Turning Racing into a Career

[Braincrater]

So as the title says I am wanting to turn racing into a career... I am currently still in school for mechanical engineering and my goal is to either be good enough to end up racing as a career or be a chief mechanic on a race team.. Seeing as how I am still on a college budget I cant get to the track but once a month so seat time is limited... so are tires! I am looking at getting my race license this year and possibly racing next season...

I have been reading up on sponsorship and what not but it is still going to take massive amounts of money and time, which I am VERY willing to do, to keep things rolling. Anyways, if any of you guys that race can give me words of wisdom on how I can get my name out there and tips of moving up the ladder. I am willing to volunteer for pit help even if it means sweeping the pit out! lol but yeah basically I will do anything for this to happen.

[Xian_13]

Marry a rich woman.



XIII

[Braincrater]

lol, that would definitely be the ideal situation but seeing as how lately I cant even have sex for free, I highly doubt that some rich woman will pay for it!

[123user]

You could also try the lottery... I hear that works.  I'm also a ME and had this fantasy at one time.  Remember that you'd be working for someone elses team, pursuing other people's dreams.  I think its more fun to have a regular-joe job and use your free time to build experimental machinery.  But if I haven't crushed your dreams yet, look into endurance racing... specifically WERA edurance.  Most teams always need another hand.

[spyderchick]

Step 1: have mad riding skillz.

Step 2: Max out CCs

Step 3: Use skillz and CCs to get #1 plate.

Step 4: Leverage #1 plate into sweet deal so you can race the following season.

Repeat steps 1-4 as necessary.

See? Simple.

Seriously, don't expect to make money in racing unless you have a unique skill or have mad skillz in something racers needs.
(Leather repair is covered, thank you very much)
Hang around the track enough and you can find a niche.
Good luck!

[truckstop]

Marry a rich woman.



XIII

You really screwed that one up didn't you.

[Braincrater]

lol...  I guess my goal goes like this; I want to ride for a living but if I dont have what it takes then I will be perfectly happy with being a chief mechanic. So that being said I need to push to ride, I am not going to just settle for mechanic as of now...

I just know that the main thing I need to do is to get my name out there and that equates to being at the track either riding or talking to people...

And honestly I know that most amateur racers dont make jack for an income but it is something they love... some make it to the big time and others dont... I feel that as long as I am doing something I love, the money side of things will work itself out.. I know that I could get my degree and sit in an office all day and make 100k+ buts thats not me, I already have an office job and I hate every second of it even tho it pays good.. I get a good hourly rate and they pay for my schooling but I just cant keep doing this lol...

[Braincrater]

Oh and Spyder... Your leather work is safe and sound, I SUCK at sewing lol..  Homeck was not one of my strong points!

[JBraun]

If you want to be a rock star, I'd suggest you pick up a guitar and learn to play it.

Just to be clear, very few racers make money at it.
If you look at an AMA supersport grid, out of 30+ riders, there are maybe 5 who are getting paid. The rest have jobs or wealthy (or comitted) families that pay the bills so they can race.

Even in Superbike, I bet only half of the riders are making money.

At your local contingency paying club race you'd be hard pressed to find more than three people in the whole paddock who consider racing their job.

So I guess I'd start by getting your race license..... then follow Alexa's advice.

[Super Dave]

First, you need to commit.

Most industry sponsorships are not enough to pay what you need.

Mad skills?  Yeah, but skills are continually put to the test, and even the fastest riders look to go faster and run into hurdles and walls just like a track day rider.  Recognize that one will always run into those walls.

A better living in racing can be had by skipping the AMA.  It doesn't pay enough for a purse, but manufacturers contingency is very, very good.  Yeah, there is an investment process in learning the tracks, learning and buying bikes, generating valuable relationships with good sponsors.  There is no guarantee, but racers do...others either claim or don't try.

Following a local series that doesn't pay is just that...it doesn't pay.  While a championship might be a nice thing, until it pays, well, it's a nice thing to look at when you're older or something.  Nothing against them, but one should almost look at them as an after thought to the end game.

In the AMA there are a very minor few that are being paid for their services.  Some of the other names one recognize are actually paying substantial amounts of money directly for those rides or they have sponsors willing to pay for those opportunities.  Until the change in the AMA really moves forward, I don't see that as something that is going to change a lot of things, but I would bet on some riders that are getting paid currently will be looking toward some opportunities that they might get paid for outside the US if they are still available.

