Wheels on which to mount those tires cost anywhere from $175 to $280 depending on quality, so there's another $7,500. Hoosier tires for IMCA Late Models cost $135 per tire, and Eckrich said the average tire bill for racers going through 30 to 40 tires per year is $5,000. The miscellaneous stuff - fuel, oil, filters, bodywork, nuts and bolts, etc. An engine to run IMCA races, as is most common in Eastern Iowa, will cost on average $20,000, Eckrich said.Ī set of shocks run $750 per shock, and racers usually need a spare or two, and Eckrich said Precision Performance has shock packages around $3,800. The price tag on what you need to compete can give a true sense of the seriousness of the sport's participants.Ī brand-new, complete Late Model racecar will cost a racer approximately $34,000 without an engine. 'Nobody will ever tell you exactly what they spent.' Starting from scratch to get into Late Model racing carries with it, on average, a six-figure price tag with every part, piece and tool included. Late Model racing traditionally has been considered the premier form of racing for decades, though in recent years has seen participation numbers drop in Eastern Iowa and other local racetracks across the country - a significant reason being the cost to compete. There are dozens of parts, engine and chassis dealers across the state - and thousands across the country - and there's always Craigslist and Facebook groups from which people can buy what they're looking for - though the latter has price points that are inconsistent and no guarantee on quality.Īndy Eckrich, who owns and operates Precision Performance in Cosgrove, and Brown at Harris sell those parts and pieces while also competing in Late Model and Modified, respectively, and see every manner of racer agenda come through the shop door. Racers can buy brand-new parts and pieces and assemble them themselves, they can pay to have the car assembled as a complete package, or they can do those things with used parts and pieces.
The two top levels of racing in Eastern Iowa - IMCA Late Models and Modifieds - run the gamut in terms of racers and race teams with all levels of experience and funding. There are a few different routes to go when buying into motorsports and each depends primarily on experience level and funding. LOOK: See an example of an invoice for buying a racecar from Harris Auto Racing Anybody that's ever raced is that way - anyone that's ever been passionate about racing.' It doesn't matter what it costs, we'll find a way. 'We all love this sport so much and we're so passionate about it, we'll find a way. 'I could compare what I do to what a drug dealer does, to be honest with you,' said Kyle Brown, IMCA Modified racer and owner and operator of Harris Auto Racing in Boone. Getting it started and then sustaining it requires an investment. Nonetheless, auto racing is an expensive hobby. Those involved know that - and have for a long time - but the value for them is the same as spending money on fishing, hunting, boating or any other hobby a person finds. The costs attached with strapping oneself into a car and going as fast as possible around a dirt oval for afternoons and evenings throughout the summer can provide a measure of sticker shock for the uninitiated.
#Modified stock car racing professional#
Such is the central question and way of life and business in modern day auto racing, whether that's at the professional level in NASCAR or Ind圜ar, or at the local level in Eastern Iowa racing IMCA - International Motor Contest Association - cars on dirt.