Here are some facts on population demographics that any organization trying to sell products needs to be mindful of: 75 million baby boomers are in or close to retirement age. 60 million Gen Ys are in the workforce. 50 million Gen Xs are in the workforce.

Boomers as a group will be dropping in absolute numbers, but two economic realities will come with them-some will be on fixed incomes and some will have the highest amounts of dispoable income ever seen.

Gen Xers remain a constant for several more decades to come until they reach retirement.

Gen Y will continue to become an increasingly larger percentage of the work force and in 2018 will constitute half the available US workforce.

Any business marketing itself that wants to sustain growth needs to take in to account that the growing Gen Y population needs to feel included. Based on what I've seen at my local drag strips, the Gen Y group as a whole is typically dismissed as young, not affulent enough, and lacking interest by the businesses that need them. That isn't too say they don't have necessarily have a racing interest, but as young working stiffs, the tracks need to understand that by dropping the cost of competition, they can attract more racers, their friends, and their families in this generation and they can better assure their survival in the future.

Some of the biggest nights I've seen at my tracks have been the low cost test and tune, grudge match nights where there is a run wahtcha brung atmosphere and the lanes have a hundred+ cars and the stands are packed full of kids. By contrast, there are maybe a dozen high end bracket cars with nice hualers, enclosed trailers, big generators, etc. Sure those dozen cars all paid the same price as all the kids and will likely return on Sunday to pay $100 for the money race. But, as a track owner, would I rather have a dozen hard core racers every sunday for $100 a pop, or a few hundred kids in buzz bomb import cars at $10 each for entry, plus buying concessions.

I also agree with the marketing aspect of tracks now days too. There are many new people relocating to my area every year. Many of them are suprised when I tell them I go to the track because they didn't think one existed here. Tracks need to be mindful that if you want people to come to you, you have to regularly remind them that you exist. Some how I have a feeling that if they are going to spend $5k on something, many tracks may make this or that improvement to the facility ahead of advertising.