Money, where does it come from?

Hi All,

I was just wondering how all of you are able to continue in this sport? I was looking at trackday prices back home(NH) and about shit myself when I saw the prices were $250+ for one day?!

What about the racers, how do you support yourself? With buying new(to you) parts, or new bikes, new tires, finding the time outside of work, paying for track fees and raceday fees.

Do you have kids?
Do you own your house?
What do you do for work?
Do you have any other hobbies or just the one?

I mean, I am still very young, and other then college loans, don't have very much to worry about. I am making some pretty good money in the Gov't Defense industry(especially since I am on travel). But otherwise, I can't really see how it all gets paid for. Do you have a lot of money coming from sponsors? Or are you only getting money from them if you win?

Thanks for the info.

 

Some guys make enough at their day job to pay for racing. Some max out their visa and mc. Guys that are serious do whatever it takes, sacrificing other activities to use the money for racing. How far do you want to go?

 

when you want something bad enough, you do what you have to do to make it happen. 'nuff said.

 

WERA can be cheaper than trackdays...pinch every penny twice, cross fingers, swipe the card as little as possible.

 

So, with only a number track days under by belt(all this year). Would taking a "certificate/license" class be worth it this year, to get a few more, possibly cheaper track days in? My skills wouldn't really be up there, but could they be at the Novice level? Even if I stayed at the back of the pack to learn technique, would it be a bad idea? Or would I be the guy that everyone hated?

 

You have to decide what you want. Is this because you are driven to compete or do you just want to ride fast safely?

 

I think you would quickly be the guy that everyone passed.

Then, you would soon be driven to be competitive, just so you weren't dead last.

Then you're hooked.

 

I think you should do track days... Not so many, it depends on how comfortable you are with the bike, but do them till you are comfortable. I think if you are able to focus and not blank out with you are in a shitty situation( basically rider with other novices hahaha) then you will be good. Also, novice rider are really fast. The top novices are sometimes running equivelent to the middle pack for experts.

 

BTW everything everyone says is right! If you race prepare to be broke because it is like crack x 10.

 

I hate this questions.. would u feel better, if I tell u I'm a CEO? Or I clean bathrooms in a restaurant? Who cares how u make money.. good for u.

 

Racing is more dangerous, more addictive, more expensive and more fun than a cocaine habit.

For me, in three years of track riding/racing, I spent probably 60-70k total at the racetrack. I made for the majority of that time about 60k/yr writing software. I'm now taking a (semi-)voluntary hiatus from racing in order to knock off credit card debts and rebuild some semblance of savings, before I start burning benjamins again.

It can be done much, much cheaper, and it can be done much, much more expensively. Like others have said, it's all about what you're willing to sacrifice and how deep into the rabbit hole you want to dive.

 

Mucho take it easy! I understand where he is coming from. I always thought the same thing when the guy next to me was buy 3 to 4 sets a tires a week and had a flawless bike. I asked people what they did, they told me and now I have a new goal.... Do what they did and get my ass back on the race track!

 

As far as trackday prices, 250.00 sounds really expensive. In Jersey, you can often ride thunderbolt on weekdays for 150.00 w/ either Nesba or Absolute Cycle. Also, if you take care of your tires (proper suspension set-up, tire pressures, warmers,) you can get 4-5 days out of a set.

 

I do it by planning. I try to prereg for races over the winter and I buy a stack of tires. That way I can do it a littler more slowly and pay cash rather than racking up my card

 

Find a street corner, hold up a sign that says "Need Money, I'm a TrackWhore".

Get yourself 4 or 5 working girls, who adore you and will give you their money so you can go have fun on your sportbike.

Tell your parents you "Have this habit" and need "Help Dealing with it".

Apply for a Government Study Grant, your "Study" will involve the effects of abrasion on new tires at different locations all around the country on many different bikes.

These are just a few off the top of my head.

But the only one that I know that works is, Bust your ass, and spend every dime you can get your hands on, wash, rinse and repeat.

 

part of the major problem is NHMS has been considered the only game in town for years. People have become accustomed to paying out the ass for it. But now with Monticello & NJMP rates should become more competitive. I do believe LAPS is the most competitively priced @ around 150 a day. But you need to figure out whats more important to you. LAPS is closer to a race practice, while others are a structured day and add in all sorts of stuff that they need to raise the cost.

 

i dont get why people are so touchy with that question of "what do you do for a living?"

i work in sales for an international construction tool/equipment company

im drive a POS car, live at home with my parents, and im broke all the time

id probably be okay if i didnt have so much student loan debt

my best advice is do what you can when you can and avoid the credit card anyway possible

 

Didn't get the good stuff until later in life like a house, new cars etc. The previous limiter for me was crappy job at boeing..
Lucky for me,Quitting the shitty union job (boeing) I had in the 90's and got a real job in I.T. I have employment & a decent salary.Work when I want, from where I want for the most part. My wife friggan banks and supports my racing in every way.

As far as basic cost cutting, I think I had 8 sponsors by January of this year. Started soliciting after the last race last year.

 

In my time racing (7 years), I've seen a LOT of people come and go. Average cycle was 2 years. 1 year to get their feet wet and the next year spending $50k to win a championship and then spending the rest of their lives paying it off...

I've seen people get divorced, go to jail and end up dead. All in attempts to AFFORD to race.

It's a ridiculously expensive lifestyle, but a lifestyle nonetheless. It's a 'weekend hobby' to those who run 1 or 2 weekends a year. If you're running a season, it's a lifestyle because everything you do in your life gets calculated against how it will impact your racing. I drove shit cars, ate bad food, neglected house upgrades, went without vacations, etc etc etc. But I had an experience of a lifetime.

When I quit racing, I literally had more money than I knew what to do with. I bought 2 new cars, dropped massive amounts into some home upgrades, started taking a few trips to mexico each year along with a few other trips in the states, and enjoy a lot of other things along the way.

Bottom line, racing takes a lot of money an discipline. Be careful when you dance with the devil here. Comparing it to a drug addiction is *VERY* real...

 

Work related?