Maybe that sparks a little talk... 

[Super Dave]

Marry a rich woman.

XIII

I still like that opportunity.  :D

[Burt Munro]

Marry a wonderful woman.



XIII

Fixed it for you X 

[Russell2566]

Racing is a drug, if you really want to be a hardcore addict your going to be broke, loose your girlfriend and your going to get hurt. As long as your up for the commitment anything is possible I guess... Starting a serious workout routine is a simple start to the riding side and try and get on the track as many weekends a month as possible.

If you don't already, move to where you have easy access to a track or two...

this advice is from an advanced rider who does it for fun and business :)

[Braincrater]

I am not doing this for the fame or fortune... I am doing this because it is what I love..   Like I said above, I know that most racers dont make jack for an income but they love what they are doing.

I live in Jacksonville so I am fairly close to Jennings and Daytona.  I already go to Jennings once a month but I am on a very limited budget since I am still in college.  But keep the information coming!

[tomholiday]

go back to when you were about 2yrs old and start riding then.....

[vnvbandit]

The way to make a small fortune racing is to.......................................
















Start with a large fortune!   ::)

[Helmsman]

well when you find away to make money doing it...let the rest of us know!

[Ridgeway]

I am not doing this for the fame or fortune... I am doing this because it is what I love..   Like I said above, I know that most racers dont make jack for an income but they love what they are doing.

Actually, many racers have a pretty good income, but it comes from our "real" jobs, outside of racing.  Some have found a way to support their hobby by having a business that caters to racers.  Parts fabrication, paint work, suspension tuners, school instruction etc. but often these offset racing expenses, they aren't a primary source of income.

The sad reality is, that unless you started racing at <10 years old, or are a natural phenom, or are really well connected, (preferably all three), the odds that you will be in that top 1% of the top 1% that can pay their bills by riding are pretty stacked against you.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try, but having a plan B and C would be prudent.

Getting into the business side of things, working for, or starting a business that is involved in racing, would be a more available, and longer term career path.

[mikendzel]

Braincrater,
GRADUATE first.  Then use your $100k + salary to finance race schools and track time.  Get as good as you possibly can, and then use previously mentioned, fat salary to build yourself the best bike possible and go win some Daytona Superbike races!!!

The new rules supposedly level the field (so-to-speak) so privateers are in the hunt for cash; and the purses are pretty big. 

Don't let anyone talk you out of it.

[123user]

go back to when you were about 2yrs old and start riding then.....

I wasn't going to say it... but he's right.  Even if your goal is happiness and not winning, you'll be broke and miserable by season 3 unless your hyper-fast.  I mean, like, Ben Spies fast.  Just look at all the guys who are super fast that aren't "makin it"   Opie Caylor's a perfect example-  he's faster than anyone reading this board, but he still couldn't make it. 

However, becoming part of team is admirable and possible if your smart.  You won't be working for Yosh-Suzuki right out of the box.  You'll need to prove what you're capable of- endurance racing is tough on everyone involved.  Either ride or work a couple WERA 6hr races then decide.

Keep in mind that professional teams aren't interested in cocky attitudes or "know-it-all-ism", which is a common flaw among us Engineers.  So if Vesrah suzuki is kind enough to let you care their cooler, check you attitude at the door.

[EX_#76]

While all of the previous points are very good ones, there is one thing that you should also think about.  Sponsors want to know what you can do for them for their investment.  You do not have to be the fastest person out there if you can find a way to get them air time or some sort of positive advertising.  Ladies do this very well because there is not many girls riding, definitely none that are top level riders, yet the sponsors shell out some cash to them in spite of their finishing positions because the microphone is always placed in front of them.  I am not saying you need to be a woman (but it wouldn't hurt) you need to find a novel and realistic way to promote the sponsors product.

You will need to be a great marketing person to drum up sponsorship by selling your plan to the future sponsor.  You will also need to be great at being interviewed.  Look at John Force, for years now he can go out, have a junky run and get beat, yet he is always interviewed, why? because you never quite know what he is going to say and his enthusiasm for his sport is second to none, and he lets it show when he is interviewed.  The camera people love to interview him because he is entertaining to them and he relates well to the spectators.

