Ever had a track refuse to pay out a guaranteed amount?

KID in Wichita re-opened and here we are, second event of the season. Opening day was HUGE and they made lots of money. Second event that's a heads up style deal and they pull this! Put the track manager in a really bad spot as he announced in the driver meeting just before eliminations that they had no checks!

Pay me in cash, please

No checks as in nobody got anything? Or was the purse paid but cut? If the word guaranteed was on the schedule or flyer that is definitely a problem.

I went to a 5K race one time and there was only a handful of cars. Was stinking hot and they scheduled it without thinking about other events close by that same weekend. The owner apologized to us and left us race for 100 percent payout of our entry fees and gave us free ice cream.

Its happened to me twice. I ran Quaker City a few times a year They had a N/SS race. There was low turn out. After winning they offered $100. I asked to talk to the track owner and negotiated 50% of th epayout and free entry to Sundays race. Then they cancelled Sundays race. Said I could run the Gamblers race. Went 5 rds to the last 3 cars. I was told they only pay out W & R/U, so no cash. That was the last time I ever made the 4 1/2 hr trip (one way) to Quaker. Also happened at Kentucky Dragway. It was a two day event. Many racers left Saturday night. The owner brought the remaining racers together and told us he had to reduce the purse. He had the racers vote on racing for reduced purse or cancelling. We voted to run. I won that event as well.
Doug

When "Jay" ran Woodburn, OR drag strip back in the mid 2000s he was the cheapest track manager that I had ran into while drag racing since 1964
I went to his end of the season race in October of 2005, I enter Pro bracket and went to the 1/4 finals on Sunday, $75.00 entry fee for both days,170+ cars entered into the Pro bracket racing on Sunday. I went up the tower to get paid, it was my first race there, and was told they didn't pay 1/4 finals When I asked about what they paid exactly they told me they only paid winner and runner ups. I ask how much they paid I was told $150. and $75.00, talk about being greedy and cheap
I'm not sure what the total entries were that weekend as they had all three NHRA brackets as well as several other specialty groups racing like stick shift cars and other non bracket cars, maybe including Stock and Super Stock shoot ou t

170 times $75.00 = $12,750.00 plus all the other entry fees.
I decided I would not go back there for any of their regular races
The announcer made mention that Jay would be going to Hawaii for the winter in his 2nd home over their after that race

In the 70's there was an 1/8 mile track in Sullivan Missouri. Track owner tried to get out of paying a purse, racers beat the windows out of his Lincoln Continental.

I would have to read the tracks payout page or flyer before I judge. I’ll just say that tracks can’t continue to lose money or they will shut the doors.

I have had payouts reduced because of car count. Here that's the norm now. But I will say if anyone out thee is doing this for the money they should likely reexamine their hobby of choice. Winning money is great and all but if it the driving force and you are not a traveling pro running the big dollar stuff it's just fluff to attract people. In the heads up world ANY payout MIGHT cover travel for the weekend for the most part. Just my .02 and I am 100% sure it will ruffle feathers.

Track sure has a nice facebook page

First year I raced at 41 I got runner up in Run Tuff one Sunday. They gave out checks and I deposited mine the next morning.

Couple weeks later the guy that won asked me if the check I got was any good. His bounced as did a bunch of other ones. I guess you could call that reduced payout.

I don't do it strickly for money. However I wouldn't travel a long distance for poor payout either. No sense spending $1000 in fuel and entry to win $1000. Might as well stay closer to home for the same, equal. or even greater payout. If it wasn't for winnings and side work I couldn't field the car I run on my own. I likthe hobby. If I didn't I wouldn't work so hard to do everything myself and work to support it.
Doug

I'm guessing my home track Numidia.

Not the same one.

I took a guess since you didn’t say.

I did. It's literally the first sentence. KID in Wichita.

Kansas International Dragway.

Whoops. Never heard of it.

