Sean F

All kidding aside about making small fortunes from large ones. Who makes money in motorsports? Team owners, track owners, parts suppliers, software companies, service businesses? Where is the money?

paradisenb

Huh? Top tier F1 drivers.

After that I'd guess large private teams like TRG and FL. Wouldn't you guess they make there money from paying drivers?

Of course Mazda and Porsche on vehicles sold to privateers.

Kool

Team owners, Promoters, Support companies like tires and brake manufacturers.

volpenyc

Motorsports Racing is a "loss leader" as we like to say...

pat056

I think that's a good question. It seems like the same teams stay in ALMS and Rolex every year. I wonder if it's because of the money or the love of the sport. The paid drivers do OK, but I don't know if they're getting rich, unless you call $200k/year getting rich.
I would guess it's the parts places by us racer wannabes buying them. and of course the car companies "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday".

BrianKeithSmith

CDOC sure does seem to do well

Kool

F1 has to be a money maker for the teams.

NASCAR makes money.

TRG and the like have to make money. Porsche Motorsport and M Motorsport certainly make money supporting races.

Racing on a amateur level is a "loss leader" but in the pros I think all parties make a profit. Penske is a good example of a road racer who has created an empire around racing.

Veloce Raptor

Some of the big teams with huge sponsorship deals (such as Newman/Haas or TRG) make big money for team principals. And yes, of course, big tire/fuel/parts suppliers, as well as event promoters and track owners make $$$.

race911

As in any business, those well managed race teams will have a positive result from the revenue/expenses equation. The twist here is that you're soliciting a sponsor v. having customers walk in your door, etc. What's the REAL nuts and bolts of, say, Penske's ALMS program finances? Love to have a peek at their books! Versus Dyson's........ But as was mentioned, the same major players seem to be there year after year. Beats selling snacks and sodas out of vending machines, I guess! But here I am.

Another story from the "good ol' days" when I'd go up to the Sears IMSA race at practically dawn to watch EVERY minute of track action. There were these two guys from South/Central America who ran Mustangs and Corvettes in the (then) GTO class. Hells Angels from Titusville, FL were the pit crew. Uh huh. Of course, the Pauls weren't much more legit...............

BBailey

The average team owner in Grand-Am, either Rolex or KONI, can make money if they aren't interested in driving and are simply going to the races as a business and treat it as such. How much you can make is purely determined by how competitive a car you put on the grid and how well you support the paying drivers.

JackOlsen

Big Oil is doing all right. I saw $8 track gas the other day.

Sean F

must have been on sale

race911

And we don't/wouldn't do the same in our own businesses?

Veloce Raptor

EXACTLY.

Plus, it is track owners/concessionaires who set the price of race gas at the track, not "big oil".

Austin

The real $ is in LEFTCAR. Team money comes mainly from via sponsorships (advertising). The France family is doing quite well.