Dark $ecrets – The Realities of Professional Road Racing
04-18-2012, 01:18 AM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Dark $ecrets – The Realities of Professional Road Racing
Interesting reading:
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/b...sional-racing/
Dark $ecrets – When Things Go Wrong
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/b...ings-go-wrong/
Dark $ecrets – Sponsorships & Getting Paid
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/b...-getting-paid/
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/b...sional-racing/
Dark $ecrets – When Things Go Wrong
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/b...ings-go-wrong/
Dark $ecrets – Sponsorships & Getting Paid
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/b...-getting-paid/
04-18-2012, 07:00 AM
#4
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 1999
Location: Miami bound
Posts: 71,447
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
CI 4-5-6-7 Veteran
"f you don’t have a small fortune to spend, you will need to be willing to give up everything in pursuit of this dream and be prepared to walk away with nothing in the end"
All it takes is everything you have.
And everything thing you can borrow.
All it takes is everything you have.
And everything thing you can borrow.
04-18-2012, 03:43 PM
#8
Intermediate
Member Since: May 2006
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had a chance to go to this year's Daytona 500 in Feb as a guest of a big sponsor. We flew down in the corporate jet to the airport right next to the track and parked in front of Junior's personal jet.
We got the royal treatment since this sponsor was writing major checks to teams and had for years. We were given the "insider" perspective on one team in particular. We got to shadow the driver off and on for 2 days. Man, was it depressing. He spent from sun-up to sun-down kissing a$$ of people he didn't know and had no reason to like. Meeting people, like me, talking up the team to news outlets, making public service videos for this cause or that, greeting servicemen on leave, being nice to politicians who wanted a photo showing they were real people (Gov Romney was at the drivers' meeting, wh/I got to attend, and told the crowd that NASCAR was the "quintessential" American sport
), somehow juggling family and kids in an incredibly pressured environment. I thot; this totally sucks, he's never in the car, I get more track time at the average track day weekend. It sort of drained the romance right out of it.
We got the royal treatment since this sponsor was writing major checks to teams and had for years. We were given the "insider" perspective on one team in particular. We got to shadow the driver off and on for 2 days. Man, was it depressing. He spent from sun-up to sun-down kissing a$$ of people he didn't know and had no reason to like. Meeting people, like me, talking up the team to news outlets, making public service videos for this cause or that, greeting servicemen on leave, being nice to politicians who wanted a photo showing they were real people (Gov Romney was at the drivers' meeting, wh/I got to attend, and told the crowd that NASCAR was the "quintessential" American sport
), somehow juggling family and kids in an incredibly pressured environment. I thot; this totally sucks, he's never in the car, I get more track time at the average track day weekend. It sort of drained the romance right out of it.
04-18-2012, 04:04 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
What isn't mentioned here are the costs before and after the event.
At this level something always need repairing after a race and it's rarely minor.
Add in all the spare parts and consumables needed and the numbers become way more staggering.
I used to complain how much a new Titliest golf club cost, now I can buy an entire new set every round and still be ahead.
At this level something always need repairing after a race and it's rarely minor.
Add in all the spare parts and consumables needed and the numbers become way more staggering.
I used to complain how much a new Titliest golf club cost, now I can buy an entire new set every round and still be ahead.
04-18-2012, 05:02 PM
#11
Instructor
Member Since: Dec 2009
Location: Marion In
Posts: 165
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Old Clubs
What isn't mentioned here are the costs before and after the event.
At this level something always need repairing after a race and it's rarely minor.
Add in all the spare parts and consumables needed and the numbers become way more staggering.
I used to complain how much a new Titliest golf club cost, now I can buy an entire new set every round and still be ahead.
At this level something always need repairing after a race and it's rarely minor.
Add in all the spare parts and consumables needed and the numbers become way more staggering.
I used to complain how much a new Titliest golf club cost, now I can buy an entire new set every round and still be ahead.
One set of A's = new set sticks? Go figure!
04-19-2012, 11:15 PM
#13
Le Mans Master
Interesting articles. Nothing new to me, but interesting nevertheless.
I met "formaly" Eric Curran for the first time this past weekend at Road Atlanta, and have made arrangements to hire him as a coach for one or two weekends. I guess that makes it official, I'm one of those "gentlemen" racers the article talks about (now I got to work on being a gentleman).
The cost figures are pretty close, but a bit low. I've looked at them, and shook my head, telling myself, "What the hell am I thinking???" But you justify it somehow, someway.
The one thing I learned many years ago was that there aren't too many people truly making a living racing cars. When I was 20-22 years old, I "peeked" into this world with the thought of making it a profession. When I saw what was needed, I diverted my energies to the family business. The same effort I would expend to made a barely serviceable income as a pro driver has made me a fortune outside of the racing world.
Now I have the luxury of being "self sponsored," meaning I can write my own check. For me it doesn't make sense to go chase a sponsor (first off, I think there are thousands of drivers more worthy than me talent-wise, second, who wants to sponsor an old guy?) when I can work a bit harder and make the sponsor amount in my business.
Last year when this site was trying to get Danny Popp a ride with Lou G, some people scoffed at the costs for one weekend that were being discussed. Well, the discussions kinda validate those numbers.
I looked at doing the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Here's an eye-opener: Every pit stop you need to put new tires on the car. One pit stop per hour. $2,000 minimum per set...$48,000 in tires alone...eye-opening, isn't it?
