Tow money vs Entry fee

[dholt]

12-M,

Glad to hear you'll be joining us in Akron.

Sponsor is looking at 4-5k in Tow money. Also...you're closer than I am. I mapquested several drivers from outside Ohio...they still have a shorter drive than me.

By the way, I'm putting you on as Asst. ref at Alex. BW and Jack B. will also be there to ref.


Now, go testing.

[Brian10s]

I agree with all of your points Brian. I just look at tow money as a bonus. If fuel does not factor in your decision then use the $ towards entry. I am now a single class racer so tow means more than entry to me. I was on the fence on Lakemore, but penciled it in for the 2008 season. I am not saying that is was because of the tow money, but it did play a part in the decision.

BTW is the Harley bar still down the road there?

Later,
12M

Dean,
Glad you are coming but do not know anything about any Harley bar. You know me, in bed before the sun sets! Have got to get my beauty rest See you at Alex.

As for this thread, I was not really pointing it towards any one race. I was more just trying to gather some opinions as to what carrots would work to meet a specific result (boat count). And there have been some really good ideas like the first entry free, the difference between tow (trailer) money and show (driver) money, or even a prorated amount for the number of boats a trailer puts on the water.
The only problem is getting data on what "truely" works and what blew the start. It would be hard to ask every driver if they came for the tow money, entry fee or because they had it on the schedule anyway. And even then, the data would be somewhat suspect anyway.

[Blackhawkguy]

Bottom line

You do what you think is right for your race, implement what you like about other races you go to. When I started to run the Grass Lake race all I did was implement things I liked about several places we raced and tried to bring it all together in one race, feed people, entertained people, gave them a well run race weekend, and gave high point trophies for the weekend in each class back to 5th. The last one I used from when we use to race in East Jordan back in the early 80's, no one else had done that for 10 years or more, we got sponsors for the classes and spent $1600 on nice wood trophies, and it was for the whole weekend so if you pooched a race one day you lost points. Every one has diferent reasons to go to a race but you are the one that has to run it and bring the people back next year, give them something to come back for.

Kerry

P.S. and tow money has traditionaly been per trailer, not per entry, you are paying them for the tow, if they want to share the ride great, but let them divide the money themselves

[Big Don]

Here is a surprise…our vote would be for reduced entry fee’s.

[22W]

Probably no suprise here either, I am with Lyons and the Allens!

[Kev43V]

It seems to me, it comes down to what the goal really is:
If the goal is to intice people to travel farther than they normaly would, to show up at your race. Then tow money is the way to go, in my mind.
IF on the other hand the goal is to increase the number of boats on the water from your regulars then lower entry fees would seem to be the way to go. either way, i think when mom or dad writes a check for 8 or 10 classes for the weekend it would be nice to give them discount as a thanks for their support.

[Kevin McAfee]

The way ODA pays out is each trailer puts down how many miles to the race. All the miles are added up and divided into the tow money, that gives you how much money per mile. That way the guy that drives the farthest gets more money. We decided to do this by trailer because it if 2 teams travel together they are splitting gas 2 ways.

Kevin

[Bowers76-S]

Bars...

don't let the 10-S fool ya...he carries map o the states in his car as well as maps to all the area bars in each city raced at! see you boys at alex..i am off to the bar!

[22W]

One other thought... Usually tow money comes at the same pace as prize money. By that I mean that I have gotten a check that the mailman walked through snow to bring me. Reduced entry fees happen as I write the check. With as many classes as some people race, it is nice to know that as you are wincing at the 1000 dollar cost of going to a race that at least you saved $75. I don't know about you guys, but with the exception of Christmas time, I usually appreciate my extra pennies the most during the racing season.

As I read what I just posted, I start to think more. What is the most advantageous thing for a club? Having one guy go a few extra miles with only one class on his trailer, or having two more big trailers with potentially 10 entries between them? I hesitate to use the Allen family as an example, (I don't want them to defect from a local club race) but what is $50 in tow money to Don? The value in reduced extra classes makes his checkbook much happier. The hosting club not only gets more boats, but potentially a whole set worth of turn judges and judges stand help... In one Chevy Suburban! This method (for sure on a local level) may convince Don to stay local instead of driving further away to try to c__k block the competition.

[thunderracing]

the first thing people ask me, when they find out that i race hydroplanes is.
how fast?
how much money?
yes, prize money is nice, and tow money is in some way,s better.
but my answer to them is.
we race to race. even if its mack n cheese next week

chuck 280p

[jeff55v]

I go to races that are close to home. I race as my budget and work schedule allows. At any given race I attend, I race only one class. Prize money, tow money or reduced entry fees have no effect on my schedule.
Perhaps I am a bit of an exception to the norm.

[14-H]

Hamlin Has It Right

Much to the chagrin of Laurie Allen, there is a right answer here and Kerry Hamlin has it. Reduced entry fees and tow money are fine. But if you want to draw entries to your race (the original question), there is right way to do this and entry fees and tow money have little to do with the answer.

How many people choose which good resturant to go to on Friday night based upon a discount? Very few. You choose a good resturant like you choose a good propeller: based upon the results. Choosing races involves the same analysis. Most of us choose which races to attend based upon the quality of the race.

Throw a good party, offer some nice awards, run your race on-time, according to schedule and in an efficient manner and you will draw entries to your race.

If you run a race inefficiently, start late, have no plan for the after-hours, run a disorganized drivers' meeting, make bad calls, have crappy pits and a P.O'ed park manager, you probably will not have many racers come back no matter what the entry fee is and no matter how much tow money you offer.

Bottom line: it is the event quality that draws entries; not the amount of the entry fee or the tow money offered.

Hamlin: we need you back! Eddie.

[14-H]

Family Discount

**I hesitate to use the Allen family as an example, (I don't want them to defect from a local club race) but what is $50 in tow money to Don? The value in reduced extra classes makes his checkbook much happier. **.

I will say this about large racing families: One of the west coast clubs used to have a Family Rate for entry fees. I'm not sure what it was but the rate was based upon 5 or 6 entries and capped the rate for the weekend for that family. Thus, regardless of the number of entries for the family, the rate was the same.

We ought to consider this since most of our racers are multi-generational and we need all the entries we can get at each race. Ed.

[22W]

I go to races that are close to home. I race as my budget and work schedule allows. At any given race I attend, I race only one class. Prize money, tow money or reduced entry fees have no effect on my schedule.
Perhaps I am a bit of an exception to the norm.

I go to races that are close, and also far from home. I changed jobs to be able to race more. (I hope) My budget, well... paycuts suck. At any race I attend, I not only race what I brought, but also what others will let me race.

Jeff, this post is certainly not meant to be a dig, just a counterpoint. We all (I hope) race because this is what we love to do. Twenty years ago my dad and I did what you are doing. Over time apparently, we tend to go a bit mad and do rather irrational things. It's tough to explain why we do it, it's tougher yet to actually justify why we do it. I just hope that I can find the resources to continue to do it.

At any rate Jeff, we all love seeing what you have brought back into our racing community. Anything we can do to get more like you in (or back in) is what we should set our sights on!