Sponsorship Seminar

From Gary Dominguez

With the troubled times, and lack of expendable income for racers and sponsors alike, I am wondering if it may be time to put on another up-to-date sponsorship seminar? Some of you may have already taken it, but there are so many new ways to attract dollars to your race car, it may be worth the refresher course. I'm putting out feelers to see who would be interested.

If you are interested in taking the course, or have comments or concerns, please email me at gary.dominguez@homerealestate.com. Put sponsorship seminar on your subject line.

Thanks!

Gary

It's Going to be a Beautiful Weekend for Racing

From I-80 Speedway

The weather forecast for Eastern Nebraska this weekend is looking great and it's Cornhusker Classic Time. Come join us at I-80 Speedway this Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights for three great nights of racing. Tonight the A Mods, B Mods, Grand Nationals, Pro Am/Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Hornets will be qualifying for the Inside Front 8 rows of Sunday's feature. The Super Late Models will also be running a complete program tonight co-sanctioned by the Corn Belt Clash and the Midwest Late Model Racing Association. Racing starts at 7 pm.

Saturday night will be qualifying for the Outside Front 8 rows of Sunday's features with another complete program for the CBC/MLRA Super Late Models. Racing starts at 6 pm. Then on Sunday it's time for last chance races and features for A Mods, B Mods, Grand Nationals, Pro Am/Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Hornets along with a complete program for the SLMR Super Late Models. Racing starts at 5 pm.

Grandstand Admission is $20 for Adults on Friday and Saturday and just $15 on Sunday. Juniors (6-15) are just $5 each day with kids 5 and under free as always. The Grandstands will open at 5:30 pm on Friday, 4:30 pm on Saturday and 3:30 pm on Sunday.

I-80 Speedway is located off Interstate 80 at exit 420, halfway between Omaha and Lincoln. The 4/10 mile dirt track is home to the NASCAR Whelen All American Series (NWAAS) on Sunday nights, and host several specials featuring regional touring late model and sprint car series. For more information, visit www.I-80Speedway.com.

ASCS Midwest Wraps up Season with I-80 Double

Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (September 12, 2011) - The Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region puts the wraps on the 2011 season with two full nights of racing action at Greenwood, Nebraska's I-80 Speedway this Friday and Saturday.

Both nights of competition culminate with $3,000-to-win feature events, with $400 to start in each night's feature.

With 17 nights of competition logged into the books, Springfield, Nebraska's Jack Dover has locked up his second ASCS Midwest championship as he carries a 463-point lead over Jordan Boston into the weekend.

Colorado's Bryan Gossel holds down third in points, with North Dakota's Lee Grosz and Missouri's Brian Brown rounding out the top five. The rest of the top ten includes Wayne Johnson, Billy Alley, Gregg Bakker, Jeff Osborn and Danny Lasoski.

Brian Brown has topped the last three ASCS Midwest events at I-80 Speedway and five of the last seven. Ten of Brown's ASCS Midwest series' best 20 career wins have taken place atop the 4/10-mile I-80 Speedway clay oval.

Both Friday and Saturday action at I-80 Speedway are set to fire off at 7:00 p.m.

Nebraska Raceway Park's I-80 Speedway is located in Greenwood, NE, between Lincoln and Omaha off I-80 Exit 420, then 0.4 mile north on SR 63 then west. For more information, contact the track at 402-659-3301 or 402-342-3453.

The Speedway Motors ASCS Midwest Region is slated for 21 nights of competition at seven different tracks throughout Nebraska and the surrounding areas of Missouri, South Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota.


