Porsche917K

When this series started out it was hilarious. I'm surprised everyone drove so rough being that they are footing the bill.

ZAPmobile

If you want to make money in Pro sports car racing don't quit your day job.

Pro sports car racing is a labor of love not a way to get rich. As has been said elsewhere sponsorship, teaching, endorsements,etc are want help pay the bills.
Plus you had better start around 5 in karts and have parents who are willing to give up a lot, if you want to compete in today's Pro racing world.

We have seen time and time again, one year you win everything and next year you don't have a ride.

How many of you can live like that

Lemming

I had a proud dad tell me "my son is now a pro racer, he got a grand am ride", I responded, "you have a big wallet". I don't think he was very happy with my response

MJR911

$2500 for a name that we'd all know, top level Porsche "pro" (although on the aged side), to drive with you at Daytona in 2007.

That amount has probably gone down.

MJR911

The Daytona 24 hr that is.

VaSteve

How much to help me win my next DE?

TT Gasman

There are lots of NASCAR teams that just fill the field. They have a car that is good enough to qualify then they park it after a few laps and collect a relatively big payout. You see this every weekend. Minimal overhead compared to the top level teams. It's one of the dirty little secrets of NASCAR.

mkd944

As the saying goes...If you want to make a small fortune in racing, start with a large one.

ZAPmobile

For you have I have a deal; $10,000 not a dollar more.

C.J. Ichiban

as analogmike said- and being personal friends with a few ALMS and grand-am guys as well as knowing a few former open-wheelers (not name dropping just trying to clarify) that most of the guys race for love and pay their bills as instructors unless you're absolutely a "champion" in your series/class.

factory drivers (porsche, audi, etc) are paid in the mid 4 figures to low 5 figures per race weekend depending on who sponsors the team and who owns the team.

the only drivers making BIG money are F1 , Nascar, and a few indy drivers. Even the driver for USF1 is only getting the seat because his "sponsors" are paying 8 million bucks for him...not too different a dynamic than a indy lights guy or a star mazda driver.

Mahler9th

I am sure there are books and/or articles about the $$ flow in racing. Sure, part of the revenue pie is from ticket sales and other stuff... but the more advertising money in a series, the better the opportunity for all involved. Including the drivers. In racing here in the US, I think the distribution has NASCAR drivers at the top and sportscar drivers on the tail. I wonder if the average salary in NASCAR will ever get to what it is in a major US pro sport, like say, MLB (which I think may be in the millions per year). In any case, best opportunities for drivers to generate revenues here in the US seems to be in NASCAR. They sell lots of M&M's and Tide. And they know they wouldn't sell as much if they didn't spend as much. That being said, I haven't read anything lately, and I wonder what quantitative toll our current economy has had on pro sports, including racing a la NASCAR. Less pie for some I'd guess, including perhaps the top drivers. But I think there is delay built into the economic system.

blake

I know a guy from high school who has spent his career behind the wheel. His dad was a heart surgeon and funded him through college, forged birth certificate and all. He even drove a Ferrari at 16 to school...

He peaked in Trans-Am and Indy Lights in his mid 20s, then got into sponsorship problems as his primary sued HIM for defaming their brand on the track. He then spent the next ten years as a hired gun (Le Mans, Sebring, Enduros, etc.) and finally hung it up last year as a full time job because he couldn't pay the bills anymore at age 36. He is still co-driving in a televised series, but has a buddy with deep pockets paying his way..

My goal is to follow the route of Patrick Dempsey - bank some serious money and then set a very large annual budget to fund my own racing. I personally like the IMSA/Patron GT3 series, and estimate that $400K per season should cover it...

Damn, got to get back to work...

-B

Rassel

If you think racers got poor pay (when they do actually get paid..), you should see what the mechanics and engineers earn. It's not really thrilling numbers there, and they don't even get to drive..

I've do/done racing budgets and it's often a sad calculation when done realistically and often a fight with the financial controller. Many drivers start their season without having their budget sorted out. This becomes a problem, since if they crash the car - it's can be all over. Factory contracts, personal sponsors or rich team owners are often necessary and work as an instructor is.. well.. it's a way to pay the bills but rarely to buy a house. Just as any business, many racers need to exploit every opportunity they have to get an income.

This is of course a topic that can be discussed forever, since budgeting a pro race career includes a lot of optimistic variables where you work against the time. Sadly..

NaroEscape

Though you'd find this interesting: Below are the Petit LeMans race break out winnings, and the chart for the entire 2009 ALMS season.

So...run a multi-million dollar car in P1/P2, spend truck loads of money for transportation, crew, parts, spares, etc. etc. etc.. WIN THE DAMN THING!! and make $24,000. Probably barely pays for the crew hotels and meals....

I spoke to a GT2 team owner maybe 4-5 years ago at Petit LeMans, and he said it costs about $2 million per year to run a 2 car team in ALMS..and that was before the really expensive RSR's came out. Figure it's probably closer to $3 million.

Remember, this is the TEAM prize money.....for a 10 hour race!

DM993tt

I heard pat Long got 5G from TRG to run the 24 last year. (But he is also a factory driver - gets paid by porsche, has a cute female assistant in nomex follow him everywhere doting on his every need.) So he is salaried by porshce as well and those drivers have a pretty rigorous schedule, porsche keeps them on a pretty tight leash.

Maybe Mr. Loles has some insight on this topic.... Greg??