How much does motorsports cost?

[flohtingPoint]

I've never really charted my full list of expenses before, only hard materials (tires/wheels/motors/etc). In an attempt to try to figure out what my yearly total cost is, this thread will contain EVERY dollar I put in to motorsports (fuel/registration fees/hotels/etc). It's going to be slightly inflated due to the fact that I need to buy a truck/trailer, but I can factor that out at years end.

So far, I've yet to turn a wheel in anger this year but these are the initial costs I've charted:

Wheels/tires for the car I'm co-driving this year nationally
2 18x7.5 Enkei Racing RPF1 BLK PAINT $274.00 each $548.00 total
2 P245/40ZR -18 Hoosier A6 $307.00each $614.00 total

Shipping: $52.51
Order Total Including Shipping: $1,214.51

New SA2010 Helmet, new gloves and a funnel for racing fuels and a DC SCCA sticker to cover up some chipped paint for the time trial car
G-FORCE PRO 5 DRIVING GLOVES (X-Large,Red) $89.99
BELL K1 SPORT SA2010 HELMET (X-Large,Flat Black) $399.95
SCRIBNER FUNNEL - 14" D-SHAPED (Red) $15.35
SCCA WASHINGTON DC REGION STICKER $3

Free shipping
Total: $508.29

Registration for SCCA Solo Dixie National Tour stop
$94

So far, before the season has even started for me, I've spent $1816.8

UPDATE 21FEB11

Corolla front bumper cover: $120.69 shipped.


UPDATE 22FEB11

Summit Point Karting groupon for membership and 4 sessions: $35



UPDATE 23FEB11

MLS Tire Blankets: $188.51 shipped


UPDATE 26FEB11

SCCA Solo Atlanta National Tour entry fee: $94
Race car storage for Jan/Feb/Mar: $285


UPDATE 02MAR11

Washington DC Region SCCA Solo Subscription: $280
Hotel for Dixie National Tour: $166.29
Fuel for the Corolla: $15


UPDATE 08MAR11

Fuel for getting to/from Bowie, MD for testing the MS3: $7.80
SCCA Philly region registration for Dover: $35

TOTAL SPENT IN 2011: $3044.09

[Bubba1]

I've never really charted my full list of expenses before, only hard materials (tires/wheels/motors/etc). In an attempt to try to figure out what my yearly total cost is, this thread will contain EVERY dollar I put in to motorsports (fuel/registration fees/hotels/etc). It's going to be slightly inflated due to the fact that I need to buy a truck/trailer, but I can factor that out at years end.

So far, I've yet to turn a wheel in anger this year but these are the initial costs I've charted:

Wheels/tires for the car I'm co-driving this year nationally
2 18x7.5 Enkei Racing RPF1 BLK PAINT $274.00 each $548.00 total
2 P245/40ZR -18 Hoosier A6 $307.00each $614.00 total

Shipping: $52.51
Order Total Including Shipping: $1,214.51

New SA2010 Helmet, new gloves and a funnel for racing fuels and a DC SCCA sticker to cover up some chipped paint for the time trial car
G-FORCE PRO 5 DRIVING GLOVES (X-Large,Red) $89.99
BELL K1 SPORT SA2010 HELMET (X-Large,Flat Black) $399.95
SCRIBNER FUNNEL - 14" D-SHAPED (Red) $15.35
SCCA WASHINGTON DC REGION STICKER $3

Free shipping
Total: $508.29

Registration for SCCA Solo Dixie National Tour stop
$94

So far, before the season has even started for me, I've spent $1816.8

That's really not that bad if you back out the stuff you don't normally buy each year, like helmet/gloves/extra wheels.

So you're finally joining the dark side of the force and getting a tow vehicle? What are you thinking about? I recommend old beavertails...

[flohtingPoint]

That's really not that bad if you back out the stuff you don't normally buy each year, like helmet/gloves/extra wheels.

So you're finally joining the dark side of the force and getting a tow vehicle? What are you thinking about? I recommend old beavertails...

I buy a new helmet and gloves each year because of the volume of events I do. My gear usually smells terrible at the year end.

Probably just a simple SUV + trailer. I need something easily fixed should it break and easily part sourced in pick'n'pulls.

[Bubba1]

I buy a new helmet and gloves each year because of the volume of events I do. My gear usually smells terrible at the year end.

Probably just a simple SUV + trailer. I need something easily fixed should it break and easily part sourced in pick'n'pulls.

How 'bout a cool trailer like this....


http://bringatrailer.com/2011/02/12/bat ... ed-hauler/

[flohtingPoint]

I buy a new helmet and gloves each year because of the volume of events I do. My gear usually smells terrible at the year end.

Probably just a simple SUV + trailer. I need something easily fixed should it break and easily part sourced in pick'n'pulls.

How 'bout a cool trailer like this....


http://bringatrailer.com/2011/02/12/bat ... ed-hauler/

I'll draft a check this afternoon.

[flohtingPoint]

Updated with front bumper cover cost. My current front bumper isn't Street Prepared legal and I needed a new front bumper cover.

[PEZi]

This thread is killing me. The things I could do to this truck if I had $2k to spend would be awesome enough to bring it to nationals just for the hell of it. Right now I just need about $500 or so to get it back up and running before April and I'm cutting it pretty close.

