Racing on the cheap

[emwavey]

Looking for suggestions on ways to cut expenses during a race weekend. With fuel prices going up, and me being new to racing, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to make it to more races.

Currently I'm looking at September to finally make it to another event. http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/frown.gif

Sharing a room
- or -
Camping (tent)
Bring food: PB&J sandwiches
Toyos
...

-dave, who's sticking to his "race on cash" ideals from here on.
8)

[dave parker]

Dave
Unfortunately, you are right on the target:
Camp at the track
Bring your own food
Less expensive tires
Are realistic things to do when trying to participate in a VERY expensive hobby.
Sadly racing, no matter what your racing is expensive.
Wait until you have kid(s) and a mortgage!
Good Luck.
dave parker
wdcr ITC#97

[Knestis]

Damn - I forgot to have kids!

K

[Russ Myers]

Kirk; I'll sell (give) you mine. He's 19 and has had all of his shots.

Russ

[ddewhurst]

Dave, the hot ticket is to get good sponsors. Example I have three very good sponsors.

Pops/SIF/Stewart garage

Pops is what my two sons have called me forever.

SIF is Sons Inheritance Fund.

Stewart is my middle name & I have a two car garage at home.

Your on the cheap list has many things covered. Have ya tried a surgar ma ma? In 38 races I have spent three nights in a motel & that's racing in 4 states other than the state I live in. It's colder than smell in the CenDiv in the spring & fall.

Where do you live?

Have Fun http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/wink.gif
David

[This message has been edited by ddewhurst (edited June 27, 2005).]

[MMiskoe]

The best way to race cheaply that I have seen is to do it on someone elses nickle. Haven't figured out how to do it myself however. If you figure it out, let me know.

Sometimes, depending on the group, you can get more seat time per dollar in an enduro than in a sprint race.

Another thing is to find a non-racing car club & become an instructor. No racing to be had, but sometimes they will let you bring your own car for a couple of sessions. Don't kid yourself, you will not have time to do any work on it if you are instructing, quite likely you will move from one car to another w/o leaving the pit lane for well over an hour at a whack (think 3 or 4 consecutive 20 minute sessions). Plus you have to be able to climb in a car w/ someone you don't know driving..... But there's free track time!

[JeffW]

I run a Spec7 (IT, maybe next year)w/205/60-13's. Spec tires are Toyo, Kumho, and the Yokohama rear tires that the SRF guys barely use. The SRF guys have a couple choices... pay the landfill disposal fee or let a poor guy take them away. (After I'm done with them, I give the used tires and empty beer cans to Dennis Weaver to build another EcoHouse.)

If you run the same size as the Wreck Pinatas, plenty of used tires available.

[emwavey]

Originally posted by dave parker:
Wait until you have kid(s) and a mortgage!


Ah ha! That's the deal... have to get rid of the mortgage. Can't give away the kid, I've become pretty attached to her. http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/smile.gif

Yeah I think the VIR trip (back in May) took a bit more cash then I was originally thinking. Adding up the four nights in a hotel, plus food and having just thrown quite a bit of money into the truck, left me in the red.

On the flip side, I spent two nights at Pocono for the SCCA track day (June '05) as an instructor, shared a room, drove pretty conservative at the track, and mostly brought or had food provided. I figured I spent less then 200 bucks for the entire weekend.

Since I have some tread left on the Toyos, and still have fluids (oil and brake), brakes and spares, I'm hoping my next race weekend will be closer to the 400 - 500 dollar range including entry fees... if I'm lucky.

Thanks for helping me explore the "cheap" boundaries.

-dave
8)

[mgyip]

Dave - Those of us who comprise the "No Class" corral (a few of whom you met at VIR) are trying desperately to race on the cheap. We share resources to reduce costs - at Slummit Point, most of the herd camps at least one night or (like myself) goes home instead of going to a hotel. When we're on the road, I generally share a room unless Gregg screws up the reservation and I end up with a single but that's another story.

Regarding food and drink, Mo is our appointed chef so we all throw money into the pot (so to speak) and Mo buys whatever she sees fit to feed the group of us for the race weekend. Compared to spending $5 for b-fast and $5 for lunch, we can spend $15 each for the ENTIRE weekend and eat like kings.

I've considered male prostitution to offset my racing expenses but the market for short, round Asian men just isn't what it used to be...

Haz-Matt

[zooracer]

oh, and rule out being competitive...

[Knestis]

I don't know - I think Matt might be very competitive in the short, round, Asian male prostitute market.

Oh, wait...

K

[Wayne]

Originally posted by ddewhurst:
SIF is Sons Inheritance Fund.

I made the mistake of telling my son about this concept. Oddly enough he is not so enthusiastic about working on the race-car anymore...

[jhooten]

Tell him what I told mine. Your inheritance is sitting in the driveway, if you want it to be worth something when you get it you better help keep it running good now.

