SCCAForums.com

What $/gallon gas price will keep you from this year's Runoffs?

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Brian Husting
SSC #65
Cal Club

I don't even want to think about it.  Probably anything over $2 a gallon..... oh wait that already happened.

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1999 Civic Si SSC

Just went out and filled the truck for the sprints, so I'm betting the price of diesel will drop 2$ a gallon this week! LOL at 1500.00 a fill up, it hurts, ouch! I feel bad for you guys on the left coast. I saw a web site showing 5.19 a gallon!

BTW, anyone down it way want a ride to HPT for the dbl nat and/or the runoffs, drop me a note, I've got 3 spots in the trailer as of right now............JM

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Joe McClughan
McClughan Racing Enterprises

I am already scaling back my basic race schedule due to the price of everything - especially Gas!

No Run Offs for me

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1996 Nitro Yellow Green Neon SSC

It huts everytime we fill up the truck.  Entries are down all over and I think most of it is due to the cost of gas but also the fear that the economy is ready to sink.  That hasnt happened yet and the unemployment numbers are still in the normal range, (unless your unemployed that is).   A lot of SCCA Regions are sufferingf due to high track rental and very low entries.  I hate to think of what the loss will be like at Lime Rock which has the highest rental in the US at $27,500 a day last I heard.  The track owners need to step up, lower rentals, and share some of the grief so everyone survives.  We will get through this unless we elect a democrat, then taxes will go up and gass will hit $8 a gallon. 

Any idea what race gas will cost at the Runoffs?  it's going to cost us a fortune to get there from Oregon. Race gas has varied here from vendor to vendor. I'm also not sure if it's going to matter whether a Dumbicrat or a Repunklican is in office especially with the track record ( no pun intended) of the current administration. Sorry for the politics.

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Joe Hermes
T2 #22
Gran Prix Imports
Lamborghini Portland
Joe@gpimports.com

Since the Democrats are literally debating a windfall profits tax on the oil companies as I type this I do think it makes a difference.  Who do they think pays that tax?  we do, the consumers.  hello $8 a gallon.  hello Jimmy Carter, I mean Barack Obama.

 

Sorry too for the politics.

 

McCain '08.

 

Sorry again.

mojojojo:

Any idea what race gas will cost at the Runoffs?  it's going to cost us a fortune to get there from Oregon. Race gas has varied here from vendor to vendor. I'm also not sure if it's going to matter whether a Dumbicrat or a Repunklican is in office especially with the track record ( no pun intended) of the current administration. Sorry for the politics.

I wuld just venture a guess that in the latest fastrack there is a comment about the BOD working on something to ease some costs for the runoffs, my guess is that they are going to announce race gas at $6 or $7 a galloon or something (ohh ahh) or pump 93 at $5 (ohhh ahhh)

Reduced entry fee? Better marketing to local hotels for reduced SCCA special rates?  Cheap on site catering?

Tim, By October $5 Premium might be cheap the way prices are going!  

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1999 Civic Si SSC

TeamWheels:

Since the Democrats are literally debating a windfall profits tax on the oil companies as I type this I do think it makes a difference.  Who do they think pays that tax?  we do, the consumers.  hello $8 a gallon.  hello Jimmy Carter, I mean Barack Obama.

 

Sorry too for the politics.

 

McCain '08.

 

Sorry again.

Keep the political comments and recommendations out of these forums--this is not the place for that.  I suggest you read the commentary by Charles Krauthammer (virtually a spokesman for the current administration and Republican politics) from the June 9, 2008 Chicago Tribune regarding gas taxes and prices.  You might be surprised. 

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Jack SSB Z4 #09

JTIPPENS:

Keep the political comments and recommendations out of these forums--this is not the place for that.  I suggest you read the commentary by Charles Krauthammer (virtually a spokesman for the current administration and Republican politics) from the June 9, 2008 Chicago Tribune regarding gas taxes and prices.  You might be surprised. 

Here's the column to which Jack refers: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0609krauthammerjun09,0,3620969.story

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Josh Sirota
Go, Dog. Go! Racing

JSirota:

JTIPPENS:

Keep the political comments and recommendations out of these forums--this is not the place for that.  I suggest you read the commentary by Charles Krauthammer (virtually a spokesman for the current administration and Republican politics) from the June 9, 2008 Chicago Tribune regarding gas taxes and prices.  You might be surprised. 

Here's the column to which Jack refers: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0609krauthammerjun09,0,3620969.story

JTippens,

 Do you really think the government would refund us the taxes we pay for gas through reduced payroll taxes? If you do, I have a bridge for sale you might be interested in.

