The Life of a Promoter

The life of a race promoter isn’t what many people think it is.
We carry the financial risk of every single event. We build schedules, secure marketing partners, prepare racing surfaces, hire staff, purchase equipment, maintain facilities, and fund major capital projects—from updating grandstands to replacing kitchen equipment. Those are just the expenses people can actually see.

The reality under the hood is incredibly unforgiving. The fact is, the average racetrack loses money on 25% of its shows annually. Whether it's a rainout, a sudden drop in attendance, or a scheduling conflict, a quarter of the season operates in the red. A lot of the time, the financial hit from that 25% of losing shows is simply too great to overcome. It completely wipes out annual profitability, leaving nothing left over for vital infrastructure improvements, track upgrades, or facility maintenance.

What people also don’t see is the massive surge in general operational overhead just to keep the lights on. In the past five years alone, our insurance costs have more than doubled. On top of that, basic necessities like track lighting and waste disposal have skyrocketed, adding thousands to the bottom line before a single car even hits the track.

And it's not just the financial strain. What people also don't see are the endless hours spent dealing with Town Boards, fighting to protect conditional use permits, navigating strict curfews, and managing complex noise ordinances just to keep the facility legally operating. Every single week, we are defending our right to exist against growing regulatory and local pressures.
The truth is, most of us do this for one reason: our passion and deep love for the sport.

Yet, some of the loudest voices on social media are people who have never operated a racetrack, never signed the checks, never sat in a municipal hearing, and never accepted the risks. They always seem to have all the answers.

Social media can be a tremendous tool for promoting our sport and connecting fans, but it also creates a platform for a lot of misinformation and criticism from those who don’t understand the immense regulatory and financial realities of running a modern facility.

I wish there was a beter way to educate people on the true cost of operating a racetrack. Across the country, historic tracks are closing down or facing major financial and political challenges. There simply aren’t many people left who are willing to take on the risk, the red tape, the skyrocketing expenses, and the sheer commitment required to keep these facilities alive.

Race promoting is not a path to wealth. It’s a sacrifice. It’s a constant battle, and a true labor of love for a sport that means so much to so many families.

The next time you pull into a racetrack, remember that behind every green flag is a group of people working tirelessly behind the scenes—both at the track and in town halls—to keep the gates open and the tradition alive.

Let's post positives, support the tracks we have left, and help grow the sport.