Past ASCS Midwest Regional Winners at I-80 Speedway:
7/1/11 - Brian Brown
5/26/11 - Brian Brown
4/9/11 - Brian Brown
4/8/11 - Seth Bergman
9/24/10 - Billy Alley
9/3/10 - Brian Brown
7/2/10 - Brian Brown
5/27/10 - Shane Stewart
4/17/10 - Jack Dover
4/16/10 - Dustin Morgan
7/2/09 - Brian Brown
5/21/09 - Chad Humston
4/11/09 - Jonathan Cornell
4/10/09 - Billy Alley
8/14/07 - Jack Dover
4/15/07 - Chuck Swenson (Midwest vs. Northern Plains)
4/14/07 - Brian Brown (Midwest vs. Northern Plains)
8/15/06 - Billy Alley
7/3/06 - Jake Peters (Midwest vs. Northern Plains)
4/8/06 - Brian Brown (Midwest vs. Northern Plains)
8/3/05 - Brian Brown (Midwest vs. National)
7/8/05 - Brian Brown
4/15/05 - Terry McCarl



The 2011 season marks the 20th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with approximately 200 nights of competition at tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.

Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.

Nebraska Sprint Car Season finale at I-80 Speedway

The 360 Sprint Cars will be making their last appearance in the Cornhusker State this year with the running of the ASCS/NCRA Sprint Car Challenge at I-80 Speedway on Friday and Saturday, September 16 & 17. The event will feature drivers from the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) and the National Championship Racing Association (NCRA) running complete programs both nights. Each night’s feature will pay $3,000 to win and $400 to start.

The two day show will finish out the 2011 season for the ASCS Midwest Region. Last weekend the series ran two events in the Cornhusker State with Sioux Falls’ Greg Bakker and Louisiana’s Jason Johnson picking up wins. Entering this weekend’s action Springfield, Nebraska’s Jack Dover has all but locked up his second ASCS Midwest Championship. Jordan Boston, Bryan Gossel, defending series champion Lee Grosz and Brian Brown round out the top five in ASCS Midwest points.

The NCRA side of the Challenge is not as clear cut as C. J. Johnson and Gary Lee Maier are locked in a battle for the 2011 NCRA Sprint Car Championship. Jason Martin, Patrick Stasa and Mike Peters round out the top five. The NCRA has one Sprint Car left remaining after this weekend, that being on October 1 at Wichita, Kansas. Many of the best 360 sprint car drivers in the nation are expected to be at I-80 Speedway this weekend.

Racing starts each night at 7 pm. Grandstand Admission for Adults is $15 on Friday night and $20 on Saturday night. Juniors (6-15) are $5 each night with 5 and under free. Pit Passes are $30 each night.

For more information call Ed Kosiski at (402)-659-3301.

Two-Night "Sprint Car Challenge" For NCRA Sprints This Weekend @ I-80

Park City, Kansas - September 12, 2011 - Current series point leader C.J. Johnson of Quinter, Kansas will lead the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley's Racing Products sprint division into unchartered territory since 2007 when the tour will square off against the American Sprint Car Series Midwest region this coming Friday and Saturday night in the "Sprint Car Challenge at I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Nebraska.

And with this big sprint series showdown you know both nights will be big for all racers with both nights point races for the NCRA series and feature winners both nights earning $3000. Just starting both feature finales will earn a driver $400.

Each days non-qualifier feature winner will earn $300 with a dash being held both days that will pay $500.

Entry fee is only $10 each day and the left rear tire rule that NCRA has in their 2011 rule book has been waived for both events.

The two day weekend will make it fourteen point races total for the series schedule in 2011 with eleven races having been completed thus far this season. I-80 Speedway will make the eighth different venue for the division in what will end up being the most ambitious NCRA sprint car schedule in years.

Johnson comes in with a 75 point lead over former five-time series champion Garry Lee Maier of Dodge City, Kansas.

Jason Martin, Patrick Stasa, Mike Peters, Luke Cranston, Jeremy Campbell, Taylor Velasquez, and Kris Miller are the top ten in series points and are just a few of the drivers who will be on hand representing NCRA.

It has definitely been a season of parity for the series as ten different drivers have took home victories out of the eleven races held thus far.

Jack Dover of Springfield, Nebraska will lead the ASCS Midwest region to the Nebraska Raceway Park facility with Jordan Boston second in series points. Boston took home the victory in the 55th annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals in Hutchinson, Kansas back earlier this season in NCRA competition.

Bryan Gossel, Lee Grosz, Billy Alley and Gregg Baker are just a few of the drivers who will be representing the ASCS.