[Fenris]

Hmm....

new 17x7.5's with new tires... $700

New springs and struts.... $400

Memberships for local motor sport clubs $200

Misc suspension components $200


Running STS as a full on noob, priceless

[PEZi]

I ran in a prepared class as a full on newb... and still do. You'll be fine

[flohtingPoint]

Updated with Summit Point Karting membership groupon

[flohtingPoint]

UPDATED with tire blankets

[Rev_D21]

I'm not even registered yet but am spending like a mad man already. I just grabbed a set of Sumitomo HTR A/S for $275 shipped. I still need lower control arms and one Moog ball joint for another $300. One of these days I will bite the bullet and total all my receipts.

I'd love an old Beavertail but no such luck finding one that isn't big dollars or a pile of crap. I looked at old UD trucks but those are not so common around here either. Still need to get a helmet DAMMIT!

[Bubba1]

I'm not even registered yet but am spending like a mad man already. I just grabbed a set of Sumitomo HTR A/S for $275 shipped. I still need lower control arms and one Moog ball joint for another $300. One of these days I will bite the bullet and total all my receipts.

I'd love an old Beavertail but no such luck finding one that isn't big dollars or a pile of crap. I looked at old UD trucks but those are not so common around here either. Still need to get a helmet DAMMIT!

My beavertail was a real eyesore when I bought it, but I've been chipping away at freshening it up. I have a friend who bought a really clean one for $8K in NC after he saw mine (his has a big block chevy). He said it took him about two months to find it. I do see a few come up for sale every so often, I could alert you as I run into them.

[PEZi]

The credit card bills are racking up! less than a month before "sleepy truck" comes out of slumber!

Doesn't help my damn check from work bounced

I will cause my store owner harm one day......

[Bubba1]

The credit card bills are racking up! less than a month before "sleepy truck" comes out of slumber!

Doesn't help my damn check from work bounced

I will cause my store owner harm one day......

I think you'll drive yourself crazy if you itemize every cost. The pleasure/reward derived from motorsports at an amateur level is mostly non=monetary. So virtually everything you do requires an outlay. Everyone's budget for adrenaline therapy with a vehicle varies. Some are going to say you're spending too much, others will say you haven't spent much at all.

[jdrop]

Car: $700
Making it driveable (Summit/McMaster/Junkyard car): $1500+
Intake/Header/Exhaust: $550
Koni 8611's: $600
Koni 8610's: $400
Custom housings: $200. And free, too...
Wheels, 17x7.5: $500
Tires (Toyo I think): $500
Registration, Emissions, Taxes: $250

***I can't even drive it yet because I don't have seats. Awesome. Part of my co-drive fee for this year was to have my codrivers buy the wheels/tires and the 8611's.

We did the costs out (because we're masochists?) of running each of our cars per minute. My ST 240 costs about $7 per minute to run, which takes into account tires, gas, and fluids. The SM 240 costs $35 per minute, and more like $70 at National events.

Also, I started off in DSP and SM on Hoosiers, and then went to a moderately prepped HS car...I'll say that if I had started in a less-grippy, less powerful class I probably would have gotten better, faster.

[Rev_D21]

The credit card bills are racking up!

I pay cash for everything these days. It might take me longer to get to where everyone else is but in the end I own everything that's on my truck, including the truck itself.

[flohtingPoint]

UPDATED with Atlanta National Tour stop fee

[flohtingPoint]

UPDATED with race car storage cost

[PEZi]

I pay cash for everything these days. It might take me longer to get to where everyone else is but in the end I own everything that's on my truck, including the truck itself.

I pay on card cause most of it is online. Then as soon as the paycheck comes in, I pay it off. This time, however, the paycheck bounced. We'll see what happens.

[Rev_D21]

Good luck to you on that. That's the main reason I don't use credit.

[flohtingPoint]

UPDATED with SCCA season subscription, hotel for Dixie National Tour and fuel for Corolla

[Bubba1]

I'm not even registered yet but am spending like a mad man already. I just grabbed a set of Sumitomo HTR A/S for $275 shipped. I still need lower control arms and one Moog ball joint for another $300. One of these days I will bite the bullet and total all my receipts.

I'd love an old Beavertail but no such luck finding one that isn't big dollars or a pile of crap. I looked at old UD trucks but those are not so common around here either. Still need to get a helmet DAMMIT!

My beavertail was a real eyesore when I bought it, but I've been chipping away at freshening it up. I have a friend who bought a really clean one for $8K in NC after he saw mine (his has a big block chevy). He said it took him about two months to find it. I do see a few come up for sale every so often, I could alert you as I run into them.

Here are a couple nice beavertails on ebay. the '69 is reburbished, the '88 is a crew cab, which is pretty sharp. Mine is an '86.


http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw ... m270.l1311

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1988-Che ... 1e61db32d6

[flohtingPoint]

Updated with fuel and Dover registration

[jdrop]

Does your region do a prepay for events, or are your region dues actually $280????

[flohtingPoint]

Yea, that 280 was reg for all WDCR events. Pre-pay subscription and number holder.

[PEZi]

Ugh... I bit the bullet. Been dreading paying for all this... but knocked out ALL of my fluids and the odyssey battery last night... here comes the pain with lexan, valve job, oil pan and valve cover gasket, bushing pressing etc. still to come. Anyone remotely near me that wants to help over spring break would be my hero :/

[Bubba1]

Another nice beavertail, in the price range I paid...

In pretty nice shape.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-FOR ... lQ5fTrucks

[AceInhole]

I've been told it's never a good idea to catalog your racing expenses.

Yet somehow I've figured out on average it costs $75/min to run my S14.... (that is not a typo, and does not include towing, event fees, etc).

Good luck this year!

[Bubba1]

I've been told it's never a good idea to catalog your racing expenses.

You're correct. A more important question is not how much one spends on motorsport (which is always gonna add up quickly), but whether the person spending the money feels it's worth it.