Performance Boats Forum banner

Expensive to race?

6K views 46 replies 18 participants last post by  JGB 
#1 ·
There have been a couple of comments about boat performance directly related to the racer having $$.
And spoken my direction.

I can only say the amount of $$ that appears to be is not always the case. It's quite possible some of us are more resourceful and or skilled than others. Or even just more determined.

I completely understand someone looks at this deal and the first thing that comes to mind is big $$. If they leave with the same thought they don't know us at all. Not even close.

We are running a 1981 Model Daytona that we paid 7,000.00 for. Traded for the bottom work.

We have a nice engine but *TRADED* for it. And traded something we had pretty much 0 dollars in. We machine and build everything ourselves. Dillon and I. We torched the block and both heads early this year. The welder charged us less than 200.00 to weld it. Dillon and I stripped the heads, stripped the block of sleeves. Machined and reassembled it ourselves. We missed on one sleeve it didn't hold the head gasket and we did it all over again. Rings and bearings went right back in.

This is beating the dead horse but the turbos we run cost $650.00 each brand new. Ebay throttle body and hat. Aluminum piping $100.00 range welded up ourselves. The headers Mark unchained built for us twice now. We are WD -20 with Comp performance Group. F.A.S.T. being part of that. Our electronics cost less than a MSD 7 and Edelbrock datalogger. We run CNG injectors that cost $25.00 each.

Our LS coils came off of a core LS engine via Tom impatient1 We built our own cam sync, rebuild our own Calgo etc. etc. etc. The engine had Jesel Dog Bone lifters in it. one or two were feeling rough so took them out and put conventional tie bar lifters in it. $3,000.00 to replace just the lifters. Not happening.

If we were a throw $$ at the boat, race team, it would have a Mike Miller, DNE, Steve Morris etc. engine in it. We wouldn't stay in the race trailer for 2 to 3 weeks here at the shop so we can work on the boat after hours.

When we load up to go racing it's Dillon, me, my wife Sharon and 2 dogs. We are tremendously blessed with God opening doors for us with ability and technical help from many people. We can't do everything ourselves but sure try.

If you made it this far down the rant, we are humble simple Christian folks that absolutely do not have the $$ to do what we do if we had to pay someone to do it. We are just Blessed.

:redface:
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Dont sweat it ron i jus smile and nod. we both know the costs of turbo setups but i think where most see big bucks is in the labor we do for ourseleves ;) after all the thot process/design/planning is what takes the most work. i had several guys ask me this wknd how much i had in mine and i told them 7k ish and one guy said "well thats not bad i have 10-11k in my motor" lol i was talkng bout my whole boat turnkey :)
 
#6 ·
Agreed. There are some high $$ programs out there and more power to them.

It is abrasive to me when we are viewed that way. No one has any idea how much grief and sacrifice we endure because we don't have $$.
 
#13 ·
not at all putz. considering over 1300 1/4 mile passes, 11 championships, over 60 race wins, nothing of significance ever breaking (one crane gold roller that is cheap junk to you hi-dollar guys) that DNE engine wasn't hi dollar at all. hi dollar to me goes to 36 - 50' haulers, toterhomes, sport trucks, multiple golf carts, etc. and I appreciate all the people that can do that. sometimes, it does seem like we show up to an rv show, and a boat race breaks out... if I had to spend thousands on new parts every year, that would also be hi-dollar. but I've never had to do that and won't get in that situation.

there are many ways to keep costs down. going cheap on the engine, unless being uncompetitive is ok, isn't one of them.
 
#15 ·
not at all putz. considering over 1300 1/4 mile passes, 11 championships, over 60 race wins, nothing of significance ever breaking (one crane gold roller that is cheap junk to you hi-dollar guys) that DNE engine wasn't hi dollar at all. hi dollar to me goes to 36 - 50' haulers, toterhomes, sport trucks, multiple golf carts, etc. and I appreciate all the people that can do that. sometimes, it does seem like we show up to an rv show, and a boat race breaks out... if I had to spend thousands on new parts every year, that would also be hi-dollar. but I've never had to do that and won't get in that situation.

there are many ways to keep costs down. going cheap on the engine, unless being uncompetitive is ok, isn't one of them.
Lets see Ya do it in TE!!! :rolleyes:
what's the deal with you two lol
 
#9 · (Edited)
I gotta say i'm pretty lucky, most of my races are within 100 miles from home .. I have to make a long haul 3 times a year, Wheatland, Augusta, and Malvern .. That's my biggest expense !!!! Racing in general not all that expensive but I have been blessed to have several guys step up and help me live this dream .. I've done everything I could myself and have traded several things but there are some things that I couldn't do or have the skill to do and without the help from folks like Straub, Foxwell, Johnny @ Big A, Starkweather and a few local guys here in Clarksville I'm not sure I could do it .. As far as a weekend of racing a man could spend as much as he wonts .. $300 entry fee for the race and $45 in fuel for the boat aint bad, its the Hotels, Beer, Beer, Beer, and did I say Beer and goin out after the race for a good meal is what cost.. I gotta say, if anybody has ever seen the Rocky Top Racin crew were a big group, Its amazing to me that alot of my good friends follow me to every race we run on there own dime and my dad comes up from Florida for several races.. And they wouldn't change a thing ... We look forward to the next race and count down the days till it happens !!!!!!


