BlueRiver86

A pro racer, from the team management side of things, is a driver who doesn't pay a rental fee, but doesn't necessarily get paid. We may pay them any combination of salary & travel/food expenses, let them drive for free, arrange for a renter to pay for both seats in exchange for "coaching", or in some cases they are provided by a sponsor.

It is also worth mentioning that a "pro" is rarely financially responsible for damages/missed shifts unless they own the car they are driving

Larry Herman

Some of us ARE on the podium at each race. Besides, I like new brakes. Something to do with stopping, not crashing at the end of the straight, etc.

vette6autox

Bingo

ZAPmobile

Yes, but there's only room for three of you guys up there.

Ok, I guess stopping is a good thing.

Bull

Shhh...his wife sends him money for each race in an envelope with a note on counterfeit letter head from the event organizers....she likes to see him go too!

Ritter v4.0

Is this Thread really 12 pages long?
I thought the answer was obvious; racers put down DEers because they can.

BobbyC

just warming for a long winter.

Ritter v4.0

Its human nature I guess.

I'm in Black/Group 4. I know I'm faster than some but still slower than most. You get to certain level and you think, hey I'm not bad- but you really do suk. I know I do. Still I enjoy it, but plan to race in the near future in the spec 996 class. Racing's my goal.

But comparing racing to DE is a non sequitur.

LVDell

The "pay to play" racers in Grand Am are called "gentleman racers" not pro racers. Think of it as a pro-am team and nobody is confusing them with the REAL pros.

Bull

Something has to make them feel better about themselves!

Mike in Chi

I would think whooping Colin and Larry butt would be compensation enough.

But I'll talk to Keith Clark to see if we can get you some payola for Road America.

ausgeflippt951

Speaking personally, I do DE because I don't yet have the budget to get into racing (read: poor, starving college student). I thoroughly enjoy honing my skills at driving a car, and DEs are the only option for me at the moment. Consequently, I sign up for as many opportunities to drive on a track as I possibly can.

That said, DE's are purely an avenue for me to get into racing. If I can improve my skills at this point in time, I'll be much better off once I begin racing.


I suppose the same argument could be posed for autocrossers. It's cheap and it teaches you about car control at slow speeds. But again -- I used it as an avenue to DE (once the budget permitted). As a result, I haven't looked at Autoxing the same -- it seems so ninny. "Why do the autox-lifers continue to do something so relatively un-fun???"

I am absolutely certain I will feel similarly once i get into w2w racing. Now, I have had plenty of experience working in a racing atmosphere, but I have personally never been the one racing.


Granted, I have never considered DEs to be "racing," nor have I ever thought that they were more extreme/exciting/taxing/superior than racing, either.

Larry Herman

Uhh, we all know that Charlie is driving well, but he does have a faster car (in a higher class) than I did. Stop trying to stir up trouble.

Mike in Chi

A moderator would never try to stir up trouble -- we are by definition the voices of truth.

That , and and I was trying to distract you from the final score of the Igles game, for fear you will becrowing for days to come...

good hands

Racing is sex.
DE is foreplay.
Condoms can end up being really expensive