But like everyone else said, there are only a few paying seats in motorcycle racing, and it is very difficult not to go bankrupt while you are trying to make it.  The talent pool is way bigger than the seats available, and the best riders do not always get the change, and you will only get one or maybe two chances to prove yourself for those factory seats.  If you are really committed to getting there, GO FOR IT!!!  But be realistic about it, and have life plan "B" ready to execute if you fail.

[123user]

Yes, everything Guy said.  Here's a good sequence of events.

1.  Graduate
2.  Buy a van (and learn to live in it)
3.  Get Insurance
4.  Race

[Ducati23]

Like anyone on this forum would know outside of Robbie Jensen and Jeff Wood. Be fast as hell, don't be a total tool and be 16~18 years old. Then maybe you can get it done. 

[lil_thorny]

Every racer I know that is chasing manufacturer contingency and making a living doing it started out ahead of the game in the monetary department. So unless you have a rich daddy, a trust fund, your own .com million dollar company or a rich wife :) ...I would suggest saving enough money to finance your effort for at least 3 years. The first year as an amateur is a wash but the next two years as an expert are the most important.

As for unique skill...I am not completely sold on this one. I believe that like everything, practice and perseverance  means more than God given natural talent. Yes, starting at a much earlier age will help your brain hone those motor / reflex skills but that will not help you with learning everything about racing and being fast everywhere.

If you ever have the opportunity to pick the brains of the guys who are fast everywhere, they will tell you little if anything to really help you...but...if you keep your mouth shut and just quietly observe what they are doing and then research why they are doing it...then you will learn.

As for sponsors...they want the guys up front to use / wear / display / advertise their shit. Period. If you are on the gas and getting podiums, then put out your resume...if not, don't expect much. If you cannot get on the box, then keep observing and making changes until you do.

The money is not in sponsorship though...the real money is in manufacturer contingency. Stay current with Yamaha or Suzuki and stay in the top 5 all weekend during those paying races and you will end up paying for your weekend which eventually calculates out to making a living doing it!

I kept my mouth shut and quietly observed Jensen for a handful of weekends in 2004 and learned that I wasn't cut out for chasing the dream...but guys like him do exist...albeit a hard ass mf'ing status to get to and don't expect those gentlemen to give up their positions easily.

I ride a Triumph and they don't pay out shit for anything if that tells you what my goals are...it just sounds way cooler than the 4 cyl jap bikes. 

8)

[Russell2566]

A taste of what Stoner had to do:
http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Jul/080731a.htm

[spyderchick]

As for unique skill...I am not completely sold on this one. I believe that like everything, practice and perseverance  means more than God given natural talent. Yes, starting at a much earlier age will help your brain hone those motor / reflex skills but that will not help you with learning everything about racing and being fast everywhere.

Unique skill means that you're not doing something that 3 other people are already doing business wise, like retail, selling fuel, etc. There's is always room for good suspension tuners or engine builders, but you have to be willing to work hard and know your stuff. Finding a niche, and then selling it is the quickest way to become successful.

[Braincrater]

Great information fellas...  I am still going to strive for my goal no matter what.  I did get some bad news yesterday tho, I was laid off from my job so now I have no income!  I have been out job hunting all day with no luck... maybe something will turn up.

[Super Dave]

I'm reading a lot of negativity.

Seems silly and pointless.  Really, racing is silly and pointless, but we do it because it's fun.

So many posts are all related to, seemingly, racing AMA, which is where individuals spend money.  Meanwhile, as amateurs, some Buell money goes unclaimed. 

It's really quite simple.  Focus on set up, go where the money is.  Track time is not the ultimate answer.  If it was, then Honda would have Nicky riding all the time and Stoner's success would only be measured in the end by how many more laps he did in testing.

There are plenty of examples of racers that are successful that didn't start when they were two.  Being connected has a lot to do with networking.  Yes, you wanna race for some team, you might have to come up with cash for your ride. 

That's the "rock star" life style.  But that level of livin' shouldn't be on one's radar screen because it's just no reality.  Wanna make a living or pay for your racing?  Focus on set up, race where the money is. 

Sponsors?  Focus on a specific program, build it from there. 

Executing these things is usually where individuals and groups loose sight of the end game.  It's not easy.  But it's not brain surgery either.

[spyderchick]

I don't think it's really negative, more a dose of reality.

Mostly everything said here is true.

And yes, you can make a living (riding, wrenching or otherwise) doing what you love. It all depends upon what your standard of 'living' is. Be prepared to work hard no matter what.

