It is possible to operate a Top Fuel Dragster for a budget less than 3 million per. Even a top notch one...
I'm willing to bet over half of the cars out there were running on less than $3 Mil.
It is possible to operate a Top Fuel Dragster for a budget less than 3 million per. Even a top notch one...
Here's the reason Snake can't find enough funding: So far on Google news there is only 6 new articles. (depending on when that story came out that might change) Until the lack of media interest changes we have no reason to expect to get 2 to 5 million a year to run these cars. I'm sorry to say that but that's why he's retiring as nitro racing can not command the dollars in this economy needed to properly fund a team.
I'm very surprised he isn't going over to nostalgia funny car racing. But I guess that isn't major league. I'm a devout life long Snake fan and very disappointed he's leaving the sport. It's yet another wake up call to do what I've been harping on them to do for years now: find a way to lower the costs. CUT THEM IN HALF. What's going on now is not realistic or economically sound.
I'm willing to bet over half of the cars out there were running on less than $3 Mil.
Tim, it may be possible to do it for under 3Mil, but probably not a lot less, if you want to run for the championship. Even so, it's obviously not easy to find even ONE Mil these days. I'm an eternal optimist and diehard, BUT, and as a guy involved in marketing for race teams you must realize this, we still have a huge problem with the cost of these cars and corporate America's perception of advertising value that our sport offers. I'll bet the Hartley's wouldn't be selling their stuff if they could even find 500k of support, let alone 2-3 Million. Just guessing there, but you get my point.
Sure I do Nunz....but it's not the COST of the CARS which is the issue. Let's be honest for a sec....take a look at the standars set up of a 3+ million team. They've got (1) Primary rig which holds the car, some parts, has lounge for driver/crew cheif ect.... (1) Support Rig which holds parts, spare blocks (up to 8 in the top deck btw) head (more than 16 sets at any one time), in trailer mill and shop to maintanence pretty much anything.
Then the crew:
1 sometimes 2 crew cheifs
1 car cheif
1 clutch specialist
2 cylinder head guys (left and right side)
1 fuel specialist
1 bottom end guy
1 tire and wings guy
1 full time driver/ maybe 2
1 PR Person
1 Maketing person
1 Team Manager
1 Driver
add up those salaries.....I'd say 1mill right there.
Then you have your hospitality rig. Usually 2-3 full time employees with set up...budgets of $10,000-$20,000 for support staff, food, entertainment per event so forth and so on..Add on 50-100 EVENT TICKETS ($80-$120) per.
Add travel, entertainment, food, hotel, rental cars, gas, insurance, shipping parts and equipment, salaries, marketing budgets, PR and so on and on and on... and you've got urself a 3.5 mill budget...
Take away some excess items not needed...get creative with marketing partnerships which would reduce your budgets and i'll bet u can still compete for the championship on 1/2 that budget...
Bottom line.... Snake is retired. The reasons exactly why is his business. Not ours. But, i'm just sayin I think you could do it for less and still provide your marketing partners with a solid return on their investment.
Sure I do Nunz....but it's not the COST of the CARS which is the issue. Let's be honest for a sec....take a look at the standars set up of a 3+ million team. They've got (1) Primary rig which holds the car, some parts, has lounge for driver/crew cheif ect.... (1) Support Rig which holds parts, spare blocks (up to 8 in the top deck btw) head (more than 16 sets at any one time), in trailer mill and shop to maintanence pretty much anything.
Then the crew:
1 sometimes 2 crew cheifs
1 car cheif
1 clutch specialist
2 cylinder head guys (left and right side)
1 fuel specialist
1 bottom end guy
1 tire and wings guy
1 full time driver/ maybe 2
1 PR Person
1 Maketing person
1 Team Manager
1 Driver
...
The Marketing person makes money????
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The two people you have highlighted are usually the first 2 to go when $$ get tight. I should say that is the way it is in the business I work in, Marketing is a luxury not a necessity.
The Marketing person makes money????
![]()
The two people you have highlighted are usually the first 2 to go when $$ get tight. I should say that is the way it is in the business I work in, Marketing is a luxury not a necessity.
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE BUSINESS WORLD Mr. Miller. Marketing and PR are very much a necessity. Let me ask you this question..... and I'm goin for the throat with you on this one, Who do you think made Budweiser and KB the success it was. I'll give you a hint... it wasn't KB.
Sure Kenny is a VERY good business man, but what made him good was the fact he hired the right people to help him do things he simply did not know how to do. AA/Dale gave him a solid tune up and MANY of his championships. Ms. Arnold is who made that deal as special as it was. And guess what she does... yup... Marketing and PR. She's the one who got KB into the mainstream media.
I'll go one step further. ASK John Force who made him who he is today. Sure Austin Coil gave him several championships but who put him on the "MAP".... Ever heard of Dave Densmore??? What does he do??? Yup.... PR!
How bout DSR? Judy Stroupus
Who helps spread the Antron message?? Yup... That'd be Teddy Y.
Then there is the guy who helped build Worsham and is helping Tim Wilkerson build his brand... ONE OF THE BEST.. Bob Wilber.
Skip Allum, Todd Myers, Jon Knapp and several others do a great job in this arena as well. Where do you think that Bobby Bennett cat developed a name.
Then there are those other guys like Unk and yours truly....who couldn't hold a stick to the talents of those exceptionally talented people....YET...But we're gettin better.
Perhaps I'm a bit bias on this, but without PR and Marketing guys putting the name of the clients, (THE MARKETING PARTNERS, DRIVERS, RACE TEAM) in the media....There would be NO MARKETING PARTNERS, NO INTEREST in the teams...just a bunch of rich guys racing on a track with small budgets blowin stuff up....
just my .02 cents...