Is Motor Racing That Expensive?

[Tim Falce]

In the grand scheme of things is our hobby as expensive as we mostly say it is? From the outset I admit I'm one of those that often complain about the money I spend on racing but I've just been to Devon for a couple of days break and It's cost me far more than a UK race weekend would have.

Admittedly most of the cost was for a cottage we rented although hotels came in at a similar price but fuel was around £140 then there's meals out etc. I haven't been on a holiday or break for around 12 years so I am completely out of touch with prices but it was an eye opener and I perhaps wont worry so much in the future about what I spend on racing, the only difference being I wouldn't be going on holiday every fortnight or month so I guess it all builds up over the year.
So comparing with holidays is it that expensive?

BTW, having taken our two dogs and walked 6 miles on Saturday and an hour walking on a beach in Cornwall with a hike up a mountain to get off the beach my ankles are now refusing to work so I am thankful I have the rest of the week to recuperate.

[Peter Mallett]

Shhh, IT's THE CHEAPEST SPORT ANYONE CAN GET INVOLVED IN.

[MGDavid]

motor racing AND weekend away, have you won the lottery?
in our house motor racing IS a weekend away

[PRS RH01]

My standard response to people who say racing is expensive is to say its as expensive as you want to make it . I run the Classic Formula Ford championship and say that at least half of my guys spend less than £1500 per year and cherry pick there rounds and it down to me to make sure they are circuits they all want . As a national championship i work on £2000 for fuel and accomadation and £3000 race entry and fuel. As our cars are going up 6%pa do you knock that off your costs or as i do just accept i have an asset shuts her in doors up ! and your right holidays and racing must be a millionaire must remember to doff my cap next time i see him

In answer to the posting racing is only as expensive as you want to make it .Im from Manchester and if i had a season ticket to ether of the local clubs and went to all the games i would spend a dam site more .
Remember race hard but fair most of us have to be in work on a Monday morning and remember to wave to the marshals on the slowing down lap .



Peter

[Tim Falce]

I did say, "I haven't been on a holiday or break for around 12 years so I am completely out of touch with prices".
I'm not a millionaire any more, I've just been on holiday

[Peter Mallett]

For me, I think I could do all sorts of things with the money I'd save if I didn't race cars. I could afford two VIP passes to the British GP; or, I could buy that Bentley Continental GT; or I could have that villa in Monaco.

The fact is some people do complain at the expense but forget that they'd still spend the money anyway. Some folks are lucky enough to have the holidays, race cars and have the house abroad. Others just enjoy their weekends at a race circuit.

[chunder]

I would love to race, ad the problem is not money

The problem is finding somewhere to keep a car, inding somewhere to keep a trailer, and then finding somehting to tow it with, those things would all be part of a race budget for me.

If I could just buy a car and race it great!

[Peter Mallett]

Why not rent one? Arrive and drive.

[davyboy]

Having indulged in my passion for nigh on 30 years, I did used to think that motor racing was expensive... then I went through a divorce and realized just how cheap motor sport really was !

[mountainstar]

Motor Racing is very expensive, especially these days.

The big issue is the initial outlay for all of the equipment. First there is the car, then you've got to have some sort of way of transporting it, so that means a trailer and tow vehicle. Then you've got spare parts, tools and probably hire or have some help to maintain and repair the car at the track or back at base(putting tools in my hands is a bad idea). Then you've got all of your safety equipment. Then you've got entry fees, insurance, travel expenses and other minutiae expenses.

It all adds up.

One part of it, is if you have a car that still has a class to compete in, you might be able to sell it and recoup some of the cost, but then that is down the road.

[Peter Mallett]

Can you just SHUT UP!

[fourWheelDrift]

Originally Posted by davyboy

Having indulged in my passion for nigh on 30 years, I did used to think that motor racing was expensive... then I went through a divorce and realized just how cheap motor sport really was !

Not if it leads to a divorce it's not.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Tim Falce

In the grand scheme of things is our hobby as expensive as we mostly say it is? From the outset I admit I'm one of those that often complain about the money I spend on racing but I've just been to Devon for a couple of days break and It's cost me far more than a UK race weekend would have.

Admittedly most of the cost was for a cottage we rented although hotels came in at a similar price but fuel was around £140 then there's meals out etc. I haven't been on a holiday or break for around 12 years so I am completely out of touch with prices but it was an eye opener and I perhaps wont worry so much in the future about what I spend on racing, the only difference being I wouldn't be going on holiday every fortnight or month so I guess it all builds up over the year.
So comparing with holidays is it that expensive?

BTW, having taken our two dogs and walked 6 miles on Saturday and an hour walking on a beach in Cornwall with a hike up a mountain to get off the beach my ankles are now refusing to work so I am thankful I have the rest of the week to recuperate.

So NOW you're on holiday!

[graham bahr]

depends on how you look at it, i have several colleges who's drinking and smoking habits would more than 50% fund my racing, if you then add in their "need" to have the latest TV's, mobile phones, cameras home appliances, all the sky packages etc etc i recon i spend less on my hobby!

[Tim Falce]

If I'm honest the biggest thing that puts me off doing more racing is the travelling to some of the circuits which is why I've only done two races at Brands and one at Silverstone this year.
I was going to venture to Oulton Park next month but work and the Olympics has put the scuppers on that.

[GORDON STREETER]

Agreed on fags n booze, a guy that had a unit near me was always saying "I don't know how you can afford to race a car" whilst having a fag hanging on his bottom lip.
Both he and his wife smoked and I worked out that the pair of them were getting through about 7 to 8k a year as he was a heavy smoker and brought his dreaded weed from the local shop at full retail.
He also liked a pint or two, however he died of lung cancer last year unfortunately !
I am in the fortunate position of having holidays when I want them and the gaff in Spain, I live frugally and run about in old cheapo cars, but also I don't have a mortgage or "ankle biters"

[Al Weyman]

I am afraid I have limited my travelling to around 100 miles each way now. Yes I was amazed to see some packets of cigarettes in the corner shop at over £8 a pack!!!!!!

