Cost Per Win Plus Autographs

A recent study showed how much each win cost a major league baseball team in 2013.  The lowly Houston Astros spent $432,600 per win.  Of course they only won 51 games, so there is probably some correlation between low total payroll and talent on the team. At the other end of the scale was the New York Yankees who spent $2,692,182 per win-and did not make the play-offs this season, so having the highest payroll doesn’t always guarantee the success owners like Hank Steinbrenner expect.

 

Being a numbers person I wondered how much NASCAR Sprint Cup teams spent per win. According to a 2012 Jacksonville Florida Times-Union article, it costs a championship caliber team $400,000 per week to compete in the series.  There will be 37 point races and 2 non-point races in 2013, so factoring in $400,000 per week from the Jacksonville paper’s article it costs a NASCAR team $15,600,000 to make a top notch effort.

 

Matt Kenseth has 7 wins in 2013, so Joe Gibbs Racing spends roughly $2,228,571 per win, though Kenseth is liable to win more races as the season winds down.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not won a race in 2013, and won just one time in 2012.  By my calculations it costs Hendrick Racing $31,200,000 per Earnhardt Jr. victory.

 

I don’t have an actual estimate on how much it costs to race a dirt late model in one of that national touring series, but I have heard the figure $250,000 per season bandied about.  At roughly 40 nights racing that figures out to be $6,250 per race.  A second place finish at all but a dozen races a year does not pay that much, so to make a living racing a dirt late model you have to have a good sponsor-maybe more than one good sponsor, along with good fortune.  Driving a late model on dirt is not an easy way to make a living, though most of us which we could do just that.

 

www.DirtonDirt.com will be showing both nights of the NDRL Pittsburgher 100 this weekend.  Cost for a two package is $35.99, while either night can be had for $19.99.  Crate late models and modifieds will be support classes at the event, and their races will also be part of the PPV.

 

According to the NDRL website, drivers like Josh Richards, Billy Moyer, Jimmy Mars, Scott Bloomquist, Steve Francis, Dale McDowell, Rick Eckert, Shane Clanton, and Gregg Satterlee will be on hand.  Friday’s 50 lap feature pays $10,000 to win, while the 100 laps A main on Saturday pays $25,000 to the first place finisher.

Finally, back to NASCAR for a brief rant. A friend who went to the Sprint Cup race in Kansas last Sunday stated that many drivers totally ignored fans clamoring for autographs during the hours preceding the race.  So now NASCAR drivers are becoming like stars in the NFL and NBA, too good to associate with the riff raff who pay damn good money to see them up close and personal.  As a matter of fact, I do get somewhat surly when I hear such stories.  Without the fans who love the sport, most of these drivers would be mechanics, truck drivers, or working on the line at some manufacturing plant, NOT living in million dollar mansions at Lake Norman.

 

Others feel this way.  Here is a link to an article in the Charlotte newspaper:

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/09/24/4339243/higgins-scuffs-a-case-of-tunnel.html#.UlWqrewo5dg

 

Responding to the article on his NASCAR radio program, Chocolate Myers went off on “these 20 and 30 something drivers who don’t know a damn thing about the sport before they came into it” and told them to “go to Caraway Speedway where no media will be, you’ll only have to do 1 or 2 pictures, and your foundation won’t be what it is, and you’ll have to fly commercial, and have a camper instead of a motor coach” so “the next time somebody asks you for an autograph or photo shut the you know what up and do it so you can keep your 6 or 7 figure job.”

 

Myers is a former Dale Earnhardt crew member and an NMPA award-The Myer Brothers Award is given in honor of his family.  The award has been given since 1958, and past recipients include Ned Jarrett, the Wood Brothers, ESPN, Dale Earnhardt, and the 2012 winner, Jeff Gordon.  My point is that the man does have credibility; he is no blogger that is easily ignored.

 

Anyway, as Myers said, shut up and sign the autographs.

 

Thanks for stopping by.