Section : Getting Started in Racing

Cost of racing

Posted By : Michael Davis, 07-Apr-2003, 11:20am

• Cost of racing

  Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 07-Apr-2003, 01:18pm

  Hmmmm... if you were to put a 1 in front of each of those figures you'd be in the right area. Except the last one where you need to add £1500 and upwards!!
  
  Oh, hum...
  
  NiG
  http://www.niginthecar.net
  
  P.S. Good to see you at Silverstone Don, finally put a face to the name.

  • Cost of racing

    Posted By : John Davies, 07-Apr-2003, 01:57pm

    Michael,
    Well, yes, but I wrote that at the end of 1994 - nine years ago! Prices have gone up just a tad in that time.
    
    Race entry fees are now about three times higher, and I suppose that the travel and maintenance costs will have risen in line with that. Note though; I haven't needed to look at the setup costs such as the ARDS course, my race overalls and helmet, the roll cage etc, because I don't need new ones. These costs, if you have the capital, can be considered a long term investment in your hobby. How much would you spend on a set of golf clubs?
    
    Considering the above, the May Track Day is a bargain £95. See previous threads for details, and don't be put off. The driving will be controlled and non-agressive, and you won't need ANY safety equipment for the Track Day as you will be able to borrow helmets at the course.
    Go on - give it try!
    JOhn

    • Cost of racing

      Posted By : Don Cook, 07-Apr-2003, 03:17pm

      I suppose that once you've spent your initial lump sum it does become less expensive. As for the analogy with golf I agree. You can pay loads for the clubs, trolley, fluffy things that go on the club heads, stupid trousers, Pringle jumpers and membership fees etc. My sport is fencing and I don't think you can get a much cheaper sport to compete in: entry fee for a whole days fencing at a National Open is only £15 or so; Internationals are around the same cost!
      
      So, I was quite surprised, Nig, when you said that entry fee was £160 for practice and only one race. I'd have thought you would have had, at least, some heats with the top two or three going through to a final. I take it that there aren't enough TSSC cars competing to run your (that was close I originally typed 'our'!) own events?
      
      How does the TR club get such a good deal for their track day? How many cars do you need to book a circuit/airfield etc exclusively i.e. a TSSC day. Could a mixture of track day and a few races be combined? I'll shut up now.
      
      Don

      • Cost of racing

        Posted By : John Davies, 08-Apr-2003, 09:43pm

        Don,
        The deal is so excellent because both the Race AND Sprint Championships are subsidizing it!
        
        Track time. Yes, in an ideal world..... But a circuit is so expensive to hire that the track must be used by as many cars as possible for as much time as possible. Track days, such as your Croft event, typically include about six 20 min sessions, but RACING IS FORBIDDEN ON A TRACK DAY, and that is why us junkies go racing, when we can.
        John

        • Cost of racing

          Posted By : Don Cook, 09-Apr-2003, 02:44pm

          I'd better stick to the A12 then!

    • Cost of racing

      Posted By : Michael Davis, 08-Apr-2003, 11:33am

      The article I quoted was published in February 1989. Sorry, I should have said that in the first place.
      
      I thought it was interesting to note how much the costs have risen over the intervening time.
      
      Having said that, reading some of the old articles in the early magazines, the costs involved in simply running a car on the road seem to have increased pretty much in line with those figures.
      
      I wasn't intending anything to be implied from the text I quoted, I just thought it was interesting.
      
      I agree that £95 is very good value for a track day. I have a leaflet from Croft circuit here and the same type of event there (6x20 minute sessions) on a public track day is £149. I'm still hoping to make it to Mallory for that day.
      
      Mik