Why Aren't You Racing?

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by John DiBartolomeo

OK, so we've heard all the excuses as to dwindling car counts and there's probably dozens of others. Let's change this around and how about what can be done about it? And forget the fact of the economy or the a change in government. That'll probably never happen. What would it take to get you to come to a race? Why go to one and not another?

Better round money? Not everyone can win or runner up at the events and better round money would go a long way to help pay the towing gas bills, etc. to make the weekend a little less expensive.

[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.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by B Aceves

Mr Beard, If you take all those figures you came up with and double them now thats what it takes to race on the West Coast !!
National Event entry 280$ tickets for wife and kids 180$ cheap motel 3 nights 240$
Fuel 350$ round trip, Do you not maintain your Race Car that is a yearly expense ?
What about Race Gas Gotta have that dont we ? Food brought with us is a expense
Do you not eat ? I think your leaving a few things out dont ya lol.
Lets see Im no Math expert but I can Add.. Expense not even including most the costs is uh 1,050$ tax not included lol. God I love this sport

Ya cant count food if you cook your own because you still eat when your home.....dont you?

[Michael Beard]

It's not worth picking apart point by point, but I could do the same trip for nearly half. I've even gone to San Antonio (2,600 mile round trip), for less than $1,000.

@Mike -- Travel costs are a moot argument anyway, as you didn't go to Pittsburgh, Thompson, Norwalk, or Columbus. If you can't go, you can't go.

It does seem that travel costs are the biggest factor, and once again it comes back to things that aren't even race cars... look at some photos of the pits 10, 15, or 20 years ago and compare them with today, and you'll find your answer. It not only costs a lot more to get the bigger rig in the first place, but it costs twice as much to feed it. Anyone worried about the cost of racing but getting less than 10mpg has the answer right in front of them. Even when I had borrowed a truck and enclosed trailer to make the San Antonio trip one year, that combo got 13mpg.

Double races do cost more on a given weekend, but your cost per race is significantly lower than a single event that is dragged out over the course of 3-4 days. Are you going to race, or just to get away from it all and hang out, and maybe make a few passes?

JohnD brings up the most important point. Regardless of the why nots, what are the why FORS? Personally, I select events based on where I can get the most racing done for a fair price. Even when I make a long trip, I'm looking at how I can get the most out of it, like running 4 races in 1 weekend at South Georgia. When I go to the national event in Michigan this summer, it's a Fri-Sat race. I'll hit a $2K BottomBulb Series race in Kentucky on Sunday on the way home. I try to run points in multiple series. Last year, I ran a bracket race in South Carolina on Saturday night, came home and got 2 hrs sleep, then drove 6 hrs to MIR to get 1 time shot for the 2nd day of a Pro-Am. I've gone to races with double-digits in my checking account (more than once, I'm afraid). I'll sleep in the truck, in a tent, on the floor of a buddy's trailer, or on a friend's couch. The bottom line is that racing is my life, and I will do what it takes. I may not be keeping up with the Jones's off the track or in the pits, but I make up for it on the race track.

$.02,

[B Aceves]

Originally Posted by X-TECH MAN

Ya cant count food if you cook your own because you still eat when your home.....dont you?

Yes, Sure do. My point was if you had to eat at the track hold on to your Shorts!!
Our tracks around here charge 6.00$ for a hamburger I would not feed my Dog...
Just trying to point out that is does cost more than Mr Beard's figures.
I know he is a very successful racer and is doing something very right so maybe he
should let me move in with him for a year or two lol.

[Ed Carpenter]

Originally Posted by WheelsUp

How many rounds did you go?

Whats that have to do with costs?

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by B Aceves

Our tracks around here charge 6.00$ for a hamburger I would not feed my Dog...

So... don't buy them. That's what they charged at San Antonio a few years ago. I drove 3 miles or so down the road, got a $5 footlong from Subway, and made two meals out of it. The most I'll spend at a race track is typically $3.50 for a BBQ. I don't eat a lot on race day.

Some of those weekend days that I'm *not* at a race track end up costing me just as much if not more... try going out for dinner and a movie, and hit Target and Sam's Club... At least I can *make* money at a race track!

I don't even play it as close to the vest as I used to. You want to learn how to pinch a penny, hang out with MYRON!

[Mike Carr]

Michael, the best quote I heard described a racer you and I both know very well.

"_____'s not cheap. He's frugal".

[WheelsUp]

Originally Posted by deuces wild

Whats that have to do with costs?

Nothing, I was just curious.

[Ed Carpenter]

I lost 1st round both days. So my take for the weekend was 0.00