Entry fee inflation

General Paddock Chatter
Post Reply
schomosport
Recovery
Recovery
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:42 pm
Location: Bedford
Contact:

Entry fee inflation

Post by schomosport »

Entry fees have always the single biggest part of the self-prepared competitor. Looking at this year's entry fees, the average double header has clearly moved in recent years from "about £300" to "about "400" a pop. A couple of examples.

Brands Hatch DH (2 days, 60 minutes track time) 2011 = £310
Brands Hatch DH (1 day, 45 minutes track time 2016 = £410

Snetterton DH 2009 = £275
Snetterton DH 2016 = £395 (both two days, 60 minutes track time)

I am well aware that Monoposto strives to keep entry fees as low as possible (well done all!) and entry fees for comparative series may even be higher. However, given the low inflation environment we have enjoyed for the last few years the above clearly refutes any suggestion that prices just rise with inflation. I guess JP would say it is the price we have to pay if we want to see better facilities at the circuits...........I don't know, I don't seem to see anyone else moaning about it, maybe I'm just getting tight in my old age.

Cheers all

Schomosport
Schomosport

User avatar
Wingnut
Flag waver
Flag waver
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2013 8:07 am

Re: Entry fee inflation

Post by Wingnut »

Does anyone know what other people are paying for entry fees? I have been asking around the F Jedi racers and per minute/per number of cars its about the same as us.

An entry fee is the track time per minute that the club is charged, divided by the number of cars on the track and I know as a board we do try and make this as cost effective as possible. If we can get any reference costs of other championships this would be useful.

Jon
Jonathan Reed - Yellow Jedi no. 88
Wingnut Racing Website - http://www.wingnutracing.biz
Formula Jedi spec Jedi Mk6 Suzuki GSXR1000 K5/6 in yellow
Car Preparation, Racing Car Vinyl Wrapping, Secure Storage

Redracer77
Flag waver
Flag waver
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:57 am
Contact:

Re: Entry fee inflation

Post by Redracer77 »

Jon I will bring your G&T glass to Brands to be filled up lol

From a cost point of view I think the club is quite similar to other clubs in terms of cost maybe a little more expensive. In general I think the price per track time is creeping up to a point where more people are going to think twice about entering some races and this is where the TT is going to struggle.

For example over the last few weekends at Brands -

Mono - £410 for 45 mins of track time on the GP circuit
Champion of Brands (MSVR) - £265 for 30 mins of track time on the GP circuit
National Formula Ford - £415 for 60 mins of track time on the Indy Circuit

I have questioned in a previous thread whether 2 qualifyings is the best use of our time and value for money. Would 3 races not work better. Yes we might lose a couple of people who like a share a car but how many would be tempted by an 8 meeting 24 race season? Who knows
Chris Hodgen
Dallara 304
No 70

omsracer
Recovery
Recovery
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:35 pm
Location: Twyford, Nr Reading

Re: Entry fee inflation

Post by omsracer »

Inflation and entry fee creep is a fact of life. Nothing ever seems to get cheaper these days. I do agree however that we should look at the one qualifying session followed by three races. We come to race not to qualify. I did suggest this some time back and was told it was not possible, no real reason given except the usual, some people only race on Sunday, but in these times where every £ is precious we should not be afraid to review our sessions in line with the current economic climate.
Peter Whitmore
Car # 4
2000 Classic

User avatar
andrewcliffe
Respected elder statesman
Respected elder statesman
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Norwich, UK
Contact:

Re: Entry fee inflation

Post by andrewcliffe »

Comparison costs

Mono: Championship Registration £ 135. Race entries £ 350 - £ 410. Tiedeman £ 299. Spa £ 615.

F3 Cup costs: CR £ 295. Race entries range from £ 435 to £ 540 (Silverstone GP / Brands GP) with Spa at £ 735. Excluding Spa, race format is either 1Q and 2R at 20' each (60') or 1Q 15', 2R at 15' and 1R 20' (65').

GT Cup costs: CR £ 660 and race entries at £ 990 per event, but 3 hours tracktime per 2 day weekend, or 1 3/4 on a single day event.

BRDC F3: CR £ 990. Entry Fee £ 750

Mini Challenge: Entry Fee / Season. Quick class £ 7500. Slow class £ 6000. Same tracktime.

VAG Trophy: CR RE: £ 474 - £ 540. Spa £ 900. Normal format Q 15', 3R 15' 60' total tracktime.
Andrew Cliffe - Monoposto photographer - http://www.norwichphoto.co.uk & Racing Exposure - http://www.racingexposure.com/blog

schomosport
Recovery
Recovery
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:42 pm
Location: Bedford
Contact:

Re: Entry fee inflation

Post by schomosport »

Thanks for the comparison data Andrew.

Noting that generally Mono has fielded generally large grids in recent years, and assuming the other clubs mentioned are no more intended as profit making enterprises than Mono and track time is whatever it is a minute, then it looks like Mono is relatively cheap by comparison.

There is still no escaping the fact that entry fees have risen significantly ahead of inflation - I guess so long as the circuit owners can continue to get xyz £ from enough entering clubs to fill an afternoon then they are understandably happy. I suspect as the incomes of those nearer the top of the food chain continue to grow there should be enough new entrants to the sport to sustain the circus for a few more years yet.

Far be it for me to moan about my circumstances, I have been quite fortunate in recent years with the prospect of retiring significantly earlier than I would have ever though possible only a few years ago - but by that token the money I spend on racing appears to be offering increasingly diminishing returns. I won't be able to do both so soon I shall race no more.
Schomosport

User avatar
andrewcliffe
Respected elder statesman
Respected elder statesman
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 8:33 am
Location: Norwich, UK
Contact:

Re: Entry fee inflation

Post by andrewcliffe »

I'm not sure how other organising clubs work with their finances.

Something like BRSCC, 750MC or BARC who possibly own the individual championships, may allow under subscribed series some leeway if their costs are outweighed by the more popular series.

Monoposto takes some of the risks by buying track time directly and reselling it. Where there is risk there is always the potential for reward, but Tony C always says at the Mono AGM that the difference between making a loss or a profit at a meeting is only a couple of entries.
Andrew Cliffe - Monoposto photographer - http://www.norwichphoto.co.uk & Racing Exposure - http://www.racingexposure.com/blog

Post Reply