Most of us here live fairly simple, modest lifestyles. No mansions or fancy cars. Some guys have the trickest sickest bikes, but when you go to their house, the garage is nicer than their kitchen.

Shoot for the stars, but keep your feet on the ground. We all seem to find our place in this crazy-ass sport.  8)

[Peter.BoyWonder]

This is a dream that I have had, but I think that I determined that i don't want my passion to turn into my job. I don't ever want ever want to feel about racing like I sometimes do about my job....you know like "Shit...its Monday and I don't feel like going in...". Also, to be honest, there are times when I just don't feel like pushing it when I ride or for whatever reason, my head is not completely in it. If I were racing to put food in my belly, I wouldn't have the luxury of opting to go out just for fun.

[Burt Munro]

Guy is on the right path in finding something unique to offer sponsors.........

Billy Bo's too modest to admit it, but he's been able to lock up the whole cross gender market.

It was a stroke of genious when he and Scotty introduced the Ambiguously Gay Duo thing

[eboos]

Unless you want to quit in frustration early on, I would say just have fun racing and do the best you can. Let things develope and just worry about going faster and being consistant. Then when you start collecting contingency, start making plans on how to get more.

My over inflated ego kept me off the track for most of 2007. I thought that I was rookie of the year material, but it turns out that I really suck and I need to be realistic about my goals. My goal this year is to simply make it to every round with no excuses and to show constant improvement. I am having a blast this year, and I am reaching my goals. Next year I'll worry about setting the world on fire  .

[Mongo]

If you really have a passion for it while you may get burnt out, you still wanna go to work.

[barb_arah]

Try racing because you love it.  Trying to make money out of racing turns it into a job, and that's sounds like too much work.  What I do at the races I do because I love it; I'm not in it to make money. 

[russ1962]

I made so much money racing, I retired early and moved to Sicily.

[Super Dave]

I made so much money racing, I retired early and moved to Sicily.

LOL! 

Russ, that was almost like a Geico commercial.   

[d-wire]

there is a story about an old man......his garden was getting torn up and he couldn't figure out why.  He staked out the place and found that during the day, his garden was an end zone for the neighborhood kids football game.  He felt a little honored after watching how happy the kids were every time they scored, but they were fucking up his geraniums. (is that a flower?)

So he went to the boys and told them that he would pay them $5 a day to play football in his yard.  The boys were so happy to get paid for doing what they love.  In the coming weeks he lowered their pay to $4 ....then $3  then $1.....

The boys quit coming around because they felt like they weren't getting paid what they were worth anymore.  They had started because they loved to play, but it turned into a job.

Do it because you love it,  and if your lucky you may break even.  Super lucky and you may make $.      Hate to lose.  Learn to market yourself.


As far as winning a championship......just don't think getting a #1 plate is going to open a bunch of doors.  I never set out to win a #1 plate....it kind of happened.  So I tried to take advantage of it......I got exactly one sponsorship deal from it.  Im forever grateful for that and never felt like I was owed anything....  But keep in perspective it may cost you $50,000 to earn a #1 plate. My point is....its more important who you know than......necessarily how many championships you've won.

And like someone else said, there are riders faster than I that are spending a fortune racing......must get faster.....faster ....faster...  TOUGH AS HELL WAY TO MAKE A LIVING. 

[PJ]

Do it because you love it,  and if your lucky you may break even.  Super lucky and you may make $.      Hate to lose.  Learn to market yourself.
 

Sage advice. +1.

[kl3640]

You might want to browse this site, to get an idea of what's out there:

http://www.motorsportsemployment.com/

[eboos]

You might want to browse this site, to get an idea of what's out there:

http://www.motorsportsemployment.com/

There was maybe 1 or 2 jobs listed, and none in the motorcycle industry. Was that the point of showing that page?

[dylanfan53]

Maybe that is the point. 

[cbr600_mj]

GO FOR IT!


As Teddy Roosevelt said,
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

[Jeff]

I did get some bad news yesterday tho, I was laid off from my job so now I have no income!  I have been out job hunting all day with no luck... maybe something will turn up.

Here's your dose of reality...  You went from relative stability and having income to having that removed in one fell swoop without likely seeing it in advance...

Now consider you dump your entire life into trying to not go bankrupt while racing.  You wad it up and hurt yourself enough to take you out for a season or forever...  What's your path then?  Right now you have experience that being laid off doesn't make useless.  If you're racing and get hurt, your experience isn't going go keep you fed...

