How do you pay for racing?

[Kritz]

Please upgrade your account

[tyler524]

I'm also thinking about getting a gun, and dealing crack. Being a crack dealer. Not like a mean crack dealer, but like... like a nice one. Kinda friendly like, "hey, what's up guys? Want some crack?"

[jporter12]

Work, work, and then work some more. Im like jporter and work on cars for a living. I Come in early and stay late almost everyday but the biggest thing I do is every side job I do outside of work I put that cash in a jar and don't touch it no matter what. Usually by this time of year of have a good sized chunk saved up for the season.

You work on cars for a living? You must be one broke mofo!

Work has been so hit and miss here that I can't keep caught up on bills.20 hours one week, 55+ the next, then a couple more 20 hour weeks is KILLING my budget.

I'm also thinking about getting a gun, and dealing crack. Being a crack dealer. Not like a mean crack dealer, but like... like a nice one. Kinda friendly like, "hey, what's up guys? Want some crack?"

I think you could pull it off!

[standout]

You work on cars for a living? You must be one broke mofo!

Work has been so hit and miss here that I can't keep caught up on bills.20 hours one week, 55+ the next, then a couple more 20 hour weeks is KILLING my budget.

I think you could pull it off!

Luckily I work for a used car dealership that cycles thru 60-100 cars a week. We have two locations and one service department so there's more work than the 5 guys here can handle so it's pretty much up to us how much money we want to make. I consider myself one of the lucky ones as I know tons of people in the same situation as u.

[DirtDee675]

Just race on the street. If you do it enough you can even race the police. The only problem is legally its frowned upon and the trophies suck.

Lol

[redkow97]

I think you have to be smart about where and when you spend money.

There are plenty of people who have $10,000 motorcycles, generators, tire warmers, enclosed trailers, etc. that they don't really NEED to go racing.

I have avoided purchasing all of the above, and I still ride 6-10 times a year.

I don't think it really slows me down much either.

[redkow97]

I also forgot I had 2 jobs when I really started getting "serious" about riding. The extra $400/month and the fact that I didn't own a house yet both helped too

[max power]

QFT. Elevator is amazing.

Amazing? Are you a 12 year old girl?

[blue03636]

Amazing? Are you a 12 year old girl?

Yes, yes he is.

[CleaveTheGreat]

Amazing? Are you a 12 year old girl?

Yes, yes he is.

Fuck off. I hate both of you

[Moto-Brian]

I was lucky and had my dad footin most of it. Then I got a cc an racked a shit on of debt... Lol def try to avoid the debt part! Now I'm slowly trying to get back into it. Even if it's just a one off AMA mid Ohio race every year

HEY FAG!!! Where ya been? We should do lunch or something when I am passing through Dayton!!

[grapesmuggler27]

From my limited experience you have to learn how to do the most with the least you have. Say enclosed trailer nice to have but don't need an open trailer does the job and sleep in a tent. Like Madcat said pack lunches, and drink water (which you should be doing anyways unless its for a photo op). Don't buy anything new except tires and gear. Pick up extra shifts at work. I do HVAC, so any side work went to trackdays/racing. Pack a luck for work and don't eat, $6 a day at mcdonlads adds up.

[owndjoo]

HEY FAG!!! Where ya been? We should do lunch or something when I am passing through Dayton!!

lol why dayton, i live back up in centerburg Hopefully will have another bike here soon! gotta get back on the track

[Moto-Brian]

I guess I have different priorities hot water and a fridge come before my hobbies. Cold showers suck! I do like my AC and heat. sounds like you need a better job.

He's passionate and wants to do it badly and MANY a racer has been through this.

I have heard some great things about racers, but one of the best ones has been that when you look at a racer standing in front of you, you see a normal dude, looks like any other average guy. BUT, you look over his shoulder and you will see a path of destruction. Financial struggles, destroyed friendships, destroyed families, etc. But, if you ask a racer if they'd do it again, they would say "hell yes!"

It's impossible to explain unless you have what lurks inside of us. I've been through it all. Almost divorced twice, put myself in front of family and even my kids, burned up credit cards and beg, borrowed and stole to race. All for a lot less than I put in and we earned some good money... But, as they say: "If ya wanna make a million in racing, you gotta spend two."

