These questions are for the team owners, and the guys who shell out $$$ to run demo team's.

Do you think the current payout/pay structure is fair?

Do you think that the TDA (Jan) is giving our teams a fair cut of the night's profit's?

Does 'sponsorship' at all help offset the costs of running your team currently?

What do you think a fair payout should be for a night (1st, 2nd, 3rd rounds)???

Do you think that the TDA needs to do more to help everybody with the cost of this sport? How?

the payout structure sucks,currently the over all purse is $30,500
1st round loss $3000 @ 4 teams= $12,000
2nd round loss $4000 @2 teams=$8000
3rd round loss $4500
win the nite $6000
i think it should be,
1st round payout stays the same
2nd round loss $5000
3rd round loss $7000
win the nite $9000
that would make the total purse $38,000 that only $7500 more that between the "TDA" and the track they should be able to come up with,hell they can add another $1.00 to the ticket price and come up with that no problem or stop paying for the same old over priced boring intermisson people and put the money towards the real show,the main reason the stands are packed every event,thats what i think....or i'm on strike

Thank you Brickman, and good for you. At least you have the balls to say something. I happen to think that your idea is the least they can do.

I'd still like to hear some opinions from everyone else that comes on here too. Hell, maybe I'll go on strike.

As a fan, I would pay the extra dollar per ticket to help out the teams. I believe more should be paid out for "winning" rounds, (ie incentive to build good cars) instead of show up money. It costs more money for buying second and third round cars and they are harder to find, so in TDA's ultimate wisdom, winning the second and third rounds allows you to lose money. Show up with 4 junk metrics and take home 3000.00. Not saying this happened much last year, but it did in years past.

In the current pay structure
Payout Cost Est.(car plus engines)
First round 4 metric cars 3000.00 2000.00
Second round 4 old iron 1500.00 2000.00
Third 4 old iron 1500.00 2000.00

Nobody said racing is a money making sport, but hell there is plenty of money to go around and better fund the teams.

Boy that chart did not turn out too well after it posted...

brickman is right there should be more of a payout and stop the circus intermission stuff and and maybe add a fig. 8 and powder puff" a chicks race instead , the way it was at santa fe they could pay 500.00 200 100 for the fig. 8 and 200. 100.,for the chicks race and have a limited of cars to have one race each, bring back the program books and make them nice and sell them for more money and maybe have a both were you can sell t shirts to repersent each team it is crazy the cost of what things go for at a concert 30 to 50 for a tee shirt 15 to 20 for a program book it would be nice to see them lower the price of the kids tickets and add the differance to the adults it is crazy that they charge kid 15 dollors it makes it hard for familys to bring there kids

Good point Greg. But, would you stand up for your rights and say something to Jan and the TDA about needing more money?

What kind of stand would you take?

Does 'sponsorship' at all help offset the costs of running your team currently?

Would you "strike" against the TDA if they did NOT raise the payouts?

yea i think i would say something to jan and the tda but i also no we were the team that had the bad year so it is hard to demand more all thoe i feel there should be a increase and with every one else saying something are team would too .we had sponcers but not a nuff to cover even half or expencess john told me right from the start he did not half any extra money and not a place to store the cars so i did most of the spending to get this team going i bought about 20 or more cars and tires to run on almost all the cars about 10 sets of 4 to go on all the cars feel short on the motor pkgs. but had to do the best with what we had. so in that i feel i can ask for the incress and not feel bad about doing it, as far as striking i am just thinking that there was a thing about maybe not racing at all i just wonder if there were a strike if that would be the end of the demos out there

Greg, you have to believe that you're going to do better this season. If you go into the third round on the first night, that's a bunch of cars that will have to be replaced. That means more $$$ even if they go to 2 metric rounds.

As far as no races, the TDA needs to have events to make themselves some kind of income. I think that they would rather think of an alternative as opposed to making no money what so ever. If the other team owners should ever decide to have the balls to stand with you, positive things would happen.

You're right about how Jan and the TDA need to start marketing program's, T shirts, and any kind of souvenir's that will help generate more income to the sport.

Brickman also has a couple of good points about raising the ticket price a mere dollar to generate the money needed. Also about how they need to stop paying for those lame intermission shows and do something else related to the main events.

People, the TDA basicaly thinks that we are all a bunch of stupid hillbillies that don't know any better. If Jan drops the show, what makes you think that a guy like Frank Heckenest, or someone like him wouldn't step in and promote it? This is a sell out event people. Someone who know's about team demo's with a mind for making money would love to rake in the $$$ that are being made now.

Think about it, and talk about it when you speak to driver's and team owner's. The details about two metric rounds are minute compared to earning more $$$, which is what every team needs to keep the show going.

Think about it..............

"People, the TDA basicaly thinks that we are all a bunch of stupid hillbillies that's don't know any better. If Jan drops the show, what makes you think that a guy like Frank Heckenest, or someone like him wouldn't step in and promote it? This is a sell out event people. Someone who know's about team demo's with a mind for making money would love to rake in the $$$ that are being made now."

Exactly Johnny.... The teams need people like you and others to speak their mind and make things right.

Blue, the teams need Greg Mesich & Johnny Millette, Bill Clemmons, Marc Ziesmer, Rich Wilson, Wayne & Mel Nobel, Ron Tyrakowski, Robbie Stahulek, Dave Swann, and everyone that drives for them to stand up to the TDA, Jan, and whoever else is in charge these days and let them know that we need more $$$. And we know that they can do it!

It's been tried before, but most everybody chickened out before Jan threatened to take thier team away.

The team owners need to stand up for what's fair.....

It's been tried before, but most everybody chickened out before Jan threatened to take thier team away.

The team owners need to stand up for what's fair.....
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That is why every team would have to be united on this. But as you stated above, it ain't up to us, it is up to the teams.

that is true it is the only way , johnny like you posted above and yes we have faith that we will win, it was a sick feeling for all of us not getting out of that first round we will come back a lot stronger

Well Greg, when you start winning it's going to cost more money. With the cast you're assembling you can't help but be good.

What do the JYD'S think?

How about Stranglehold?

Orange Crush?

Damage?

Team TWO?

What do the rest of the guys on Mean Green think, Greg?

How about the rest of the Killer B's. Brickman?

I agree that teams should get a bigger piece of the pie, BUT are we absolutely sure that there's not any "behind the scenes in waiting" teams? Granted, they might not be talented or even be able to field more than one night's worth of cars, but there's probably a lot of wannabes out there that would do it for cheaper or even free just to say they did it...