Track Closings, Do they make enough gate on Events?

Johnny Depp
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6438
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10/16/2014
Location
Buda, TX US
It seems we have a few local tracks struggling and a few that have gone away, and I thought I'd ask the Vital Brain Trust their opinion.

It seems that no tracks run their own races, it's always a series promoter that does that, whether MX or Off road. Where $20-$30 is normal for a practice day, it seems normal to see $10 on race days, or it's included in the Entry fee for a presumed flat or percentage. I'm assuming that this is agreed with the promoter to draw a bigger crowd and let volume make it up? I realize that this is typically a private negotiation, and you get what you negotiate. In your area's what is the norm?

It just seems like the land/track owners are making a modest increase over practice days by holding events, when it should be a day they make bigger profits?
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JustMX
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4607
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4/1/2008
Location
TN US
2/7/2019 6:13pm Edited Date/Time 2/7/2019 6:17pm
Overhead is so much more for races.

3 times the flaggers, ambulance, awards, staff, plus insurance is more.

Such a crap shoot nowadays on covering all those expenses. Then you have to walk the tightrope between not giving racers enough time and the day running too long.

Set a 6 hour practice day and make as much or more with less hassle.

Not a tough choice to make.

As far as no track owners running their own races, I think you are making a,blanket statement about things in your area, and would find that things differ a lot in other areas.
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Johnny Depp
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Buda, TX US
2/7/2019 7:21pm Edited Date/Time 2/7/2019 7:21pm
Thanks for the response, I was hoping you would. So it seems in your area the tracks run their own races, for some reason in Central Texas that is almost never seen. If the track is running the whole show, my question is irrelevant.

For those in other areas, are you paying twice? Once at the gate (perhaps reduced $ amount for events) or one pay at sign up?
carmfarm
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190
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6/2/2015
Location
Tallahassee, FL US
2/7/2019 7:29pm
I have been riding since 1995 at local tracks in FLA/GA area and I hate to say that about 12 tracks have closed since then. I remember practice weekends being a party with Castrol 927 smell in the air

lostboy819
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11509
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8/16/2006
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Somewhere, CO US
Fantasy
1442nd
2/7/2019 9:13pm
Same here, high overhead, low turnout equals closed tracks. Berthoud used to get 300 plus riders on a practice Sunday and well over 600 on race days. They were getting less than 50 on practice days and only a couple hundred on race days before they finally threw in the towel the first time, new owners had same problem. Sad

The Shop

KDXGarage
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2562
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12/16/2010
Location
AL US
2/7/2019 9:50pm Edited Date/Time 2/7/2019 9:52pm
$10 race day entry fee for everyone
$30 per class for first and second class, $20 for third or fourth class

One track is just doing practice on some Sundays, 12 - 5 for $25.

no flaggers
no trophies
no paramedic
no gate / entry fee

If you just want to watch, it is free.

Ten years ago, it was ten people flagging for $50 each.

EDIT ADD-ON: one guy flagging at the finish line. Around here, we usually do 20 minutes big bikes, 20 minutes little bikes after a young racer passed away during a mixed session accidental crash back in 2008.
1
BR8ES
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6/3/2018
Location
Bennett, CO US
2/7/2019 9:57pm
lostboy819 wrote:
Same here, high overhead, low turnout equals closed tracks. Berthoud used to get 300 plus riders on a practice Sunday and well over 600 on race...
Same here, high overhead, low turnout equals closed tracks. Berthoud used to get 300 plus riders on a practice Sunday and well over 600 on race days. They were getting less than 50 on practice days and only a couple hundred on race days before they finally threw in the towel the first time, new owners had same problem. Sad
is that why it never re-opened after the one year of new ownership? Also- what is going on with the orgs around here??? I know they merged, yet no other info yet and lame schedule, not too mention a good track not being in the mix.

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