2016 Season Expense

Woody

Woody

PR Addict
After one of Knox's threads about number last fall I decided to keep track of all my racing expenses for the 2016 season (you have to be a masochist to keep track of this for sure) including:

Upgrading from 2009 to 2014 machine:
- New quad and parts $11,973.91 (many discounts and deals here)
- Old quad and parts sold $5,121.94
- Net cost of $6,851.97

Maintenance/Gear Costs (Oil, Filter, Tearoffs, Replacements, Etc.):
- $373.04

Entry Fees/Racing/Practice/Travel Expense/Race Fuel
- 12 Races
- 16 Practice
- 2,828 Miles traveled (All in Ohio except 1 trip to Earlywine)
- $1,767.97

Total Dollars Spent
- $8992.98
- Approximately 40 hours of actual ride time on the hour meter
- $224.82 per hour
- $7.49 per lap (est. 2 min lap)

Costs don't include the tow vehicle (daily driver), camper (used for more than racing), food (make food at the track instead of visiting the concession stand) or track bucks won/used, or practice fees saved by working at the track.
 
3 things about this scare me....

1. I spend a minimum of 100 at every race I go to. 2 of us racing usually means 5 classes this past year.

2. In an average year I put over 100 hours on my hour meter....more time equals more races and practice...equals more everything. There is NO WAY I'm tracking costs, I'm might give my bad heart it's last beat.

3. Most scary......somebody actually took a Knox post to heart and followed his lead!!!
 
Keep in mind that when you see the per lap cost, If you go to a local race it is $10 to get in the gate. $25 for signup. You get 3 laps or practice and two 4 lap motos. That alone is $3.18 per lap. Every track in the area is under 2 min a lap so for the sake of calculations let say it is 1:45 a lap. You are paying $109 an HOUR to ride YOUR machine. Good luck growing the sport to people who know how to do basic math.
 
Vs. a 40 Min GP = $10 to get in the gate. $25 for signup. You are paying $52.50 to click that hour meter 1 time.
Promoters can say whatever they want on why moto is dying. But THIS is the true reason.

Oh yeah, don't get lapped... you don't want to see that cost.
 
I have to say that two tracks I raced most this year were svr mx and delta ironman. Svr cost $51.28 per hour and delta ironman races are $40 hour.
 
To break it down further, cost for racing (entry, gate, fuel) 12 OMA races was $1,213 = $101 per race = $8.42 per lap (11 laps)
My personal cost for open practice (entry, fuel) all year was $555 for 16 practices = $35 per practice = $1.50 per lap (roughly 25 laps per practice)

There is a lot to say about practicing at a track 20 minutes from home verses traveling 2 hours even for a local race....
 
Preview
 
No. I think he just put a price on it.
If you pulled up to the track and the guy said "admission is $8 a lap" how many laps would you pay for? And would you go back?
If you ride 2 classes then you still only get one practice so that is 19 laps for $55. Or $2.89 a lap. Plus expenses. What a deal.
So the next time you are sitting on the line and the referee walks by and says "we are running behind so we are cutting one lap" Put your bike in gear and run him over.
 
Reviewing the posts, I don't see where Woody is complaining about the costs. He's just making a statement.
I can tell you when I rode this year but not a dollar amount spent.
We've all driven to practices or races and had time on our bikes cut short, that happens.
Many times they are caused by issues outside of our control. It's my preference to practice vs race because I feel it's a better dollar value.
Neither you nor I can make the expenses associated with our sport go away.
All you can do is ride within your budget and have fun!
 
I'm definitely not complaining about the cost of racing vs. practice. I just wanted to give out some real-life numbers.

Yes it does cost more to race for less seat time. For exactly those 2 reasons I CHOOSE to race a couple times a month. I like the races with bigger gates, typically you can count on that at the Battle series, and to a lesser extent the Super Series this year. I also like to get to different tracks about twice a year. As much as I like Malvern, there is NO WAY I'm racing there 10+ time a year, but that belongs in another thread.

I didn't keep track of the expense to race Daytona in 2015, but I will as we plan to go back in 2017. I'd have to guess we would have spent a MINIMUM of $1,500 if it was just a trip to race for a total of 25 laps (2 classes). But I wouldn't even make that trip if it wasn't tied to a family vacation week.
 
There was a guy that used to sell expense books at the track. Think it was called days in the dirt. Do any of you guys rememeber these books or have one ? I bet there's one in my dads trailer. This was back in the 90s...

Donnie Macan I think sold them.....
 
Amherst Meadowlarks is trying to help make it more affordable. Come out to Amherst Meadowlarks and race this Sunday for our last race of the year. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsor ED TOMKO CHRYSLER - JEEP - DODGE we have offered racer rewards to two classes at all of our OMA races this year see details below.


RACER REWARDS PROGRAM will be in the form of a VISA gift card:
1st = $150
2nd = $125
3rd = $100
4th = $75
5th = $50

ED TOMKO CHRYSLER - JEEP -DODGE - RAM located at 33725 Walker Rd Avon Lake OH 44012

They are sponsoring a RACER REWARDS PROGRAM of $1000.00 at all of our OMA Amherst Meadowlarks Races.

The requirements for classes that will be eligible to receive the reward instead of a trophy are:
• All A, B, C, & VET Classes including ATV A, B, C, Open& VET with at least 7 riders in the class
Two classes’ will be chosen at random from the list of eligible classes that have 7 or more riders the day of the event.

Youth, Beginner and Schoolboy classes are NOT eligible
 
I have two racers, with all the expenses with two of us. I started to keep track for like two races one time. Decided that was NOT a good idea. Would be interesting to know how much has been spent on Motocross in my lifetime though. It has got to be a pretty large number.
 
My dad and I calculated race cost over one season years ago. I was racing every weekend and riding twice a week. D12 and CRA. I believe the total was around $15,000 with parts, fees, memberships, gear, and gas. That did not include indoor races and practices or the trips to Florida and North Carolina in the winter. Pretty crazy. Not a cheap sport but we definitely made some pretty cool memories.
 
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This is why I left the sport and go into building a car. I don't have to drive my car to a specific location to have fun. And building a car is actually cheaper than motocross I've found out. , only thing I pay for is fuel and if I go to a show it's normally $20 to get in for a 2 day event.
 
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