Anyone Being Paid To Race?

[TurboDoseBro]

Hey, was reading a book by Carroll Smith called 'Drive To Win'. Very interesting read although i'm still on the first chapter.

He talks a lot about racers that do it for fun and racers that devote their life to it, making it a full time job. Just wondering if there is any here, or anybody who does it for fun but still get money out of it. Very interested.

Thanks.

[2pee]

I'd believe the odds on that, would be verging on astronomical in the circuit racing sense.

Even at the upper levels....or especially, a paid drive is a rarity, the Aussie A1 kid (or his father anyway) was paying 50K per round before that all fell in a heap and one of the F3 tyros looking to do Atlantics, was expected to bring near 7 figures US for a season about 8 years back. At the other extreme - and in sedans, some of the V8 guys at the 12hr at least didn't have to put their hand in the pocket - which otherwise you'd be looking at around 12k for the average punter.

[TURISMO]

I won $70 for winning the Australian Motorkhana Championship, that makes me semi-pro right

[Beer Baron]

ok, apart from V8 Super car there aren't any real circuit racing series in aus that have 100% full time paid professional drivers. most of the other cricuit racing series have pro drivers that are mostly unpaid with some of the top guys being paid. that's not to say they are not full time professional drivers though. most of them supplement their income with other work and where possible it's usually related to motorsport. many of them work as motorsport mechanics or engineers, many work in driver training and instructing, some work selling motorsport parts and products etc. that is how they make a living. very few guys make a living from 100% driving/racing pay. most guys even at the top state and national levels still supplement their driving.

[Nee-san]

ok, apart from V8 Super car there aren't any real circuit racing series in aus that have 100% full time paid professional drivers. most of the other cricuit racing series have pro drivers that are mostly unpaid with some of the top guys being paid. that's not to say they are not full time professional drivers though. most of them supplement their income with other work and where possible it's usually related to motorsport. many of them work as motorsport mechanics or engineers, many work in driver training and instructing, some work selling motorsport parts and products etc. that is how they make a living. very few guys make a living from 100% driving/racing pay. most guys even at the top state and national levels still supplement their driving.

I got a carton for giving a mate a life from brisbane to the sunshine coast, does that count ?

[TurboDoseBro]

So then what about the Group A racing and Hillclimbs etc? Nobody even gets podium prizes?

@TURISMO: How much did you pay to get in?

[Jetwreck]

So then what about the Group A racing and Hillclimbs etc? Nobody even gets podium prizes?

@TURISMO: How much did you pay to get in?

No prize money for wins in Historic Group A .....we do get a trophy though

[Nee-san]

No prize money for wins in Historic Group A .....we do get a trophy though

Trophies get the babes anyway man, they froth on the glory

[nismoman]

It's a shame motorsport isn't supported more with sponsors, clubs and prize money.

I have a sporting background in sailing, and even though getting individual sponsorship was difficult, there was prize money on offer for top 3 places outright and top 3 on handicap (or class wins). Say $1000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd and $250 for 3rd. Not enough to make you rich, but it did help you pay some bills.

This financial support came from the sailing clubs that hosted the race and from the event's naming sponsors. It's a really well organised system they have.

Coverage of the event from local newspapers, magazines and sometimes local TV also helped attract sponsorship dollars.

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Don't get paid to race, but Sponsors donate parts, time etc, and some help cover the costs of event entry. It's better than nothing

[zebra]

I think the problem with that is that there are so many different race series, Which makes it hard for any on club to have the support to offer anything up, the lack of TV or any media coverage for anything other than the supercabs or v8 hay bail carriers locally is appalling, I think that if some of the events i.e MRA or state champs etc even got a look in, even in something like the local newspaper, more sponsors would come on board and therefore give the clubs some money for prizes.

Is it sad that the Local povo u8s rugby side gets more sponsorship dollars than a full on State or National Champs race teams can get.

Hell I even Tried to get my work to throw some $$ at my car in exchange for covering the whole car in stickers and run in the Canberra hillclimb where we are located 10-15mins away but no...

[Doobs]

There needs to be someone televising the races. Just look at the Australin Outback Championship on 1HD.

I think clubsprint would get quite a few viewers.

[zebra]

The problem being that even watching a supersprint event there at the track is flamin boring after a while, let alone on tv

[Marlin]

Don't get paid to race, but Sponsors donate parts, time etc, and some help cover the costs of event entry. It's better than nothing

Ditto that.

And believe me, every little bit helps.

Thanks to;

Brij's Auto

Jack Beedham's Exhaust and Brake Centre

Birubi Art

Just Jap

RGM Motorsport

Hi Octane Racing

Tarmac Magazine

lol

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Ditto that.

And believe me, every little bit helps.

Thanks to;

Brij's Auto

Jack Beedham's Exhaust and Brake Centre

Birubi Art

Just Jap

RGM Motorsport

Hi Octane Racing

Tarmac Magazine

lol

I just wish someone would sponsor me tyres, as they seem to be the biggest ongoing cost

[Marlin]

I just wish someone would sponsor me tyres, as they seem to be the biggest ongoing cost

Me too, but will never happen unless you have a serious profile and/or a serious car (along with the large investment that entails)

A discount is about the best that will happen, and from what I hear the percentage of discount is in direct relation to the depth you can deepthroat, combined with how many teeth you are prepared to remove to make it more satisfying for the tyre wholesaler.......

[TurboDoseBro]

I think something along the Best Motoring idea but Australian version would get a lot of viewers and therefore sponsors. Love that show

Enter car --> win races --> get known --> sponsor

[Birds]

Racing = money. From you.

Even if you get paid for it one day...it's a big initial investment. Even prodigious paid drivers (V8 supercar, Formula 1 etc.) get "help" from their parents in their early carting days.

Sponsorship is poor for circuit racing because often (read: most of the time) the only people who give a shit about a race are the people competing in it

We've found the best way to recoup funds from racing is to sell driving opportunities in race cars. Participate in endurance races (6hr/12hr) and share the driving between wealthy hobbyists who want to race but don't want to buy/run a race car. Even then, all you ever do is come close to paying for your own racing with it.

It's the funniest thing about track racing and the culture of it, i.e. how everyone gets by in their own way...it's rarely ever organised or formalised, you just scrape everything and everyone together to make it happen somehow...even on a national and televised level

Even even even even!

[Michele]

How to make a little bit of money out of motorsport? Start off with a LOT of money.

[nismoman]

How to make a little bit of money out of motorsport? Start off with a LOT of money.

So true!! Oldie but a goodie. My Dad told me that one when I was a boy and I didn't see the funny side of it until I started going to the track.