Making a profit in drag racing ????

[Wade Mahaffey]

A dragster is the supreme drag race vehicle. They have a superior advantage aginst door cars in the bracket format. You can race Top Dragster and/or Super Comp/Quick Rod and be just as competitive in either. You can't do that alone, with any other classes. You can race a stocker in S/S, but not as competitive. All you have to do is look at Scotty Richardson, Peter Biondo, etc. or go to any big money race. If it was just about the smart money...you would be in a dragster. Now if you can build the car, engine, transmissions, sell race parts, that is the way to make a profit in drag racing. Be your own sponsor, showcase your product on your own entry. It's sweet when you go to a race and transport a product for someone...and get paid! That's how you race in my book, bring home more money than you left with! If you put forth the effort in any career, that you put forth in racing....You would be a rich SOB. I like racing for the competition value, and I'll be in a little 60 Corvette SS/LA because that's what I like. I don't always like what's best for me. LOL. Sometimes fun is worth more than money.

Wade Mahaffey

[X-TECH MAN]

[QUOTE=Wade Mahaffey; Sometimes fun is worth more than money.

Wade Mahaffey[/QUOTE]

BINGO ! I think the fun factor is the most important thing. If your NOT having fun then you should find something else to do.

[Rich Biebel]

John Lingenfelter once said in an interview

You can't make a living drag racing....
but you can make a living off of drag racing....meaning a drag racing related business that made a profit and was promoted by your success in racing.....It always stuck in my mind what he said and I could not agree more. There are very few people to have made any money just from race winnings.....and over the long haul they would be in the red.....

[CycloneFE]

Rich,

Great point, and for those that think you can't run a dragster by yourself, just take a lesson from Don Higgins, the man is awesome.

This is going to get interesting.

Steve

PS, I will be in it for the fun, when I get there.

[Michael Beard]

>> A dragster is the supreme drag race vehicle. They have a superior advantage aginst door cars in the bracket format. You can race Top Dragster and/or Super Comp/Quick Rod and be just as competitive in either.

The level of competition is also higher in each of those classes, due to electronics. Higher risk, higher reward (and only a higher reward at big money bracket races, only because Box cars typically have more opportunities to race for big money) You're more likely to want an enclosed trailer for a dragster, too, so there's added expense in the initial outlay as well as reduced fuel mileage.

>> You can race a stocker in S/S, but not as competitive.

That may be true in NHRA, since they have lowered the indexes, but I would otherwise disagree. I drove a legal Stocker in IHRA Super Stock for 1 year, finished 6th in the World, qualified for the All-Stars race, etc. Greg Rowe also won in SS with a Stocker, despite a limited schedule.

>> Be your own sponsor, showcase your product on your own entry. It's sweet when you go to a race and transport a product for someone...and get paid!

That, I agree with. My graphic design and printing business is inseparable from my racing operation, as I rely on word of mouth, and my customer base is strictly drag racers, tracks, and promoters.

I think there's some misconceptions about "sponsorship", too. I think a lot of folks would consider sponsorships "cheating" in this little mental exercise, but that's thinking about "grubstake" sponsors, where someone gives you something for the sake of giving it to you, rather than a "marketing partnership". Sponsorships take effort, and it can be as integral to your racing operation as checking the air in your tires. It's about building brand awareness, and generating sales leads, if not direct sales. Overlooking this as a natural part of your racing operation is like short-shifting on a heads-up run.

It's already been proven that a dual-purpose Stocker that can be bracket raced (aka, built to last) is a viable way to go. I run 55+ events a year, and since I've been double-entering at so many races this year, it's like going to that many more. I've already been through two drums of fuel this year! I think a Super Stocker would be too costly to maintain. In terms of initial investment, I think you can probably still buy a turnkey car cheaper than you could build it, even if you could do much of the work yourself. Those are skills that you could use to *maintain* it, though.

No, I can't do nothing *but* race for a living, but it's a good "part-time job", and moreover, my "regular" business would not exist without the racing operation aspect.

$.02,

[cicero819]

Don "The Worm" Elgin, Al Young, Johnny Labbous who are still racing and probably have turned a profit occasionnally and yes many more, but these guys have done with a lot less. How about the Taylors racing with their Z24 in stock trim and winning against electronic delay cars. I see Mr Williams still enjoying running his Cajun Oldsmobile in Class and brackets and probably breaking even. I'm sure that a dependable Stock and Super stock, can be used to bracket race and class race and might break even but just like golf, rare are the ones actually leaving with a surplus in their pockets from any events. Great topic Ed. I'm sure your car would be ideal candidate for being on the black side of the ledger. For a door car I would say a S/Street that can also race S/G and bracket(like the Pocket Rocket Opel)CR