Why Aren't You Racing?

[Ed Carpenter]

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I have made 3 IHRA doubles this year so 6 races in all. Never been to that many. Plan on attending the double in Crandall in Sept so that will make 8. When we went down to State Capitol in May it cost me a *(&&() fortune. I don't know how you guys do it running races all over the place. Ed

[dug283]

Expensive $$$$, I agree with everyone else post. And would like to add, after spending $$$ and winning a 1st round race then losing the 2nd round. We still leave empty handed... 1st round $$ would help a bit and give some incentive. Also the class prize $$ is not reflecting collected entries. Racers cost are rising, but the prize $$ is not or racers income. Compared to bracket racing at any of the local tracks, which I only do to get ready for class racing. I race for 800.00 - 500.00 prize $$, completed in the same day at a cost of $100, entry fee being 25.00 - 30.00. There are some other issues to deal with bracket racing, but my point is expense vs possible income. I love clas racing, but my wife looks at it from a math point of view.

[Mike Carr]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

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I have made 3 IHRA doubles this year so 6 races in all. Never been to that many. Plan on attending the double in Crandall in Sept so that will make 8. When we went down to State Capitol in May it cost me a *(&&() fortune. I don't know how you guys do it running races all over the place. Ed

The IHRA Doubles, while it's nice that youi can get two races for one trip, makes for an expensive weekend. A Double Race weekend is $350, just in crew/entry fees. If I had done the double at MIR this year, with motels, gas, tolls, etc, it would have been nearly a thousand dollars for one weekend.

A trip to Atco or E-town would be about $100 round trip just in tolls, too.

And, to answer the original question, I haven't raced since November 2006, because I'm not happy with the way racing is, and is going, and decided the effort, time and money wasn't worth it. I never thought I would see the day when I would lose the enthusiasm for racing, but it happened.

[X-TECH MAN]

Maybe we all should move in next door to Mr. Beard to cut back on the tolls and travel.....lol. Racing up north and especially around NJ and New "Yack" can get pretty pricey just in tolls when towing a trailer. Been there and done that.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Mike Carr

The IHRA Doubles, while it's nice that youi can get two races for one trip, makes for an expensive weekend. A Double Race weekend is $350, just in crew/entry fees. If I had done the double at MIR this year, with motels, gas, tolls, etc, it would have been nearly a thousand dollars for one weekend.

I call BS on this one. As your math teacher used to say, "Please show your work." I'm pretty sure it ain't $300 in tolls on that trip.

[Mike Meier]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

I call BS on this one. As your math teacher used to say, "Please show your work." I'm pretty sure it ain't $300 in tolls on that trip.

Buff Daddy said a few lines down: "A trip to Atco or E-town would be about $100 round trip just in tolls, too."

So onto my excuse:

I share his sentiment. I felt I was personally mistreated at a race, NHRA (management) did nothing to rectify the situation, so I told them they are not going to get another dime of my money until they either apologize or at least there is a change in management.

I haven't been down a track in 9 months, never renewed my membership / competition numbers, and I am not missing it one bit.

If it weren't for the fact that I own a stocker and enclosed trailer, I'd at least be out of the class racing business (not racing all together, but at least this level). That's the big downside to all of this, I am making payments on equipment that is sitting there not being used. Hell, I had some guy come up to me at a gas station and offer me $2,000 for my Suburban. I had to say "no" because what am I gonna do, go out and put a downpayment on ANOTHER big truck? No way.

I keep saying that I am going to race IHRA one of these days, but in reality the nearest race is a little over 4 hours away. To get there on-time and not be rushed I am going to have to take time off from work, no doubt about it.

It's really a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.

[Wade Mahaffey]

I really feel bad for those unhappy with the sport and/or the folks that run it. Everyone has good ideas of how it should be. Some people take actions for change, and some will comply with whatever. Most of the time, the ones most agravated are the ones fixed on one thing or have all their eggs in one basket. I feel it's better to be flexible, Example: a Stocker that can also fit in S/S, now he can race any National Event he wants. Or in my case, someone who raced a car then retired it to a street rod. You can still enjoy your car, and maybe go back to racing down the road. My Roadster is so much fun on the street, and it cost me fifteen bucks a day for fuel. As I build this 60 Corvette for Super/Stock, it is very mild and very versatile and/or miltifaceted. Put on a muffler and go right on the street! I don't need to depend on NHRA,IHRA, to give me a place to play. But if I want to go there, I can! Remember, if you want to do it.....do it today! Your not promised tomorrow my friend! forge on and never give up!

WHEN YOU STOP TRYING.....YOU START DYING (Wade Mahaffey)

X Man thanks for the kind words. self taught, self made my brother.

MB You are the one closest to breaking even on this board! congrats on that champ!

