$$$$$ question

[Clay]

Ok, how much money am I looking at here?  

I'm looking to do my first race at VIR this up and coming April.  So what am I looking at?  

First, are there two of the same race?  As in, I plan on entering Supersport unlimited.  Will there be a SSU race Sat and another one Sun?  All in all I'm going to enter SSU, Unlimited GP and GTO.  So if I stay the whole weekend...am I looking at 3 or 6 races?  

So now...money.  How much for the race license (I'll be doing the Bargy school Thursday) and all my races?  

[TreyBone]

that will be 6 races. You can count on spending 800-1000 bucks every race weekend EASY.

[Clay]

Well, what I'm looking for is the total CCS is going to charge me for all this.  As in, how much for each race and how much for the race license?  Oh, how much for practice Friday?

So there's all the races on Saturday...and the exact same races again on Sunday?  

[davegsxrold929r]

it would only be the 3 races ,. they run different races sat. and sunday...

and depending how much the school is ?!?! add that to as follows..
each race around $50
tires $360  [should get you through the weekend, until you are really fast..but on a big bike they get used up quick]
gas $20 [10 gas super/ no race gas....just for the bike]
license for the year $100
plus parts if you crash
plus food.....
plus gas to get there.....

[Litespeed]

I think the race costs are 70 for the first race, 50 for the second and 35 for each additional, but sine you are doing a GTO and Unlimited you get to pay full price for those two and full price for the third one.  So, you are looking at around 210 for race entry, plus 100 for the license plus whatever the school costs.

[Clay]

Damn...I've GOT to get me a 600!!!!  

Is GTO a 30 minute race?  So GP is a purse paying event too?  

[sdiver68]

Damn...I've GOT to get me a 600!!!!  

Is GTO a 30 minute race?  So GP is a purse paying event too?  

Yes, GTO is typically 30 minutes.

ULGP is the "BIG" money race for AM's.  The only purse paying sprint.  Pays back to 10th place.

[TreyBone]

Clay was asking about a Twin Sprint weekend.  There are no GT races on those weekends. The line up for Saturday is the same as sunday.  AND YES IT IS 6 races.  you have to pay for each one

[TreyBone]

The cost for CCS would be

Gate fee = 30.00 ( 3 days )
Friday practice 100.00 - 120.00
race school = 150.00
license = 100.00 (ccs only)
6 races = 260.00

That equals 660.00 bucks

Then add gas, tires, hotel, food, etc.  

[Chef]

trey,
that is diff from midwest entry's for twin sprints,
our friday is for gt races
and then his sprints would be on sat and sun....

ike

[MELK-MAN]

trey,
that is diff from midwest entry's for twin sprints,
our friday is for gt races
and then his sprints would be on sat and sun....

ike

clay, come down and race JenningsGP in april. CCS florida region is a 1 day race on sunday, practice on sat. $75 for practice, $50 per race as many as you want. However the GTO/GTU races are just another 6 lap sprint like all the other races.
yes, its friggin expensive BUT.. top 5 pay tire contingency and other stuff to help if ya can get in there.  

[Ripper]

I don't thing costs would be that much better even for a 600cc.If you what to make this sport as affordable as possible ,then you might consider sponsorship(good luck) race contingeinces(possible if your a front runner) or go to a lite weight(your most likely to save on tires) and or a light weight beater bike.You can get an fzr 400 or ex500 race preped for $800-$1400.(and they crash well).If your new you need to learn corner speed anyway,at first.The thrills you give up on hp you can make up on apex speed.    2 cents

Ray

[Clay]

Ok, I don't know what I'm gonna do.  Arrrggghhhhh  

BTW, this weekend isn't listed as a twin sprint event.  So I'm still confused as to whether there is two of the same race or just one of each.   :-/

Melk, I don't know what events I'm doing this year.  VIR is just looking so inticing because my friend that races pro formula USA will be there...so I'll have lots of help from him and my friends.  

I'm already doing the Bargy school on Thursday at CMP.  So I'm just thinking, why not come on over Friday and do my first race with my friends?!?!  

Ok, so for a guy who is "ok" on the track (I'm pretty sure I can hit 1:23's at NFMP now that I've got suspension done..was doing 26's with absolutely horrid clapped out 25000miles on it stock suspension...) do you think I can possibly hit top 10 in any of my amateur classes?  

I'm heading down to NFMP for a track day on March 15th with STT.  I'll see if I can truly get down to 23's now.  But I know I can get close to them...as I was wanting to go faster while doing 26's.  Ok, ok...I'm still a newbie and I've got to stop thinking I'm any good :p  I guess this race will tell where I rank in the pack!  I'm just wondering how much harder amateur unlimited will be over amateur supersport.  

Ok...I'm rambling, LOL.  

