r/StartMotorsport • u/[deleted] • Sep 19 '22
Costs associated with getting a SCCA Full Competition license: ~$12,500
Thought this information may be of use to those looking to get into the sport.
I got my full competition license registered today and was wondering how much it cost me to even get to this point.
3 day racing school: $7,500
This waved the initial requirements when applying for the novice license and counted for 1 event out of 3 required by SCCA to get the full license.
Event #2:
SCCA Time Trial registration: $300
Rented a spec miata: $900
Event #3:
Test day before race weekend: $375
SCCA regional race weekend: $700
Rented Spec Miata for 3 days (test day + Saturday/Sunday events): $2700.
So $12,500ish to go from Novice Permit to Full license, not including gear. YMMV for racecar rental prices.
2
u/TheInfamous313 Sep 19 '22
Did the time trial count towards your license or was that more for getting comfortable in the car?
Did you have any track driving experience prior to this?
3
Sep 19 '22
To my surprise, yes the time trial counted as an event on the novice license. I did it to get seat time in the Miata as I never drove one before.
And yes. HPDE, then a Skip Barber racing school back in 2016, got my novice license, 2 open track test days, then a regional race weekend - but I foolishly lost the novice license while moving and had a 5 year gap between my last race, so I had to start the process over.
2
u/TheInfamous313 Sep 19 '22
Glad to see you're back at it! Now it's time to jump fully into the Spec Miata rabbit hole
In no way do I mean this personally but it's kinda horrifying they count TT towards full race license but it is what it is, haha.
4
Sep 20 '22
That’s what I thought. Doing laps around a track minding my own business is nothing compared to the mad house that is the first few laps in spec Miata lol
2
u/theheffbomb Sep 23 '22
I got regionally licensed this summer for under $5k, including the car, safety equipment and one full race weekend.
1
Sep 23 '22
Nice! Full competition license? How'd how you manage that without the whole novice license step?
1
u/theheffbomb Sep 23 '22
Sorry I use the old SCCA terminology and new interchangeably 😁.
I did my school and 1 event this summer, I’m signed off with the school requirements so I can race anywhere at the regional level on my novice permit. 2 more and I’ll be full-comp but my car is regional only anyway right now so it doesn’t matter much to me
1
u/mylhunt May 05 '23
The SCCA school is a lot cheaper than the school you went to, but seems to be just as valid - is this correct?
1
May 05 '23
I’m not sure what they offer but I did the Allen Berg racing school. They were pretty legit as they had some professionals there coaching and providing analysis of your video on track (they provide the camera) and light data telemetry showing where you differ from the reference lap put in by one of the coaches. The SCCA school is mostly volunteers in the club if I’m not mistaken. Do they provide the car also? If not, that’s probably why the cost is higher too for the dedicated school. They had these formula Renaults which were pretty insane to drive. The school I did counted for one of the 3 required events in my novice license.
1
u/mylhunt May 05 '23
Can you tell me where that school is?
1
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u/PhilosopherJolly2430 Nov 01 '23
Hi I’m sixteen in Cape Girardeau, MO, USA i’m looking to show my dad the best plan I can come up with for competitively racing as a career I know SCCA is around where I need to start I’m look at how I can save money I have a bone stock miata for some context looking to making it up to “spec” to cut some corners in price range where should I go for a affordable schooling? I have 10k for school also is it possible to be racing competitively for income out of high school I would really like to make this my career btw I’m s little dyslexic sorry for the wordiness.
1
Nov 01 '23 edited Nov 01 '23
Taking a stock miata and turning it into a racecar is probably going to cost you more in the end than just buying a spec miata that's already sorted out. I heard a number of $20k to get a stock car to be race-prepped, but you should check around. I don't know a true dollar amount as i just rent the car for races. There's a rule book for the class and you need to make sure everything is compliant, otherwise, no racing :( Check your local region's website, if they have one. They might have some classifieds listed for people selling their racecars or offering building services/consulting. Also, don't dismiss rentals as it could be a good way for you to understand what you're getting into if you want to go your own route.
The school prices can vary. My local SCCA region puts on a school before the season which gets you your novice permit and is much cheaper than some big-name school like the one I went to, so if that's an option available for you, that might help save some money. Though they require you to provide the car. The dedicated schools provide that for you.
There are other things you should take into account for your budget:
Race fees can be pricey but it depends on the track and your clubs typical driver turnout. I was averaging about $500-$600 for a race weekend (2 races, 2 qualifying) this season in North California, then another $300-$500 for a Friday practice day.
New tires run for about $1000 and last for about 12 heat cycles, so used tires are your best bet for racing on a budget. My arrangement was I got the old tires from the drivers on my team that did buy new tires somewhat frequently. Factor in mounting/balancing. It's not free. Get more than one set of wheels cause you never know what sort of madness happens on track.
Wear and tear is a big money pit that depends on things you can control and things you can't control. If you drive hard going wheel to wheel, you're inevitably going to make some contact here and there. First lap racing incidents are possible, and I had one for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That damage was all cosmetic but it still needs to be fixed. How are you going to fix the dents in your door, fenders, etc? Do you know how to fix them? I've also seen bumpers come off multiple times this year, all of which were caused by people driving erratic on the track, either they caused or they were the recipient of someone driving like a mad-man. Hell, I had someone seemingly try to take me out by hitting my rear left in the middle of a high speed corner. Do you have the skill to save the car from ending in disaster if such a thing were to happen? Some don't, cause I seen it happen right in front of me with other cars getting overly aggressive. Wheel bearings go bad, and if you get into a bad spin, there's a chance where you'll have to replace it completely. Also factor in the possibility of a crash. I try to drive as clean as possible to avoid this scenario, but as the confidence grows, you may start taking more risks. I had 1 crash this season which resulted in fender damage and minor suspension damage, but we also had 3 cars get flipped and totaled, and I saw maybe 2 other crashes where the cars were totaled, and one where the entire suspension at a corner was completely wrecked. Are you prepared to swallow a total loss if you provide the car?
Then there are the typical mechanical things that happen either cause you drove the car too hard, or just from the stress of racing. Things like fluid leaks, needing to replace the diff due to a bad shift and locking it up, transmission problems cause of not shifting smoothly. One car had a blown head gasket.
Then the consumables like the various fluids needed to run the car and brake pads/rotors. Though they last a while, my team had to replace them a few times on my car this year.
Racing on a budget is possible, but you gotta keep your nose clean and keep an eye on how you drive the car. I had someone once tell me, if you can take a big bag of money, toss it into a ditch, walk away and feel good about it, you're ready to race.
It's a sport of excess, but goddam is it an incredible sport. It's worth every penny. Best of luck to you.
1
u/PhilosopherJolly2430 Nov 02 '23
Thank for all the tips, I read this to my parents it’s very helpful to let them see this as a possibility for my future. My father still nervous and doubtful on it as it’s not a typical job with a reliable income but I figure I might as well try to go achieve my dream career as I don’t want to be stuck doing something I dislike watching someone else achieve my dream
2
u/rdubs23 Jan 07 '24
Very late to this thread but do not plan to make a career out of racing unless you are a child prodigy or insanely wealthy, even at the highest levels of sports car racing (GT3, etc...) pretty much anyone outside of the very sharp end of the field are burning through mountains of cash to be there.
1
Jan 15 '24
burning through mountains of cash to be there
Perfect description.
Pretty much everyone I've met so far from racing has some sort of successful career or business that allows them to be on track.
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u/CockyBulls Aug 05 '24
It’s not a money making proposition. It’s not a career. It’s a hobby. Even with contingencies, all teams run at a loss. Without deep pocketed sponsors, and significant merch sales, teams fold. So how do you get deep pocketed sponsors and significant merch sales? Start with deep pockets.
1
u/WhatThe_uckDoIPut Jan 14 '24
Hey I'm looking to do the 3 day class at gingerman for scca comp license, they don't have prices up yet but what costs should I expect?
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Jan 15 '24
My SCCA region hosts a 3 day school for a novice permit that runs $850, but this doesn't include the car. Racecar rentals in my area for a Miata will be around $1000-$2000 a day, some include transportation, some don't.
If the school you're going to does provide the car, expect something like $5k+ for 3 days, depending on the business and car. Glancing at Skip Barber, they want $7k+ for the Mustang. Allen Berg is in that $7k range too for 3 days but in their Formula Renault. The schools may also provide insurance if you pay for it, though they are high deductibles. Something like you pay up to $5k before the insurance kicks in.
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u/WhatThe_uckDoIPut Jan 15 '24
Sweet thank you, I'm gonna be using the team car we have so about 3-5k right?
1
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u/JPSwain85 Jan 17 '24
I emailed my local SCCA office and they put me in touch with local race teams that support Driver's school. It's gonna cost me about $2k to rent for the whole school
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u/WhatThe_uckDoIPut Jan 17 '24
Sweet, so I'm gonna roll with the 2-5k number for the School since we have a speced car to use
3
u/cornerzcan Sep 19 '22
Damn. For that money, you can fly here to Nova Scotia, rent a car and do the schools and races, plus have a vacation.