[GORDON STREETER]

At the end of the day you have got to make up your mind if you want to go racing or spend the hard earned on everything else. It's easy to spend 50 to 100 quid in the pub every night !
If you are a "normal" working class bloke like myself you can do it but you have to make a few sacrifices or hope you win the lottery !

[Hubble]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

For me, I think I could do all sorts of things with the money I'd save if I didn't race cars. I could afford two VIP passes to the British GP; or, I could buy that Bentley Continental GT; or I could have that villa in Monaco.

The fact is some people do complain at the expense but forget that they'd still spend the money anyway. Some folks are lucky enough to have the holidays, race cars and have the house abroad. Others just enjoy their weekends at a race circuit.

Two? Really..?

[PRS RH01]

the comments about the cost to set up are very true but a couple of my friends share a car with the aim of buying a second in a couple of years .
Im also involved in an autograss track by manchester airport and some of the guys leave there cars there so no tow car, no trailer and no storage problems oh and the entry fee is £6 and a car can be had for £500 .If you go on google earth and type in manchester airport and look just off the end of runway 05 L you will see the track . It allows me to get my racing fix in between circuit racing .

[Paul D]

I tend to agree with a what a few others have already said - it's as expensive as you want to make it. Yes, OK, there are ongoing costs that can't be avoided, most obviously fuel and entry fees, but with a bit of thought, savings can be made on lots of the other stuff.

I'm fortunate enough to be in the motor trade, so already have a lot of the stuff that I'd otherwise need to buy. But come on - if you're on a tight budget, then you don't actually need a brand new Race Shuttle and an X5 to tow it with. A used trailer for £500 plus an old Jeep/Range Rover/van (delete as appropriate) for another grand will do the job, so you don't have to spend a fortune.

I'll admit, not being loaded myself, I have to make sacrifices to go racing. My daily driver is also my tow vehicle, and it's 15 years old. We don't have expensive (or any other kind, come to that) holidays or a lavish lifestyle. We rarely go out, and I don't drink or smoke. No kids either. Plus, I do all the prep and work on the cars myself - which I appreciate not everyone can do. Oh my God... I've just realised - I have no life beyond racing!

A friend of mine, who is sadly no longer with us (he literally drank himself to death!), always used to say what a waste of money racing was. I once sat down and worked out that what he spent on booze and fags, when totted up over the year, would easily fund my racing!

He chose to send his money up in smoke or down the toilet - I choose to spend mine on racing. It's each to their own ultimately. But I'd say that many of us probably spend no more on racing than some others spend on far more mundane things - it's just that many of them don't realise how much they're spending, because it's just a constant drain of small amounts here and there, every day, whereas we tend to spend fairly large chunks in one go, so it's more obvious what you're spending.

[GORDON STREETER]

Well said Paul D that just about sums it up

[Icarus_nz]

Racing well never be cheap.

Racing can be affordable

Where is gets expensive is when you let your dreams take over - bigger, better, faster, louder, more bling.

It isn't motorsport - its moneysport

Work out your budget and select your event/speed carefully.
The faster you go the more it costs.
Look at a $/lap cost when you select your vehicle
Favour reliability over outright speed.
Buy an existing built up race vehicle. DO NOT BUILD ONE YOURSELF unless you've won the lottery and intend to win it again

When Mark Webber retires the one won't be ringing at your house. Match your ambition to your wallet and enjoy your sport for what it is

[midgetman]

>>>>>>>>Buy an existing built up race vehicle. DO NOT BUILD ONE YOURSELF unless you've won the lottery and intend to win it again

I don't agree with that. Building a car has many advantages:

1. It's FUN and thats why we race
2. Costs can be spread over a period of time
3. You can build what you can afford
4. I've heard many horror stories of people buying "race winning cars" that turned out to need as much money spending on them as the purchase price
5. It's FUN and that's why we racen
6. You learn so much more about your car and how to fix it trackside

Each way of going racing has its advantages and disadvantages, it's what suits the individual.

[Paul D]

Originally Posted by midgetman

>>>>>>>>Buy an existing built up race vehicle. DO NOT BUILD ONE YOURSELF unless you've won the lottery and intend to win it again

I don't agree with that. Building a car has many advantages:

1. It's FUN and thats why we race
2. Costs can be spread over a period of time
3. You can build what you can afford
4. I've heard many horror stories of people buying "race winning cars" that turned out to need as much money spending on them as the purchase price
5. It's FUN and that's why we racen
6. You learn so much more about your car and how to fix it trackside

Each way of going racing has its advantages and disadvantages, it's what suits the individual.

Agree with that!

If you have the knowledge and the facilities, then why not? You'll know the car inside out when you're done, and if you can do the work yourself, then it doesn't necessarily have to cost a fortune. If you're paying to have it done, then yes, it will be expensive.

But savings can be made with a bit of ingenuity and research. As an example, I recently wanted to upgrade the antiquated drum brakes on the rear of my car to a disc braked set-up. The established companies that offer such a conversion 'kit' wanted, typically, at least £400 for the parts kit. With a bit of thought, research and planning, I designed my own bespoke system and installed it myself. The total cost? Under £90! OK, that included only good used calipers, but so what? It also got me brand new discs and my own made braided flexy hoses. I even managed to keep the handbrake, and it works! And whilst saving over £300 is a nice feeling, it's also very satisfying to know that you've come up with the whole installation on your own, and made it work effectively - and it does, as I've raced it since the conversion, and the brakes are sooo much better now!