Do you race for the MONEY or the GLORY ?

Kind of a spin off question off the burgher's topic ... What say you ? I'll give my take on this later ... I think it will be an interesting topic ..

Would like to make money. Hard to do. Don't care about glory. Making some of your investment back and getting noticed is a by product of winning. To me it's more about matching talents and knowledge against people who's talents and knowledge I respect. Doing well at that is the object of the exercise.

Neither, I raced for the ride.

Anyone who says they have no ego involved are liars.

My favorite drag racing joke:
Question: How do you become a millionaire drag racing?
Answer: Start out a billionaire!

I race for the comradery. Most of the friend's I have I met through drag racing. I get a kick out of helping other's as much as I do making my car run better.

As for the money part - I've made exactly $730 in my 18 years of racing. I could have paid my house off with the money I've spent, but don't regret one penny of it. It's all about the journey!

I just want to go as fast as I can on a budget with "non trick" parts with engines I build. I love going to big money events to race against the best of the best. I know for a fact that cheating goes on more now than ever and that is kind of a turn-off for me but on any given day if you cut the better lite and run a better package even cheaters can be beat. If you dwell on it you're beat before you unload the car.

In our last go round , we enjoyed a lot of success. ( mid 90's )
I built and maintained a safe and steady 12 second '66 mercury Cyclone and the wife drove because she could chop a tree like nobody's business.
She was track champion one year and it paid 500.00
I had around 2700.00 tied up in the rear end alone.
It sure wasn't for the money.

For the fun of it

I raced from 1980>1991 in my short career here in the UK, mostly for the enjoyment and to see how fast I could go. Wasn't interested in the glory as there wasn't really any to be had those days. I did win a few championships brkt racing and have some trophies, but as time went by I started to think that seeing as we are part of the race event which brings the people in and we had to pay an entry fee we should get something back for winning/participating if you did well, and in those days there wasn't any, we were there for the privilege as it were.

A one off H-up event came about with prize money and I ended up in the final against another '71 Cuda, a 440 car, and my 340. I remember the guy asked me not to use my N20 to make it a race as he ran almost the same times as me NA, I thought about it for a second, what the hell, throw away the fair play us british are known for and go for it. I won but made it look a close race, I picked up £250 that night and took all the racers out for a drink on my winnings....thats the only time I ever won any money, it sure made it a whole bunch more interesting rewarding for me when money is on the table.

sorry for long post.

I race for the money because I can't afford to race unless I can win some back. Won the "last" IHRA Stock World championship in 2017 and actually came out ahead. Unfortunately, 2018 has been my worst year ever, winning a grand total of $100 - Murphy's law, didn't race much, etc. Gotta figure something out for 2019 or I'm gonna have a problem. But most of the best people I've met has been through racing. Also love the challenge of making the best of what I have to work with.

Glory, friendships and acquaintances made …..sure as heck isn`t for the money even two track championships yielded little money. I also had a terrible 2018 only Win came at Chryslers at Carlisle/South Mountain with my pickup. I swear I do better in my low 15 second D150 than I do 11secdart, I know I have more Eliminator and round wins in it. I am hoping my recent cataract surgery helps me on the tree in 2019.

I race to have fun. I work hard to get the win light. That being said if I lose, I still have fun. Money? I been fortunate enough to win quite a few. More than enough to cover the cost of the builds. Dollars aside nothing beats the feeling of getting the win light in the final.
Doug

I race to try and go faster every pass with my junk .

Money?
Glory??
LOL.
Ask Al Bundy

started street racing, then it was for the money. Never had any success bracket racing. When I started racing 10.00 index, every race I went some rounds and collected money, actually was pretty good and almost funded getting there , entry, fuel etc. Stepped up to 8.50 and couldn't win one round at all....Monster mopar came along and again, at least I can go some rounds and always seem to collect a few $$$, helps pay for the trip there and back. NOW trying Ultra Street, its been a steep learning curve but I finally see some light. Honestly with the way these cars are running, id be happy just to win a few rounds here and there.
That all said, its mostly for the fun , memories ive made with friends and family. Plus I really love to work on the car and see results from changes and trying new ideas out.

Ive heard the way to get a million dollars from racing, is to start out with TWO million...LMAO

Having raced NHRA stock eliminator since the 70's, I can say there was money to be made winning class. Now there is no money so one has to race for the satisfaction of having the baddest beast on the play ground. The thrill of 7000 rpm launches and shifting to second in the air helps too and I have a closet full of Wallys.

The Wally

I race my motorhomes for THE MONEY ANNDDD THE GLORY!!!!!
And I rarely lose.

Bring it..

Racing to make money takes the fun out of it. Yes, hot 340 everyone has an ego and pride. Its just how you let it control you. I enjoy every pass I make, win or lose. (unless I brake something.) Even the last pass I made in Vegas. Blew the motor, had a wild ride on 10 qts of oil, hit the wall, jammed the steering, and went across the track and hit the other wall. Was one of the best weekends I've had at the track. Won't go into why because they frown on Christianity on here. Bottom line, Its fun !

I never really had a race car, but street racing was all about the money. All it ever did was keep me going.
The whole reason I fell in love with fast cars was that first couple of seconds at the hit.I didn't fall asleep in high gear, but it was never the same.

My wife says I race to get rid of extra money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgmk5D4a8K8

for me it's the glory and the money,,,,,,,,the glory of throwing my money down a rat hole.