[Dawn]

Clay:

Go to this link and download the schedule.  It should answer a lot of your questions.

http://www.formulausa.com/factsheets03/VIR%20April%20SCHEDULE.pdf

Dawn   :)

[Clay]

Ooh, thanx Dawn...exactly what I needed :D

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Dude!  Don't sweat it.  You're new.  I'm guessing that you've already got the bike you plan to run, but the EX/FZR advice was good.  You'll be overwhelmed when you first start.  Just getting through tech, making all your practice sessions, getting your bike signed up for the proper classes, and actually showing up to the grid, ready to race, at the proper time is going to be pure mental overload.  
You're worried about where you'll finish?  Don't.  You still have so much to learn.  Tires, suspension setup, gearing, jetting, ect, ect, ect.  This will be an exciting and mystifying journy for you.  If you decide that you should be finishing in a certain position right away, you'll get discouraged quickly.  Worse, if you do excell right away, you'll never learn all the hard lessons that the rest of the beginners are forced to figure out, and when you run up against real competition, you won't know what suddenly went wrong.
Racing is all about the learning curve.  For the first few weekends, it's the learning virtical line.  Eventually, the arc will begin to flatten.  To begin, make your goals to survive and not endanger anyone who is sharing the track with you.  Remember, this is supposed to be fun!  Take it slow and enjoy yourself.  There is no dishonor in not being the best your first time out.  You'll hopefully have years of racing ahead of you, and you will improve each weekend.  Just don't fixate on your finishing position.  Trust me.  You'll have plenty of time later to chase championships and spend yourself into the poorhouse.  For now, Just enjoy the ride. ;)

[Clay]

Thanx for the kinds words.  You folks over here are definitely a little nicer than the guys over at wera.com, LOL!  I've already been flamed x10 for saying I'm racing a 929 :-/  I'm just racing what I've got for this season.  Next season it'll be down to a smaller class.  I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about running an SV.  

[ecumike]

Yea, VIR is not a twin sprint race weekend.

Also... MAKE SURE you fill out the contingency forms for tech. Even if you don't think you'll place top 5/3... I almost missed out on some contingency $ my first race weekend.

[ecumike]

that will be 6 races. You can count on spending 800-1000 bucks every race weekend EASY.

Holy crap Trey, are you serious, that much per weekend?  I guess that's what being fast will do to ya huh?

Do you/600cc+ riders really go through a set of tires a weekend?

Makes me even more thankful for my underpowered priller.

[sdiver68]

Yes, I budget $1000 per weekend.  What I don't spend one weekend I'll probably end up paying the next weekend.  If races are local then it can be cheaper, also, if you run regualr posium then contingencies help a lot.

Definitely at least 1 set of tires per weekend, but those tires also last for the next weekend's practice day.

[Clay]

So who all pays contingencies?  

[EX#996]

So who all pays contingencies?  

Clay:

You really need to check out the www.ccsracing.com site.  There is a lot of information out there including the rule book, entry forms, schedules, results (eventually) and up comming events.

The contingentcy information however has not been updated.  Last year the tire maufactures of Dunlop, Michillen, Pirrelli paid as well as EBC brakes, Vortex Sprockets, AGV, Vanson Leathers, Sikolene (that's all I can remember off the top of my head).

Dawn   :)

[Clay]

Yeah, I've been looking over all the rules and such.  But like you said, nothing on contingencies :(  All of those you listed, I'm not using either :(   Metzler tires, Carbone Lorraine brake pads, Pro-tek rear sets, vortek clip ons, renthal sprockets, DID chain, Micron pipe, factory PCIII, goodridge lines, sprint damper, race tech valves/springs, ohlins shock, airtech body work, tyre sox warmers, MAYBE VP fuel... I think that's all.  Any of those sound good?  

[EX#996]

Yeah, I've been looking over all the rules and such.  But like you said, nothing on contingencies :(  All of those you listed, I'm not using either :(   Metzler tires, Carbone Lorraine brake pads, Pro-tek rear sets, vortek clip ons, renthal sprockets, DID chain, Micron pipe, factory PCIII, goodridge lines, sprint damper, race tech valves/springs, ohlins shock, airtech body work, tyre sox warmers, MAYBE VP fuel... I think that's all.  Any of those sound good?  

Oh my goodness Clay, your post gave me a really good laugh.   ;D

The reason it did is because I don't remember any of those on last years contingency sheets.  BUT....  Don't worry about it.  When you first start out, unless you are really good or lucky you probably wouldn't qualify for them.  So...  when you do need to replace some parts or tires, then you may want to look at the contingecy information.

Good Luck!

