Hard to turn down 5 Mil a year...It's a bad situation when you can make more money leasing your pit area out as a parking lot than you can running a drag strip.
Hard to turn down 5 Mil a year...It's a bad situation when you can make more money leasing your pit area out as a parking lot than you can running a drag strip.
The splits between the track and NHRA are severely out of balance. From what I understand, and anyone feel free to correct me, out of the 100% made, NHRA gets 50% right off the top. Then, all expenses for the event come out of the last 50% and the track gets whatever remains. Also, tracks can charge for parking...not sure how the concessions work...I am quite sure I am off on this....I sure hope I amFranklin is on record saying he didn't make money hosting a national event. Not sure what that NHRA is willing to do to change that.
I might be mistaken because it has been a few years. At VMP the 1st year they did charge for parking. I can't remember if they charged the 2nd year of those 5 years total.Tracks can charge for parking, especially Nat'l events and costly food at the track. Also underdstand that food trucks come to the track & have to split the profits with the track.
YupWith this the last year for Topeka, schedule for 2024 now even more up in the air.
Expect Phoenix to be back on the 2024 schedule. i Have heard multiple things from almost everyone around NHRA that is more likely going to happen. It might be a fluid situation from year to year but not gone yet.Let’s see, what have we lost this year. Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Topeka. Is that all or have I missed one? Writing’s on the wall for Seattle and Sonoma unless they can get more than 13 pro fuel cars to show up…
I was thinking the same thing. I hope they can reach an agreement that satisfies both parties.Hope this doesn't across in a bad way and I hate seeing so many track closures of late. But I wonder if this would be an opportunity for the Franklins/VMP to work together to get back on the schedule in Richmond.
That is excellent news. I wonder what the solution to all this is, if there is one. NHRA needs more sponsors so they can compensate the tracks more for these national events? Not sure how a track can lose $$ on a national event, unless it’s just kind of a raw deal in the first place.I was thinking the same thing. I hope they can reach an agreement that satisfies both parties.
My understanding was that a lot of the dispute had to do with the improvements NHRA wanted the track to make. The owners did not want to incur the expense for one event.I was thinking the same thing. I hope they can reach an agreement that satisfies both parties.
Maybe make Kansas City the start of the swing. Kansas City/Seattle/Sonoma would work.With Denver gone would it be worth it for racers to make the long trip west for just 2 races?
So what there were 13 fuel cars, Seattle was pretty well attended last weekend. Seattle and Sonoma aren't going anywhere. Plenty of other events than just the NHRA National races are run that those two facilities.Let’s see, what have we lost this year. Houston, Phoenix, Denver, Topeka. Is that all or have I missed one? Writing’s on the wall for Seattle and Sonoma unless they can get more than 13 pro fuel cars to show up…
Unless Seattle and Sonoma have packed grandstands. Seems like folks are taking a renewed interest in getting out and watching these events in person, which is a very very good thing.