Wondering??????

You know, I get sick of guys bitchin' they don't make enough money, blah, blah.

When I first started racing, my teammate named me the "Puerto Rican Plummer". I slept in my 500.00 van that had exhaust leaks that came into the cab. (Yeah, you gotta ride with the windows open alot). I made 7800.00 base pay as a E-3 in the Army.

My best advice is that if you want to race, you will. If you find yourself constantly making excuses on why you can't race, then more than likely, you don't wanna race. That is as simple as it gets. It sucks to be poor, but the best times of my life were when I had 4.00 in my pocket, 1000 miles to get home, and a book of hot checks waiting to be written

Advice to those that are "poor".

1) Get to know the tire guy real well. He will give you the "Good" take offs (and save you $$$). Trust me this works. Larry Schwarzbach ran most of the AMA series prior to his V&H ride on the "Good Take Offs".

2) Sleep in a van/tent/truck or split a room between 8 people. It is cheap.

3) Learn to like cheap food. You can feed yourself all weekend on 5.00 by buying 6 cans of potted meat, a loaf of bread, water, and bananas.

4) Ask yourself, "Do I really want to race?"

5) Work odd jobs to cover brakes, tires, oil,etc. Even though I was in the service, I could always find an extra 100.00 or 200.00 by mowing lawns (good money), taking other peoples CQ duty, etc.

6) Don't waste money. You burn 20.00-100.00 going to the club Friday night.

6a) If you are really broke, don't waste money on "upgrades" for your bike. 700.00 worth of suspension will make you faster than the 700.00 pipe. Stock bikes run fine, but handle like crap. There are many other ways, but don't waste money on things that will not get you to the track.

 

They are doing pretty good at D&D they are now a Triumph dealership too. Christy is in the 1st or 2nd grade and just like her mom. Not sure how old Hoyt is now, but he can walk and talk. No if I could just talk Brian into a better deal than dealer cost and intrest free credit then I'll be doing better. Do you kow if we ever met at D&D. I had a 97 GSXR then.

 

I'm sorry. Am I missing something. I've re-read his post and I did not see where the guy was bitching. Sounds more like a poll to me



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Michael Roberson #66
Robey's Racing

 

i am amateur, i have a fully financed season..... i just provided the bike. Now... how did i get that? i just asked. simple. Go find a sponsor.

 

I'm not complaining that I don't have enough. I'm just asking who else is in the same boat. I'll race no matter what. I'll always find a way to make it work. I'll probably be sleeping in a tent at the track this year.
I love camping though...

 

Don't think we ever met, but I believe your bike used to sit in the window at D&D. I do remember seeing it there.
I used to play foozeball in the lobby with Christy till she'd jam the rod end into my crotch. That usually ended the game till I came back next time, and she would do the same thing to me. Think I would learn huh?

Did they ever fix the soda machine?

[This message has been edited by funksouljon (edited 02-01-2002).]

 

I think I got you beat. I just left the best paying job I ever had (about $23G, I'm a loser) because it wasn't gonna give me enough free weekends to race. I'm going to try being self-employed. Anybody in the Indianapolis area need drum lessons? If I don't get more students, I'm not gonna be able to race!

 

While the guy probably wasn't really bitching, Renn Mann is exactly right. And the "racer's race" angle transcends similar sports. For example, I have been the poorest North Carolina wreck diver for the past 20 years, but I have managed to log more dives on more shipwrecks than 95 percent of other scuba divers in our region. Most of whom are wealthy professionals who we call "cocktail party divers."

My "poor" story? I never get a motel room on Ocraocke or Hatteras Island, saving the bucks instead by sleeping on the boat. The boat captain doesn't mind because he doesn't have to worry about thieves on his boat in the middle of the night.