[emwavey]

I did the whore thing for a few years in college, but didn't seem to work out too well then, and I don't think the wife would appreciate it too much now... she's so narrow-minded. http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/wink.gif

Thanks again for the warm welcome at VIR into the "no class" crew. I'd be very happy to retain my status as the latest stray into the folds, and would be more then happy to throw a few bucks Mo's way.

Hopefully I'll be back out for the last MARRS race.

------------------
-dave
nerdsracing.com (http://www.nerdsracing.com)
8)

[Tom Donnelly]

Use VISA/MasterCard as a sponsor. Race for 10 years, extending the credit limit. File bankruptcy, lose the house in the divorce. Get new cards with higher credit limit due to bankruptcy. Race for another 10 years. File bankruptcy again. Repeat process until you finally hit a wall and save money on the cremation/burial.

It could work.

Tom Donnelly
ITS 240z

[PFM Racing]

Originally posted by Knestis:
Damn - I forgot to have kids!

K


Yeah, me too, it really helps the racing budget.

Go and get a graduate degree, they give you lots of loans!


------------------
Jennifer Rudder
PFM Racing
http://www.pfmracing.com

[joeg]

Maybe not, Tom, with the darn new fangled--PRO-CREDIT CARD COMPANIES--bankruptcy law!

[Jiveslug]

Originally posted by Knestis:
I don't know - I think Matt might be very competitive in the short, round, Asian male prostitute market.

Oh, wait...

K


Dude, I almost spit out my double decaffinated half-caff wanilla chai latte (with a twist of lemon)! Thats comedy gold, ladies and gentlemen.

[Bill Miller]

Originally posted by Jiveslug:

Dude, I almost spit out my double decaffinated half-caff wanilla chai latte (with a twist of lemon)! Thats comedy gold, ladies and gentlemen.



Ahhh, if only you knew Matt!!! http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/biggrin.gif



------------------
MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608

[Tom Donnelly]

<font face=\"Verdana, Arial\" size=\"2\">Maybe not, Tom, with the darn new fangled--PRO-CREDIT CARD COMPANIES--bankruptcy law!</font>

Dangit, back to using my "I will race for food sign". Hmmm, student loans?

Tom Donnelly

[dave parker]

If you had to look at Matt everyday like I do you would not even consider the potential success of the short,round, Asian male prostitute scam.

Better yet he could probably make more having people pay him to keep his clothes on.....


cheers (as i try not to spit out my beer)
dave parker
wdcr ITC#97

[mgyip]

Sigh - it's NOT a scam, it's a Business Proposition and you're right that it actually works in reverse. The more they pay, the more I put on.

One sure-fire way to decrease your brake pad spending is to use your competitors brakes - this has a double-benefit of saving brake pads on your car AND overheating your competitors brakes which can result in the gain of at least one position http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/wink.gif

Hurt, truly hurt (sniff, sniff, sob, sob)...back to the drawing board for other ways to make racing cheaper...

Haz-Matt

[This message has been edited by mgyip (edited July 01, 2005).]

[jc836]

The reality is as I and others have and will state-there is no such thing as cheap. This sport will use every available dollar you have. That is unless you develop a logical budget. This also must include things that are generally not considered part of the usual expenses.
We budget for brakes, tires, fuel, travel, updates based on the GCR (belts, fire suppression, etc)and a number of spare parts on an annualized basis. Race meetings are budgeted based on travel costs to determine how many we can go away to. Our limit has and remains 2 long tows each season. our home track (BeaveRun) is 1 hour away and I can comfortably do 2-3 FATT events above the Race weekends-BUT I sacrifice a long tow to have the time here.
Take a piece of paper and write down the actual disposable income and start deducting from there. It will be an eye opening experience.

------------------
Grandpa's toys-modded suspensions and a few other tweaks
'89 CRX Si-SCCA ITA #99
'03 Dodge Dakota Club Cab V8-Patriot Blue gonna tow

[Bill Miller]

Originally posted by jc836:
The reality is as I and others have and will state-there is no such thing as cheap. This sport will use every available dollar you have. That is unless you develop a logical budget. This also must include things that are generally not considered part of the usual expenses.
We budget for brakes, tires, fuel, travel, updates based on the GCR (belts, fire suppression, etc)and a number of spare parts on an annualized basis. Race meetings are budgeted based on travel costs to determine how many we can go away to. Our limit has and remains 2 long tows each season. our home track (BeaveRun) is 1 hour away and I can comfortably do 2-3 FATT events above the Race weekends-BUT I sacrifice a long tow to have the time here.
Take a piece of paper and write down the actual disposable income and start deducting from there. It will be an eye opening experience.




That's pretty much the way I did it. I figured a certain amount for each weekend to go for W&T on the tow rig, trailer, gear, and the car. I also figured in a certain amount for contingency, because I knew I would eventually have to spend $$$ on an un-planned event.


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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608

[pgipson]

When I first started racing my wife worked full time. Her salary was enough to support my racing (although I never overtly said as much). Buy tires, entry fees, some track days for extra seat time, minor repairs on occasion. Life was good. I was getting better and the car looked good.