Seriously dude... Do what you want, but the advice here is reality.  Unless you're born with a motorcycle hanging out of your ass and the last name of Hayden, Rossi or the like, and/or have basically unlimited funds to start with, you will have far better odds winning the lottery 2 or 3 times...

The best advice I can give has been given... 

Graduate, get that $100k/yr job (if you honestly can - which I highly doubt right out of college..  I doubt this because I hire people with multiple PhD's for less than that.  Experience pays, degrees don't).  Race & have fun.  If you can get some money back or towards the program, you're ahead of yourself!

Take your local MW CCS #1 plate... Brian Hall.  Do you think he's making enough money racing to earn a living?  Without knowing for fact, I'm going to bet my left nut that it's a HELL NO.  In fact, as good as he is and as well sponsored as he is, even with contingencies, I'm DAMNED sure he's still paying to race...  And even if he isn't, he sure as hell didn't get there without dropping an inconceivable amount of money.  Like the kind of money that makes your college tuition seem like a good weekend party...

In comparison, I think your odds would be better in moving to LA and catching a break as a movie star.

Sorry to break it to you, but your dream is shared by pretty much everyone who ever touched the track.  It's just a matter of when  they realized it wasn't possible.  We're all trying to spare you the pain of experiencing it late...

[Super Dave]

GO FOR IT!

As Teddy Roosevelt said,
"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

I'm with Mr Jordan here.

I suppose it's decisions like this the help one decide if they are a "racer" or not.

Racing isn't logical.  And even at it's best, it's rough, dirty, but it can be better than clocking in.  Even if it doesn't pay the same rent as a $100k job...or even a $20k job...or, well, you get the picture.

As we age, our abiity to react changes.  It's as simple as that.  As older people, we don't get many opportunities to try out for teams, regardless of the stature of the team.  If you feel like you want to try, I say do it.  Plan, ask questions.  Seek out answers outside the mostly large group of riders that are only going to be around amateur racing or have been around amateur racing for a handful of years.  Bottom line is that most club racers will only do this for two, three, or maybe four years. 

Desire isn't enough.  Hope certainly doesn't cut it.  No one will give it to you.  It IS still racing, so you have to seek to take something away from someone else on the track.

If that's too much, then one has to look at track days or just a light racing opportunity here and there.

[khanson]

Mmmmm...I think I can give a little insight into this subject.

I quite my job, raced at the AMA level and transitioned to a team owner with AMA Factory Support....so it can be done even though all of your friends will tell you how nuts you are.

The reality is you are going to spend a pile of money doing it.  Club racing is expensive and it gets insanely expensive at the AMA level.  For example, support wise at the club level you are only going to get parts at dealer cost or some free product.  You need to be beating some of the guys making a living chasing contingency money and then move to the AMA level. 

At the AMA level you are going to spend $125-150K to do a decent program doing it on your own and I still don't think you can make it without being under a big rig.  However, before anyone will ever consider righting you a paycheck in the AMA paddock you need to be beating guys that are getting big paychecks.  Honestly, racing out of your own truck, driving to the races, etc just takes away from being able to focus 100% on riding.  The reality is you are far better off spending money for a ride on a support team because you get the best bang for the buck.  Some people will argue this with me because I own a race team, Safety First Racing.  However, the reality is a support team can offer a better program cheaper than someone can do it for themselves and be way more successful.

Realistically, it's a 3 year program at the AMA level to get someone a paid ride even if they have a tremendous amount of talent.  It can potentially be done in 2 years, Bobby Fong has a good shot at this year because he's dedicated himself to racing, listens to our coaching and is extremely talented.  Take our team for example, we have a semi full of parts, full time mechanics, team chef, rider coach, 2 mechanics per rider, crewchief, and top shelf equipment.  All of that costs a huge amount of money.  However, it allows everyone to focus on their specific responsibility to be successful in their area of responsibilty that makes the entire team successful.  A rider can't drive to the races, setup the equipment, work on his bike, have one part time mechanic, skimp on tires, etc... and go out and beat paid riders.  A riders job can only be to train, ride, and focus 100% on riding.  Therefore, several people are paying for paid rides for the opportunity to get a paid ride with no guarantees.  Racing is just too expensive for a team owner to blow 200K+ a year on a rider for free unless he can win races.  It costs "X" to finish in the top 15, "XX" to finish in the top ten and it goes up exponentially to finish in the top 5.  It has cost me well into 7 figures to put a bike in the top 5 at an AMA race and several years to do it.