]

Then imagine how dumb we are. Leaving for St Louis on Monday, 3500 mile round trip. Even IF we won it might barely cover the cost of fuel, and food. Then there is hotels, fuel for the car, wear and tear, tires etc etc. We were runner up in St Louis last year left with enoug to cover part of the fuel bill...

race cars are usually not a sound financial investment. Birdtracker

Not the same track.

Thought that race was a track rental and the track had nothing to do with the payout.

Nope!

I stand corrected. Glad its back open but thats a bad way to start.

And they promptly banned me from their Facebook group for merely posting what we were told in the drivers meeting! I even complimented the Track manager for how he handled it! No disparaging remarks from me whatsoever but they deleted my post and banned me.

People don’t understand how much damage they can do by opening their mouths and badmouthing tracks over issues that should be handled face to face. You know like men used to do. No they would rather go on Facebook and moparts and any other websites they care to visit and cry about something that happened l, driving customers away from a track. I’m glad the track understands what they have to do and quickly bans these offenders.

"People don’t understand how much damage they can do by opening their mouths and badmouthing tracks over issues that should be handled face to face. You know like men used to do. No they would rather go on Facebook and moparts and any other websites they care to visit and cry about something that happened l, driving customers away from a track. I’m glad the track understands what they have to do and quickly bans these offenders."

I'm done with this thread.

Obviously you have reading and comprehension skill issues.

Ohhhh ok it’s me, not you badmouthing the track for not paying out the full purse. Lol 😂

L.A.C.R., AKA Palmdale, use to post on their flyers about the bigger bracket races that pay out was base on how many cars were enter into each bracket and would show the amounts like S/P winners $500.00 based on 32 car field and so on
They did pay way better than the tracks up here in the northwest in Division 6

Wichita aka “KID” is a dump. I’m not surprised at all there was no payout. It will happen again as I’m sure they are pocketing everything.

If a track skips out on paying a guaranteed payout, then they get what they get. Just like anyone or anything else. Go back on your word and you have to expect some badmouthing. And you deserve it.

Understood but I tried to read the small print on the flyer or website and couldn’t find it. Most tracks are smart enough to protect themselves for low car counts in classes know for low car counts. Example Mopar heads up races. Sometimes those tracks have sponsors to fund those races. Big money races usually pay every position but will cut the winner’s purses when numbers aren’t met.

Interesting post.

A couple of years ago I reached out to Bill Bader from Summit Motor Sports Park and asked him how does he not have complaints on social media?
We were struggling with dealing with racers gleefully hopping on the social media hate bus whenever we had a problem no matter if it was out of our control or not.
Bill’s response was our racers know how hard all of our staff work to give the racers the best experience possible.
As soon as the hate bus fires up racers will rush in to shut it down.
His advice was to keep working to get better, keep hiring the best people and keep striving to change the culture of the track.
All of our staff and all of our faithful racers go through struggles to have the time, opportunity and finances to come enjoy this sport of Drag Racing.
We are truly one big family.
Edgewater’s Matriarch has been sick and in and out of intensive care for the last six weeks. The weather yesterday was a struggle for all our staff and to top it off my son had a once a year Lacrosse tournament in Middletown which I help coach and I couldn’t be at the track. By the way, His team won the the tournament for the 4th year in a row. Quite proud of them.
I’m also incredibly proud of our stellar staff that pulled off a first rate race under difficult conditions and circumstances.
You are all truly the best.
This is getting long so I’ll wrap things up. I got home from the ER about 2am last night and I checked our social media in case I needed to get to work putting out fires and since I’ve been conditioned to expect the hate bus I was preparing to try to shut the bus down.
What I found was actually the opposite of what was expected.
The culture Has changed.
Kind words were everywhere.
The hard work of our staff is being noticed. People were understand that weather can cause issues and force cancellations. Racers were answering questions when we haven’t been able to get to them keeping us from dealing with complaints that our customer service is terrible.
It’s a Bright Day at Edgewater and Thank from the bottom family’s and of all our staff’s hearts.

