Yearly Track Costs (or how to spend $20K/yr on a $10K Porsche)

[thstone]

I get a lot of questions that start out with something like, "So, what does it cost for a year of tracking your Boxster?". Here is the general answer. I am sure that you could do the same number of days and spend less and I am definitely sure that you could spend more. Of course, your mileage may vary.

It's a good thing that my wife doesn't belong to the 986Forum.

2012 Number of Track Days: 28

Tracks: Streets of Willow, Willow Springs Big Track, AutoClub Speedway, Pomona Road Course, Mazda Laguna Seca, Buttonwillow Raceway.

• Registration Fees: $5,200 (Ave = $185 per day)
• Tires: 5 sets x $800 per set = $4,000 (5th set is brand new and will be used into early 2013)
• Fuel: 1 fill-up per track day: $50 x 28 = $1,400
• Brakes: 2 sets F/R pads + 2 sets of F/R rotors = $1,100 (DIY)
• Oil/Oil Filter: 5 changes x $100 each = $500 (DIY)
• Air Filter: 5 x $20 each = $100 (DIY)
• Major Service: $380 (DIY)
• Travel (hotels, meals, etc): $1,000 (most tracks are within driving distance of my house and I drive home on Sat night for most weekend events)
• At Track Support: $450 (HRG Team support)
• Repairs:
• 1. $240 Shift cables adjustment + trans fluid service
• 2. $600 P0410/P4111 CEL’s

Total = $14,970


Optional:

• Professional Driving Instruction: $900 (best $900 ever spent!)
• PSS9/996 sways/etc full suspension upgrade: $4,200
• HANS device: $700
• Plasti-Dip Track and Street Wheels: $72
• Under drive pulley/new belt: $240 (DIY)
• GoPro HD Camera/Mount: Free (Thanks Little “t”)

Total: $6,112

If all goes according to plan (hah!), in 2013 I'd like to buy a full Spec Boxster (BSR) and start wheel-to-wheel racing.

[san rensho]

You are definitely hitting the track pipe hard. Good for you. When you get the spec Boxster, name it 8 Ball.

[MConte05]

What is your cost/per mile of actual racing?

[thstone]

Cost per hour is a lot easier to calculate than cost per mile;

28 days x minimum 4 sessions/day x 0.5 hours/session = 56 hours of track time (minimum)
$14,970/56 = $267 per track hour

[shadrach74]

Originally Posted by thstone

Cost per hour is a lot easier to calculate than cost per mile;

28 days x minimum 4 sessions/day x 0.5 hours/session = 56 hours of track time (minimum)
$14,970/56 = $267 per track hour

Ouch! I own and operate a small aircraft 80hrs a year for about 60% of that and that includes hangar rental.

My airplane only gets 17mpg...@~180mph.

Thanks thstone, I will come back here and read this every time I start to feel bad about the various money pits in my life!

[MConte05]

Reason I asked about cost/mile is that is typically how I calculate out my rally costs. It can be $1500-2000 per weekend, lots of travelling, but we'll have 130+ miles of WOT through the woods. So for me $15-20 per stage mile is typically a "good deal" for me...

[jaykay]

jeeez did you have to spell it out!! now I have no excuse for "not knowing"

[RandallNeighbour]

If anyone EVER lets my wife see this thread I'll never get back to the track for a DE.

Seriously!

[Eric G]

The old adage never fails...you have to pay to play. I love my Box dearly, but I will stick with bikes for my track addiction, fast speed and cheaper to play. It's guys like you with the dedication to the tracking the cars that makes it fun to watch.

So another factor to add into your budget, value of friends watching you have fun....priceless!

[Flavor 987S]

With a Spec Boxster, your fuel costs will triple, right??? Figure $9.00/gallon minimum for 100 octane.

[Homeboy981]

Originally Posted by jaykay

jeeez did you have to spell it out!! now I have no excuse for "not knowing"

I'm with @JayKay….I wish I did not know! The bikes are a heck of a lot cheaper…until you watch your wife go down. Could not do it without her!

…and IF she ever sees this thread - the DREAM is DEAD!

Thanks for the info, but as she says, "Keep it to yourself, keep it to yourself"

How do you make a rich man into a poor man? Start racing! Good luck with that. Keep the GoPro going so we can live it without the repair bills! BTW your season was pretty cheap. We raced a 3 state area and spent $20k ON BIKES!!! And the RACE gas adds up - but love the smell of that stuff. It is like crack for racers!

[Ghostrider 310]

I'm with shadrach, after reading what Stoney posted it made my Searay Sundancer days and the related fees feel nearly FREE!!

[Eric523]

Yeah, not supposed to do that. I try not to add up multiple events at a time, or ever look at the sum of a whole season!

Boxster Spec has basically the same operating costs for fuel, tires, brakes, and other associated racing expenses. No race gas allowed and it also has a spec 100TW tire.

[stephen wilson]

Yeah, I kept ALL my costs the first 2 years of Formula Ford racing, then decided I didn't want to know! Though after the initial investment, I did manage a $5k cap for those years.

[trygve]

Originally Posted by Flavor 987S

With a Spec Boxster, your fuel costs will triple, right??? Figure $9.00/gallon minimum for 100 octane.

Nope. Normal gas only. However, regarding "triple", I'd like to know where you find $3 gas! Out here in CA we've been in the $4 range this year, and the pumps at the tracks are more like $5.

[thstone]

Standard 91 octane pump gas runs $7/gal at most tracks.

[Topless]

Originally Posted by thstone

Cost per hour is a lot easier to calculate than cost per mile;

28 days x minimum 4 sessions/day x 0.5 hours/session = 56 hours of track time (minimum)
$14,970/56 = $267 per track hour

Average speed approx 80mph= $3.34/mile

You are an animal Tom. Nice breakdown of a years worth of quality track time. I don't spend quite as much with a shared trackside motor home for lodging and always running off-site 91 gas that we bring with us. It is sobering to see where the money goes though. It compares pretty well with airplane ownership or being a member of a private golf country club.

The big difference is... golf is a 1 ball sport. Racing a Boxster requires 2 balls.

[Flavor 987S]

Originally Posted by trygve

However, regarding "triple", I'd like to know where you find $3 gas!

It was just a WAG. I took Thstone's $50 tank price and devided by 16 gallons, and got about $3.

[Flavor 987S]

Originally Posted by Topless

The big difference is... golf is a 1 ball sport. Racing a Boxster requires 2 balls.

Quote of the week! LOL!!

[thstone]

Originally Posted by Flavor 987S

It was just a WAG. I took Thstone's $50 tank price and devided by 16 gallons, and got about $3.

It was an approximation. I estimated $50 a tank by starting with a 1/4 tank already in the car: 12 gal x $4.xx/gal = ~$50. Some tracks use more fuel, some less. You get the idea.