M758

Seriously there is alot of big money talk here, but a 944-spec car which runs in NASA & POC both of which are local to you is about as cheap as you can get into racing. 10k on a car (I can point you to some if you wish) and then about $660 per weekend excluding transport and hotel costs. Car can be street legal if you chose and driven to the track. The car will be competitive in class as well. Consider it something Carrera Cup, but at 1/10th the cost.

No form of racing dirt cheap, but 944 spec racing is about as close as it comes. BTW... Since NASA runs DE along with racing they need instructors all the time. That really helps with the budget as well.

JimmiLew

Dood, all car related bills go to the office. Never give them your home address.
__________________

Larry, I have my bills sent to my email adress, and she just happend to look over my shoulder while I was reading it. I thought she was gonna faint (or was I that fainted and thats why she was reading it?)

Juan Lopez

if you have to ask........ I won't even try to calculate it.

Let's just say its cheaper (and much more fun) than an extramarital affair, psych counseling and antidepressants

DHinkle

We all find ways to justify our passion of racing. I've always equated mine to jewlry or furniture for my wife. if I back out the cost of my car and focus only on the expenses of maintaining and racing, the numbers looks so much better and she is still way ahead of me on money spent. I believe this theory falls under "voodo economics".

Related to the net worth of the racers, I do note a higher percentage of drivers with a lot of money learning to drive at the GTC3 and GTC4 class versus C and D stock. If anyone attended Petit this year, the back 10 cars in the Carrera Cup race certainly ran some interesting lines and unipressive lap times. BTW, the budget for that series is $15k per race weekend plus dispossables plus bent sheet metal (on car is on their 4th tub this race season).

993944S2

Just think of the creative financial skills you learn. I love those 0.99% interest checks my cc company keeps sending me.

Greg Fishman

I learned the trick to this. All of my racing expenses were paid out of a seperate account and the statements were mailed to the office. Part of my pay was deposited there as well as an reimbursement for mileage or other business expenses.

Greg Fishman

I remember the nice Hoosier tire lady bringing me over my invoice at a club race and handing it to my wife! Up until that point the cost of the tires was a "secret".

kurt M

1 slush fund.

2 see above.

Your$. My$ Our$ One of each keeps the peace in my house. Also, when you get a new go fast part tell the CFO that you swapped it with X for some part you already had. He can use the same white lie too.

Now to figure out how to cover the weekends away from the wife and kids...

993944S2

The "time" is the most difficult to put value on. Especially with young kids at home. My plan includes taking them to a go-kart track and seeing if I can get them hooked. If I can, it may make negotiations with the wife easier.

DHinkle

The time away is bigger to me than the money. Fortunately my boys can come with me to the track and they both will have a chance to earn the opportunity to learn how to drive (start with DE's and Autocross). My daughter is now old enough to hang out with my wife. It's a critical balance that we all must remember and address. As much as I love this hobby, I love my family more.

Larry Herman

My financial arrangement with my wife is based upon the 1960s principle of Mutually Assured Destruction. She knows that I can easily outspend her and devastate our financial future, and so we both behave (sort of ) and the racecar budget isn't discussed.

M758

Yep...
Right now I have a handle on costs, however due to time I have agreeded to run just one weekend per month in the cool season. I am lucky in that my races are "home" races were I drive to the track in the morning and can spend the evening at home with the wife and daughter and then go back the next morning. I am "allowed" maybe 1 out of state overnight weekend per year.

TD in DC

That is the deal I struck with my wife this past year: One event per month. I am feeling a little guilty even about this, so I may be even more choosy in the future, at least until the kids get a little older (3 year old daughter and 2 year old twin boys). I have never allowed this to become a permission deal because I am quite certain I would not like the answer I would get.

Cory M

Remember-

You can sleep in your car but you can't race your house.

analogmike

Anyone else live in a house that cost less than their race car?