JD Use your influence to promote more combos with Nitro, give them another place to go and get rid of the index for those shows. So the folks that can't make the index, (little guy) can still dial-in. Get-um in the door, allow them time to learn how to go fast. Bring them along and up to standards as time goes along. You need new blood lines on the farm!

Wade Mahaffey

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Wade Mahaffey

I really feel bad for those unhappy with the sport and/or the folks that run it. Everyone has good ideas of how it should be. Some people take actions for change, and some will comply with whatever. Most of the time, the ones most agravated are the ones fixed on one thing or have all their eggs in one basket. I feel it's better to be flexible, Example: a Stocker that can also fit in S/S, now he can race any National Event he wants. Or in my case, someone who raced a car then retired it to a street rod. You can still enjoy your car, and maybe go back to racing down the road. My Roadster is so much fun on the street, and it cost me fifteen bucks a day for fuel. As I build this 60 Corvette for Super/Stock, it is very mild and very versatile and/or miltifaceted. Put on a muffler and go right on the street! I don't need to depend on NHRA,IHRA, to give me a place to play. But if I want to go there, I can! Remember, if you want to do it.....do it today! Your not promised tomorrow my friend! forge on and never give up!

WHEN YOU STOP TRYING.....YOU START DYING (Wade Mahaffey)

X Man thanks for the kind words. self taught, self made my brother.

MB You are the one closest to breaking even on this board! congrats on that champ!

JD Use your influence to promote more combos with Nitro, give them another place to go and get rid of the index for those shows. So the folks that can't make the index, (little guy) can still dial-in. Get-um in the door, allow them time to learn how to go fast. Bring them along and up to standards as time goes along. You need new blood lines on the farm!

Wade Mahaffey

IHRA and the Stock and S/S association here in Florida use the 3 tenths slower index for class cars NHRA used before the wack job.

[WheelsUp]

Originally Posted by Mike Meier

Buff Daddy said a few lines down: "A trip to Atco or E-town would be about $100 round trip just in tolls, too."

So onto my excuse:

I share his sentiment. I felt I was personally mistreated at a race, NHRA (management) did nothing to rectify the situation, so I told them they are not going to get another dime of my money until they either apologize or at least there is a change in management.

I haven't been down a track in 9 months, never renewed my membership / competition numbers, and I am not missing it one bit.

If it weren't for the fact that I own a stocker and enclosed trailer, I'd at least be out of the class racing business (not racing all together, but at least this level). That's the big downside to all of this, I am making payments on equipment that is sitting there not being used. Hell, I had some guy come up to me at a gas station and offer me $2,000 for my Suburban. I had to say "no" because what am I gonna do, go out and put a downpayment on ANOTHER big truck? No way.

I keep saying that I am going to race IHRA one of these days, but in reality the nearest race is a little over 4 hours away. To get there on-time and not be rushed I am going to have to take time off from work, no doubt about it.

It's really a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.

That's it four hours.

[Mike Carr]

Originally Posted by Michael Beard

I call BS on this one. As your math teacher used to say, "Please show your work." I'm pretty sure it ain't $300 in tolls on that trip.

Never said there were $300 in tolls.

MIR Double Pro-Am weekend projected costs:

-Entry: $135 x 2 races = $270.
-Crew: Two people @ $40 per person = $80.
-Motel: Two nights @ approximately $100 each = $200 I could cut the Friday night room out of the budget, and either leave home around midnight Saturday morning and drive pretty much all night to be there by 8 am, or try and sleep three in our dually somewhere in a rest area. Not ideal or comfortable, but doable.
-Gas: Haven't done the actual math. I know it would involve at least three fill-ups (one at home, once during the weekend, once on the way home). Thirty gallon tank. 30 gallons x three fill-ups (90 gallons) @ $2.79 per gallon = $251.10

Total so far: $801.10. Or, $701.10 with one good nights sleep.

Tolls, I am not sure of the exact figure. I know PA Tolls have gone up twice in the past few years. I have at least $5 in tolls before I get to the Turnpike (Toll Route 60, future I-376, that takes you to exit 1A/Exit 10 on the PA Turnpike). I went to Quarter Aces a few weeks ago, but neglected to check the toll amounts. Dad did say that towing, all the way across PA, would be nearly fifty dollars I would bet good money that tolls, between Turnpike and Rt 60 are AT LEAST $50, round trip [from Breezewood PA to Exit 1A back home], plus whatever the toll for the bridge is that we cross in MD/VA (I forget what the toll, and the bridge is--haven't been there since 2004). So we're up to at least $850, not counting food and any extra stuff we might want to buy on our trip (t-shirts, souvenirs, gift shops, etc). We can cook at the track and save some money, but you still need to buy the food at home to take with you, plus breakfast at the track isn't feasible.

So. all told, the budget for the weekend would be about $900, provided there are not any surprise expenses. Or, at least $800 if you only sleep one night in a hotel. Still not a cheap weekend, no matter what way you look at it.