Interesting idea but instead of paying $4/gallon of gas we'll pay what the Europeans are paying now: $8/gallon since most of that is in tax. A barrel still costs what it does.

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Steve W.
ACR SRT-4

Please do not lecture me on political discussion and then engage me in a political discussion.  The article by the columnist (not economist) is misguided.   This is my last post on this topic, but I suggest you expand your perspective and determine how many economists and real life business people would support an argument that a toll charge on commodities (any commodity) results in lower commodity prices.

TeamWheels:

Please do not lecture me on political discussion and then engage me in a political discussion.  The article by the columnist (not economist) is misguided.   This is my last post on this topic, but I suggest you expand your perspective and determine how many economists and real life business people would support an argument that a toll charge on commodities (any commodity) results in lower commodity prices.

I'm not lecturing you at all.  Most of us tacitly avoid religious or political comments on these forums because we think them misplaced and we don't really want to get engaged in the haggling that inevitably starts.  My reference to Krauthammer was to point out that the most surprising sources have positions on this issue (oil/gas/prices/taxing) that seem quite out of the normal line one expects from a particular party.  The issue is a time bomb and any discussion can only lead to bruised feelings eventually.

I did not promote Mr K's position at all, nor criticize it.  I don't care to espouse any position in the midst of what is clearly too much confusion and disagreement among all the so called "experts" and economists who think they know what is correct and what will happen in the future if we "just do so-and so."  Since I'm an old fart, with an extensive education and plenty of errors made in my nearly 7 decades, I know what I think, and I'm keeping to myself as far as this public forum is concerned because I don't want to offend friends who might think differently, and I don't want the bloody world to know how I feel, either.

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Jack SSB Z4 #09

So--- forgetting the politics.  Does anyone remember the spread between 100 Octane and 93 Octane in the past?  A couple of weeks ago at a National here in ATL, I noticed something that made me wonder.

100 Octane was being pumped for 7.19/gal...up only 11% from last year's 6.50/gal.; and 93 Octane was 4.29/gal, up 62% from last year's 2.65/gal.  So why the differential inflation?

Race gas vs. street gas: Each has the same raw material costs (barrel price for oil) and fed taxes same, right?  There's more refining and ingredients in the 100 octane and same distribution costs and transportation/delivery costs - so what gives?

I agree with some comments that race tracks could help a bit.  It would help the regions if they moved to a decelerated rental fee for remainder of season.  But that wouldn't change the entry fee much.

IMHO, we are all going to have to adjust - either keep racing and trim other expenses (sleep under the stars? ) 

For RO's, maybe "cost share" transport?  If SCCA had a broker put together covered carrier shipping from say NE, SE, NW and SoCal - would that cut the transport costs enough to help entry levels?  Just noodling there.

Methinks there's skulduggery afoot in the oil patch, a pox on the knaves...I say.

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PaulG
56 T3

I talked with a number of people over the last 3 races and most are telling me it costs them just about $1 a mile for towing the car and trailer. 

There's an easy answer that I found while looking through the October 1-2, 1955 SCCA Road Car Sports Races at the Salinas Municipal Airmport....90% of the entrants drove their cars to the track.  Interesting entrants included Dr. Goerge Snively in an Austin Healey 100, Lewis Spencer in an MGTC (guess he couldn't affort the car-of-the-year TF), Race 3 had 7 VW sedans and two DKWs (whatever those were), heavy hitters Lance Reventlow in a 300 SL Mercedes and Phil Hill in John Von Neumann's Ferrari Monza most certainly had their cars trailered, but most of them...nah...maybe in SCCA's current class restructuring they need to add Class DITTT  (drive-it-to-the-track)....rp

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Racing in 5 different decades!

Bob,

I wouldn't worry about Lime Rock. I just looked at the Mosport entry list , just 47. Many had complained about the Lime Rock fee's but the difference in travel costs are major. I just got back from Summit. Tolls were $125 and diesel was $286 for a total of $411. Meanwhile a trip to Lime Rock costs me $21 in tolls and $85 in diesel for $106 total. Thats a difference of $305 with much less wear and tear on my tow rig / trailer.

Heard that Lime Rock had offered up July 4th weekend , don't know if thats true. What a shame to not have that National back. How many in the New york / ct. area will run Summit with a $305 difference in tow fee's compared to a possible $100-150 entry fee difference  of Summit vs. Lime Rock ? Do the math and add in wear and tear.

 Maybe we should check the Northeast demographics for where we live against track distance and schedule accordingly ? Make race weekends double's to increase revenue ( like pocono three days ). Less towing more racing.

