The Cost Of Racing

[260DET]

If you can afford it then do it, no regrets

Edited January 17, 2010 by 260DET
off topic

[hoov100]

running street stocks at a circle track is about $20k a season and where the "low end" class of racing. Late models cost about $40-60k a year. This is all assuming you don't wad up the car.

[Mayolives]

My track day costs are something like this.

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

 

I'm a real estate/builder type and the last three years have been brutal with more dollars going out than coming in. That said, and I think Mark would agree that we realistically spend about $1,000.00 per weekend event, if we consider expendables, lodging and longer term maintenance and repairs. I will probably not do more than six events this year and I normally have about as much fun as a can stand at these events. My race weekends are highlights in my life and I will really miss them when age or whatever take command. It's very easy to spend that amount of money on any hobby, hanging in bars, buying expensive clothes, chasing the opposite sex or things that ring your bell. I hope to be able to continue doing track days as long as I can.

[Zmanco]

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do."

- Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)

[frank280zx]

$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

 

That is absolutly not the only cost.. sure you need the asphalt to race... but that is wehere it starts .. Fuel, brakes, tires, apart from gear are the biggest cost for sure !

 

Calculated id say about €700 a trackday minus entrance for racing

[johnc]

Please remember the context of this discussion, per the OP, is racing - not track days. There is a huge difference in time and dollars betweent he two.

[frank280zx]

Please remember the context of this discussion, per the OP, is racing - not track days. There is a huge difference in time and dollars betweent he two.

 

amen !

[rxsleeper]

Just to give you an idea of the $$$ to race an ITS prep level Z in the Southeast US. This is at a competitive level, every race, every time on track. I have not spent this much but if you remove the engine costs, I come pretty close to these numbers.

 

Not included are tow vehicle, trailer, lodging, food, fuel, race equipment (ie drivers suit, helmet, shoes) etc. Also not included is the purchase cost of already logbooked, race ready car or any spare parts that you drag along to the track.

 

Some Engine assumptions:

Engine build will cost you at least $5,000 for a freshening of a "built" motor that is already competitive or close by a decent racing engine builder. If you were to buy a newly built, all out, strictly legal motor figure $10-12k minimum so for this calculation I used $7,500 amortized over 10 races (5 weekends) before freshening so roughly $750.00 per race or $1,500 per weekend

 

 

Entry fees: ~ $325 for a 2 race weekend + practice time(race on sat/sun)

Tires ~ $1000.00 if you want to be competitive, at least 1 set/weekend

Fuel ~ $100.00

Engine costs per weekend ~ $1,500.00

 

So for one weekend $2925.00 which you will spend roughly 100 (2, 30 minute races + 2, 20 minute qualifiying sessions) minutes on track or a costs of $29.25/minute if nothing breaks and you don't bend any sheetmetal, etc.

 

Take out any engine costs, and you are at $14.25/minute of track time with the same assumptions.

 

Yeah, racing is expensive and none of the estimates above include the hidden costs of another $40k of tow vehicle and trailer, towing fuel and maintainence of tow vehicles, etc.

 

I figure on at least $1k/weekend if no tires are purchased and nothing breaks on the car. Is it worth it, you bet!