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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Default Can someone give a quick rundown on costs of late model racing

    Crate and/or Super Late Model

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Virginia Beach, Va
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    Start up costs or operating costs? Those are different things. To run say the FUEL series (you're in North Carolina) and hope to be competitive, You'll need at least maybe a one or 2 year old XR1 or Longhorn, that's about $15,500-20,000. Motor from Battenbilt about 25 grand, good shock package for around $3500, Hoosier 1350 tires go for $175 each, Wheels are about $350 for Bead Locks, I think 200 for non bead locks a couple transmissions for $1500 a piece a spare rear end that's about $1500. Okay open trailer, $3500. Good 3/4 ton pickup, 50k. Lot of guys running E85 so that saves a little fuel costs, if not C12 costs $9.50 a gallon and you need around 25 gallons a show. There's lots of stuff I didn't put in there, like the safety equipment and the oil system and I'm assuming that the person has a shop and a comprehensive ammount of tools and equipment, if not add a bunch of zeroes to the total . This is for limited but crate or super would be similar. Just add or subtract a little bit here or there. This is a bare bones bottom dollar racing out of your garage way of going about it too. Also, hauler fuel, time to do the work or pay somebody to do it and write it off as a loss on your business. etc.
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  3. #3
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    Feb 2017
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    3,204

    Default

    What kind of motor are you getting for 25 grand ?

  4. #4
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    Jul 2007
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    Virginia Beach, Va
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirtcrazy4u View Post
    What kind of motor are you getting for 25 grand ?
    I answered about Limiteds. That's what I know about.
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    1,362

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    Start up costs or operating costs? Those are different things. To run say the FUEL series (you're in North Carolina) and hope to be competitive, You'll need at least maybe a one or 2 year old XR1 or Longhorn, that's about $15,500-20,000. Motor from Battenbilt about 25 grand, good shock package for around $3500, Hoosier 1350 tires go for $175 each, Wheels are about $350 for Bead Locks, I think 200 for non bead locks a couple transmissions for $1500 a piece a spare rear end that's about $1500. Okay open trailer, $3500. Good 3/4 ton pickup, 50k. Lot of guys running E85 so that saves a little fuel costs, if not C12 costs $9.50 a gallon and you need around 25 gallons a show. There's lots of stuff I didn't put in there, like the safety equipment and the oil system and I'm assuming that the person has a shop and a comprehensive ammount of tools and equipment, if not add a bunch of zeroes to the total . This is for limited but crate or super would be similar. Just add or subtract a little bit here or there. This is a bare bones bottom dollar racing out of your garage way of going about it too. Also, hauler fuel, time to do the work or pay somebody to do it and write it off as a loss on your business. etc.
    I think these numbers are close but on the low side. 15-20,000 won't usually get you a two year old "good" roller its closer to 20-25 then theirs the oil system. That 25$doesn't include the oil system. So tack in another 3k on the low end. Fuel system another 2k. You can't go racing with out spare parts. Used parts vary but a rocket car cost about 1000$ per side for front suspension bumpers door bars deck bars. If you were starting from scratch and had 50k you'd be way behind quick

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Thanks for the quick rundown👍 Not cheap but maybe doable for a little less than I originally thought. I think limited/crate is the way to go for most 👍

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Az.
    Posts
    988

    Default

    Want to run WoO or Lucas for a whole season? Start with 1 Mil.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Greensboro, NC
    Posts
    792

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    How do you make a million dollars racing? Start with 2 million.

    Save money by running the Blue ridge Outlaw Late Model series. 6 races this year, 5 different winners, 5 different engine packages (602 crate, 604 crate, spec motor, steelhead and super), 5 different chassis.

    Not your top series, but a lot of fun for a lot less money.

  9. #9
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    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by formercrewguy View Post
    Want to run WoO or Lucas for a whole season? Start with 1 Mil.
    I’d imagine. Or just do like the Joiners do and race in a few each year.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Virginia Beach, Va
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jking24 View Post
    I think these numbers are close but on the low side. 15-20,000 won't usually get you a two year old "good" roller its closer to 20-25 then theirs the oil system. That 25$doesn't include the oil system. So tack in another 3k on the low end. Fuel system another 2k. You can't go racing with out spare parts. Used parts vary but a rocket car cost about 1000$ per side for front suspension bumpers door bars deck bars. If you were starting from scratch and had 50k you'd be way behind quick
    Yeah that 15 is too low for a car that new. But it would still buy a really nice car for a guy that wants to run his local track and just fool around. Maybe run in the top 10 or even the top 5 (with a full field) for a goal.

    Now I don't know if the guy asking the question has the fool idea of actually doing this. But there's way more to think about it than getting a car. We still haven't bought headers, we haven't bought pulleys, probably don't have a good radiator, gonna need a bellhousing, flywheel and starter. I don't know if the guy even has a crescent wrench but I'll assume that he don't have a spring smasher and if you ain't got one of those you might as well not have a phillips screwdriver. Why we ain't even bought fuel jugs.

