Question on budgets

I am currently racing Super Comp in Div. 1 and would like to step up in class in the next year or two.

Can anyone give me an idea what kind of budget I would need, or what kind of sponsorship dollars would I have to bring, to move into the alcohol classes?

I appreciate any assistance/advice you might have. Thanks!

 

Will:

Last year I learned real quick that to field a competitive car with the right equipment (that you already own), recycling parts with new stuff on a constant ongoing basis, maintaining a decent inventory, the cost of insurance, hotel rooms, flights and other travel related costs...AND...an all volunteer crew...AND...not having to pay $3 grand per weekend for your favorite crew chief, it takes a minimum of $11,000 to $14,000 per weekend by the time you divide what you spent over the year by the number of races you attended if you are in the 12-16 race per year mode.

The biggest mistake you can make is to commit to a sponsor and be underfunded. You are better off saying no to $50,000 or $100,000 if you aren't prepared to make up the difference because you will be required to based on fullfilling the contract no matter what. Your racing year will be about as miserable as spending a year in hell if you aren't properly funded unless you have no convictions. You are in dreamland if you think it can be done for anything less than what I have stated. And many spend more than that, like Jay.

I compared notes to a handfull of other teams (racing friends) who opened up to me about their expenditures and these figures were true almost entirely across the board from teams you know.

For someone racing without a commitment and doing 5-7 races a year maybe it could be done for less, but I doubt it. In December I decided to race Pomona with Pete Swayne, figuring I had lots of parts in the trailer left over from last year and thinking we wouldn't spend a bunch of money doing it. It still cost us $10,000 out of pocket even though I live 35 minutes from the Fairplex for that one race.

About the time everything seems to be rolling along fairly economically, you could end up having a weekend like Robert Kannonwisher (sp), Hannes Wernhart or Steve Gasparrelli where the whole thing burns to the ground on one pass. Add that to your year and see how it divides out.

Anyway, hope that helps. Don't get caught in a contract you aren't prepared financially to keep. It isn't worth it and it's not fair to you or your sponsor.

RG

 

sponsors- How I wish I had seen what Randy had written years ago. I signed a underfunded sponsor deal that cost me a ton when it was all over. I am a very low budget kind of team and it meant I had to go to races that I couldn't afford to go to. I normally race till the money runs out and park the car but that year I couldn't do that. That left a mark on my wallet- a serious one. I think it is critically important that racers fulfill their sponsor expectations but make sure there is enough money in the deal to make it work. Expect breakage, in fact plan for it.

 

Dave:

Great first hand example.

Like I said, if someone offers you up to $100,000 to race your car and you don't have it in your budget to come up with the other $75,000 to $100,000 out of pocket, as difficult as it may be you are a wise man when you say "Thanks, but no."

RG

 

Thanks for the advice, guys. I really appreciate all yor comments.

I presently rent my ride in Super Comp and fund it out of pocket. I am trying to figure out a reasonable budget to move up to alcohol funny cars, assuming I will pay for a drive with an existing team rather than try to run my own team My other business interests take too much time for me to oversee a team, so it is easier for me to look for a rent-a-ride even if it ultimately more expensive.

I can probably fund up to $100K out of my own pocket and am trying to figure out how much sponsorship I would need to bring to the table to get a competitive ride.

Will, I will drop you an email to chat a bit further.