Why I saw no Drag Racing on 4/14/07

[r2]

Sounds like valet parking and a free car wash are needed at PR...

 

[merc49]

Travis, based on your feelings you are right. Based on mine you are wrong. You did the right thing. I would have have gone to the races. We're both right, there's no wrong. Based on that it's a non-issue, barely worth the meager bandwidth it occupies.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

It's one thing when you're parking at a commercial lot where that's their only income. You've got people here telling other people how to feel about a business charging it's own customers to park before it makes money on them walking through the gate. Why would I even start to think it was my business to tell someone else what should or should not be a matter of principle to them? What a customer is willing to pay is what determines the price of everything. It's 100% their business.

What if McDonald's starting charging a buck to park? I'm sure there's people here who would be telling you "It's only a buck, dude!"

LOL, I remember one person here complaining to the point of personally insulting when I complained about something that Bristol did, but then the same person complained when NHRA implemented an "expensive to the smaller teams" back half requirement.

 

[downtime]

I saw the Bulls play the Heat in Miami and had to pay for parking. I saw the Red Sox play the Angels in Boston and had to pay for parking. Even our local farm teams, the Portland Pirates and Portland Sea Dogs have pay to park fees.

Unfortunately real estate and taxes go hand in hand and business owners don't have much choice in the matter.

There was a day not all that long ago in the computer world when companies offered "free lifetime support" when you purchased their software too.

I do not like nickle and diming people, especially those who have made a long distance effort to attend an event, but we are a capitalist based country (supposedly ), and if five bucks helps keep a track open I am happy to pay it.

I understand the frustration and indignation and I sympathize, but increased costs are a way of life and all of us ultimately end up paying the piper sooner or later, either in money or in our own frustration or denial.

 

[Chad]

I think what alot of people are missing here is that they were charging to park in a cow pasture, because thats what it is. The same black clay mud tham makes up the sportsman pits. If they tried to charge us sportsman racers to park, they better pave the damn pits

 

[Nitrohaulic]

I saw the Bulls play the Heat in Miami and had to pay for parking. I saw the Red Sox play the Angels in Boston and had to pay for parking. Even our local farm teams, the Portland Pirates and Portland Sea Dogs have pay to park fees.

Unfortunately real estate and taxes go hand in hand and business owners don't have much choice in the matter.

There was a day not all that long ago in the computer world when companies offered "free lifetime support" when you purchased their software too.

I do not like nickle and diming people, especially those who have made a long distance effort to attend an event, but we are a capitalist based country (supposedly ), and if five bucks helps keep a track open I am happy to pay it.

I understand the frustration and indignation and I sympathize, but increased costs are a way of life and all of us ultimately end up paying the piper sooner or later, either in money or in our own frustration or denial.

Well, that's it. A track owner has the right to charge for anything he wants to. A would be customer has the right to pay or walk away. It's just like that thread in the Lounge where I complained about a dishonest tactic used by some Wendy's restaurants. I'd at least want people to know about it.

If a track owner doesn't think he or she is making enough profit off of everything else and they want to make it into a shell game by spreading it around like that to try to make it look smaller, that's their right. If someone wants to say that's what it looks like to them, that's their right. IMO, they might as well put pay toilets in so you have to pay to discharge those $4 Cokes. Not much unlike governments making us pay income AND sales taxes.

 

[Triple Nickel II]

I think what alot of people are missing here is that they were charging to park in a cow pasture, because thats what it is.

I'm still pretty sure that the State of Texas isn't aren't giving away free cow pastures that are exempt from property taxes.

The cow pasture parking lot has to be paid for somehow.

 

[knightrider]

Think the problem was that there was nothing said in any flyer or on the motorplex web site. they even state rhat they don't charge for parking at the national event.

 

[Chad]

I'm still pretty sure that the State of Texas isn't aren't giving away free cow pastures that are exempt from property taxes.

