The Split: Words to race by…or so it seems

This is a subject that is going to go both ways with readers, those who actually race or who race small events and the “wannabe” racers who just have cars or parts in the garage and more “opinions than winning time slips”.

We’re talking about splitting, for those of you who have not made the final 16 or 8 cars at a Big Bucks race and might have heard of other racers “splitting the purse” but may not yet have participated in that unique financial “mini-event”. The reason it is so popular now is the Big Bucks bracket races (in general) are ridiculously top heavy in payouts. If 400 racers enter usually there are only 8 to 16 racers that have a chance to even win their entry fee back. This causes just about everyone to start thinking “Let’s split this up” when there are 16 or fewer cars remaining. You can’t blame anyone for doing this, as financially it makes sense.

Let’s go back about 20 years in bracket racing. When the Big Bucks Bracket races were $5,000 or $10,000 to win and runner-up was usually about 50% of the winner’s money. Entry fee was about $100 a day and buy-backs were just beginning to show up. Not many final round payouts were split between the racers “back in the day” because the round money was usually pretty good, entry fees were lower and payouts usually started with third-round wins or at 32 cars remaining.

Then races started popping up with $20,000 to win, $50,000 to win and of course George Howard’s dream child “The Million”:  $1,000,000 to the winner IF they could get 500+ cars to fork out the $2,000 entry fee and $500 buy-back fee. With those kind of winner’s payouts it now has become a game of who can guarantee the biggest winner check.

Not so long ago some really good promoters held some races guaranteeing $10,000, $20,000 or even $50,000 to win and there was no minimum car count required! This means their reputation and bank account was on the hook if racers decided not to come to the race or weather made it look risky to go to the race and chance a rain-out. Some promoters lost thousands and thousands of dollars and simply faded off the drag race promotion scene.

Then came some very successful events that guaranteed $20,000 to $50,000 and those promoters GOT THE CARS no matter what the weatherman said. Why? They had a solid reputation for paying what they said they would pay, they had the financial backing in place and the events they put on treated their “customers”, the racers, First Class in every way and the racers liked the entire experience whether they won or lost.  The Super Pro World Challenge, the “Fling” events, the Million, Loose Rocker events, KOC, and No Box Nationals are some that come to mind. That separates good promoters from the “wanna-be” promoters.

Let’s look at how that has evolved in the last few years. Now a bracket race promoter sets up an event that, for example, pays $20,000 Friday, $50,000 Saturday and $20,000 Sunday. They advertise very solid round money and decent runner-up money as well. Then the new “hook”: limit the number of entries and to get in this race you have to “pre-enter” by sending a deposit or the entry fee months ahead of time. The reason is obvious, they want to have a race that succeeds financially with no risk. If you hesitate getting your deposit sent in you probably will not be part of this event.

I actually love the idea of pre-entry as it is a financial umbrella for the event promoter and the event. He sets up a payout that he thinks will bring the pre-entries and he is guaranteed a certain profit just based on the entry fees paid and the payout. Very good business plan and it is working across the country today.

The only downside I see is if the event is set for the following year some events lock out new entries by reserving spots for racers who supported the race the prior year or years. I can see that as a good way to award your customers but it does nothing for giving other racers a chance to be in a good event. It becomes sort of like NHRA and their “grading points” scam to be able to enter a national event.

Will this trend to “event pre-entry” become stronger or will it begin to disappear when the events no longer fill up? I hope it works for the promoters, but I am not sure there are enough bracket racers to support the 40-50 Big Bucks races being setup for 2018. Time will tell.

I had to finish this with something the racers who are planning on attending their first Big Bucks event might be able to use if they get to the Final 16 or 8 or when you hear the “Let’s split this up a bit” chatter starts.

The all-new DragRacingOnline.com “Splitters - Staging Lane Packet”. A Guide to getting the “split done right”!

In the “Splitter – Staging Lane Packet” you will receive:

1. A sharpened pencil.

2. Small notebook,

3. Solar-powered calculator

4. “Examples” of different splits to work with.

Every car headed for the last four rounds in a Big Bucks race should have one. We don’t want you to make any errors when you are “Splitting up” $30,000 to $100,000 worth of payouts, right?

For just $39.95, FREE shipping, you can get the “Splitters - Staging Lane Packet” and put it in your trailer or in the car so it is ready when you have to do some “financial work” at the track.

You can “pre-enter” for your packet today by calling or emailing us and we will provide the PayPal account for your payment. Limited to just 300 of the “Splitters – Staging Lanes Packets” don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity to reduce the chances of making a math error when you make it to the split. Get the money you have earned. (Or don’t split and just GO FOR IT!)

Good luck and I hope I get to split one up with you this Summer!