Were just Livin the Dream :thumb:



Anything with a BOAT involved is gonna cost you your azz :yes:
 
#11 ·
I gotta say i'm pretty lucky, most of my races are within 100 miles from home .. I have to make a long haul 3 times a year, Wheatland, Augusta, and Malvern .. That's my biggest expense !!!! Racing in general not all that expensive but I have been blessed to have several guys step up and help me live this dream .. I've done everything I could myself and have traded several things but there are some things that I couldn't do or have the skill to do and without the help from folks like Straub, Foxwell, Johnny @ Big A, Starkweather and a few local guys here in Clarksville I'm not sure I could do it .. As far as a weekend of racing a man could spend as much as he wonts .. $300 entry fee for the race and $45 in fuel for the boat aint bad, its the Hotels, Beer, Beer, Beer, and did I say Beer and goin out after the race for a good meal is what cost.. I gotta say, if anybody has ever seen the Rocky Top Racin crew were a big group, Its amazing to me that alot of my good friends follow me to every race we run on there own dime and my dad comes up from Florida for several races.. And they wouldn't change a thing ... We look forward to the next race and count down the days till it happens !!!!!!


Were just Livin the Dream :thumb:
Mike thanks for the shout out. I can feel in your post your love for the sport, proud to help any way i can , you are a class act and running good.. agreed one can trade/toil or spend as much as you want to. We raced for years and funneled a lot of the cost thru the jet shop and with all of us it was brutally expensive. would do it again in a minute. Keep on livin the dream
 
#12 ·
Could'nt do it alone

We have been really lucky this year. We planned on hitting 3 races this year, El Reno, Chouteau, and Smoking in the Cove. 2 down and one to go. I could'nt do it with out help, Kevin Caldwell crewchiefs for me and drives the tow truck, our wives keep stuff organized in the pits and run the video camera for us and my parents helped us out with $$$ this past weekend at Chouteau. It really brings the term RACE TEAM into light. All my bros with Pisston in the Wind, Honeybadger, Blessing in Disguise help us with tools, parts and advice. We are racing on a shoestring "Beer Budget" so we scratch for everything we have, but I'm grateful to get to participate.
 
#29 ·
We have been really lucky this year. We planned on hitting 3 races this year, El Reno, Chouteau, and Smoking in the Cove. 2 down and one to go. I could'nt do it with out help, Kevin Caldwell crewchiefs for me and drives the tow truck, our wives keep stuff organized in the pits and run the video camera for us and my parents helped us out with $$$ this past weekend at Chouteau. It really brings the term RACE TEAM into light. All my bros with Pisston in the Wind, Honeybadger, Blessing in Disguise help us with tools, parts and advice. We are racing on a shoestring "Beer Budget" so we scratch for everything we have, but I'm grateful to get to participate.
It's likewise for me too, if it wasn't for my friends being at the races I would not be able to get it all done, one man show here, physically and financially at the track, I have asked many upon many favors to get parts, ideas, lettering on the boat, I rely on my friends Hammer, Info, Piston, BP, to get me in the right direction, and I feel that if they have something I need, it's as if it was in my toolbox, and it's likewise for them.
Even Hass and Stallion joined us this weekend, what a blast.
It's the first race of the year that is a bear, membership 300, entry 250, of license needs renewed, upgraded, etc, the rest can be swallowed a little easier, put that's just the paper work, then hotel, fuel getting there, I don't haul around the country like BP, hate long car rides, all my races are within a few hours, and I suck, and I am pass due for collecting a check, instead of writing them
But Info is spot on, he has a nice trailer with living quarters, but rides a bike in the pits, his sons daily driver as tow vehicle, his daily driver pulls the trailer, they are blessed to have the facility and knowledge to do the repairs needed in house, don't go to his pit looking for a snack, it's carrots and celery, not chips and beef jerky, no monster ice chest full of booze, etc, BP has got his money's worth with his motor twice over in my book
 
#19 ·
I guess it's all relative. As far as perspective on cost.

Yes we do have a machine shop but it wasn't handed down to us we got a loan and paid for it. We only work on the boat after hours. It keeps the employees perspective of our priorities in the proper place.

If you put a $$ amount on everything it would seem as a fat wallet scenario. Fact is no one counts their labor into their hot rods value. The more of your personal blood sweat and tears you can contribute lowers the out of pocket $$ cost. It allows you to race or whatever at a higher level than you could afford if everything was $$ out of pocket.

If you look close at our deal and our tow rig it becomes evident it's not a fat wallet operation.
 
#32 ·
One thing you might add Ron is that you started with an older boat (was it a Rogers) and a naturally aspirated engine and upgraded. You also had a Cougar before that didn't you?

People who don't know you don't need to know your business but you've worked hard for what you have. Traded, upgraded, swapped and worked. It's yours, enjoy it YOU and your family deserve it.

You can keep racing as cheap as you can or you can spend to the sky but in the end everyone has to do what's right for them.

Just my $.02

By the way you guys did a great job last weekend!
 
#47 ·
Info, I only know of you from on here and have never seen your boat run. But from everything I read and hear, you have one of the fastest jet boats in the country. And to be able to say you've done it on a budget just makes it that much sweeter. Do you think that if you did have all the big names in your budget, would your deal be any better than it is now? It would be hard to improve on what you have. Congrats to you guys :))THumbsUp:))THumbsUp:))THumbsUp
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top