So, one night I was asleep on the boat and, unknown to me, some fishermen came up and cleaned fish at a table on the dock right above the open window of the dive boat, leaving the guts in a bucket right above my head. I was fast asleep and about four o'clock in the morning I suddenly woke up by the loudest screeching and hawking you could imagine. About a dozen sea gulls were in a fierce fight with two big pelicans over the fish guts and as I lifted up, I was in the middle of it.

The next day I had a two great dives and made it home with what Renn Mann calls "$4.00 and hot checks." Broke, but with a priceless memory.

Now, if I can just start doing the same for bikes...

 

damn Bruce...you mean they were stealing your lunchbucket?...that's cold, man....taking a man's dinner while he sleeps....

 

GSXRACERBENNY,

I'd like to find out more about your sponsorship, and how you went about getting it. You make it sound pretty easy. Who are they? What exactly do they pay for? How many races do you do a year? Is there a minimum?

Thanks

 

Tires, gear, entry fees and travel expenses will be the big money. Think of ways to minimize these and you can race. As suggested above "take off" tires are a way to reduce tire costs. Travel with and pit with fellow racers. Share travel costs. I suggest getting a job at a bike shop. If you cannot find a sponsor then most shops will offer employees a discount on parts and accessories. It all comes down to how competitive you want to be. The more money you put into racing the better you will be at racing. Many may disagree but we all know the more track time you get the faster you become. The better the equipment and the more $ you put into your bike the better your chances at finishing up front. When I started racing I sleep in line at the track in order to grid in the first wave. There were other racers who pre-registered with a creditcard and they were well rested and freash for pracitce. (Except Glen who could grid last and win every time). It takes tome from work to race and lets not forget the risk of injuries that put you out for 4-6 weeks. Roadracing is the most intense, thing you will ever do and you need to do whatever it takes to get to the track.

 

wade, it is as simple as making a list of who you know that owns a biz. The make a list of how you could benifit them. Pic the right time and then ask. Let them know they can help a little ( like just gettin gas) or alot (trailer/bike,tires) . Make a resume, a list of season costs, figure out a way to make it easy for them to say yes.The thing about it being hard to get out of industry support? BULLSHIT . No question about it. Use your imagination, take time to come across as serious, and "professional". The biggest help ive ever had in gathering support is showing initative (sp?) . People like that. If you wait for someone to "notice" you and offer you support, you will be there awhile.. its a long line. Go get your own support.

 

I started racing in 98 with a 96 GSX-R 750 that was my shiny without a blemish street bike. I put a race body on it and bought used stuff (leathers,tires,back protector). I was single and lived in a duplex and grossed about 21,000 a year. I crashed the bike 3 times that season and refinanced the bike once to repair it and used CC's to fix it the other 2 times. I had a blast doing it although I went in debt. It's truly an addiction to get back out there ASAP. By the end of 98 I had no streetbike and a banged up race bike and no money. I "retired" and it took a year to get my finances half ass straight. Now I have a much better job with Procter&Gamble and I got wise and decided not to use my street bike(GSX-R 1000) as a track bike, so I bought a 99 GSX-R 600 for track duty. Not to mention I now play in the dirt too on my mint 89 HONDA TRX 250R. So like you all have said, racing can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be.

 

Hey isn't the average annual household income in the U.S about 30k. Don't know too many people making 30k a year. Can you even afford a motorcycle at 30k a year? When I started racing in 1992, my mom paid for everything but once I got out on my own I had to quit until I got my finances and life in order. So after not racing for 8 years, I started again in 2001 and realize that any family man with a mortgage, car payments, nagging wife, and a kid couldn't possibly afford to race unless you're income was in the 6 figures. Am I missing something?

 

Well, next year I'm gonna be between 30K and 35K!!!!! I'm so excited. Still single too! Well, I do have a very lovely girlfriend, but she isn't very high cost, thank God!

 

racin' is cheap....winnin' is $$$$$$$$

first season( bike(GS500), tires, school and 2 races) cost $1170
while in college working at a bike shop with girlfriend working for dirt in retail