Funny thing this subject should come up. Mike Cook just sat here and told us lots and lots of the story behind what he does for the meet. Most of it ent in one ear and out the other, but here's some of what I heard:
First of all, there are differences between cars and bikes - because there are differences in the high-up organizations. FIM and AMA, and FIA and USAC -- all will have their rules and fee structures. While the timing lights and clocks are the same, so to speak -- the ruling clubs are not the same. Evidence -- cars have a one-hour turn around window, bikes have tow hours. So -- the FIA and USAC folks watched as the crews worked to get the cars turned around -- Poteet/Main changing two front tires as well as everything else -- and shook their heads in wonderment, asking how the heck it gets done. Rest assured that they'll think over that one-hour time carefully -- and think it over with the goal of making it into the two hours that bikes get.
Another issue is that the permit Cook Motorsports has with the BLM is for a private non-profit event, with a fixed cost of a handful of dollars. But -- if Mike wanted to try to cut costs for the competitiors, for instance by selling t-shirts and hats -- the BLM might well then decide it's a commercial venture and charge 5% of the gross. Maybe the costs would be the same -- maybe they'd not be the same.
There is some overall commercial sponsorship money in this event, usecd for advance publicity (I think that is what Mike said), and that brought in more news and documentary crews. That publicity will be beneficial over the long run if not immediately.
There's a bit of information -- and if you want more -- either I'll get back to more story later, or you can ask Mike.
Gotta post this -- running's about to resume.