    Plus, my first post was for an open, bumper pull trailer and a pickup truck. Do you need a truck that new that it costs 50k? Not really but here's the other issue. Racing out of a pickup truck on an open deck trailer is awful. You wanna travel at all, what do you do, pray nobody steals all your tools while you're sleeping in a hotel room? Been there done that. A real thief will rob you anyways but locks keep the honest honest. Plus I have tools that ONLY go to the track, they don't get used in the shop and they're all Harbor Freight crap because well, what I was just saying. Also lots of times it rains make sure you cover that motor even if it ain't raining when you start driving home. Does the guy have a quickjack? Probably not. I don't have one but man do I ever want one. Jacking one of those wide SOBs up in my narrow shop is a real PITA. I feel like it's the odds and ends and stuff like that that adds up and really kills you.

    I guess it all depends on what somebody wants to do if you just want to have a good enough car to not be a hazard, or if you want to win. I mean technically you could get a 2004 ________ from behind somebody's barn and put a 350 out of a van with a Speedway Motors 1500103 cam in there and say you're "racing late models" Hint, don't do that......
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Virginia Beach, Va
    Posts
    3,218

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    Hint number 2, you're better off with a 350 out of a van with a hot cam in a really good car than you are with a bad azz motor in a 2004 _________ from behind somebody's barn. Trust me on this.
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    420

    Default

    "Hint number 2, you're better off with a 350 out of a van with a hot cam in a really good car than you are with a bad azz motor in a 2004 _________ from behind somebody's barn. Trust me on this."

    That statement is true Rocky, and would be even more true if they would get the bodies back under control and put hard tires on the cars. The last race I ever got to run was at North GA Speedway. It was an SRRS race. I had raced the week before in Limited with a borrowed Hobby motor. Ran 3rd out of a pretty good field of cars. Decided to race with Supers the next week because they didn't have enough for a full field and they were racing on D55's on the rear. Didn't qualify very good but was running right behind, and keeping up with a couple of good cars with probably 3 times the HP that I had. Wouldn't have been possible had I tried that today.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Virginia Beach, Va
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    I don't know much about being competitive but I know a lot about making a fool out of myself in an old heap, with and without a good motor... Not advised. I have a newer car in the shop now that I can't race because of well the fact that the track is closed and I'm not home at the moment. but someday...
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  14. #14

    Default

    WHat about Modifieds? What are the numbers on that?

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    695

    Default

    Modifieds are not alot cheaper than a late model these days (at least to run big shows).

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    796

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky View Post
    Start up costs or operating costs? Those are different things. To run say the FUEL series (you're in North Carolina) and hope to be competitive, You'll need at least maybe a one or 2 year old XR1 or Longhorn, that's about $15,500-20,000. Motor from Battenbilt about 25 grand, good shock package for around $3500, Hoosier 1350 tires go for $175 each, Wheels are about $350 for Bead Locks, I think 200 for non bead locks a couple transmissions for $1500 a piece a spare rear end that's about $1500. Okay open trailer, $3500. Good 3/4 ton pickup, 50k. Lot of guys running E85 so that saves a little fuel costs, if not C12 costs $9.50 a gallon and you need around 25 gallons a show. There's lots of stuff I didn't put in there, like the safety equipment and the oil system and I'm assuming that the person has a shop and a comprehensive ammount of tools and equipment, if not add a bunch of zeroes to the total . This is for limited but crate or super would be similar. Just add or subtract a little bit here or there. This is a bare bones bottom dollar racing out of your garage way of going about it too. Also, hauler fuel, time to do the work or pay somebody to do it and write it off as a loss on your business. etc.

    Honest question but how are you using 25 gallons of fuel a night?

    I use 7.5 to 10 (HL, TT, Heat, B and A) depending on if I run the B or not.

  17. #17
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    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjsracing View Post
    Honest question but how are you using 25 gallons of fuel a night?I use 7.5 to 10 (HL, TT, Heat, B and A) depending on if I run the B or not.
    I think you would need extra gas with you to be on the safe side.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Virginia Beach, Va
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    Quote Originally Posted by cjsracing View Post
    Honest question but how are you using 25 gallons of fuel a night?

    I use 7.5 to 10 (HL, TT, Heat, B and A) depending on if I run the B or not.

    I don't, but I run a 28 gallon cell and scale with 15 gallons in the car and I start the night with 25 gallons. I'm not sure if that's really the best way to do it or not that's just how I do it.
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Virginia Beach, Va
    Posts
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    If a guy wants to get into late model racing the thing NOT to do is listen to somebody like me on 4m about how much it costs. I'm the worst driver in the state and until recently had the worst car in the state. Go to the track closest to you. listen to the towns when the announcer says the names. Find a guy within 15 miles of your house. Go down to the pits and introduce yourself. Help scrape some mud. shine a flashlight in the car to help him put on his belts if he don't have anybody to do that. Start spending nights working in the shop. learn EVERYTHING you can on your own. Do your own research. Know every dang thing that you can possibly know and decide then, is this a good idea or not? I think I'm saying if you want to get into it, start doing it but don't lay your life's savings on the line at first. Experience is the most expensive thing. Get it for sweat equity.
    Guerilla Racing Junkies.

    Shovel on a little more coal, then when we cross white oak mountain, watch 97 roll!

    The problem is the gall dang motors.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    3,204

    Default

    ^^^^^ post of the year. I'll add, use common sense, starting out you do not have to have new. You can buy motors from some teams for half of what they paid for them. Or find a team that's getting out. Last but not least, then you have to ask yourself. Can I get the job done behind the wheel or do I just want to have fun and try it for a couple years.

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