To answer the way to do it, after doing it since 1993-ish, I will say a few things. One, DO NOT use credit cards as it is too easy and too quick to get you in over your head. UNLESS you can be dedicated to paying them off. For example, I now use mine, but pay it end of month.

DO NOT forget the expenses you don't think about. Driving your vehicle means you change oil more often, you wear out tires, you burn more fuel, you wear it out quicker. That's an expense that sneaks up. Food at the track, food that you buy at the store and even though you make PB&Js, there's an expense. It all adds up.

Watch the group traveling. You need to make sure that you get the money from EVERYONE at the time you spend it. If a buddy says he will get you back next week or gives you half and you wait and wait for the rest, that adds up after a handful of events.

Also realize that traveling far away even in groups is silly unless you get a return. Locally speaking, we have a shit pile of great tracks to race at. Sure, it is cool to drive all the way to Barber for an event or Jennings, but unless you can swing it and understand that the return of "Well, I got to ride Barber" doesn't mean much when the cost to get there and back would have paid for a set of tires AND a race up here, it doesn't make sense.

If you think they are faster down south, they are. But, understand that they race those tracks all the time and more often than we do up here. But, they come here and it is the same thing. Know what I mean?

Basically, save the money in the winter. Buy tires in the winter. Buy the parts in pieces and like Brandon stated, a lot can be had used that is damn good.

Essentially, do what you can, but don't be silly and kill your family life and bank account...

[bowdog]

^^^

Looks like you can go ahead and lock this thread up!

I am not a racer but i would like to do a track day or two this year, that is by far the best explenation i have heard.

Edited March 23, 2012 by bowdog
added beer!

[fireman_343]

I do like most have already stated, buy in the winter, buy some used parts, save up etc... But, 80% of my racing funds come from me selling Advocare supplements. And now that my 7yr old is getting into dirt bikes, and my wife wanting to learn how to ride... Things are starting to get interesting!

I also make and sell motor bracket kits and frame slider kits for the mini's I race. 100% of that money goes into my racing account.

Thats another thing, my wife was tired of me using our normal account for racing stuff.. So I opened a separate account just for my racing fees, tires, parts, etc.. It keeps the fights down between my wife and I, and we agree that I can take out a certain amount every week to put into the race account.

Brian hit the nail on the head with his post, just thought if share my .02

[tyler524]

Definitely some good info/advice in here. I have been thinking about some side work I could pick up but not as easy for me and since I am a salaried engineer, I get long hours and no overtime. I have in the past picked up some free lance work which I might look into again. I have a lot of ideas for things that I can design, have laser cut, and sell pretty easy but I just need myself to get to it.

I wish I could split gas with other people but I don't know of anyone that lives around this area to pick up and take with me to the track. I am trying to get a couple of guys at work talked into doing some track days.

I am spending a good bit of money just getting the bike put together and setup for the track but the experience and knowing the bike that much better is nice. It would have probably been cheaper to just sell my bike and buy an already setup track bike. I haven't done anything crazy financially by charging to credit cards or anything like that so far.

The bad thing about motorcycle racing is the lack of payouts but I can understand it to a certain degree. I raced tough trucks a bit and my uncle races modified tough trucks and has dumped a ton of money into his truck but at least there are pretty good payouts for most of the races and entry fees are relatively low.

[owndjoo]

Race lightweights, it was sooo much cheaper racing the sv. Winning brings on all that contingency money to pay for tires. I've been looking at going back to an SV, but I just need a few more points on a 600 for my AMA license...

[TSB67]

Way back when I had a three-month car racing career where I listed Visa and Mastercard as my sponsors on the entry forms. Took me two years to pay that off after I realized it wasn't sustainable.

[rubbersidedown]

Use a bike to commute!

I do not race but love track days. I can pay for it out of gas $$$ savings. Sure it depends on how far you drive but at $4/gal the savings is significant. My savings is is about $140 a month, Cha-ching.

I made a conscience decision to commute more once gas drifted north of $2/gal (yes a long time ago). With the savings over time I figure I paid for all of my gear and track days from the gas savings. Now I am using the money to pay for my track bike payments.

[abdecal]

If a buddy says he will get you back next week or gives you half and you wait and wait for the rest, that adds up after a handful of events.

This applies in all situations. If I loan money I always assume I will never get it back.

Edited April 18, 2012 by abdecal