On Friday, racing starts at 7pm. grandstand admission is $15 for Adults, $5 for juniors (6-15) with 5 and under free. All Pit Passes will be $30.

On Saturday, racing will start at 7 pm with grandstand admission $20 for Adults, $5 for juniors and 5 and under free. All Pit Passes will be $30.

I-80 Speedway is located off Interstate 80 at exit 420, halfway between Omaha and Lincoln. The 4/10 mile dirt track is home to the NASCAR Whelen All American Series (NWAAS) on Sunday nights, and host several specials featuring touring late model and sprint car series. For more information, visit www.I-80Speedway.com.

For more information on the 41st anniversary season for the National Championship Racing Association of Park City, Kansas presented by Smiley's Racing Products, find them at their new online address www.racencra.com or call the series office (316) 755-1781.

The series would like to take this time to thank their sprint car partners and sponsors for the 2011 race season:

Park City, Kansas, Smiley's Racing Products, Hoosier Racing Tires, Sunoco Race Fuels

Contingency Sponsors: Saldana Racing Products, The Brake Man

Friday nights feature finale payout: 1) $3000, 2) $1500, 3) $1000, 4) $800, 5) $700, $600, 7) $500, 8) $475, 9) $450, 10) $425, 11-22) $400,

Saturday nights championship feature finale payout: 1) $3000, 2) $2000, 3) $1400, 4) $1000, 5) $900, 6) $800, 7) $700, 8) $600, 9) $550, 10) $500, 11) $450, 12-22) $400

Dash (both nights): 1) $500, 2) $400, 3) $300, 4) $200, 5) $100, 6) $100

Non-Qualifiers (both nights): 1) $300, 2) $250, 3) $200, 4) $150, 5-15) $100

Hard charger (both nights): $500

All Good Things...

Must come to an end.

I'll be covering the Nebraska Cup for the Lincoln Journal Star.

But I've come to a decision that if Sunday's Nebraska Cup is not my final race this year, 2011 will be the last year I plan on visiting dirt tracks as an unpaid photographer/blogger on a regular basis.

It doesn't mean I don't have an interest in the sport because I do. I still love the automobile and motorsport - it doesn't mean I don't like doing the work. But if I'm going to work, I'd rather do it for a paycheck. This isn't a labor of love anymore.

One of the reasons I quit working on a weekly basis in racing after the 2006 season was because it wasn't fun anymore. I need to find some balance between the stresses of work and home, and what is supposed to be relaxation. This isn't relaxing. It's tedious.

Next season, I may be pushing hard on the money angle and start to blog for pay. Open up the site to ads, become more aggressive with marketing, and so on - IF I see the business opportunity.

I'm glad football season is here. I'm looking forward to hockey season, and the thought of visiting a Lincoln Stars game, wearing my new heavyweight Montreal Canadiens sweatshirt, sitting down with a beer and watching some hockey just sounds wonderful. I will enjoy spending Saturdays and Sundays watching football, and going out with my family.

When it comes to the show, I'm tired of the bitching, my own bitching included. I'm tired of the drama taking place in the photography arena and the chiseling and backbiting. I'm tired of complaining about the show - that contains parts that I will never like - and I'm tired of message board groaning.

Things aren't going back the way they were, there will never be enough money, etc. I realize people say this everywhere, but for some reason in the racing world, it's worse. It ran off people I grew up with around the track. It ran my dad off. The constant whining and pining just leave me asking "why do I come out here then?"

I've seen friends go away, I've seen families (including my own) break up over this. This is ridiculous. It's a hobby, executed by some very skilled people, but a hobby nonetheless.

I took a break for a reason. Before my wife and I were married, our pastor requested some counseling as part of standard practice. One of the suggestions he made was to stay apart for a while. The goal being to see if we just couldn't be without each other.

My wife and I did that. We spent a little more time doing our own thing, but we know that being together was and is still a good thing, twelve years and one child later.

But my break from Eagle and the racing world was different. I'd rather be in the stands drinking beer if I wasn't working, and I am going to be very selective with the camera tonight. It's possible I'll  spend most of the night in the press box.

