There is a way to help protect a promotor's investment while keeping racers informed on what to expect for a payout at an event. Michael Beard of loose Rocker Promotions uses a formula that guarantees round money up through runner up. The winner's purse is the only figure pro-rated if the minimum car count isn't met while the round money is self-regulating: Less cars=less rounds=less tiered payouts!

The track/event promotor just has to sit down and crunch the numbers to see what formulas would work best for him/her, whether it be for a local weekend bracket race or a big buck event. Some tracks even RAISE the payout if a certain number of cars is exceeded!

The best perspective is to see it first hand: Payout structure used by Loose Rocker Promotions.

As much as I enjoy drag racing, I can't afford to do it unless I can win sometimes. I thank God I can be competitive, even as I get older, but the purses are often a deciding factor in attending some events. I can't and don't win all the time. But if I can't expect to even break even if I win an event, it's simply not practical to go. It's very upsetting when a purse is advertised and potentially being pro-rated based on car counts, but no hint on what to expect. Then when you win, it turns out to be slashed substantially! It's happened to me as well as others I know.

I simply like to know what to expect, whether it ends up with a low or a high car count, and then I can decide if I will attend a particular event.