Cost of Racing - Quick Question

[Racer1930]

Okay, I am getting close to retirement - I am not rich by any modern means but I am comfortable - I am divorced for many years and my (now grown) children are doing fine on their own. I have some "fun money" in my account(s).

What would you think about the current cost of buying a decent quality used race car and some tires and an appropriate trailer and having my own little race team at a local track? When I say "race team" it would just be me my son and his friends. No money there and they could take turns driving.

Would it be better to get a late model or a modified? I don't like the idea of getting a midget or a sprint cars (fear being rollovers)

I am probably way out of this league on this idea and I don't even have any "contacts" at a local racing venue, Advice?

 

[kkfan91]

How about Legands cars? That's what I plan to look at here in the near future.

 

[Racer1930]

THANKS! I didn't think about that - do they run them on normal short tracks?

 

[kkfan91]

THANKS! I didn't think about that - do they run them on normal short tracks?

Yeah they can run on both dirt and asphalt. I don't know about your area but here in Pa they have a series call the Central PA legands that runs about 40 times a year at 5 or 6 tracks. They had 39 cars show for the season opener last week. They run dirt, but this year they are adding a trial series that will run on pavement at Evergreen Raceway.

 

[Magnethead]

Thumb through my thread if you want an ultimate reality check LOL. But yea, Legends are a great "budget" series.

 

[Racer1930]

I can understand how to buy a used car - but finding a "used" L-Car may be more difficult.

 

[gone]

Shouldn't be hard to find a used Legends car... but can be harder to find a good used Legends car.
Legends cars are fragile, and even if they're bent just a little that's often enough to make them back-markers. Also, there have been many rules changes over the years so make sure whatever you buy is up-to-date (or you know and are willing to pay the costs of bringing it up-to-date). In my experience, a truly competitive Legends car is not "budget", but that depends upon the quality of your local competition. You can get a bent Legends car fixed, but you need a frame jig and somebody who knows how to use it... and if you have skirmishes on the track then you'll need that frame jig again. The back two cylinders of the engine don't get enough cooling, so you need to stay on top of maintenance as well as expect periodic rebuilds (that only specific shops are allowed to do).

Late model vs. modified? I'd check out the rules and car counts for both before deciding. If a class isn't drawing enough cars then you risk it getting cancelled. I've noticed that the smaller the tires, and the harder those tires are, the less expensive a class tends to be. Even though you've got some money now, be aware that racing (in any class) will soak up all the money that you allow it to, so I'd pick a class that is less expensive to start with. If you and your teammates don't already have a lot of experience with the car you pick, expect a long and expensive learning curve... doing that in a less expensive class is less painful, so hopefully you'll get less discouraged.

Overall, I do prefer classes with purpose-built tube chassis instead of classes that are built out of converted street cars. Tube chassis cars are usually more durable and consistent, and more of what you learn can be transferred to another class later if you switch. Street car classes can be cheaper at first, but repairing crash damage and ending up with a good handling car can be difficult. But you should also consider your "racing career" plans. If you and your team only want to have some hobby level fun then even a U-Car makes sense. If you (or your son or his friends) envision eventually running with the bigger boys and / or making a living at racing then you'd probably be best off jumping head-first into a late model and taking your learner's lumps. Overall (to me) a modified class with rules that limit engines and tires and shock absorbers is a good compromising place to start.