The Cost Of Racing

[Mayolives]

In the past, I have read post pertaining to the cost of operating a race car. I found this information at Racer.com It pertains to the cost of running an Indy car. through their lease program.

 

QUOTE: A lease for the 17-race season has been reduced by $27,000, to $935,000 ($15,000 lease and removal of $12,000 shipping fee) – about half of the 2005 lease program cost. For the Indianapolis 500, Griffiths said, "We're still offering a variety of options, but the basic price for an Indy-only team is $150,000. Last year it was $225,000." The package includes 800 miles of practice and qualifications, Miller Lite Carb Day and the race. A fresh engine for Miller Lite Carb Day and the race will be available for $60,000.

[proxlamus©]

I have a buddy who raced* in the Atlantic Champ Car series..

 

for a single season his parents cough up almost 1.5 million dollars to support the team, tires, brakes, engine work, the car... etc etc

 

and thats WITH sponsors

Edited January 14, 2010 by PrOxLaMuS©
raced* no longer racing

[johnc]

I did the math when I was racing (in a time trial series) the cost of running my Rusty Old Datsun. Figuring the cost of engine and transmission refreshes, tires, consumables, etc. but excluding entry fees and travel costs, it worked out to $1,090.00 for ever hour the car was running. I parted the car out shortly after that.

[Kris.Is.Awesome]

I have a buddy who races in the Atlantic Champ Car series..

 

for a single season his parents cough up almost 1.5 million dollars to support the team, tires, brakes, engine work, the car... etc etc

 

and thats WITH sponsors

 

Ouch...

[JMortensen]

I did the math when I was racing (in a time trial series) the cost of running my Rusty Old Datsun. Figuring the cost of engine and transmission refreshes, tires, consumables, etc. but excluding entry fees and travel costs, it worked out to $1,090.00 for ever hour the car was running. I parted the car out shortly after that.

It's all a matter of degrees. Looking at what a Champ car costs to run does nothing for us. John's example is closer to the mark, but even here it didn't need to be that expensive. John had a sequential gearbox and a very high dollar motor, etc. Racing is an expensive hobby, but I think John had too much money in a high strung, short lived engine and gearbox to be comparable to most other Z's.

[johnc]

but I think John had too much money in a high strung, short lived engine and gearbox to be comparable to most other Z's.

 

The car cost was comparable to most SCCA GT2 level race cars which is what the lap times compared to. A Z prepared to SCCA's IT category would cost about 1/2 as much per hour to run, assuming a competitive car.

 

When I raced a Spec Racer Ford under an "arrive and drive" program the cost worked out to $800 per hour and all I had to do was pop my butt in the seat and drive. I didn't have to fuel the car, change tires, or do any towing.

[JMortensen]

Throw a V8 worth a couple grand in there and granted the initial install cost might be higher, but cost per hp goes WAY down, and over the long term it's cheaper in terms of maintenance/rebuilds/replacement.

 

Arrive and drive is an attractive option. Considering the cost and labor and time of building or even prepping an old car, it seems like a good deal.

[johnc]

Throw a V8 worth a couple grand in there and granted the initial install cost might be higher, but cost per hp goes WAY down, and over the long term it's cheaper in terms of maintenance/rebuilds/replacement.

 

But that change on my old race car would have put it in a class against Radicals, Toyota WSRs, and other purpose build race cars. I would have had to at least double the horsepower to 650+ to even stay within sight of the lap times a Radical or WSR could run. And that power level in a 240Z chassis requires even more chassis, suspension, and aero upgrades.

 

Unfortunately rules often get in the way of low cost alternatives.

[JMortensen]

Again, are we racing a series? Doing track days? You can spend a buttload of money in any class, putting lots of cash down trying to get that extra 1/3 hp in your Formula Vee. If you just want to go fast on a track, it doesn't have to be THAT expensive. It's still going to be expensive, but it's trying to compete with the other guy that is built to the limit of the rules that gets you.

[rxsleeper]

The car cost was comparable to most SCCA GT2 level race cars which is what the lap times compared to. A Z prepared to SCCA's IT category would cost about 1/2 as much per hour to run, assuming a competitive car.

 

...

