- Thread starter Heyseed
- Start date
I bet everyone missed the point: With everything always being about "follow the money", what do you want to wager that some dealership is "sponsoring" the track, furnishing the newest and best they have to offer, in exchange for advertising write offs?
Kinda like the pace cars in different races around the country...
Kinda like the pace cars in different races around the country...
Does the track actually own the tractor? Our local dealers would supply a big overkill tractor like that during horse racing at the fair just for the purpose of advertisement and then take it back after everything was over. One of our loader tractors was broke in at the track when it was new for that reason and then sold to us.
Charlestown, WV ? I watch them every time I go there and think the same thing. If I remember right, the dealer has a nice sticker on the cab somewhere that you can read from the stands.
Just as bad as this are the beach cleaners at Ocean City. 4 or 5 of what looks like 200hp MX series CaseIH pulling little sand sifters that a 4020 would play with. I hear they are traded off every year.
Just as bad as this are the beach cleaners at Ocean City. 4 or 5 of what looks like 200hp MX series CaseIH pulling little sand sifters that a 4020 would play with. I hear they are traded off every year.
The tractor might be on loan in exchange for free advertising for the dealer. I suspect the cost of that tractor is a drop in the bucket compared to the money the track takes in on betting every weekend, especially the off-track betting.
Distances might be deceiving. That tool is more than a simple harrow, it's also wider (25+ foot?) and moving faster (8+ MPH?) than a Cub could handle. Think of the area covered: 1/2 mile track (2640 feet) x 100 feet wide / 43560 sq ft/acre = 6.06 acres. The faster the track and horses can be set up for the next race the more money the track takes in.
Distances might be deceiving. That tool is more than a simple harrow, it's also wider (25+ foot?) and moving faster (8+ MPH?) than a Cub could handle. Think of the area covered: 1/2 mile track (2640 feet) x 100 feet wide / 43560 sq ft/acre = 6.06 acres. The faster the track and horses can be set up for the next race the more money the track takes in.
The local track here,(Saratoga) seems to do about the same, though I think they are short lease's or there is some arrangement with the JD dealer. My neighbor/farmer friend in '06 bought a clean low hour JD 7420 that had its first job at the track pulling a groomer. Practically new tractor, with a significant amount of savings vs new. I don't think he would have gone for it unless there was some incentive like that. I've always thought what they use was overkill, but having an "in", sponsorship, and or who knows what else, I suppose the visual effect of a large tractor in front of a crowd is a great advertising strategy. I think they turn these over every season or close to it.
CenTex Farmall
Well-known Member
If they like horses so much, why not a horse drawn track smoother/conditioner? Put those old nags to work!
It's the same here in NY, in the 80s they used 4wd fords painted red for NYRA, now they use all JD tractors which they left green as JD is invloved with NTRA, If your a member you can get a discount on JD Equipment. At Aqueduct in ozone park NYC as the horses ran around the track I must have seen 6 huge jds like that, they also use them to move the starting gates, which they have a gate for each track, the turf, inner dirt and outer dirt, you would think 1 or 2 starting gates would be enought, a back up one ect, Heck they only run 1 race at a time! Lol, but NY ownes and runs NYRA so they can spend big$$$
showcrop
Well-known Member
maybe twenty years ago a friend who used to manage a CIH dealership told me about beating JD out to sell a 150 HP tractor to the track nearby. They did a head to head comparison pulling identical drags. They had to move at a pretty good clip for two reasons. first was to get around the track quick enough to get it done between races, second was to stay ahead of frost during cold weather. His CIH had the better gearing for the track. he said that it could maintain the required speed within its optimum power band. He said that if the JD driver tried to shift up in order to maintain the needed speed it didn't have the power for the load, which he said was substantial.
Ken Macfarlane
Well-known Member
They use an old dodge ex fire truck at the local track, waters the track too.
Look at the front of that tractor, its got a silage or snow blade mount up front.
Look at the front of that tractor, its got a silage or snow blade mount up front.
The dealer advertising idea would make sense but none of these tractors had any decals on them at all. They had three doing the track that night and if you look hard there is only a brand name sticker on these things.
They don't have to move fast as there is at least 20 minutes between races and there are three of them.
They don't have to move fast as there is at least 20 minutes between races and there are three of them.