I'm sure that people will say, well wait until spring and see what you think. Go to a race and just enjoy it, don't worry about photos or the blog. These are good suggestions, and I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Maybe next Friday at I-80 I'll just be having some fun. Perhaps a trip to Beatrice for Octoberfest without worry of a deadline, upload, etc. would be good.

I'll give it a try. And then, I'll give it a rest. I appreciate all the great comments and feedback I've received for the past six seasons. I've met people and opened doors. It's been fun but I think it's also neared its end. I do plan on updating and such, but with what frequency I'm not sure.

Take care and thanks,
Jason

Keep the show on the road part II

So, I put out some ideas for on the track in terms of keeping the show going. I'd like to focus what the promoter can do without focusing solely on the on-track action.

Getting the show started on time.

I've railed on this before and I don't think it's any less true.

1. Get the track ready when it's supposed to be. If you need to water it, then start on it before anyone else shows up. Worry about it drying out too soon? Need to let it air out? Then build that into your schedule. It isn't an exact science, but experience will be a good guide. You shouldn't be hotlapping 5 minutes before the scheduled start of the show.

2. Hotlaps - short and sweet. Is there really a need to run more than green-white-checkered on a normal night? Three laps tops, especially toward the end of the season. This is warm-up and shake-down time. Maybe a little track fine tuning if needed. But it's not a race, and it's not a testing or training session. If you want drivers to put down some laps, schedule a practice night or let them run after the show.


Oh, and hotlaps during intermission? Hell naw. Let them tag another class B or heat if at all.


3. Lineups. No reason they shouldn't be ready by the driver's meeting if you have that after hotlaps. They should be ready 15 minutes before the start of the race. And get accuracy. If the lineup system is too complex, or requires too much technology, look to see if some ways can't be simplified, or some tasks delegated.


4. Staging. The next TWO races should be staged, especially heats. Get a staging official whose sole duty is to line them up as they would be on track in a clear area. Any class with starters should be able to roll out, and if they come out of turn two, they should be green by four. If you feel the need, then one lap at the most. Anyone not staged starts at the back if they go at all.


5. Buzz laps before the heat. Why? This is just a waste (although I like it for photos). Why another set of hotlaps? Get rid of them.

6. Lone Ranger rule. Spin and bring out the yellow by yourself in a heat or B - you're done. 


7. Intermission. 15-20 minutes. If you have specials, contests, etc. then get things organized beforehand. The event starts when the last car leaves the track. If you need more time to sell beer and hotdogs - then get hawkers in the stands to get it to them or set up single-item stands. Need more time to get everyone a pee break? Get some porta-potties. This is how the big boys do it. They don't delay the show, they bring what they need to satisfy the crowd. Gotta tear up the track? Get the equipment rolling ASAP and look at how well you're prepping the track - and what classes you have running when.

If you aren't selling enough hot dogs, beer and souvenirs, then look at how you sell, what you sell, and other ideas for before and after the show. 

8. A good tow crew. This may be the most important part. A crew that is well equipped to move cars from all parts of the track, who is trained, understands the cars and adequately staffed to move race car wrecks quickly is key. Make sure that cars requiring tow chains have them. Make sure that there's space for the crew to get the car out, and if needed one or two more trucks so there's no delay. I know this takes expense.

9. Roll cars onto the track to push start them. I was skeptical of this at first, but having seen it in action, it does make a difference. There are enough four wheelers to get the cars out on the track, and the push trucks can simply bop from one car to the next.

By the way - get enough push vehicles. If you're a non-sprint track running a sprint show, find good qualified drivers (and pay them) to help out. 1-2 vehicles with a big bumper at your stock car track ain't gonna cut it when the open wheelers come to town.


