|
FOR4 you are right from a drivers perspective it is not about the money. Most of us would race for peanuts. We as drivers are there just to compete and win. Drivers race just as hard for the 500 at Paragon as we did for the 10,000 at Lawrenceburg it is just our nature. For some it is about winning others just the pure excitement of steering it around the race track. But unfortunatly it takes money to own and operate a sprint car so at some point it becomes about the money. That is why there are so many different forms of racing from bombers to NASCAR, budget determines where you will race. But you know what there may be a NASCAR champion in the bomber race but just cant afford to go to the next step. That is why I respect every class and every driver just because they are not in a sprint car doesnt mean they cant drive it just means they cant afford it. I learned from my school that there are a alot of good drivers that dont get to race anything. They were fans that had $395.00 but couldnt afford a car. Sorry but I got off the subject. I will give you an example from our team and why from a team aspect not the drivers it has to be about the money.
Racing gets more expensive every year. Not only the racing but the travel to get there goes up every year. Not all teams are blessed with big sponsors so it comes out of there hard earned money every week. Into todays world every dime is hard to come by. This is not a complaint just stating the facts from my team, because I have been blessed to do this for 21 years when some do not even get the chance to race. But sprint car racing has become so expensive that it is tough for us to make it. That is why if things do not change in purse or expense the blue collar racer will be out of sprint cars and relegated to another form of racing. Here is a comparison between 1986 my rookie year to 2007. I know Lawrenceburg was paying around 1500 to win and bloomington at some point paid 1500 weekly but not positive in 1986, but pretty sure they did. Dont know exact start money but I think 150. I am going to use a 20 race schedule.
1986
$9,000.00 new motor
$6,000.00 new rolling chassis
-----------
=$15000.00
Per night expenses and I am missing somethings I know.
$75.00 for engine rebuild that cost around $1500.00 at that time
$50.00 per night for RR tire at $100.00 figureing new tire every 2 nights
$10.00 per night for LR tire only using 2 tires in 20 races.
$45.00 for pit passes at $15.00 dollars each for 3 people for my team
$20.00 per night for fuel for car at $1.00 per gallon for 20 gallons
$20.00 per night for fuel for truck at $1.00 per gallon for 20 gallons
$50.00 per night in wear and tear and replacement parts oil filter so on
--------
=$270.00 per night times 20 = 5400.00 add the $15000.00 for the car and motor and you have $20,400.00 spent not counting crashes or blow ups. So you had to avererage bringing in 1,000.00 per night to break even.
Side note shocks were $60.00 a piece then and now $120.00 to $700.00.
Numerous other things are up also
2007 Around the same to win at 1400.00 at Lawrenceburg and 1300.00 to win at Bloomington $200.00 to start
$35,000.00 for a new motor
$15,000.00 for a new roller
-----------
$50,000.00
$250.00 per night for engine rebuild at $5,000.00
$92.00 per night for RR tire at $185.00 new tire every 2 nights
$15.00 per night for LR tire at $150.00 using 2 tires in 20 races
$75.00 for pit passes at $25.00 a piece
$55.00 per night for methanol at $2.75 per gallon for 20 gallons
$55.00 per night for fuel to get to the track at 20 gallons
$100.00 per night in wear and tear and replacement parts
---------
$642.00
$642.00 per night times 20 races = $12,840.00 add $50,000.00 for the car and motor and you have 62,840.00 spent not counting crashes or blown motors. So you had to average bringing in around $3,000.00 dollars per night to break even.
Not one person is getting rich off of Sprint car racing. From the promoters to the racers we are all struggling to get by. We live in a tough economy. That is why I have said we have to find a way to either cut costs or find a way to pay more money from 3rd on back. Blue collar racers cannot survive very long with the costs. If we do not watch what we are doing there will be know more blue collar racers. If we continue on there will only be high dollar teams with the big sponsors and no little guy. To me that stinks that is what makes this sport exciting seeing the little guys try and take down golliath. This isonly my opinion and I may be way off. But if we continue to go in the path that we are before long the names like Anderson, Christian, Charmiceal, Cone, Cummins, Spencer, Shuman, Smiths, Gaines and so on and so on will be done. You will only have the big teams left and they only hire young driver devolpement drivers. If it were not for the teams of Pace, Truckers, and Eddison what are the veterans without money going to do. They are about the only traveling teams left that hire drivers. I may be tottally wrong in 10 years the sport could be as strong as ever. But in my humble opinion is if things do not change we are not looking at a bright future.
|