getting into the sport. It’s a vicious cycle.