If the cost to build the racecar was truly the biggest cost you incur, then your decision to go with the less expensive components would appear to be a wise choice. The problem is, your biggest expense is not in building the racecar, but maintaining it and making it pay. In other words, we can define it by the formula: Cost=Purchase Expense + Maintenance Expense - Winnings.

What costs get grouped into maintenance expense? Let's take a look. First, if the part does not last the entire season and has to be replaced, then an additional part cost must be added. It makes no difference if it breaks, wears out, or just does not do what it was supposed to do, and then money must be spent to replace or maintain it. These types of expenses are obvious, but there are other less obvious ones. For example, if the superior brake system provides better control, (and it does), then the possibility exists you might have avoided an on track incident, (better known as a wreck). Normally, you can figure that any on track incident is worth a minimum of a grand, cash. Often, it's much more, but let's just use that for comparison purposes.

Everyone knows that all parts on the racecar require maintenance during the course of the season. As for brakes, the cheapest brands will require complete disassembly and overhaul at least every few weeks to maintain reasonable performance. The highest quality components require little or no maintenance during the season. The difference usually adds up to about 100 hours of labor. Even at 10 bucks an hour, (a number I won't work for), that adds up to another thousand bucks.

Also, what about when an inferior component fails during the race? A "DNF" (did not finish), not only costs you points for the championship, it directly affects your visit to the pay window for the evening. The difference between a "DNF", and an 8th place finish, about $500.00 minimum.

Another factor, since inferior components create excessive drag, more heat is present in the brake system. Pads wear out faster; brake fluid requires more frequent changes, which means your maintenance costs slide even higher. Inferior parts that fail at the racetrack require an additional crew person trained to repair those items quickly at the racetrack in hostile conditions. Added to this are the necessary spare parts and special tools to make the repairs at the racetrack. This additional crew person brings the added cost of annual license, pit passes, uniforms, transportation, lodging, food and drinks.

Finally, what about the difference a superior brake system can make in your driving confidence, and consequently, finish at each event? It is a fact that a comfortable, confident driver, in a car that is superior to the competition, results in a higher average finish. We know for a fact that when a car owner/driver steps up to superior components, the resulting finish position moves up at least 3-4 spots every race! Translation: at least a $200-$300 improvement in winnings at every event. If you are running 25-35 nights per year, the improvement in your winnings could be $5000, to in excess of $10,000 per year, even if you are not running in big money races.

Take a look at Figure 3. This is a recap of the money you just lost. Not only did you pay all year, but also you never got the opportunity to truly experience the level of success you might have obtained. You may be an excellent racecar driver, but do you really want to drive a car that is inferior to the competition? If you did happen to perform at a high level, just imagine where you would be if your racecar had better components. In other words, you did not achieve at the level you might have been able. You had to work harder on the track than everyone else to accomplish what you did.

The factors we just reviewed do not even take into consideration other factors that affect cost. For example, if you race every year, do you have to buy new components every year? If you purchased quality parts, then your budget next year won't get dinged for the same recurring purchases. Ever wonders how the car pitted next to you seems to be capable of upgrading every year while it seems to be a fight for you? Maybe they are managing their budget better and are focusing on making a return on their investment. If you truly want to do well racing, then you must pay close attention as to what makes your race car fast. If you buy bargain basement components for your racecar and dump your entire budget into your motor, then you are not looking at all the ways you could be improving your program. Horsepower is no good unless you hook the car to the track. This also means the ability to stay on the throttle into the corner is critical to carrying momentum through the corners. Although this article is directed at the brake components, the same holds true for the suspension, shocks and tires. You must establish a complete analysis of each factor that will influence the performance.

We have discussed brakes in this article primarily because it is the most overlooked part of the car when looking for speed improvement on the track, but the information provided here can be applied to several other areas. For example, one of the best chassis set up men I know spends many weekends home, because no one wants to pay his $500.00 two day charge for showing teams how to make the car faster. This is in spite of the fact that every team that applies his knowledge finds a few tenths per lap and a major improvement in handling. Teams would rather struggle, than find out why they can't seem to move up. The teams that do go to the pay window and pick up the big checks.

It is frequently pointed out to me that many racetracks are not braking tracks, and that spending money on a good brake system is foolish. I don't think you would convince a sprint car customer of mine this year that set a track record at Eldora of that. Why? A brake must perform TWO functions. It must apply when you step on the brake pedal, but more importantly, it must release, when you take your foot off. If you check your car now, you will most likely find that the wheel will not turn freely. Even though a race car can run around Eldora without the driver touching the brake pedal, caliper flex will still cause drag, eating up your horsepower and corner momentum. The more limited your horsepower, the more important brake drag is to your racecar. Every racetrack requires some brake use. If yours are interfering with the overall handling characteristics of your car, then you are loosing ground. If nothing more than having the confidence to avoid an incident when you round a corner and see a dead racecar in your path, having a high quality brake system is worth it. Brake drag is a major cause of loss of speed and momentum in the corner.

As an owner/driver you must make sure you are asking the right questions about the products you are purchasing. Not all manufacturers truly understand the components they make. I feel the information I provide to my customers is every bit as important, if not more important than the components I supply. Even quality components must be installed correctly for maximum benefit. In fact, since every racer is different, your brake system requirements may be different than the car pitted next to you. Just as a driver's suit must be fitted to you, so must the brake system. In order to do this, you must team up with knowledgeable people. Do you understand what it takes to make a superior brake system? If you want to achieve at the highest level, you need help with making sure you understand what you need to accomplish that goal.

Building a racecar is not the real cost of racing, it is only where it begins. Since most teams do not keep in depth records of their expenses, or more importantly, the reasons for those expenses, they lose sight of the real cost of racing. In our examples, the purchase cost of a quality system over a low-buck system was about $700 for the sprint car and $1500 for the late model. The expenses shown in the simulated example of typical season expenses is a very conservative estimate. If you look back over your last season, I'll bet you will appreciate the example as being realistic. The real question now is, do you take a different approach to the new season in front of you, or do you make the same mistakes again.

Why not take a challenge and look back at last season, race by race. Look at where you finished, and more importantly, why. What could you have done had you been more confident to push the car deeper in the corner? What if your brake pedal had been just as good on the last lap as it was on the first lap? What if the car was incredibly predictable and performed consistently every lap?

If you were involved in an on track incident, could it have been avoided if you had more control over your car? Even if you are incredibly optimistic and very few, if any of our examples happen to you, chances are, you will not save a dime with the low buck system. You are simply not going to be as aggressive as you would be if you were totally comfortable.

So when you go back to our formula: Cost=Purchase Expense + Maintenance Expense - Winnings, we now can apply the numbers. For those of you who bought the low buck parts, you saved money, but lost the season. For those of you who decided that a fast racecar is one that you have confidence in, you spent a little more at the beginning of the season, but had an excellent return by going to the pay window a lot more often. If you bought quality components this year, then next year you can spend your budget on upgrading other components.

If you truly want to improve your racecar, you must be constantly aware of the new products on the market that can make you faster. If someone else learns about a great new product before you, then by the time you put it on, you are just "catching back up". This is an evolving sport. The racecar slowly changes based on new technology and new products. Not all new products are better, but those that are, truly make a big difference. If you want to be first, you must pay particular attention to new products that can make your car faster and more predictable.

Racing can be fun and profitable. The question is, do you really think it's worth saving $1500.00 when you build the car, to potentially loose thousands because of it? If you entered this sport with the idea of making it a career, then leave no stone unturned in your quest to succeed. It's not the money you spend; it's the money you make. It's also the thrill of success.