asw7576

Here are my tip(s) to keep the track open :

1. Make Bi or Tri - monthly club racing events ( ex. 1/10 GP on road this week, 1/10 EP on road next week later, and 1/8 GP On road on third week ). Charge reasonable racing fee to pay the trophies, sugar water, rc director, marshalls, and any other track costs )

2. Charge small fees for daily practices, except people who are practicing on Saturday for Sunday race.

3. Make one special racing event every year, one for 1/10 GP, one for 1/10 EP, and one for 1/8 GP.

4. Accept sponsor billboard for small fees based on yearly basis.

5. Accept donation like chairs, table, electric outlets, soaps, etc.

genesisG4

iTrader: (8)

interesting thoughts...this is the good side of the forums. Just a good place to have a roundtable discussion that could come up with solutions to better the sport.
I am not anti club...but I do think maybe things could be learned by how other hobbies, sports, activities operate. I mentioned 1:1 auto racing to try and draw some parallels to. Length of the events, organization, sponsors, classes...etc. And, yes I know some short tracks also are suffering declining interest.
I am not a golfer, but I hear that golf is in a steady decline...can we also learn from this?
Someone mentioned karting...that could be a similar parallel to draw ideas from.
How are things in the US compared to other countries...maybe things could also be learned from abroad?

genesisG4

iTrader: (8)

But do the membership dues really amount to much in the way of operating the club...? You still have entry fees, sponsors and anything else that was revenue generating.

asw7576

That's how JITC track in Indonesia is making money.

RobbieS

iTrader: (95)

I would say this could possibly vary from state to state due to weather and race season.

I know for our club, in the past the annual membership fee which was due at the start of the year gave us a quick cash cow which we would use to make "major" improvements or repairs that were needed immediately. Then we could cover operating expenses with our weekly entry fees. It was helpful for us because we did not race year round as it was an indoor carpet track & nobody wanted to be inside in the summer.

At the indoor track club membership was not a requirement to race but it did get people a discount on the race fees for the season. Yes, we would have collected more overall if we didn't do the discount but A- The racers felt they were getting a great deal (They were) and B- It gave us immediate operating capital.

As someone stated above there are usually only a few die-hard people willing to help in a club atmosphere. Hopefully each season you may pick up 1 or 2 people who have a passion for the hobby.


I myself would love to find another way for tracks operate as well. I'm one of the die hard guys doing all the work.

In the beginning of our season we typically have 45-60 entries or so. Hoping for an ever better turnout this year. As the weeks go buy we lose people to other events such as kids soccer games, baseball, and other things. But for the last several weeks we have been doing major renovations at our facility and all I see are the same 6-8 people every weekend.

Now I'm not complaining about the lack of help. I'm thankful for the ones that show up. And I am seeing new faces this year helping do the work. It's the guys that show up to race and bitch about why didn't you do this or that... My response is "Where the F'''' were you the last month when we were working on the track every weekend? If you don't like it you should have been here to help.."

genesisG4

iTrader: (8)

Part of my point...a few die hards keep the show going and just because others are "members" they have an open door to complain???
Just make them pay their entry fees....the core group operates the "club" for lack of a better word...does there really have to be memberships?? I understand the cash infusion....again, probably a simplistic view...but?

genesisG4

iTrader: (8)

I saw their website...or at least the site for a special event they are having...very nice track.
How are they making money?

kcrunchone

iTrader: (1)

Robbie S I love your attitude !
All of the guys I love your ideas and the fact that we are all now concerned about keeping things going. There are a ton of guys that will work to make things better and there are more tons of them not willing to do much but show face race and break out as soon as a hammer is lifted.

I am actually trying to learn from some of the over seas clubs as I have been in contact with them since I initiated my efforts to start out our club foundation. I turned to them overseas because I felt other than a few dedicated guys like Ted Hammer, J. Rice, John Schweitzer, Joe Hose and I am not leaving anyone out I am only calling names from my cell phone that I personally have. I feel that the overseas clubs teach each other and learn from the experiences of the others. Where as we have a different approach to the attack of plans trying to go it alone. I was not and am not to proud to beg, I turned to everyone for pools of knowledge. I even listened to my local guys but the problem with taking the advice from the local guy is that when he does not see his plan or suggested projected implemented that he gets a case of the ass, which starts the moral club decline.

It is all a process that I feel we must use one another to pool ideas, I even thought of a world wide racing organization. Spoke to a few some years ago on this very site about it but the steam faded, as there was not enough interest in taking the bull by the horns. We have potential and we by all means have to show it. BUT first and foremost we must all learn that disagreement of difference of opinion is not hate it is the way LIFE is and we are all subjected to it. Working cohesively is always a more conducive environment that bickering.

asw7576

Here are the price list :

$50 USD for joining two days racing event
$23 USD for joining 1/10 or 1/8 GP sunday race.
$26 USD for joining 1/10 electric sunday race
$7 for 1 day practice ( except people who are practicing on saturday for sunday race ).

Is that expensive or cheap ?

cmego

I live in Windsor ontario & race in Toledo which is approx 75 miles away it's difficult to make it there to start with.
I think the club deal is not very efficent in terms of propagating new members. The only reason I joined the club is to accumulate points so at the end of the season I may get a trophy.
As an incentive I trully believe the core members who regularly operate the club are entitled to free racing on Sundays for thier effort to keep the club operating, 15 bucks is 15 bucks.In permanent facilities such as Toledo & 301 maybe sponsors should step up and get to name the track, similiar to Lowes.Asking the municipalities for cash or space will fall on deaf ears, they will only donate for activities that require excercise not a bunch of racers who have too much cash and very little ambition to stay fit. Tom give Kwamee a call see if he can arrange a donation.
Clubs & manufacturers need to lower the cost of racing & I don't mean special $100 motors I mean reduce it from tires to cars to motors fuel etc. $25 bucks for a gallon of fuel Bush could only dream of such a profit.The average person needs access.At the end of the day joining the Toledo club has garnered me 3rd in the points last season but what did it do for fourth and back?I will continue to support the club as long as I am able to for the greater good but how many others thik that way?