Try doing a Continental race, which is one of the best series in the ****ry right now. You need at least 7 crew members. They need paid, and fed, and housed, and clothed (crew uniforms are mandatory in all of these series, no blue jeans and t-shirts).
Why do it? Because golf bores me. And you can't take the money with you when you die (and the government, through estate taxes, works hard at making sure you can't). I figure I've got 5-10 more years of this. I'm setting a budget for each year, and seeing what I can do. I don't want to be old and gray (although I'm gray already) wondering "what if?"
I think Chris Ingle said it best: A good old fashioned crack habit might be cheaper...
I met "formaly" Eric Curran for the first time this past weekend at Road Atlanta, and have made arrangements to hire him as a coach for one or two weekends. I guess that makes it official, I'm one of those "gentlemen" racers the article talks about (now I got to work on being a gentleman).
The cost figures are pretty close, but a bit low. I've looked at them, and shook my head, telling myself, "What the hell am I thinking???" But you justify it somehow, someway.
The one thing I learned many years ago was that there aren't too many people truly making a living racing cars. When I was 20-22 years old, I "peeked" into this world with the thought of making it a profession. When I saw what was needed, I diverted my energies to the family business. The same effort I would expend to made a barely serviceable income as a pro driver has made me a fortune outside of the racing world.
Now I have the luxury of being "self sponsored," meaning I can write my own check. For me it doesn't make sense to go chase a sponsor (first off, I think there are thousands of drivers more worthy than me talent-wise, second, who wants to sponsor an old guy?) when I can work a bit harder and make the sponsor amount in my business.
Last year when this site was trying to get Danny Popp a ride with Lou G, some people scoffed at the costs for one weekend that were being discussed. Well, the discussions kinda validate those numbers.
I looked at doing the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Here's an eye-opener: Every pit stop you need to put new tires on the car. One pit stop per hour. $2,000 minimum per set...$48,000 in tires alone...eye-opening, isn't it?
Try doing a Continental race, which is one of the best series in the ****ry right now. You need at least 7 crew members. They need paid, and fed, and housed, and clothed (crew uniforms are mandatory in all of these series, no blue jeans and t-shirts).
Why do it? Because golf bores me. And you can't take the money with you when you die (and the government, through estate taxes, works hard at making sure you can't). I figure I've got 5-10 more years of this. I'm setting a budget for each year, and seeing what I can do. I don't want to be old and gray (although I'm gray already) wondering "what if?"
I think Chris Ingle said it best: A good old fashioned crack habit might be cheaper...
04-20-2012, 09:02 PM
#14
Le Mans Master
True today but things have changed. Luck and stupidity can have a lot to do with success in racing.
LG some times introduces himself as "the lose nut behind the wheel" and in many cases he is dead on!
Jim
LG some times introduces himself as "the lose nut behind the wheel" and in many cases he is dead on!
Jim
04-21-2012, 08:47 PM
#15
Supporting Vendor
David has it correct...
spend your effort getting a good education, then find a good carrer that pays well.. If it works properly, you can have fun doing what you want when you are in your 40's..
Its a lot of fun.
spend your effort getting a good education, then find a good carrer that pays well.. If it works properly, you can have fun doing what you want when you are in your 40's..
Its a lot of fun.
04-21-2012, 09:56 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
04-23-2012, 08:08 AM
#17
Pro
Pro Mechanic
Said but true. I have seen a few guys over the years in Hill Climb, Dirt track, Rally that were amazing & we will never hear of them. I put together a low budget attempt at World Challenge GT & was surprised at how many drivers sucked. There also was some how the heck did he do that guys.
04-23-2012, 09:54 AM
#18
Burning Brakes
This is the route I ended up taking. So far, its allowed me to go much further into racing than I had ever imagined... and its still only the beginning for me. I followed the local dirt track stuff and there were a handful of drivers that were really good and just never went anywhere. The biggest somewhat local guy that has made some $$$ out of racing that I've seen would be Scott Bloomquist.
I'm just glad to have the chance to be racing like I have been.
04-23-2012, 10:54 AM
#20
Drifting
While not really historic racing our Crane Cams V8 StockCar deal is pretty cool in that there is a nice mix of good amateurs and some current and ex pro racers. With four classes including V8 GT2 for STO, ST2, T1, ITO types.
For example you might have a chance to race against:
* Dave Machavern: 2003 Grand Am GTS champ
* Simon Gregg: 2011 Trans Am runner up championsip
* Larry Hoopaugh: 3 time Nascar Goody's Dash champ
* Jeff Emery: Trans Am, ASA AC Delco, AGT, Sunoco late models
* Charles Wicht: Trans Am, World Challenge GT, IMSA
* Squeak Kennedy: IMSA, Grand Am, ARCA
* Bob Mitten: ARCA
* Keith Goldin: Grand Am Rolex GT
* Ricky Sanders: Hooters Cup, ASA, Trans Am
Plus some up and coming young guys like:
* Cameron Lawrence V8 GTA, Trans Am 2
* Bobby kennedy: V8 GT-1 Camaro, Grand Am Conti challenge, asphalt trucks, dirt sportsman
and some talented "old" guys like:
* Bob Mayer V8 GT2 Corvette
* Paul Breehne V8 SPO Ford Mustang
* Randy Walker V8 GTA Monte Carlo
* Bobby Reuse V8 GTA Camaro
* Roger Reuse V8 GTA Camaro
We will have a nice field at Daytona in a couple of weeks with CFR SCCA.