Lst year I had a concern at National Trails. I talked to the starter and the tower operator. Neither gave me what I thought was a good answer. Pretty much take it ot leave it. A few days later a friend suggested I contact the track owner. He sent me his name and I sent him a PM on facebook. With in minutes he responded with his phone number and asked me to call him. Though we still didn't completely agree, he spent at least 30 minutes with me. He also was unhappy how the situation was handled and would correct it. He was sincere. I was impressed. Perry is often in the staging lanes at Milan asking how everything is. Mike at Mid Michigan Motorplex is always hands on. Nick at Ubly is right there also. Craig and Tammy at London dragway, great as well. Never had an issue at Summit. I've seen Bill take tickets, run the lanes. Always hustling.
Doug

I haven't seen it in over 35 years of racing but have heard stories .. I have had the opposite happen on a guaranteed pay out .. I was running 11.50 Index at a Labor Day weekend Index race at Numidia Dragway in Pa. a few years ago I got down to 4 cars and it rained out , Thinking I would get a hundred or two .. they paid out the full amount split between the four cars left ! $950 each ...at another Pa track a few years ago I Won the Trophy Class at a Mopar race resulting in Winning a Trophy , the track operator came up and gave me some cash also and said Thanks for coming !

I have raced at 28 tracks and that place is by far the nicest and smoothest run of the bunch.

Last weekend I watched the season opener for ANRA (nostalgia racing association) at Famoso. Just in Hot Rod class alone there were 117 cars. That’s $250 to win….. the place is PACKED for this series. I don’t think they pay any better for any of the other classes either.

Here’s keystone’s nostalgia class



Nostalgia Iron Muscle Class
(This class is designed to bring back memories of the old days of drag racing. Old Detroit muscle the way it used to be, with bottom bulb foot braking, cars with names on side, and 1/4-mile racing. There are many cars sitting in our market that we would love to see back on the track. Open to all 1978 and earlier door cars, including full size Nostalgia S/SS, IHRA/NHRA S/SS. Small and Big Block modified production cars (ie Dusters, Chevy II’s, etc.). All steel door cars only, factory dash and front subframe required. No chassis cars. No nitrous or power adders with exception of period correct blowers. No electronics of any kind except standard transmission may have a 2 step. No delay boxes or stutter boxes. Shifting must be manual; no air or electric shifters allowed. Carburetors and fuel injected only. Correct GMC top mounted blowers are ok. All must retain 1978 appearance. Cars must be period correct and maintain a nostalgia look. Minimum accepted window stickers, period correct lettering on car is highly encouraged. Car must retain OEM stance. Only add on is a period correct hood scoop. Bracket racing on the 1/4 mile with .400 full tree, no deep staging allowed, 14.00 and quicker elapsed time, must dial to the nearest .05 or 0. Locking up the brakes or sandbagging is an automatic disqualification)

Entry fee $50
Win $700
Runner up $300
NO REENTRY

Bonus money by ProGraphic Ink for car name on sides of car. Nostalgia Iron Muscle Class only
Must stand out in size.
$200 to win
$100 runner up

Sounds like fun. Could you describe a .400 full tree? Is that 3 ambers .400 apart and not .500 apart?

I've never heard of a .400 full tree. Is that a thing? I've only heard of .400 on a pro tree.

We use a 400 full tree for all except a couple speciality events .
Took a while for me to work out why your tree was so slow
And yes 3 amber 400 apart


Tex

I ran the .400 full tree a few times at Nostalgia events at Quaker City. The theory is that it reduces red lights and equalized the tree for those who don't race often. You weren't allowed to go full deep and turn off the top stage bulb. So I bumped as deep as I could. The first 4 races Casey or I were in all 4 finals. Each of us winning two. I had a R/U and a semi, Casey also had a R/U.
Doug