Dawn   :)

[Clay]

WAAHHHHHHH... just my luck  :D  hehe

Well, I am using silkolene oil...one aint so bad :p  I haven't ordered my Carbone Lorraine pads yet...maybe I'll go with Vesrah?  They do pay in CCS don't they?  Hmmm, I hate to hear that Metzler won't pay contingencies and their own company, Pirelli will.  And OF COURSE, I'm on an "outdated" Honda...so no hope of anything there :-/  

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Thanx for the kinds words.  You folks over here are definitely a little nicer than the guys over at wera.com, LOL!  I've already been flamed x10 for saying I'm racing a 929 :-/  I'm just racing what I've got for this season.  Next season it'll be down to a smaller class.  I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about running an SV.  

Geeze!  You're racing a 929?  You can't race a particular motorcycle until everyone on this board gives you their approval!  You're an idiot.  Were your parents related?  Go away and never come back!
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
So, should I go race WERA now?  Funny, but flaming a stranger didn't make me feel any smarter or faster.  Maybe I'm not WERA material after all. ;)

[r6_philly]

Clay, Metzler/Pirelli does pay contengency. I think they only pay back to 4th place this year, or maybe 5th as last year. You will probably figure out that finishing top 5 in the unlimited class in Mid-Atlantic is pretty hard. Since you can't register until you take the school, you lost half of the battle. So you will get a almost full grid, and you have to start in the back because you just registered that morning. All them pesky little 600's  ;D are going to take all the glory.

As far as budget goes, I will just list what I spend as a front running amateur at VIR:

1 weekend:
Gas getting down there and back - $100
Gas for the bike, 10 gallons - $20
Gate fee 2 person - $40
Camping/Electric - $10
Food/1 hour at walmat - $60
your 3 races - $210

That totals $440. Plus $60 misc. that would be about $500.

If you crash, thats another matter.

Tires? on my 600, I can go through a set of tires, or maybe even 2 rears, depends on the races I enter. If I do GTO, GTU, MWGP, MWSS, MWSB, ULGP, Sportbike + 4 practice session, I would be doing close to 80 laps, then I would probably use 1 front and 2 rears. Sometimes I skip 1 practice session per day just not to run out my fronts. That woudl come to $500 in tires.

So $1000 is about right, for each weekend. For the year will be $10k plus. I know I know we dont want to admit that we spend over 10k on racing per year, our girlfriends will kill us  :P

I will be at VIR racing in April, if you want someone to hang out with, and ask questions when you have them, or just to figure out how everything works, I will be glad to pit with ya. After this past year, I have pretty much figured out what I need in the paddock. I figure it would take you 3-6 weekends and about another $2000 to get everything that makes the weekend enjoyable.

It's an VERY expensive hobby, the sooner you realize and accept that, the better off you are. BUT, it is also WORTH it.

Oh ya, go on EBAY and buy any and every piece of spare/parts that you can find for your bike. Also anything you own that can be related to the bike, bring it. You will NEVER know what you might need. I have spares of everything. 3 sets of rims, rain tire, extra tires, 10 sets of levers, sprockets of all sizes, chain, spare body work, spare case covers, bars, pegs, shift rod, pads, oil, filter, battery charger, tie down straps, chemicals. One crash and you will be wishing you brought that one thing you thought you would never need. And more to say about that, if you had bought the spares BEFORE you crash, you wouldn't feel that bad after you crash. I know its all money spend, but its really not good feelings when you have to hand over $$$ just after you tossed your bike down the track. "oh well, I got it in the trailer" sounds MUCH better.

Actually I am bringing a spare bike this year. After my buddy's GSXR took a dump last year at VIR, and he moped around for 3 days (broke on Friday) I swear I would never let that happens to me. Even though my street bike is stock and , well, street, I would rather be riding than not. After I paid $400 to enter races...

[ecumike]

WOW!
I guess I never realized how quick those bigger bikes use up tires.

[r6_philly]

WOW!
I guess I never realized how quick those bigger bikes use up tires.

I think bigger bikes use up 'new' tires. I can go through 1 set of tires every weekend, or 1 set of tires every 3 weekends. The tire is not going to disintegrate because I run it 3 weekends, but I would be going 2-3 seconds slower, and more chance to crash because I will be trying harder to make up the time by riding harder. Hence more chance for a crash.

When you finish mid-pack, it would make less difference, but when you are 2 place out of contigency, it just seem worthy to put on new ones.

So I now use my takeoffs on all the track days I go to...

[ecumike]

AHH, ok, so it's not necessarily changing tires out of necessity, it's more for safety and speed... gotcha.

[r6_philly]

There were guys telling me that their tires go off after 2 gt races and they feel it. They were faster but not THAT much faster. I finally got my shock re-springed and re-valved, so now it may be even easier on my rear.

For a track day/practice, I would ride until the cord shows

Its all about how much you can afford. Walk around the paddock and you will see people selling take offs that has 2-3 races on them. But they have certs to get new ones... so I guess why not