10. Pit stops. End them once and for all. The whole "2 minutes in the work area" is awful. IF IF IF you must have pit stops I would say this: Only for the first half of the race. At the halfway mark (and the flagman should put out the crossed flags), no more pit stops. You come to a stop and cause a yellow - better get it ready to go or get out. If you just have to have them still - then A features only and anyone has to come back when the field is ready. No 2 minutes garbage. I grew up around sprints when a flat tire produced drama, and there was no such thing as pit stops. Formula 1 cars invest enough money to keep a dirt track running our lifetimes and they are done if they stop. These are short distance races. In my 30 years of being around racing, I can count the number of times a pit stop produced a winner on one hand.


11. Incentives. Reward drivers who run through a race. Eagle gives all drivers who ran flag-to-flag free admission the next week. Granted, it's tougher to do in some classes than others, so consider incentives to drivers when the show is finished on time. Instill a culture of urgency and pride.

So those are my ideas. I realize some of it is pretty draconian, but as I said in my first piece, we live in a different world. 





 -Jason

Keep the show on the road

Continuing on with my previous post...

So, if I were a promoter and were looking to move the show along - what would I do?

Time Limits. I know people hate these, but I think we live in a day where attention spans are shorter, schedules are busier (even on the weekends) and short-track racing must also adapt. And while I’ve read people’s groans on the subject, I’ve heard applause from the stands when it’s done. I think it’s a necessary evil.

For starters: I would have a grand time clock. I’d look at it like this: take the number of cars, and multiply that times 1.5. That number is the number of minutes you expect to complete the show. So, if you have 120 cars, that’s 180 minutes = 3 hours. That’s from first green in the heats to last checkered in the A feature. I think that is plenty reasonable and the promoter should keep this time in mind throughout the night.

How would I break it down? Actually, I think there are several ways to do it without the clock - ways that are seen by the racers and fans alike.

Heat races
- After three yellow flags in a heat, cut the laps to 75% (rounding down) or green-white-checkered (whichever is greater). After the fourth, go next yellow = checkered. If there are five yellows in a heat - that's just stupid and everyone deserves to see that race end.
- Any time you have only the number of cars who transfer left running, regardless of yellows or time, checker it.
- You could make an exception for making the invert or passing points, but that option happens once. I’d say at that point, if you have say 4 cars running, and 3 make the invert, let them race until the next yellow or the end of the race.
- I'd also be willing to let the leftovers race half the remaining laps, with the next yellow=checkered.
- Keep a 1.5 minute per lap clock on the race. At that time, it's promoter's choice to call/shorten the race.

Trophy / cash dashes (if applies).
Well, first I don’t like them because a lot of teams don’t run them unless they have to. Otherwise, I’d apply the same rules as the heat, minus a yellow flag. Three yellows = done.

B features
Same as a heat, but if more than ten cars, allow one extra yellow flag.

A features
Yes, I do agree with time limits on an A. Granted, on a special show this should be last resort for the featured class. On a weekly show - I don’t see the problem. Here’s why: if you’re race is running so bad, and so messy - chances are they’re being done a favor by just packing it up and living to race another day. I’ve seen rough-track messes that would’ve been better served sending everyone home instead of another load of junk to the trailer - or worse, a driver to the hospital.

That said, I’d be pretty flexible with the time limit. One could go with yellow flags, but I’m willing to look at the clock.

Start with the number of laps, and multiply it this time by 1.75 (minutes). That’s what to shoot for. My feeling is to cut laps only when the time limit is reached - but that will include red flag time.

- If the time limit is hit, then at the next yellow or red - cut laps to 75%.
- The following yellow - run half the number of remaining laps or green-white-checkered (whichever is greater).
- Next yellow - green-white-checkered.
- Any yellow or red after that: done.

Obviously, there is room for some objective judgment, but I think it’s a good guideline. If you’re past your overall clock time then perhaps you cut laps before the features start. On the other hand, I could concede a little on what I said above and let the race finish out if you’re running on time for the night.

There are going to be nights when red flags will take a very long time, there will be nights when weather is in play, or perhaps there will be times when you want to try to race it out as much as possible such as on a final points night. But I think that if these guidelines and expectations are put out in advance, they will be easier to handle by the racers and fans alike. In fact, they could add to the drama and the storyline.

I’ll talk about some off-track ways to speed things up next.