 Many out there will not race as much due to increased travel costs. We have to watch the rules creep that has been allowed to take place increasing our costs dramatically. Spending more money on the cars doesn't make the racing any better. The CRB has let us down in that department.

 

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Greg Meindl
#74 Neon ACR D Prepared
#74 Neon ACR ITA
#75 Neon ACR ITA
#84 Neon ACR ITA Enduro
#74 Firebird T2 SOLD !!!!Raceshopper.com
#74 1965 65 Mustang T/A SVRA

Well... I normally don't post anything, and just read, but I have been making notes of the strange fuel prices as well.  For example.....

Memphis Motorsports Park 104 Unleaded was $7.00 a gallon.  They ran out of the fuel and we had to go outside the track to purchase enough to make the race.  It was $7.00 a gallon outside for 98.

Road Atlanta 98 GTX 260 Unleaded was $8.00 a gallon at the track.  Just one week after Memphis.  The gas station less than a mile from Road Atlanta on 53 had GTX 260 for $7.19 a gallon.

One weekend later at Barber Motorsports Park GTX 260 was $9.00 a gallon and only one source for the fuel.....at the track.  

Crazy.

I would think the demand for racing fuel is going down and therefore the price would stabilize around $7.00 a gallon even while lower octane fuel increases.  How much 98+ octane fuel is really being sold at the present time in comparison to lower octane fuel?

I too was hoping the announcements about the Runoffs stimulus would be in the form of a gas price cap, discounts for entry, hotels, or something along those lines.  However, it appears it all has to do with priority of service and perks for 2009.  I have not seen anything addressing 2008 to date.

Fuel price is one thing, but the trickle down is the real problem.  We are all slightly insane in this sport anyway, and it costs a lot of money.  An additional $100 for the weekend would not put most of us under, or cause us to hang it up.   However, the fuel prices have trickled into everything.  Diesel / tow fuel, race gas, hotel fees, shipping fees, food, have all gone up.  Plus, we all work for a living during the week and our weekly budgets are hit with these trickle down fees from higher fuel costs as well. 

In short, we are not talking about a couple of hundred dollars more per weekend to race.  We are talking about an across the board increase to each of our house hold budgets and our racing budgets.  When you add it all up, it has gotten exponentially more expensive. 

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Stan Wilson #92 - Kumho Tires - NetEvidence - Pinnacle Steel - Lux Performance - Dodge Motorsports - Roe Racing
Wilson Racing, Inc.
855 York Road
Mt. Juliet TN 37122
www.wilsonracing.com
stan@wilsonracing.com

Greg!!!  You must not have driven Mosport!!  Mosport is the best race track in the northeast!!!  Fast blind corners, great passing...  Due to decrease of tire manufacturer assistance, and the price of diesel, and small fields to race with, we have also modified our 2008 season.  But for us, doing two doubles, Nelson and Pocono, enough to qualify for the runoffs was enough.  We are also going to Mosport, but more for the amazing track& great driving,  Sam and Joel were the only SSC cars at the National there last year, and they had the best race of their season there.  Nose to tail, and swapping places almost every lap.  With so few racers this season, it doesn't seem to matter about points, and it is worth the extra money in diesel to get to race at Mosport.  Sam has even raced two Canadian series there , Formula ford in 1989 and the Export A series (Formula 2000) in 1990, rather than SCCA those two years.  It was worth the drive from the Poconos to Canada 8 times a season to get to race on such a spectacular track.  And even with our SSC car, we have gone up and raced Canadian races with CASC, just to be there.  This year, we were also planning on racing at Circuit Mont Tremblant, another great track north of Montreal.
 

CASC has an interesting approach for car groups.  It is more like bracket racing.  They have 4 groups, GT A, B, C and D.  There are no rules for car prep, only safety items.  You could be a great driver in a slow car, or a slow driver in a fully prepared race car.  Once you reach a certain break out time in GT D, you have to move up to C.  it is difficult to race and stay within your break out time.  Sam and I had our Honda there, and my times fit in GT D, and Sam's times fit in GT C.  It doesn't matter what you do to your car, how much you spend, it depends on your lap times.

Don't miss Mosport, it will be the best drive you will experience!!! 

Almost forgot to mention, Mosport is a great place to meet nice girls.  That is where Sam found me

A late thank you to Joel for letting me race his Toy at Nelson...we just got our contingency money!!  Awfully nice of Joel,  XXOO, considering I had never driven at Nelson, and was in a borrowed car, with a borrowed helmet and suit.  What you have to do to have 4 cars start the race.....$$

 

Susan Ryan, SSC # 70 ( and sometimes # 71 and 81)