Jump to content

Typical Race Weekend Budget


Typical Race Weekdend Budget  

58 members have voted

  1. 1. How much do you plan to spend per race weekend?

    • <$2,000
      1
    • $2-$3,000
      10
    • $3-$4,000
      27
    • $4-$5,000
      15
    • >$5,000
      6


Recommended Posts

All in, what does you weekend cost? PER CAR for teams with more than 1 entry.

 

For those who fly, leave that out.  For those who have free nights in hotels, that doesn't help.  Preparing the car, consumables (tires, gas, oil, brakes, etc.) while at the track, entry fee, hauling fee, etc.  Ignore major repairs should someone have an oopsie.

 

We are a solid mid-pack team (318iS, more skill needed to improve for sure) who stays on track the whole weekend.  We go through 1/2 set of tires (RS4s), 1/3 set of brake pads (PFC enduros), 5 quarts of oil the whole weekend (Mobil 1), ~100 gallons of 93 octane, and ~$100-$250 to drag the car to the track in a 1/2 ton Chevy.  Brake fluid is pennies, diff/trans and once per season.

 

I would estimate $3,000 per weekend plus hotels if we can't drive to the track from home both days.

Edited by Originalsterm
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Entry fee $1500, tires $700, brakes $400 (PFC's and Power Stop) , fuel $30/hr ($720 for our next race at VIR24), fluids $100, towing is anywhere between $200 and $500 round trip, and no matter how good a weekend is, there is always about $500 in typical repairs / general maintenance so I just lump that in. Looking at anywhere between $3800 and $4400 depending on the length of the race and distance to/from the track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

I budgeted $4500 to $6500 a weekend when I was racing every month. Depended on the track location, fuel usage, brake usage etc 

For the Opel Sebring weekend I am pretty much paying for everything my self. No sponsors or fees. So I am figuring $4000 or so.

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
1 hour ago, Bill Strong said:

I budgeted $4500 to $6500 a weekend when I was racing every month. Depended on the track location, fuel usage, brake usage etc 

For the Opel Sebring weekend I am pretty much paying for everything my self. No sponsors or fees. So I am figuring $4000 or so.

 

 

 

That is because you spent $1000-1500 a race on transmissions. hehe.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our weekends very but I would say out average as a Team it is close to $4K.  That is entry fee, brake pads, rotors, tires (every other race), oil (that is well over $100), Fuel, and misc. maintenance items like hub bearings, clutch MC, etc...    Our next race will be a Double 7 so we will not buy new pads or tires as we will use up the spares we have acquired so that race will be a little cheaper than normal.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't ask my kids to respond, they will skew the response since I fund their exploits.  For them it only costs them having to put up with me being a parent.

 

 

Actual money spent also depends on the number of people who like my car so much they want to come over and touch it.  First 4 seasons of Champ included 3 trips to the frame shop.  I've re-painted every panel except the rear trunk lid.

 

It also depends on the format and distance from home.  The 12 hour race that is only 2 hours from home, we sleep one night in the trailer, no hotels.  The 8+7 that is 12 hours from home requires 3 or more nights for us and crew.  Adds up fast.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Travel is a big chunk I have found.  When we raced karts with 2 drivers, parts, tires (you go through a LOT of these), we were in the 2-3K for a weekend.  So relatively speaking our budget to start racing Champcar is somewhat higher but for the amount of wheel to wheel seat time we expect (as long as the car and drivers hold together) it's still a value you cannot beat.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Originalsterm said:

Paid crew? Or just buddies you bribe with food and drinks?

One professional mechanic who's a friend comes to a race here and there, when he does I pay him.  The rest are bribed by the experience.

Edited by LuckyKid
  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Gkuhn41 said:

Answer: who cares

 

 

 

-A team interested in becoming relevant might want to know how much more they might be spending

-An outsider looking to join a team

-An outsider looking to start a team

-A team who may have chosen a poor path that is costing way too much to go way to slow or break constantly

-Someone from another budget series looking to make the jump

-A series who wants to brand themselves as budget to ensure they are still following that plan

 

Other than those people I guess nobody would care.

Edited by Originalsterm
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/5/2021 at 11:45 AM, LuckyKid said:

We've averaged about $10k for the team including continuous development on the car, consumables, transport, RV rental, good dinners for the crew.  Local races are much less.

Good dinners arn't expensive, if you know a guy, And they are served at the track.

 

😜

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

What I find interesting so far is that 89% of people are spending less than 5K a weekend and 60%+ is spending less than 4K a weekend. That bodes well that our focus is still on being a budget series and the ones spending a lot of money each race are the outliers and do not represent the majority of teams.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, MR2 Biohazard said:

What I find interesting so far is that 89% of people are spending less than 5K a weekend and 60%+ is spending less than 4K a weekend. That bodes well that our focus is still on being a budget series and the ones spending a lot of money each race are the outliers and do not represent the majority of teams.

Agree, I’m still going to come back to Tires, haven’t had the time.
Racing after real life stuff...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members
37 minutes ago, Team Infiniti said:

Agree, I’m still going to come back to Tires, haven’t had the time.
Racing after real life stuff...

I was going to, but let it go. Having the same 7 guys jump on me on tires on the forum, I will let others bring up as needed now.

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...