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The Money Pit

6K views 71 replies 15 participants last post by  tatersalad314 
#1 ·
Those who have warned us newbies in advance... This sport is without a doubt... A money pit :twitch

In all reality, it's not that expensive... But it sure is a stick to the nuts up front! My wife is the best though. I've let her spend whatever she wants on decorating the house and making it a nice home for us, now she's letting me dump money into track days in full support of my aspiration to race. It'll be easier when our girls aren't itty bitty, but we're making it work.

I'm headed up north an hour or so to shop for trailers on Friday. I've found many deals on 5x8 enclosed trailers for $2,000 new. Already have plans to set it up with. For the rest of the supplies and gear I've ordered, it's already on the way. I just have to play the waiting game and dick around with my other two projects in the garage. Depending when everything gets here I'll be heading out to TWS again on the 30th. I won't be paying $75 like the first track day I did, but at least they offer military discount :punk
 
#2 ·
If you are planning on racing, get a 6'x10'.

And you have no idea how much more expensive racing is than track days.
 
#3 ·
Some of my working buddies and others, sometimes comment about how expensive track days must be...... I'm an Instructor and did 21 days last year. It is, to some extent, but I don't hunt, fish, golf, do other sports, or really have other hobbies, other than casual shooting on occasion. It also helps that my wife is an Instructor and loves track days almost as much as I do. I definitely could not have done this much when I was younger and my kids were younger, but they are grown, and have been for some time, so it's easier.
 
#4 ·
Yeah, track days and coaching are inexpensive really.

Like I said, the jump to racing is when shit gets really pricey, especially if you want to run up front.
 
#5 ·
Average trackday for me is entry, food, and a rear tire. My local track is really hard on tires. A smooth track, I could probably get 2 days out of a rear. Pretty much $300-$400 a day. If I have to travel, it's an easy $500-$600 a day. My goal is 5-7 days. But, the transmission on my SUV decided that I needed a new vehicle, so the monthly budget may disagree. A friend of mine races and says it's $2000-$2500 for a weekend of racing and that's if he doesn't go down.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I knew a few guys who were chasing Expert championships, and they had $40,000-$50,000 budgets for the season.

My budget was $25,000 for the season, which averaged out to be around $1,200/weekend. I ran pump gas though, so that saved me some money, and towards the end of the year I slept at the track, which saved me money as well.

I think Bob (It's_Just_Bob on here) was averaging like $800/weekend, so figure around $1,000/weekend if you want to race and be competitive.
 
#8 ·
Good point. Track days aren't that expensive - no clue about racing... I don't foresee myself racing until about 4-5 years when the kids are older. Then the question always rises, will I be able to complete a full season without deploying for 6+ months? I'd very much like to turn it into a reality, but we'll see what life says about it.
@AnthonyD Why the 6x10? I'm not sure what else I'll need room for, so thanks for the heads up :biggrin
 
#9 ·
Tools, generators, spare wheels, tires, and spare parts. A 5'x8' fills up real quick...
 
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#11 ·
Yup. After you crash and bend a footpeg or lever, and don't have a spare, and it ruins the rest of your track day making it a waste of money, you start to stock up on spares of everything.
 
#14 ·
Was already racing when I had my first two kids, they just came along to the track like nothing ever changed. But hey that was the 80's and things were different at the track then. You still travel the same to a given track burn the same amount of gas, eat the same amount of food ect, should be maintaining your bike the same. Besides the need for new tires all the time I think day to day track days and racing are not that far off saying your on a full prepared mount. Its just racing you will be on track way way more so the cost rises exponential. You have to make the races if you want to go spend a week at the GNF and theres nothing better than that.
 
#15 ·
Zipties, lots of Zipties. You could always look into endurance racing, given the seat time I think it's the best bang for the buck. Then again down here in TX we luck out in having cheap track days (COTA excluded) If you sprint, get fast quick and go looking for sponsors. It's all about having fun in the end, track day or race weekend your on the bike.
 
#18 ·
I'd say go for a 6 x 12 double axle trailer if you can afford it. Double axle for more highway stability if you're going to take the trailer route. Or you can do like I did, kill 2 birds with one stone and buy a Chevy Astro Van. My racebike, tools, stands, spares, and gear fit in the van no problem. And if you end up not finding lodging (as has happened to me a few times) you can still always sleep in the thing. I remember a few guys who would actually keep 2 bikes in the back of their Astro with all the extras. Plus you can load and unload the bike by yourself.

Like Ant, I had to race on a budget and it still was hands down the most expensive activity I've ever done in my life. I couldn't afford to do many track days AND race (only done 2 track days in my life) so most of my track time came in practices before an actual race. I just dove into racing so to speak. My attitude was "fuck it, I'm going for it" and I'm so glad I did. If you can swing it tater just go for it sooner rather than later. You never know, you just might end up hanging some trophies up. :cheers
 
#20 ·
Thanks for the info! I'm bored at work just dicking around with nothing to do... I've begun reading the CMRA Rule book to familiarize myself with it.


