Guys,
I have heard this story again and again over the years about how road races
make money but autocross events do not. I simply have never believed that to
be true.
I have been involved with an independent club here in Pittsburgh for 30
years now. Granted our insurance limits through K&K Insurance may not be
the same as the SCCA autocross policy, and we might have a better deal on
lot fees than some clubs, but we all share the same costs for things like
equipment, a trailer for storage, replacement cones, timers, radios,
trophies, newsletters, web site and so forth. We also subsidize some of the
cost of our Year End Banquet. In the end, our club would not be active if
we weren't able to turn a modest profit from our autocross events.
Unlike road racing, the people who compete in an autocross event, put up the
cones, work and manage the event and tear it down when it is over. We don't
need medical, fire or towing assets at the site. In our case, the County
provides the porta-potties as part of our rental. We also do not have to
provide food for the workers. They bring their own lunches.
If an organization sits down and figures their total cost of running an
autocross event, it is easy to then do some ciphering to figure out how many
cars will be required to break even. You set your event fees accordingly and
have at it, making sure you put away enough money every year to cover the
start up costs for the next season (insurance and lot fees) along with an
emergency fund for cone replacement and so forth.
Our club turns a modest profit. I'm sure every other independent autocross
club in The United States at least breaks even, or they would not be
operating. So, if all of those organiztions can be profitable, why can't the
SCCA Solo program?
Larry Steckel
|