Where the $5K-to-win race used to be a sure draw for racers from many hundreds of miles away, the last couple of $10K-to-win races here in Georgia and Alabama—the heart of outlaw country—have drawn dismal fields of less than 10 cars each. Even the Outlaw Racing Street Car Association’s (ORSCA’s) headlining 10-wide class has seen dwindling entries.
However, it’s important to note that ORSCA’s supporting series (Limited Street, EZ Street, and 5.30, 6.0, and 7.0 index classes) have enjoyed generally stronger car counts this season. So much so that according to ORSCA president Johnny Fenn, some are even exceeding the purse payout with their entry fees at certain events, with most classes covering about 30 to 60 percent of the payout with their entry fees at most races.
In comparison, Outlaw 10.5 entry fees covered 14.93 percent to 26.55 percent of the payouts at three recent ORSCA events, according to statistics recently posted by Fenn at ORSCA’s online message board. So the difference—for all classes, though it’s most
defined at the top end of the outlaw racing spectrum—obviously has to be made up at the paying spectator gate. But I wrote last month in this space about the empty grandstands I encounter at many of the races I attend and judging from reader response I’m not alone in noticing this disturbing trend. And from the conversations I’ve had with several track owners, I know they’re more than a little concerned, too.
It’s a two-edged sword. Promoters know they need the Outlaw 10.5 stars and cars to create a buzz about their event, so they need to post the purses to attract the best racers. But it’s turned into a real financial gamble if enough paying fans don’t show up. There’s got to be a breaking point where promoting a big-money Outlaw 10.5 event is no longer worth the risk and I fear we’re rapidly approaching that point.
Ironically, I sense those large purses—and their typically top-heavy structures—are behind Outlaw 10.5’s current car count woes. I doubt there are any fewer 10-wide cars in the world than there were in 2004 or so; I just think their owners are staying home because no matter how big a winner’s share is, they know they can’t compete with the cubic dollars of the frontrunners. Part of the answer may be to pay decent money all the way back to first-round losers, so everyone who qualifies at least recoups some of their expenses, but that of course will require a mind shift from the class frontrunners to endorse the change and (most likely) accept smaller winner’s payouts.
That, to me, shouldn’t be all that difficult an obstacle, though, since most already agree to unofficial purse-splitting plans among themselves even before the semi-finals are run at most events. That doesn’t help the guy who towed just as far and invested just as much in his program as the final four, however, when he’s been ousted from round one and sent home with nothing or very little to show for it.
Reliable estimates suggest it costs at least $250 and up to $500 to make an eighth-mile pass in a modern Outlaw 10.5 car. Extrapolate that to three qualifying attempts and a first-round exit on raceday and that’s at least $1,000 out of pocket. If that guy could be guaranteed a respectable return perhaps we’d see car counts rise as he’d at least know it would be worthwhile to show up and qualify.
Failure to adjust the purses at the top shows will further dilute their fields as local 10-wide racers will continue to stay home or race at smaller affairs where they can at least be more confident of reaching the paying rounds. It’s the old bird in hand analogy; better to go home with a sure something than an unlikely windfall.
Shttp://www.dragracingonline.com/tocher/viii_8-1.htmlomething has to be done to save Outlaw 10.5 from itself. If not, in the end, just like Top Fuel today, we’ll be left with the same small cadre of teams, staging the same races over and over, with the same old winners and losers at each and every event. And while we’ll still love the racing and the guys who are doing it, we’ll lament the loss of so many great pioneer teams and drivers, the ones who made the sport what it is, but who just couldn’t keep up with the money machine that Outlaw 10.5 became. 
Race safe,
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