About Us and this Resource

Contrary to what some people think, Dragon Publishing is not a large company out to get rich off this resource. Instead, the company was formed by the author Dave Gran and his wife Melissa to publish the book “Go Ahead - Take the Wheel” and subsequently this website. Our mission with this book is to provide you the guide into motosports. We are very confident that it will save you numerous headaches, time, lots of confusion, and of course money.

What’s the inspiration for this resource?

I am often amused by the high costs that people claim are necessary to club race. When I hear people wanting to get involved in racing seek advice, these high cost estimates change from amusing to frustrating. Often potential racers become discouraged, believing they cannot afford to race. This was one of my primary motivations for writing this book. I was misled about the costs and other hurdles involved in racing, and I therefore put aside my racing dreams for several years. There are also people who have the financial resources to race, but simply don’t know how to make racing a reality. Looking back now, it would have been beneficial to have had a resource to aid me in the pursuit of racing and to provide guidance about what it really takes to club race. This book will guide you in achieving your racing dreams on a wide range of financial budgets.

Racing is often referred to as a rich man’s sport, but it certainly does not have to be. Before beginning my racing career, I spoke with many drivers while at various events as a spectator about how I could begin racing. I was shocked to hear that it could very easily cost $1,500 to race a single weekend event. Many people even told me that $1,500 would be a cheap weekend. This led to my next question. How much would it cost for a racecar? The answer for an “entry level” racecar started at $8,000 and quickly went up from there. At first I thought I was just asking the wrong people, so I continued talking with other drivers about the associated costs. I would walk away dejected thinking about the “cheap race weekend” and how there was no way I could afford to race at these costs. Needless to say, after a while I began to believe that this was the reality, which started to tear away at my dreams of racing. Some of my friends who also grew up dreaming about racing, told me that I just need to accept things as they are – you need to be born into racing or be very wealthy. I continued attending races and sat on the sidelines watching others do what I dreamed of doing for a few more years. I kept thinking that someday I would figure out how to begin racing.

One year I joined the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). For some crazy reason, I thought that somehow a revelation would just hit me and I would be given the knowledge and advice I so desperately wanted. That never happened. Several months later, while watching the Daytona 500, I was overcome with the need to find a way to race - and I did. I found a way to race on a much lower budget – my budget! Because there were so few resources to turn to, this journey often led to learning the hard way and making many mistakes. Can an affordable wheel-to-wheel racing hobby be possible for the average Joe? Sure it can. I still can’t help but wonder what a $1,500 weekend would be like. Hmm…a new set of the best tires for each race, a driving coach, a paid chef to prepare our meals (filet mignon and fine wine for the crew, of course), and a mechanic to work on the car between sessions. All right, maybe I am stretching things here, but you get the point. An exciting race weekend does not have to cost $1,500.

When looking at the costs of racing, one thing you need to keep in mind is that everyone will do things differently based on their resources and personal preferences. You need to do what is right for you. Is it necessary to have a race built engine and just about every go-fast part? Of course not. You might be surprised at how many people use stock engines. I used a stock engine for several years and was able to run mid-pack in a class with cars that had a higher performance potential than the class I race with now (with the same car). Do you need to only use the most expensive tires and change them after every race? No. Do you need a big rig or an expensive RV to bring your car to the track? No. You get the basic pattern here. But again, all of these answers depend on who you ask. As you will see in racing, there is a broad range in budgets. When it comes down to it, you are the one who chooses what budget fits your financial situation and goals. Especially in the beginning, I recommend that you focus on getting out on the track and gaining seat time. Wait until after you have gained some experience to worry about preparing your car more.

Hope you enjoy this resource and I’ll see you out on the track soon!