Hyper1

I'm not going to argue the point but everybody saw what was really happening,and yes there were at a minimum 40-50+ drivers every friday offroad night and 40-50+ drivers on the oval and tc track on sat's,before the decline started,as for missed dates I could probably count those on one hand in a years time,there was more than enough cash flow to make up the difference,unless the loan payments were out of proportion,there should have been more than enough cash flow to up keep the facility.and like I've said many a times if you break even,that should be all you ask for,if your in it for a profit your in the wrong business.

r a shoe

Well, look where lame got them HH. No more 4Fun and one less great track in the So Cal area. It is really seems like the way to go if you want your track to last nowdays.

Like I mentioned, these are not typical retail businesses and every little bit counts.

We used to do the same thing in slot cars except it wasn't a club. A group of us would purchase new 24 cell truck batteries and donate them to the track, help maintain the track (new contact braid, epoxy paint ...). In turn after the doors closed at 10:00 p.m. on Sat., the power was cranked to full and we'd be there until 2 or 3 running. Ahhhh, the smell of a open class perimemter can slot car motor in meltdown, I remember the days.

Good points CraigP, but I bet if you asked it isn't a case of "leave it for the next guy" but rather "I spend enough money at the track why should I donate time. The owners owe me for giving them my business". Seen and experienced that reaction. I think most of the racers just need to be asked and they will join in and help.

r a shoe

The reason for having a business is to make a profit no matter how small. Why should someone put up the cash investment to create a facility if he's just going to break even????? Unless you got money to burn and need a tax write off. I think it comes down to most people open a facility because of their love for the hobby and racing. Unfortunately, that does not help run a business. The only real mark-up you are in control of is the entry fees. The cost of parts and kits from the manufacturers does not allow a huge room for profit, if you want to actually sell them. Besides rent, ever payed for business liability insurance??? How about a policy that covers $2,000,000.00 per each occurance????? Business Lic.???? Workers Comp.????? And the list goes on and on and on. All of it overhead and cost out the door before you can open your doors. On top of it most business leases ask for a percentage of your profits.

I'm not sticking up for the owner as there are creeps in all lines of business but just stop and think for a sec.

Hyper1

I agree! you should pay yourself a little,but owning a rc track isn't like a normal fulltime business,where profits rule.It's more like a sideline business that really should be just a write off,I'd hate to think I had to depend on a rc track to make a living,it just ain't going to happen.I'm talking track here,no hobby shop,no employee's.Done right,you can maybe make a little pocket money but that's about it.

craigp

The whole issue of maintenance isn't always about cash flow. It's about time and finding people who are reliable and do the job you've paid them to do. When you pay someone to do a job and they don't bother to tell you they didn't do it, and now you have to do it, the task you originally planned to do gets put aside. Like I said, one person can't do it alone but that's what ended up happening because people talked more about helping out then they actually did. There so much of the whole situation that you and many racers do not have a clue about. The 50/50 racers a week, man that's been years. You can't get 50 racers on an oval track for a NATS. race let alone a weekly show. Offroad was pulling 40-50 on the little track, that's because there were only 3 offroad tracks in the region back then. When the big track was built the number of tracks had more than trippled and within the last year it's even more than that. Why drive for hours when there's a track a few miles down the road? So you don't see as many travelers now a days for regular weekly shows. Like I said, there's a whole LOT you have no idea about. I'd be glad to share it with you if you want to vent by e-mail.

r a shoe

To own just a track facility w/no hobby shop you better own the property and do it for the hobby and tax write off.

I cannot picture a facility in this day that doesn't have the hobby shop. Besides what you can sell on practice and racedays, you can build an online store as well since you already carry the parts inventory. The hobby shop, if done properly would generate a good amount of income. It is very important to provide these services for racers. Watching racers go down the road to get something at less cost or because you don't carry parts is a killer. Besides, ever had to sit and watch racing all day because you broke in practice and can't get parts??? Really pisses you off.

This is why it is important for racers to support their local tracks. Buy parts, donate some time and race. I know from personal experience that if you help out a little, you get a better break on parts or your race fees comp'd for the day and so on. Besides it feels good to be appreciated because you helped out. Just think if you got 40 racers and 5 - 10 donated just a 1/2 hour of their time, think what could be accomplished. This is what helps tracks and this part of the hobby survive. It's better than getting pissed off at the owners or the owners getting pissed off at the racers because the crap-talk is flying.

Hyper1

Craig you've got PM

craigp

Yup, I heard this many times. "I pay my entry fee, I'm not doing anything else." You were lucky if they even corner marshalled.