I know this is an old topic, but it does bug me a lot.
Who keeps the money from the gate?
I personally don't mind spectators paying, but I think the price is too high. I mean I can pay about 45 to go see the AMA races, why would someone off the street pay 25-35 to watch us schmucks run?
The reason I ask is when I go to Gateway to watch test and tune they charge like 5 bucks. Guess what, tons of people in the stands.
The SCCA just had a two day event on the road course at Gateway and entry for spectators was free! ???
The gate fees can etither be set and collected by the track (Buttonwillow) or by the promoter. It just depends on how the deal shakes out. Sometimes the track costs less to rent if the track is allowed to collect gate. The gate fees that CCS itself collects helps to keep race entry fees down for the racers.
SCCA rarely charges a gate at local events (it really depends on the track) but a rae entry for a SCCA event, one class, is over $100 dollars and those racers may see 10 laps of practice, and a ten lap race only. Not to mention tires x4!
at times id rather pay only 10$ less to see us race than an ama event, (if i was not racing).. way more races, way closer racing (sometimes) .. etc. The guys/gals your watching are just regular people that do it all themself with little help or fanfare.