The Scoop
SIZING UP OUR “BACK-GATE” DRIVEN SPORT
Posted on: Monday November 10, 2025
It’s usually around this time of year I reflect upon this past racing season across northeastern Wisconsin and ponder what the future holds for 2026 and beyond.
One simple fact cannot be ignored and that is our sport has really become back-gate-driven. By that I mean most promoters and track operators (there is a difference) are almost forced to field multiple divisions for weekly racing.
And why might that be do you ask? It’s simple math. Our hardcore fan base – one race promoters thoroughly enjoyed from the 1970’s even into the 2000’s I’d argue – has greatly diminished in recent years.
Many of the diehard race fans that promoters could count on to pay their $10 or $12 adult ticket two, sometimes three nights a week are gone. A good number of them have died off. Literally.
And while the sport remains on solid ground (at least from a participant standpoint), it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the front gate isn’t nearly what it once was for most track promoters.
With some exceptions here and there, there really aren’t any tracks who are enjoying true close-to-capacity crowds anymore. Our demographic of the average race fan continues to age tremendously year-by-year.
Although I no longer announce 80 shows a year or four nights a week, I announced close to a half-dozen shows at 141 Speedway in Francis Creek and Outagamie Speedway in Seymour each in 2025, respectively. I’d like to think I’ve still got a pretty good “finger” on the pulse of the local and regional racing community.
The last track I’m currently working at weekly is Eagle River Speedway in Eagle River. Eagle River is a slightly different animal as it’s season is shorter (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend) and has a shorter season.
With that said, some important observations.
Eagle River does very well on the front gate, as they often draw vacationers who aren’t necessarily hardcore race fans. Some in attendance at the Tuesday night show wouldn’t know a USRA late model from an IMCA stock car. But their money spends just the same. As such, on most nights the bleachers (and granted they are smaller than many county-leased facilities covered grandstands) at Eagle River are pretty full most Tuesdays.
When I’d announce at Outagamie on a Friday night, when I glance across the covered grandstands I can state that a majority of the fans in attendance are close to my age (57) or older. Most nights there are obvious “holes” in the larger grandstands.
Not a whole lot of difference when I’d fill in at 141. A few more kids maybe running around. The point being with writing this is NO PROMOTER is getting HUGE crowds that many promoters enjoyed not so long ago.
And then there is the staffing issue. I’ve told insiders within the short track racing circles that WEEKLY RACING (stressing the WEEKLY part) may be dead in five to eight years. I sincerely hope I’m wrong.
However the REASON I am predicting this is the respective STAFF at many of these tracks is aging. Not all, but many of them. I’ve got 43 years of announcing and writing about racing. All you have to is look around at the people who work at these tracks. We’re all getting older. And with some exceptions, there aren’t many of the younger generation who are willing to step up and learn to do some of the truly important jobs at the tracks.
Maybe it’s the commitment? I’m talking about track positions like track preparation. Flagging. Scoring. Announcing. Public Relations. Tech inspectors. Pit stewards. You name it. I’m not sure that the average race fan truly understands exactly how much overhead is truly involved in putting on a weekly racing show. It’s staggering. And take 141, for example. People are quick to point out that massive back gate that the track has enjoyed (an average of close to 180 cars per night for weekly racing). It’s amazing, and a true bright spot in the short track racing circles.
The average fan may assume that the track is “making money” hand over fist. Not so fast, folks. People need to remember that when there are 180 cars in the pits, that’s 180 drivers that promoter Tim Czarneski has to payout. And these days (again, with few exceptions) you’d be hard pressed to find many track staff who are willing to work at the races for free these days. Again, different times than 20 or 30 years ago.
TRACK OR SERIES LOYALTY – Truth is these days, there remains very little track loyalty at all when it comes to the drivers. And weekly racing or chasing a weekly points crown? Forget it. A track championship just does not hold the same type of prestige that it once was. These are simply cold, hard facts. Congrats to those who did earn a track title. It still shows a commitment on the part of the driver, his pit crew members and his team of marketing partners.
But drivers will think nothing of missing a night, or two, or three in a month’s time. It’s just the nature of the beast these days, for better or for worse. Most teams chase SPECIAL EVENTS and will think nothing of driving past a track in their own neighborhood per se in pursuit of going to race where the perceived COOL KIDS are hanging out at and racing at.
I’ve always pointed to Luxemburg Speedway in the 2000’s as a prime example. When the season was done, in most divisions you could go down the list and the top 12 or even the top 15 drivers in any given class those drivers didn’t miss ONE NIGHT at the track. These days, in some classes and some tracks, if you get even five drivers who make every show in one season, you’d be lucky.
So what’s the best course for track promoters moving forward? There’s no easy answer to that, as each track faces it’s own, unique challenges. Some are club-run, while others are run by private, independent promoters. Each brings it’s own respective pros and cons when it comes to the grand scheme of things.
No matter how many divisions a track runs weekly, I feel there will always be enough competitors to field a program. But how many hardcore race fans will be in attendance to watch? That remains the $64,000 question.
Looking down the road, I think the track’s that will remain open and successful will those that will strive to find NEW WAYS to draw the average family to catch the races. We all know what an exciting product we have to offer. But tracks who rely only on Facebook posts to get their message out may be a little short-sighted.
Facebook is a great tool, no doubt. But it’s only one tool to get your word out. Tracks have Snapchat, Instagram, X and yes, there are STILL some local newspapers around. And the local television stations. And local radio stations. Highway billboards, too. Are there track promoters who still employ a public relations person to call these local television stations to get them out to do a story on one of their drivers? Some honest food for thought, here.
Let’s face it – EVERY driver in your pit area has his or her own unique story to tell. Don’t complain as a promoter that the local TV stations don’t come out to cover your track. In many cases (not all) it’s often a case of these younger reporters may not even be aware of your racing program. Truth is, there is a lot of turnover within the Green Bay television news stations. It wouldn’t hurt to reach out to them once in awhile. Because I’d truly be willing to bet there are reporters on staff at these Green Bay TV stations who truly have no clue about the race tracks in their own respectively backyards.
ONLINE STREAMING. For better or worse, it’s here to stay. Is the “cut” tracks receive from Flo, Phyx, IMCATV or any of these other streaming services enough to make up for the missing fans who AREN’T plunking down their $12, $15 or even $18 for a weekly race ticket? It’s a legit question that promoters need to consider. And the pros and cons on online streaming of both WEEKLY RACING & SPECIAL EVENTS could take an entirely different column down the road.
Do you think I’m off base here? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’ve never once claimed to have all of the answers to anything. But I’ve been around the block for a bit, and I enjoy sharing my observations with you. Don’t hesitate to email me at jverdegan2@gmail.com with your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you!