The cow pasture parking lot has to be paid for somehow.

and if you own a dragstrip, your parking area (and the taxes that go with it) are a business expense. If it were for the nationals and he had to rent extra cow pasture, then it might be justified. Those of us tha tremember when "billy Boy" was in charge of IHRA know what a greedy bastard he is

 

[travis1960]

and if you own a dragstrip, your parking area (and the taxes that go with it) are a business expense. If it were for the nationals and he had to rent extra cow pasture, then it might be justified. Those of us tha tremember when "billy Boy" was in charge of IHRA know what a greedy bastard he is

I am upset with the Texas Motorplex about this, but please, no name calling.

 

[Triple Nickel II]

Think the problem was that there was nothing said in any flyer or on the motorplex web site. they even state rhat they don't charge for parking at the national event.

Thanks Robert. It's amazing that the thread is nearly 30 posts long before anyone mentions that detail.

Perhaps Travis (the person who opened the thread) might have received more sympathy if that point had been raised here and I hope he mentioned that fact in his snail mail to the Motorplex.

 

[travis1960]

Thanks Robert. It's amazing that the thread is nearly 30 posts long before anyone mentions that detail.

Perhaps Travis (the person who opened the thread) might have received more sympathy if that point had been raised here and I hope he mentioned that fact in his snail mail to the Motorplex.

It is mentioned in the original post, in the text of the letter I sent.

After 21 years of no parking fee's, it should have been mentioned in the advertising for this event.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Hands-down, the finest facility I have ever attended or raced at, for that matter is Las Vegas. Today's National was the first I have missed for years and this place offers more for my money than any place I've ever attended yet their parking is always free not to mention fully surfaced for our parking pleasure. If Bruton has figured out a way to do it, you would think others would as well?

 

[Triple Nickel II]

It is mentioned in the original post, in the text of the letter I sent.

My apology to you.

I missed the "Why was I not informed of this in the advertisements for the event?" line that was sort of buried in the body of the letter.

 

[jackass]

my only reason for not complaining about a fee to park is that by charging they take a certin amount of responsability for any damage to your ride....

many will say no... but.. i have seen that issue pushed and the person won... some one broke into a car at the Rock oval many years ago and stole the radio and some other stuff... the owner of the car wanted to file a claim on the track insurance... it got nasty and the track ened up paying to repair and replace the items.... next race no more chraging for parking on the speedway grounds...the fee to park was part of the arguement that changed their minds....


Billy

 

[Marchboom]

The last time I went to Pomona (2006 Winternationals) the parking fee was $8 and that was not for preferred parking. I still had to walk 1/3 mile to get to the ticket booth. And that was on a Thurs....I'd hate to see what it was like on Sunday.

Parking fees are getting way out of hand and it is our responsibility to call the NHRA on it. With the rising costs of food and drinks (and parking) at the drags, some people will just not go anymore, preferring to just watch it on TV. Look what happened to Disneyland. A family of four will easily spend $300 for one day.

FWIW

 

[handsome]

i was told a story today that will make you feel pretty good for what you paid.

this past weekend a local track was having a (ihra) divisional race. it was suposed to be a double header event. (one race on sat. another on sun.) but with the forcast calling for rain on sunday, the track decided to run the races as 1/8 mile instead of 1/4 and run both on saturday.

now the interesting part. if you showed up to watch , you got charged $20 PER race (remember 2 in 1 day) and $10 to park. that was a quick $50 to watch a day of index racing and top sportsman and top dragster. ..... isn't there laws against RAPE!

 

[none]

Gateway certainly takes the cake when it comes to charging for parking. Friday we parked in the oval track and they charged $20. Later in the weekend we figured the lot across the street would be cheaper and it was still $20. Over the course of the weekend that was $60 that I wasn't counting on spending, good thing they had to give us a refund for Friday.

 

[timmydcarguy]

Can't afford it......................Don't go!!!!

 

[mick]

it has cost me more than 5 bucks just to read all the posts in this thread.