How to Build Your Own Team
Racing as a privateer is the most common way to race in the SCCA. Once you start, you will quickly discover that others in our tight-knit Formula F community are happy to help.
Many of us find preparing our own cars to be fun and extremely rewarding. All of us are continually learning new skills and chasing new ideas, so you personally can do as much or as little as you want — or are able to. In Formula F, prep for each race takes about ten to twenty hours, sometimes substantially less with more experience or when things go well.
The basics to run as a privateer first includes budgeting. Next are buying a car, transport and support equipment, spares, and tools. Next comes assembling a crew, which for some is a single person or spouse, and for others more team members are desired to complement their situation or needs.
Towing
You have several options for getting to the track.
If only running a few races per year, renting or borrowing is cheaper than buying in the short-term.
Haulers
— U-Haul rents tow vehicles for a few hundred dollars per weekend, depending on distance
— Enterprise rents pickup trucks with usable towing capacity for a couple hundred dollars per weekend
— Pickups, vans, box trucks, and RVs are all used; you just need to know their towing capacity, and good brakes are a must
— In bad weather you’ll appreciate the right tow vehicle for staying dry in, if not to sleep in at the track
Trailers
— U-Haul also rents trailers for a reasonable rate
— Closed trailers at 16 feet-plus are common for being weather-tight, if not for storing at home or in storage
— Several SCCA National Champions have only ever slept in their tow rigs over decades of racing
— With enclosed trailers, you'll tow about 6,000 to 10,000 lbs., so trailer brakes are critical
— Formula F cars are under 2” above the ground, so you'll experiment with ramps the first time you load your car
— Make plenty of time for the first time you load, it’ll take longer than expected and you'll want some 2x6s handy
— Never put the race car in gear while towing, it’s hard on the gearbox and tie-down straps will keep the car in place
— If your race car has a carburetor, start the car before towing to fill the bowl and avoid damaging the floats
Tools
There’s no such thing as too many tools, but below is a common range of what’s used.
— Formula Fs mostly use SAE tools, but you’ll also need metric tools if running a Honda
— In general, bring tools you commonly use in the shop, including work lighting, jacks, stands, and/or a car lift
— Hand tools, torque wrenches, files, drills and bits, grinders and sandpaper, electric drivers, and rivet guns
— Top-quality tire pressure gauge showing 10 to 30 psi, air compressor or tank with capacity for the weekend
— A generator is an option, plus a battery charger, volt meter, timing light, soldering iron, and extension cords
— Tools to push brake caliper pistons into the caliper during a pad change, typically used every other weekend
— Scales and setup pad to set ride height and corner weights, and alignment tools, are nice but often borrowed
Spares
Like tools this list can be endless, but here we go...
Know that many or most do not carry all this, partly as many or most items can be found at the races.
— Wheel set with mounted rain tires, plus extra wheels with dry tires, spare nose, fiberglass kit
— Complete suspension set including uprights, wheel bearings, rod ends, variable-rate springs, skid blocks
— EZ-Up or awning and a way to secure it, umbrellas, towels, outdoor clothing if the weather turns
— Shop rags, towels, cleaners, solvents, car wax, wheel bearing grease, zipties, racers tape, crates
— Gas cans to carry at least 15 gallons, oil drain pans, funnels, nitrogen bottles to check shock pressures
— Brake and clutch seal kit, master cylinders, brake line and fittings, brake fluid, pressure bleeding tools
— Radiator, oils, coolant, gear sets, a charged battery, plugs and wires, electrical switches, rain light
— Significant selection of nuts, bolts, washers, clamps, connectors, common and specialized hardware
Spares Kit for Kent Engines
— Starter, plugs and wires, distributor, coil, fuel pump, carburetor, jets, floats â—¦
Crew
At every race there is someone doing it by themselves. It can be done, and has been done for decades.
Track friends and neighbors are always happy to lend a hand moving the car, buckling you in, etc. The solo concept can work just fine if you’re the type to jump in and work, especially if you’re handy, knowledgeable, and arrive at the track fully prepared — a tangible advantage no matter what you do.
Onboard data and video systems today mostly replace the need for team members timing and observing from the pits.
If you bring an inexperienced crew, you are likely to all gel more quickly than you might think. By the time someone crews for three or so weekends, it all starts to flow quite nicely. Having two or more crew is socially more fun, too but generally a lot of people aren’t needed unless there is a major problem. But, since fun is the goal that could be exactly what you want.
Budget
This is always a debate, but we want to give you some general idea.
It varies by person depending on how you go about it, how competitive you want to be, and how lucky you are. The numbers below are a combination of input from economy-thinking drivers — from their own privateer racing at top levels in SCCA. They typically race eight to ten weekends per year including the Runoffs, but know it is easier to spend more than this depending on your approach and priorities.
Factors include how often you refresh your engine, how fresh you want your tires, how often you have your shocks re-valved or freshened, if you want all the cool new stuff, or if you’re just flat-out unlucky. Some people might well spend greatly more than the below, but somehow don’t go any faster for it.
The budget below is rational if you’re good with your hands, keep the car out of trouble, and are diligently budget-conscious. The good news is that the class is far more about driver skill than the money you choose to spend.
Typical 2-Day Weekend Budget
$600 Average entry fee, varies somewhat per event
$600 One-half set of two-weekend tires (radials peak for 8 sessions but decent for 12)
$150 Brakes, pads plus average rotor wear
$200 Chassis wear and tear; rod ends, wheel bearings, seals, etc.
$100 Engine and gear oils, coolant, cleaners, solvents, etc.
$250 Crew food
$150 Towing fuel, depending on distance and vehicle
$2,000 Race weekend total
Engine Expenses Per Weekend
$225 Amortization of Honda rebuilds ($7,000 to $10,000 after 35 weekends)
$650 Amortization of Kent rebuilds ($7,000 to $10,000 after 12 weekends)
$50 Premium pump gas (Honda)
$120 Racing fuel (Kent)
$2,225 Honda total
$2,800 Kent total
Annual Expenses
$100 Amortization of 5-year seat belt life
$100 Transponder subscription
$100 Fire extinguisher certification every 2 years
$250 Memberships and licenses
$200 Driver gear amortization
$500 Off-track insurance for race car, tools, trailer
$100 Garage beer or drink (wildly different for everyone)
$1,350 Annual total
Camping at the track is usually free, or you can book a room if you prefer time away from the track.
A five-weekend season should cost about $13,000 for a Formula F-Honda — plus lodging, test days, and any extras and upgrades you choose.
Your Formula F season with a Kent engine would be closer to $16,000.
If you do compete in the annual SCCA Runoffs, the above weekend costs are typically two or three times more expensive than a typical 2-day weekend.
Easy Comparison to Pro Prep
If a shop preps your car, transports it, and does everything you need at the track, that can vary from $3,000 to $8,000 per weekend, depending on the team, what they all do for you, and at what level — on top of the Privateer expenses above.
Renting a prep shop’s car can vary from $5,000 to $15,000 per weekend depending on the car, what’s included, where the tracks are compared to where the shop is, and the level of shop you choose.