That being said.....working for a team a person has to start out at the bottom cleaning tires, running tires, sweeping, etc.  You have do that well before you touch a motorcycle.  Do you honestly think someone is going to let you come in and start wrenching on a bike with no experience?  If something falls off the bike that rider can get killed or seriously hurt or at a minimum you DQ in the race.  The reality is we prepare all year long and spend a pile of money for 33 days a year (11 races) so everything needs to be a well oiled machine.  A new person coming on to a team needs to work hard and be intergrated into the team process of how things are done.

However, I think its the greatest profession in the world to be in.  I work a lot of long hours but it doesn't seem like work.  I get to wake up everyday, go to our bada$$ race shop, travel and talk motorcycles all day.  Life is good!

So go out, enjoy club racing for now and try not to break the bank in the process.  You don't need 5K worth of suspension and piles of engine work done to your bike to win races at the club level.....it's all between your ears and getting more track time with a properly setup motorcycle.

Any other questions.....

[Braincrater]

You sir have a PM...

[ronhix]

Mmmmm...I think I can give a little insight into this subject.

I quite my job, raced at the AMA level and transitioned to a team owner with AMA Factory Support....so it can be done even though all of your friends will tell you how nuts you are.

The reality is you are going to spend a pile of money doing it.  Club racing is expensive and it gets insanely expensive at the AMA level.  For example, support wise at the club level you are only going to get parts at dealer cost or some free product.  You need to be beating some of the guys making a living chasing contingency money and then move to the AMA level. 

At the AMA level you are going to spend $125-150K to do a decent program doing it on your own and I still don't think you can make it without being under a big rig.  However, before anyone will ever consider righting you a paycheck in the AMA paddock you need to be beating guys that are getting big paychecks.  Honestly, racing out of your own truck, driving to the races, etc just takes away from being able to focus 100% on riding.  The reality is you are far better off spending money for a ride on a support team because you get the best bang for the buck.  Some people will argue this with me because I own a race team, Safety First Racing.  However, the reality is a support team can offer a better program cheaper than someone can do it for themselves and be way more successful.

Realistically, it's a 3 year program at the AMA level to get someone a paid ride even if they have a tremendous amount of talent.  It can potentially be done in 2 years, Bobby Fong has a good shot at this year because he's dedicated himself to racing, listens to our coaching and is extremely talented.  Take our team for example, we have a semi full of parts, full time mechanics, team chef, rider coach, 2 mechanics per rider, crewchief, and top shelf equipment.  All of that costs a huge amount of money.  However, it allows everyone to focus on their specific responsibility to be successful in their area of responsibilty that makes the entire team successful.  A rider can't drive to the races, setup the equipment, work on his bike, have one part time mechanic, skimp on tires, etc... and go out and beat paid riders.  A riders job can only be to train, ride, and focus 100% on riding.  Therefore, several people are paying for paid rides for the opportunity to get a paid ride with no guarantees.  Racing is just too expensive for a team owner to blow 200K+ a year on a rider for free unless he can win races.  It costs "X" to finish in the top 15, "XX" to finish in the top ten and it goes up exponentially to finish in the top 5.  It has cost me well into 7 figures to put a bike in the top 5 at an AMA race and several years to do it.

That being said.....working for a team a person has to start out at the bottom cleaning tires, running tires, sweeping, etc.  You have do that well before you touch a motorcycle.  Do you honestly think someone is going to let you come in and start wrenching on a bike with no experience?  If something falls off the bike that rider can get killed or seriously hurt or at a minimum you DQ in the race.  The reality is we prepare all year long and spend a pile of money for 33 days a year (11 races) so everything needs to be a well oiled machine.  A new person coming on to a team needs to work hard and be intergrated into the team process of how things are done.

However, I think its the greatest profession in the world to be in.  I work a lot of long hours but it doesn't seem like work.  I get to wake up everyday, go to our bada$$ race shop, travel and talk motorcycles all day.  Life is good!

So go out, enjoy club racing for now and try not to break the bank in the process.  You don't need 5K worth of suspension and piles of engine work done to your bike to win races at the club level.....it's all between your ears and getting more track time with a properly setup motorcycle.

Any other questions.....

Thanks for typing all that Kevin.  That is truly the voice of experience talking right there.