• From: Southern California
  • Registered: 2017-11-26
  • Posts: 9

Topic: Cost of competing

Hey everyone.  I'm new to this and was wondering about a few cost items for racing:

1.  Do we have to pay for our own fuel?  I'm assuming so, but wasn't completely sure since the
     rules state that we fill up at their pumps. Does $720 sound like a good fuel budget?
2.  How long do tires typically last?  I was thinking about getting 190 treadware Falkens.
3.  For the neck brace, would it be allowed if we used the proper certified neck brace, but had
     cheap little D-clips from a hardware store drilled into our helmets rather than the big round
     helmet attachments which are sold by the neck brace company?

Thanks!

  • From: Chandler, AZ
  • Registered: 2011-04-18
  • Posts: 839

Re: Cost of competing

1. Where in the rules does it say you fill up from their pumps? I believe it says you may use track provided pumps if they exist, but you certainly still pay for that. Most people bring in their own fuel in five gallon jugs.

Cost of fuel depends on your car, how much gas it uses, and how much of the weekend you are broken down.

2. The Falken Rt615 are a good tire. They can last anywhere from half a race to half a dozen races. Again depending on the car, the track surface, and your driver's.

3. No. Use the HANS hardware. Why is this even a question? This is your neck we are protecting here.

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3 Reply by Guildenstern (edited by Guildenstern 2017-11-27 01:05 AM)

  • From: Cleveland, OH
  • Registered: 2011-09-03
  • Posts: 2,227

Re: Cost of competing

1. last year track 93 was about $4/gallon where we were. so that much would get ya around 180 gallons. Our 5.0 V8 would do maybe 45 gallons in a weekend? (seems like something we should have tracked? Probably something we should have tracked)

2. A tip about tires, Get a GOOD ALIGNMENT. All the negative camber you can get, and minimal toe. (toe in for RWD, Out for FWD/AWD, just a scootch)

3. The Neck brace is only Certified as a whole system and that includes the manufacturer anchor points installed per manufacturer instructions. The only thing that will prevent you from being allowed to race is safety tech. Don't scrimp there.

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  • From: Southern California
  • Registered: 2017-11-26
  • Posts: 9

Re: Cost of competing

Fishah:
1.  3.C.1: " All fueling must be done from handheld DOT-, SCCA-, or FIA-approved 5-gallon or
          smaller jugs or from the track’s permanent pumps"   I guess I misread that, but thanks for
          clarifying.

Thanks for the other feedback too!

  • From: Newport News, VA
  • Registered: 2015-12-23
  • Posts: 620

Re: Cost of competing

Tracks that have fuel pumps don't have free fuel...

That guy
  • From: WPB Fl.
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Re: Cost of competing

There is a freebie, you can crash or break down over and over and get towed from track to pits for $0

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Re: Cost of competing

kuzcontrol wrote:

Hey everyone.  I'm new to this and was wondering about a few cost items for racing:

1.  Do we have to pay for our own fuel?  I'm assuming so, but wasn't completely sure since the
     rules state that we fill up at their pumps. Does $720 sound like a good fuel budget?
2.  How long do tires typically last?  I was thinking about getting 190 treadware Falkens.
3.  For the neck brace, would it be allowed if we used the proper certified neck brace, but had
     cheap little D-clips from a hardware store drilled into our helmets rather than the big round
     helmet attachments which are sold by the neck brace company?

Thanks!

1. yes pay for your own fuel. Most tracks have pumps, but it will be cheaper to buy "off sight" Amount depends on the car. We have a 305 powered 84 Trans Am. It goes thru fuel. a tank per driver change. That's around $620 for the weekend.
2. Tires depend on driver/car/HP... The Falkens are pretty nice. You should be able to get at least 2 weekends.
3. You need a Hans Device, just buy the hardware kit from them, it is cheap enough. Most helmets are already drilled for the Hans.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"
  • BoB
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Re: Cost of competing

1. Without knowing what car andengine you have its hard to tell but 5 gallons an hour is a decent guesstimate.

3.  Anything safety related there is no cheap way out.  The series is serious about safety so don't expect any shortcuts or cheap ways out to pass, and if you get caught with them you will be sitting out the race until you fix it.

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  • From: Chandler, AZ
  • Registered: 2011-04-18
  • Posts: 839

Re: Cost of competing

BoB wrote:

1. Without knowing what car andengine you have its hard to tell but 5 gallons an hour is a decent guesstimate.

Unless you have a Carb'd V8 car, then you can safely double that.... Unfortunately sad

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Re: Cost of competing

Fishah wrote:
BoB wrote:

1. Without knowing what car andengine you have its hard to tell but 5 gallons an hour is a decent guesstimate.

Unless you have a Carb'd V8 car, then you can safely double that.... Unfortunately sad

5 an hour? I WISH!... our tank is about 16 gallons (15.something) we can run for about an hour 20....hour and a half max. It isn't empty but hard rights/lefts can created a dead spot.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

11 Reply by DelinquentRacer (edited by DelinquentRacer 2017-11-29 12:39 PM)

  • From: SF Bay Area
  • Registered: 2012-01-06
  • Posts: 721

Re: Cost of competing

For your first race, you'll want a couple of spare wheels and tires in case you have a cut tire.
FWD cars can use almost anything in the rear, so I used to keep some old, hard, Direzzas on the back.
It helped the car to rotate in the corners, but also allowed me to use the new tires in the front where most
of the work gets done.

