Money And Motorsport

It is one of the undeniable laws of Sod that the bigger the mistake the more people will witness it. And so it proved while testing at Donington. A high-speed moment resulted in an accident of such epic proportions that the six fellow competitors who witnessed it had enough time to return to the pits, have a cup of tea, and then place bets as to which gravel trap I would eventually end up in. Fortunately there was no damage except to my ego, and my wallet breathed a sigh of relief. It’s taken a bit of battering, you see…

Motorsport is not a cheap, so if you’re thinking of living the dream, have a look at these costs first before you remortgage your house. Your car can cost anywhere between £9000 to £35,000 depending on spec. Getting your license, BRSCC racing membership and VW Cup registration costs the best part of £1000, and then you’ll need another £1000 for a decent suit and bash hat.

A basic two-race weekend - there are six double-header weekends in the championship - costs at least £1000. That’s £450 for race entries, £250 for test entry and at least £350 for a pair of spare tyres. That’s just for starters. Add £750 for insurance if it’s needed, and then the consumables – fuel, spare parts, transport, accommodation and food. And if you crash, you’ll be facing a massive repair bill.

Taking the plunge to self-finance my racing career on the hope that support would eventually be forthcoming is probably not the brightest thing I have ever done, but it was the only way to guarantee a drive this year. And at my age I couldn’t afford to miss another season. Having said that, if race day at Donington goes no better than testing I might not have to worry about getting too much older!