 

A competitive ITS Z in SEDIV will cost at least as much as your GT comparison John. At least from what I have seen and calculated. And that includes sleeping in the trailer at the track...... Lap times not withstanding.

 

I agree, racing is not cheap and arrive and drive does have its appeal. SRF is probably the best way to go as they tend to have less body damage than Spec Pinata'.

 

I also have to admit that for a Indy 500 race only, the figure quoted seems pretty cheap to me when compared to the costs of Formula Mazda, DSR, etc, etc,

[mark]

My track day costs are something like this. I can get 3 or 4 days of a set of kumhos at about 900 a set.

 

Brakes cost about 300-350 for a set of front and rear pads. Rears last a season, fronts may last 2 weekends at CMP.

 

25 to 30 gallons at 3 buck a gallon let call it 100

 

Oil and brake fluid 40 bucks

 

Add entry fees and traveling expenses and depending on the place it can be Big money. If the wife goes, cost tripple.

 

It is easily a 600 or 700 dollar weekend If nothing breaks.

[rustrocket]

add entry fees and traveling expenses and depending on the place it can be big money. If the wife goes, cost tripple.

 

lol!! Sad but true

[proxlamus©]

might I add..

 

my buddys dad owns a go-kart company.. producing and manufacturing race karts.. so he is a bit wealthy

 

and after his 2nd season they pulled out

 

but imagine the advertising they put out over the 2 years for the company.. =)

[JMortensen]

My track day costs are something like this. I can get 3 or 4 days of a set of kumhos at about 900 a set.

Might be time to start running used slicks. Probably cut your tire budget in 1/2. Tires was always the biggest thing for me as an autoxer and track day guy.

[Slammed68]

Wow, these numbers are outrageous. I've never raced on a road course, but Putnam Park is down the road from me, and I have heard a day on the track costing $300? To me that is just absurd. I'm sure it's an absolute rush and all, but wow.

[Jon 74 260Z]

Calculating the cost per unit time is the only known cure for racing...

 

... but track days are waaaaaay cheaper than citations.

[Darrel]

$300?, that isn't too bad. I'm sure the price could go down joining a club that has regular track events there.

 

Our new track in Colorado is $150 full day and $90 for half day during the summer hours open lapping days. When weather and lack of snow cooperate we have open lapping days for $100 for 6 hrs of track time.

 

http://www.highplainsraceway.com

[Zmanco]

Wow, these numbers are outrageous. I've never raced on a road course, but Putnam Park is down the road from me, and I have heard a day on the track costing $300? To me that is just absurd. I'm sure it's an absolute rush and all, but wow.

It is a rush and more. Afterward, driving on the street is so tame. You should try it at least once... it's humbling and I think you'll find it will change your attitude toward driving fast on the street - for me it's just not fun enough to be worth the risk to me, my license, and others.

[RTz]

When we were campaigning the C4, the tires we were running were $750/set, and we averaged 3/4 hour of run time. Simple math says $1000/hr in tires alone.

[waddiejohn]

Geez, back in the early to mid eighties I got to race two cars at Phoenix International, Firebird Lake and the Eloy Gran Prix. What a hoot the G.P. was. The first car was a Triumph TR-4 with a 2.0L Pinto engine and stripped to 1800 pounds wet. The other was a March S.V.. It was a " Run whatcha brung " club. With the TR-4 I had a blast for nearly nothing, especially driving through the streets of Eloy, but the S.V. easily ran $1000 per hour of track time and I didn't get very scientific about it like you serious guys.

I was working a full time job with some overtime plus running a consulting/mechanical design business and maintaining the cars and all that entails by myself. I finally burned out and sold the S.V. and bought a Bellanca 260. Also flew a rented Pitts S2B, a Luscomb 8A, some sailplanes and the usual Cessnas. It was a lot cheaper to fly and I made $10,000 on the Bellanca when I sold it. I will tell you right now though it is the cars that I miss.

My point? Not sure exactly except that I don't regret spending that money. It seemed like alot at the time, but I did something I loved and today if I could I'd do it all over again and maybe put more effort into it. The only thing that even came close to road racing was aerobatics in the Pitts.

 

Waddie