For fuel, I'd suggest filling at the track for my first race. It saves a lot of hassle during fuel stops, and will be cheaper than
buying a bunch of fuel jugs. Then, if you continue on, buy some fuel bottles.

kuzcontrol wrote:

...cheap little D-clips from a hardware store drilled into our helmets rather than the big round
helmet attachments which are sold by the neck brace company?

You won't pass tech with this.

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Re: Cost of competing

Mr.Yuck wrote:
Fishah wrote:
BoB wrote:

1. Without knowing what car andengine you have its hard to tell but 5 gallons an hour is a decent guesstimate.

Unless you have a Carb'd V8 car, then you can safely double that.... Unfortunately sad

5 an hour? I WISH!... our tank is about 16 gallons (15.something) we can run for about an hour 20....hour and a half max. It isn't empty but hard rights/lefts can created a dead spot.

It depends on the transmission too. The Rover is about 7gal/hour with the stick shift. We can do 2.5hour stints on the 18 gallon tank with fuel to spare. The auto was maybe 2.25 hours if we pushed it. IIRC, the Saturn was about 5.5-6gal/hour and that was us beating the snot out of it.

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Re: Cost of competing

DelinquentRacer wrote:
kuzcontrol wrote:

...cheap little D-clips from a hardware store drilled into our helmets rather than the big round
helmet attachments which are sold by the neck brace company?

You won't pass tech with this.

/agree

If you don't have the correct hardware it won't pass. Don't skimp on the safety equipment.

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Re: Cost of competing

chaase wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:
Fishah wrote:

Unless you have a Carb'd V8 car, then you can safely double that.... Unfortunately sad


5 an hour? I WISH!... our tank is about 16 gallons (15.something) we can run for about an hour 20....hour and a half max. It isn't empty but hard rights/lefts can created a dead spot.

It depends on the transmission too. The Rover is about 7gal/hour with the stick shift. We can do 2.5hour stints on the 18 gallon tank with fuel to spare. The auto was maybe 2.25 hours if we pushed it. IIRC, the Saturn was about 5.5-6gal/hour and that was us beating the snot out of it.

305 5 speed 3.45 gear. We run it between 3500 and 6000rpm (maybe more on long straights)

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  • From: Milford, NJ
  • Registered: 2012-07-03
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Re: Cost of competing

chaase wrote:

If you don't have the correct hardware it won't pass. Don't skimp on the safety equipment.


also, you will increase the likelihood of breaking your neck in an accident. 

IIRC All Helmets that are 2010 or newer rated should already have the threaded inserts in the helmet, no drilling required.

Our 2.3t merkur would drink 5-7 gallons/ hour depending on who was driving.

On the same car we could get 2 races out of a set of BFG rivals with daily rotation, and remounting left to right on the weels after a weekend

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Re: Cost of competing

Drdanteiii wrote:

IIRC All Helmets that are 2010 or newer rated should already have the threaded inserts in the helmet, no drilling required.

Negative.  I have an SA 2010 and it did not have the anchor points pre-installed.  However any helmet with the designation "SA-H" will have them already installed AFAIK.

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  • From: Newport News, VA
  • Registered: 2015-12-23
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Re: Cost of competing

As I understand it, the posts are part of the SA 2015 spec. Earlier helmets sometimes were pre-drilled to upsell...

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  • From: SF Bay Area
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Re: Cost of competing

VKZ24 wrote:
Drdanteiii wrote:

IIRC All Helmets that are 2010 or newer rated should already have the threaded inserts in the helmet, no drilling required.

Negative.  I have an SA 2010 and it did not have the anchor points pre-installed.  However any helmet with the designation "SA-H" will have them already installed AFAIK.

Ya, my first SA 2010 Simpson helmet didn't have the threaded inserts, and my 2014-build SA-H 2010 Simpson had them installed.

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  • From: Houston, TX
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Re: Cost of competing

Mr.Yuck wrote:
chaase wrote:
Mr.Yuck wrote:

5 an hour? I WISH!... our tank is about 16 gallons (15.something) we can run for about an hour 20....hour and a half max. It isn't empty but hard rights/lefts can created a dead spot.

It depends on the transmission too. The Rover is about 7gal/hour with the stick shift. We can do 2.5hour stints on the 18 gallon tank with fuel to spare. The auto was maybe 2.25 hours if we pushed it. IIRC, the Saturn was about 5.5-6gal/hour and that was us beating the snot out of it.

305 5 speed 3.45 gear. We run it between 3500 and 6000rpm (maybe more on long straights)

Fuel economy is possibly the biggest downside to racing a Slant Six. The engine's been slightly breathed-upon since we got into Class B, but it's still a mid-pack Class B car that burns about 7.5 gallons an hour when you beat on it. That's with 3.55 rear gears and a 3-speed automatic that shifts at 4000 RPM. We top out around 4600 on long straights.

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