I say 4-5 years before I start racing because I have no idea how long it will take me to get my license through CMRA. In order to do so I need to reach the advanced group then take the CMRA Licensing Course. Right now it feels like reaching the advanced group is an awful ways away, but I'm my worst critic. I'd always like to think that it would only take a year to reach that level :bounce I'm planning on doing an additional 4-5 track days this year and more if my schedule will allow.


Made a few calls yesterday. I'm going to break the bank on a 6x10 single axel, fold down ramp/door, and side door for $2600. It's a Haul Mark, I've heard many good things about them. I always thought the van was a bad ass idea when you first brought it up! This will be easier for the family since my wife wants to tag along most times. Need room for the kid and dogs lol. The times they don't come I plan on bringing a cot and sleeping in the trailer itself, maybe get a fan for these upcoming warm summer nights.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Or, you can have stacks of these just sitting on a shelf in your garage...
 

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#22 ·
Don't know where you live or what is around you but some of the best off track training and basically free after initial investment is sliding around on a dirt bike either on oval or or something with right handers too. Us northern folk went as far as plowing ice tracks in the winter and studding up the dirt bikes on frozen lakes. Awesome fun on off season weekends. Hell we even studded up the Z50's and battled it out!!
 
#24 ·
I guess depending on what branch/MOS/AFSC your in, racing is very easily accomplished. I only do track days, but I work with a guy in my shop that races. He volunteers for the deployments in the off season so he has racing season to himself and his bike :thumbup

He doesn't really volunteer for the TDYs much, but I'm sure our supervision is somewhat accommodating especially since he approached them about it instead of waiting for a problem to arise and then trying to solve it.
 
#26 ·
There's always periods where supervision quality ebbs and flows. Some people care about taking care of only themselves, others don't...and it shows every time. Just have to look forward to that next change, unfortunately. Or up channel, but that would imply that someone, somewhere would care.

A few months back, I posted in a thread here about what pissed me off that day, my shop chief told me that I have tried applying for a job too many times and he was getting tired of signing a recommendation letter for me. That if I got denied again that I should give up and stop trying, and that he would stop signing this particular letter for me to route. He left that position about 2 months ago and I've applied each month since under the new shop chief.
 
#27 ·
Oh I'm sorry, I forgot how demanding and tedious signing your name is :wtf What a dick... More often than not I seem to be surrounded by that. Can't wait move to a different unit if not PCS all together. We are pretty happy where we live though.


All of the tracks besides COTA and Harris Hill Raceway are about 3-4 hours away, not bad by my standards. Looking to go to Harris Hill soon to try it out. It's not nearly as nice as the other tracks, but it is a hell of a lot closer. That might be worth it in itself :dunno
 
#29 ·
I hear talk about how some people out there think they are superior to all and pretty smug in general. I plan to find out for myself. My friend also says it's pretty rough. Apparently they call it "character" out there :lol I'll let everyone know how it goes. I was so excited for my first track day I forgot about setting up my camera. I'll get footage next time.
 
#30 ·
Just a question, what level are you currently riding at with RideSmart? Have you looked into their ARC class? CMRA has a try it for a weekend program you can look into. Seat time, seat time, seat time and be smooth to be fast. I hit up the CCS series when it first came to TX, have not seen it back here since then, many many years ago. Riding off road is a great help for its paved other half, I've found that growing up on a dirt bike made it easier to adjust and deal with the bike when it would try to slide on the track. Now that I'm done rambling, I was thinking of hitting up COTA in July. Have to see if finances will allow that, If not I will be a ECR & Cresson. TWS over memorial day weekend is a hard trip to make (my restaurant is on a lake so I will be very busy that weekend) Let me know if you make it up this way.
 
#31 ·
That was my first track day ever so I was in level 1. I signed up again for level 1, I'm going to wait until an instructor recommends me to bump up to 2. My last 3 sessions went really well. Talk about a day and night difference from the beginning to the end of the day. I worked really hard on BP and the lines. That's another reason I wanted to go back to TWS. Now that I'm familiar and comfortable with the track and the basics all with the first track day nerves out of the way, I feel like I'll be able to make even more improvements with less variables at play.
 
#34 ·
Good past few days. Picked up the new trailer today. Received the exhaust system yesterday. Really happy with the quality of the welds and ceramic coating. Got my chickenhawk racing tire warmers in the mail today also @MotoMummy Just waiting on my armour bodies plastics, driven rearsets, and my flashed ECU should be back early next week.
 

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