Then she decided she needed to stay home (I think she found my race expenditures categories on Quicken). Struggle to find some extra coin for a track day here or there. Run the tires a little longer. Try to baby the transmission with the deteriorating 2nd gear synchros.

Moral -- Keep no records of racing costs. pay everything in cash. Don't make the car look too good.

------------------
Spec RX7 #11
Scottsdale AZ

[emwavey]

I'm hoping money spent at the beginning of the season was an "investment" for not only the remander of this season, but also for more seasons to come. It adds up quickly.

I spent a pretty good deal getting the car and the tow vehicle up to snuff. The seat is good for at least 4 more years, as are the belts and the window net... And quite a bit has been spent on the tow vehicle as well.

Looking at the projected cost of running one or two more races this year isn't too bad. Room, food, gas, and entry fee (plus a new fire bottle). I have Toyos and brake pads, oil and fluid.

There are some things I'd like to get, a new set of tires (probably next year) and another 10x10 pop-up canopy. The truck also needs two new rear shocks and probably some type of repair with the universal joint(s).

Thanks for sharing and for the space to brainstorm and rationalize. http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/smile.gif

------------------
-dave
nerdsracing.com (http://www.nerdsracing.com)
8)

[This message has been edited by emwavey (edited July 05, 2005).]

[Bill Miller]

Originally posted by emwavey:
I'm hoping money spent at the beginning of the season was an "investment" for not only the remander of this season, but also for more seasons to come. It adds up quickly.

I spent a pretty good deal getting the car and the tow vehicle up to snuff. The seat is good for at least 4 more years, as are the belts and the window net... And quite a bit has been spent on the tow vehicle as well.

Looking at the projected cost of running one or two more races this year isn't too bad. Room, food, gas, and entry fee (plus a new fire bottle). I have Toyos and brake pads, oil and fluid.

There are some things I'd like to get, a new set of tires (probably next year) and another 10x10 pop-up canopy. The truck also needs two new rear shocks and probably some type of repair with the universal joint(s).

Thanks for sharing and for the space to brainstorm and rationalize. http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/smile.gif




Did I miss something? How are you getting 5 years out of belts? Also, I didn't think there was an expiration on seats or window nets.


------------------
MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608

[tom_sprecher]

Oh, I don't know, maybe they're FIA certified belts?



------------------
Tom Sprecher
Team SuperTech

[dave parker]

Bill,
FIA belts are good for five years.
Window nets are not dated in SCCA club racing.
FIA homologated seats that are rigidly mounted(meaning they do not slide back and forth) are not required to run a seat back brace for five years from date of manufacture.
After the five year period you will need to:
a. use a seat back brace.
b. Install a new FIA homologated seat.

cheers
dave parker
wdcr ITC#97

[Bill Miller]

Thanks Dave!

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MARRS #25 ITB Rabbit GTI (sold) | MARRS #25 HProd Rabbit
SCCA 279608

[emwavey]

http://ITForum.ImprovedTouring.com/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by emwavey (edited July 06, 2005).]

[jake7140]

1) Race weekends are "family vacation time", and thus hotel (swimming for the kids) or camping/eating and travel expenses are put against the family budget and do not come out of the meager race budget which is for mechanical and entry fees only.

2) Race expenses are paid in cash, records kept by hand, not computer, wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

3) Change goes into the big tupperware container at work, and vaporizes.

4) Nobody really wants to know how much it really costs anyway. Outsiders will think there are "better" uses for the money no matter how much it is. If you don't use it on racing, it will just get lost into another do-dad for the house or other such frivolity that pays no lasting dividend either.

5) We're really in the business of creating irreplaceable memories for our families that not many other people get to do. Which lasts longer, the story about new siding on your house, or the time at Road America where everything went wrong, came in with brakes smokin', etc., etc.? There's just something different about it that you can't put a price on. Some thnigs in life just have to be chalked up to that.

6) USE ANY TRICK YOU CAN, but never lie.

------------------
Steve
[email protected]
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/jake7140" TARGET=_blank>My racing page
</A><A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/elrss" TARGET=_blank>Elkhart Lake Racing_&_Sipping Society
</A>

[gran racing]

Yes, being very vague is a great technique. When asked how much did that cost? I got a great deal on it! Or, it cost enough.

I once made the mistake of going into the theory of how racing actually made us money. Didn't previously know how to work on cars to repair out daily drivers, more motivation at work to get more money (speaking of which...), and a few other clever ideas. Yeah, that didn't go very far.

------------------
Dave Gran
NER ITB #13
'87 Honda Prelude si

[mgyip]

However one way to save money is to DIY as much as possible. This has a dual benefit of saving money AND giving you the knowledge that YOU did the work so that if anything fails (or succeeds) that YOU are the reason.

Depending on your time constraints, DIY the hard stuff as well - you'll gain a world of experience if nothing else. If you can't ultimately fix it, you'll end up paying to get it done right BUT it was already broken before you started...