TomB

iTrader: (10)

guys it isn't rocket science it's pritty fricken simple. do the following:

establish a commitiee, these people are voted in by members once a year, you have:
-president
-secretary
-treasurer
-promotions guy
-handyman/maintainance delegate (guy who organises people to do stuff, and finds issues to fix)

my personal opinion is that major positions should change every 2 years. it's good to have new faces in each position, as this expands the experience of members and increases the pool of people who have pitched in, and thus have a vested interest, in the club, as well as their hearts and minds towards doing what is right for the club.

then each year to race you must pay a membership, for example, $100

non members pay $20 to race
members pay $15

each month you have a commitiee meeting which the above elected officials attend, you discuss issues, things that need to be done etc. do it in a cafe, or a bar, or somewhere you can talk without shouting for others to hear you.

NO BITCHING OR WHINGING AT THE TRACK if a looser does this you tell then, please attend the commitiee meeting if you have any greivances...you will notice these people won't bother attending, and if they do, listen to them and respect the fact that they are going out of their way to say something, they may infact be passionate, and may be a future asset to the club.

simple really. also, club issues don't get discussed on rctech, this brings out all the whingers also, all club matters should be discussed at monthly meetings.


this is how most clubs here in Australia do it. works pritty good. you have your ups and downs, but in the long term it is very effective.


if done properly, in 2 or 3 years a club run like this can save up a sizable amount of cash

30 to 60 members per year = $6000
30 race days per year with 20 entries = $9000
canteen takings(food stall) = $2400 (an average of $4 spent per race day per racer on food)

= $14,400 to $17,400 per year profit this doesn't include running a major event which could attract larger numbers, and make a good profit for a one of event of say $4000 including canteen takings

think smart, and not selfishly and your club will work.

nitro duck

Our LHS built an off-road track an number of years ago and about 4 years ago an on-road track in one of parks. Their employees ran the races and they did have some help with maintenance from others then 3 years ago they said that they wanted a club formed to take over the duties. A hand full of us got together and formed the Midwest Racers Organization. We knew that it was going to take a few years to get things going, and I'm happy to say that that the club was the best thing for the tracks. We have good officers and members who work very hard to make our track one of the finest in our region. Even with all the different personalities, we have one goal, to be a facilaty that you want to race at time after time. We do have dues, which does help with maintenace cost, which can run into the thousands. The biggest benefit of being a member is the discount on entry fees, you would recoup that in the first 6-7 races. I guess if you want to succeed, you will.
Check out our site for this years schedule and come and join us for some fun.

Thanks, VP of on-road, Duck

RobbieS

iTrader: (95)

Damn, I need to move after seeing your numbers.

Here, at least in our state, we are not allowed to sell food unless we have a dedicated food prep area and get inspected regularly by the Health Board. Long story short none of the tracks sell food.

Do you guys discount 2nd & 3rd entries. In our area the tracks typically charge $12 for the first entry and $8 for each additional entry.

As for race season if we have absolutely perfect weather we get to have 24 racing weekends. Yeah like that ever happens.........

We have at least one huge race a year 150 entries $40 entry fee.

Long story short we had nowhere near that amount of money. I believe we ended the season with something like $1500-$1800 in the bank after all of our expenses were paid.

I also wish we could find enough members that were willing to even be nominated for leadership roles much less fill the position. We do try to elect new officers every year or two but it's hard to find people willing to accept responsibility.

Ted Flack

Ah, if it was so easy.

For starters we only have 5 months to race, if you leave out weekends for a few races that most people travel to (National and such) and a series that covers all the midwest we only have about 12 days available, maybe 15 if we had more members that didn't travel.

Plus we don't sell food or have anyone who will.

Plus you listed more Management positions then we have people that work now. That's an exaggeration but realistically we only have at the most ten people that actually help. As you can see we have a people problem, not enough!

Plus you didn't mention a place to race, pavement, track borders, scoring system, drivers stand, etc, etc.

bvoltz

iTrader: (44)

Guys maybe I'm missing it, but as one of the people that put on the Bass Pro Series, we have a place to race, we do not do it very week, so people do not burn out, and when we do race people show up. We charge fees and this is the place I think everyone is missing it. What do you think it cost to race go karts???? 10 or 15 is just to low....

Get out work with people and just like sales, job hunting and 1000 other things, you need to let the people you are asking to run in that parking lot, or get the town to put up a track, you need to know what their questions are and answer them.

The question (not the complete list):
- How does it benefit me
- How does it benefit this business
- How does it benefit this town
- What risk (insurance) people getting hurt.

It took me 15 mins to get Bass Pro on board, yes, the guy understood racing and, but he also got the fact that R/C racing would bring more customers into the business, and it did. You better be able to show results. We agreed the turn style would be this measure...

I use drivers meeting to get the pulse of the racer and make sure we are meeting the needs, both for Bass Pro and the racer, and I'm very up front with everyone at the meetings... No not everyone is happy, but they understand and they understand that I will make changes so they support the trial and error method we use...

Sorry, I'm really not trying to polk at anyone here, just letting you know what works for us in lovely Jackson, MS. I hope that someone can use this to help them, because in the end, I enjoy R/C racing and having a place to race is important to me, not making money from racing....