Crash - thanks for your input. I'd just like to address a couple points you make:
Quote Originally Posted by clowe
We are hurting as a club right now for $$$$, upping entry fees will drive away more people than we will see the club make in profits.
I agree with the first part of that - but [Only referring to endurance races] how do you know that it will drive people away? Without some level of knowledge of the price elasticity we can only try it, see the results - and make corrections if needed. If we raise prices 50% (to $75/race) and lose 20% participation - the club makes more $$. In fact - we'd have to lose 1 in 3 racers to not make more $$ for the club.
Quote Originally Posted by clowe
Making the races longer will drive people away because will have to spend more in fuel and more in tires (what I mean by this is they will be less likely to be able to use those tires for more races).
Maybe - or maybe more folks will come out b/c they get that much more track time. Why not try a couple longer races and see the results? Example - if we have back to back HPR races next year - let's do one 30m endurance and one 45m. If total weekend participation (macro level) is the same, but the endurance races are wildly different - either direction - then that's info the board can use for planning future schedules - and it's a low risk experiment.
Quote Originally Posted by clowe
Everyone screamed for longer endurance races but when the people racing were there and it was time to run the race, almost everyone voted to keep it at 30 minutes.
Actually - I think it was mostly me who suggested it last year... and you're right, not enough folks voted for it at the beginning of this year. Fair enough... strange, IMO - but hey, one guy was fighting for rain tires in SS for years before it finally got passed. Interested vocal minorities and all that... :wink:
Quote Originally Posted by clowe
Lastly, taking practice away from those who are only getting 15 minutes of practice anyway is a bad idea. Trying to tell those people that now they have to be at the track for the whole day and practice in the morning will drive people who only come for endurance racing away.
Honestly - how many people is this? And why is it a bad idea when we say the same thing to the novice moto-shop worker who works Saturdays, owns a 1000cc bike and can only race AmO? And he/she gets to pay $160- for the opportunity.

I've only noticed one person who does the "show up late in the pm" thing, and the guy/gal I'm thinking of - more often than not - didn't seem to have a bike that ran come time for the race.

The reality is that for $50 someone can practice 3 sessions in the morning, 1 session in the afternoon, race a 30 min race - stick around and ride 2 more practice sessions the NEXT DAY. 7 sessions in all with corner workers for $50.

IMO that seems a little out of line with the economics of racing, let alone track days.

I think it's reasonable that endurance racers pay more $$ - for the benefit of the club - and I plan on racing both endurance races next year (even if we get lucky and they're 45m) so this will hit my wallet more than most 8) .