New CCS at Summit 5/23-26: A real pricing debate.

Started by Silver_Surfer, April 25, 2002, 07:40:41 AM

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Silver_Surfer

Having followed the lengthy, often heated, and often inane debate that has been raging regarding gate fees and race entry fees, I'm curious what the feedback is for the pricing of the newly added Mid-Atlantic event at Summit Point 5/24-26, which will coincide with the Formula USA event.  

I've just received my information packet that outlines the pricing.  First, there appears to be a contradiction as to the price of the gate pass for pre-entered riders--one page indicates that the gate pass, a $50 value, is included with my pre-entry fees.  Another page indicates that the gate fee is $35 for a pre-entered rider ?  Irregardless, the price my wife and any supporters (of which there will now be none) will pay is $50 !?!  This is Summit Point we're talking about here, folks.  I can appreciate paying $50 for access to Daytona International Speedway--it's an internationally renowned track with extensive and modern facilities meant to cater to the world's premier racers.  Their willingness to let a club racer like me race the high-banks of DIS is more than worth the extra money.  Summit Point, however,  is none of those things.  It's a 2nd rate track with a 3rd rate facility.  We're paying $50 to get into a place where we have to hold the stall doors closed in the men's bathroom because they're all broken.  All 3 of them.  Maybe some of you don't mind sitting on the throne in the midst of your peers--I've never been in prison so am not as comfortable with it.  But I digress.  Don't get me wrong--I love Summit Point.  The concrete patches, sealer patches and pristine bathroom facilities give it the kind of character that enhances the club racer experience.  Sure it's no Nelson Ledges, but who doesn't love a landscape filled with dandelions and weeds ?

I guess what really gets my panties in a bunch is that I will be at Summit 5/11-12 to run the regional event, yet 2 weeks later running the exact same races at the exact same track will cost me another $100 ? And a day off from work ? (Not that I really mind missing work.)  I'm no Economics whiz, but paying about 30% more for EXACTLY the same service seems askew.  And some of you are pretty irritated paying an extra $5 to enter the track on a normal weekend...

Admittedly, I know nothing about the costs of running a racing operation; track rental, staffing, etc...  I do know that this Formual USA event has been on the schedule since day 1 and therefore these costs were reconciled by CCS some time ago.  It would seem that the regional racers are just bonus revenue.  The claim is that this event was added to replace the regional events cancelled at Rausch Creek.  So why not price it the same as a regional event ?  We're being piggy-backed with a semi-pro event and expected to pay semi-pro prices.  Had I wanted to race at the Pro/Semi-Pro level, I would have been born with a lot more talent.

Just some thoughts to pass the time.  Oh, to save some people some time and effort, YES I know that I don't HAVE to attend.  YES I know that I don't HAVE to pay those prices.  YES, this is a great opportunity to participate in capitalism at its finest by withholding my dollars as a form of protest. And YES I know that WERA is holding its Cycle Jam at VIR that same weekend.

Bottom line: I don't have a problem with CCS, just the pricing of this event.  I follow the CCS circuit because I feel they bring a higher level of professionalism and organization to my racing experience.  Plus, guys like me who can only finish 4th or 5th still get a plaque.  

See you in a month!!!!

Roach


If it's a FUSA ervent, It's probably $50 to get in... doesn't matter what track it's at. We payed it at Daytona, Pocono, and VIR last year ... I don't remember pre-registering being any cheaper.



And to defend our beloved Summit :) , You have been to Daytona, yes? Except for the fact that it has big grandstands and banking... i don't see the "facilities" as being much better. Summit has new restrooms and showers which are nicer than Daytona, the "resturaunt" is pretty much on par (both are greasy spoons), and you don't get kicked out at 6pm or have to deal with rude track personel. You do get a roof over your head at daytona if you sign up early... that's one thing that's better.

::shrug:: None of them are as nice as VIR... but I don't see Daytona or Pocono being all that much more than summit except for the fact that they're big NASCAR tracks.

- Roach