Clodbuster
Member
Looks like a nice tractor to run!
I have learned that many states use larger than needed tractors for hi-way mowers and such as those tractors are a better value than a smaller one when it comes time to trade them in or lease them.
The secondary market wants more of the larger tractors and makes the deal better at that time.
I have learned that many states use larger than needed tractors for hi-way mowers and such as those tractors are a better value than a smaller one when it comes time to trade them in or lease them.
The secondary market wants more of the larger tractors and makes the deal better at that time.
This and the tractors the states run all have to do with the discount programs the manufacturers offer. If the dealer knows how to work the numbers, the first user gets the tractor relatively cheap, then the dealer takes it back and can sell it as low/easy use for a little discount over new. The buyers save a little, the dealer makes a little more, and the manufacturer gets cheap advertising. Here in ND the state runs a bunch of 250 hp plus tractors, just because the farm market won't buy anything much smaller.
Well some of you got it figured out. Those tractors are LEASED from the equipment manufacture. I have done some of these leases for tracks in the past. The Manufacture looks at how each model retains resale value and how many units are sold in that market.
An example would be the State mowing crew tractors. They have to have MFWD and a cab. A 75 horsepower tractor with a cab is not a great seller. So the residual value is lower. Therefore the lease cost is higher. The lease is figured as a percentage using the net cost of the equipment and the residual value.
The best value, 10 years ago, was the 125 horsepower tractor. They had the highest residual value. I could lease you a 125 HP tractor cheaper than a 75 HP one. This was if you only wanted to used it for three years and less than 300 hours per year.
IF you where planning to buy it at the end of the lease term than the lower the sales price the lower the lease + residual.
Businesses with a HIGH visibility can get a better factory discount. This is based on the fact that seeing the tractors at places like the race track is advertising.
An example would be the State mowing crew tractors. They have to have MFWD and a cab. A 75 horsepower tractor with a cab is not a great seller. So the residual value is lower. Therefore the lease cost is higher. The lease is figured as a percentage using the net cost of the equipment and the residual value.
The best value, 10 years ago, was the 125 horsepower tractor. They had the highest residual value. I could lease you a 125 HP tractor cheaper than a 75 HP one. This was if you only wanted to used it for three years and less than 300 hours per year.
IF you where planning to buy it at the end of the lease term than the lower the sales price the lower the lease + residual.
Businesses with a HIGH visibility can get a better factory discount. This is based on the fact that seeing the tractors at places like the race track is advertising.
That's not the case with the Meadowlands in Washington, PA.
They traded off their Case IH a few years ago. It had over 10,000 hours on it. I don't know what they replaced it with. Maybe I should start betting on the ponies again so I can find out. Not really a fan of harness racing though...
They traded off their Case IH a few years ago. It had over 10,000 hours on it. I don't know what they replaced it with. Maybe I should start betting on the ponies again so I can find out. Not really a fan of harness racing though...
Formerly PaMike
Member
The green MX120 they had? My buddy has it now...
2 Old 2 care
Member
Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, has a fleet of 6R series, and one 7R Deere's. They're leased from a local dealership (in nearby Shelbyville) Mother Deere makes certain they get the latest and greatest models.
Thought is, they'll show up on TV from time to time, and be highly visible at the track whenever there's a racing program. Great advertizing.
Years ago, a local Ford dealership furnished the tractors. They used 5000 series and 7000 series tractors to maintain the track and pull the starting gate(s) off.
If you spend much time at Churchill, you'll see quite a compliment of 'Gators too. Money is drawn to money.
Thought is, they'll show up on TV from time to time, and be highly visible at the track whenever there's a racing program. Great advertizing.
Years ago, a local Ford dealership furnished the tractors. They used 5000 series and 7000 series tractors to maintain the track and pull the starting gate(s) off.
If you spend much time at Churchill, you'll see quite a compliment of 'Gators too. Money is drawn to money.
James Williams
Well-known Member
Heyseed,you were at my front door
jimmy ps I think Ive got those 22 bullets
jimmy ps I think Ive got those 22 bullets
Fullers Farmalls
Member
Been there many times John and youre right. I never saw a high
dollar tractor there.
dollar tractor there.
Similar threads
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.
Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy