Author Topic: Beginner Questions  (Read 6543 times)

Offline JCampbell_0801

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Beginner Questions
« on: July 18, 2015, 02:01:48 pm »
I had a few beginner questions I was hoping some of you could answer. Hoping to get my son in a Bandolero at Atlanta soon, and I'm trying nail down some of the numbers for budgeting purposes. First, how much are set up fees? I hope to get the equipment and do learn how to do it myself, but until then I'd have to find someone to do it for me. How much are entry or track fees per race? How much are a set of cut tires are going to run me and how often on average should they be replaced to be competitive? Average general maintenance costs? Also, what's an average sponsorship deal run? And how much does it cost for a wrap job on a Bandolero? Thanks for your help!




Offline justfreaky

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Re: Beginner Questions
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2015, 07:31:39 pm »
I am not sure on setup fees. You might find someone at the track that would help you or teach you how to do it
Equipment: A good caster camber gauge costs between $80 -$150. Shop around! A tape measurer and a straight edge are helpful.
Track fees are usually $25-$50 depending on the race.
Cut tires: Don't know. I think tires were around $80 each and I want to say $15-$20 each to cut.
Tire wear depends on the drivers style, track and abuse. I have seen most get an average of 2 sets of tires per season. Know others that replace them more often.
Seat time will be the biggest issue to get started. (Even if you have to run on older tires.)
Maintenance costs are minimal. Check all the nuts and bolts every week; Check chain tension every race. Tri-Flo is a good lube. Others use various waxes. Trial and error on what may work best for you. Make sure the wheels spin as freely as you can get them to spin. I have a maintenance checklist somewhere. I will see if I can find it and email it to you.
Sponsorship: Take whatever money sponsors will offer you. There are several theads about sponsorship; Do a search. I have sent sponsor money to cover everything from a single race entry to tire monies. I have donated racing gloves, etc... (Don't forget to include the cost of race gear in your sponsorship package.) If you can find a major sponsor for $500 or more, tou are doing well. I have had friends that asked for $25 to put your name on the car (Bandos are a lot smaller than a Legends Car) to Modified racers asking $1,000 plus for the prime spots on the car. I paid one Bando driver $25 to put small decals on the front air dam of their car. You just need to get a bit creative on your sponsorship program.
Wraps: They can look cool, but are expensive. We had one kid a few years back that had his dad airbrush lightning bolts on his car. Had another that painted his car in camo trim. Get creative with your paint. If you can't do it yourself, you may be able to get a bodyshop or friend to get the look you want (maybe a sponsorship deal?). ;) Everything you do to the car is a possible sponsorship thing.  :)

I hope that gives you some food for thought. I'm not a Bando person, but do have a lot of notes that I have collected over the years. Let me know if I can help.

Steve
Better to be hated for who you are, Than to be loved for who you are not.


Offline JCampbell_0801

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Re: Beginner Questions
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2015, 12:37:32 pm »
Thanks! How many races are you considering a season though?

Offline justfreaky

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Re: Beginner Questions
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2015, 08:51:38 am »
I am not a Bando guy. The info I am passing on is based on info that I have collected over the years from Bando folks here on the site. Most have moved on to Legends or other series. I would guess most of them raced 3-4 times per month.

Steve
Better to be hated for who you are, Than to be loved for who you are not.

 

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