For me it's for the fun. I had two things in my life that prevented being serious about it. A wife and four kids that that left little time and too many other hobbies. Early on it was for the money and the glory and it was achievable. It may just be me but it's much harder to win at most levels now as opposed to 30 years ago. IMHO no box is a harder than box to go rounds as well. Too many guys that are just too good. It's the same for motorcycles. Twice this year at big events I made it to round four of street et but when there's over 100 bikes in round 1 and big percentage have cheater clutches it's tough. Add in buy backs which means the top guys get to make a mistake and before you know you're spectating.

I race to hangout with the rock stars. Lol On a serious note , I race for the challenge, predict what it will run and do a good job at the starting line then make the right decision at the finish. Drag racing is a very humbling sport, you can do everything really good and still get beat. I’ve been part of several .000 vs .001 races along with dead on dial close races.

I've won a little money here and there, but I've never raced for the money. I've never chose an event to race at based on the purse or my perceived chance to win that purse.

I enjoy the competition, the camaraderie, the thrill of the ride, making the car better, and according to my wife "puffing my chest out" (is that the ego part?). I look for events and opportunities to maximize the fun for dollars and time spent.

I used to race for the money and glory, but now it is more about building stuff and hanging out with friends.

I just want to have fun.

Same here. Ron

Moving up from gas attendant to mechanics helper, I wanted to prove to my boss that I Knew what I was doing. I started racing and found great tension relief in a day of competition. Then, I started making lots of friends, and learning about things I never knew about, making the car faster and faster. It's been a great part of my life's journey.

The burgers and the beers in the frosted mugs have been pretty good too.

Never expected to make any money winning races, I win a little money from time to time, just enough to let me think I still know what I am doing. I have made a little money building and fixing stuff for other people, and most of that comes from being at the races and hanging out with people. I have not missed a season since 1974, I have to say a lot of my drag racing buddies are like a second family to me. I build stuff for other motorsports, mud racing, truck pulling, jet boats, restoring muscle cars. And the money is OK, but I take the most pleasure of going to an event and seeing the stuff I built going down the track, flying through the mud, seeing a car I built take home a 1st place trophy.

Last year I towed 1500 miles one way to race with friends and now.... THEIR KIDS!! Pretty sure the only money I was racing for was “outgoing”, not “incoming”. Pretty much took 18 off... hoping to get back out in 19.

I race for the adventure of it! The road trips, the camping at the track, the stories you collect. I race in the class I do because of the challenges the small tires and the stock engine pieces present. I also like helping the people I’m in direct competition with go faster. Money would ruin that.

When I raced at Charleston this year I pitted with my buddy who I have known for almost 50 years, his son that I've known since he was born and also was best man in his wedding 26 years ago, and his son who I've known since he was born. Only towed 180 miles to get there and it rained us out after the 2nd time run, but it was still a great time.

If I’d have known 30 years ago what I know now I would have bought my heads up car when I was 30 and my old man bracket car when I was 60.

Money or Glory...... brain damage is more like it

I did a massive response to this last nite THEN my phone battery went POOF and lost it all.....

I did fairly well back in the late 70's to early/mid 80's .... probably NETED about 15k$ total with a Bracket 2 car ... a 440 in a Belvedere wagon THEN my glass biz required A TON of my time.

THEN there is now ... I found a 27 Roadster on eBay - local to me Ft Lauderdale (the old Gary Harwood TRICK Comp eliminator car - supposedly weighs something like 1700 pds with a BBC) then I was waiting for a Bud that does chassis work to put in a LEGAL cage ... THEN I start spectating at the local track.

DAYummm .... in the footbrake class YOU BEST put together a package of 002-005 REGULARY ... or you don't get past second round very often !

THATS no fun !!! ... so the car sits !

My take ... if I cant AT LEAST break even on a pure race car I wont do it. My two other options are .... a dinosaur S/C FED that I picked up in Seattle jsta as a FUN CAR at test and tune OR a streeter RWD CarrotVan.

I race for the thrill of it. Made great friends along the way as well. At times if money enters into the equation I’ve won some as well.
“How do you become a millionaire Drag Racing? Start as a billionaire...”

^^^^^^^This is THE answer right here^^^^^^^^^^^

Warren Johnson raced for the money because sponsorships and race winnings were his only source of income. How many people actually earn enough from racing to break even against the cost of competing, much less profit from it?

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I suppose I can add my own perspective to the thread. When I raced motocross regularly, it was a test of my riding skills and machine preparation & tuning skills against everyone else behind the starting gate. I wasn't fast enough to compete in a class where there was any payout for top finishes, so it was all for personal satisfaction.

Street racing cars was fun & ego, plus the possibility of a few extra dollars in my wallet.

Bracket racing was a technical exercise more so than driving skills for me. I didn't do it regularly enough to be really good at it, but I won one race and sometimes was happy just not going out in the first round.

As infrequently as I even get the track now, it's mostly to chase ETs and finding ways to make the car faster, i.e. a technical exercise more than anything. Whether there are opportunities to either bracket race again, or maybe try out a local 10.0 index class remains to be seen.

For fun and being able to open it up without getting tickets from the Police.

Neither...I race because I have too much money....lol

Sure wish I could say that ? Ron

I like trying to go faster."trying is a better discriptive word now days😳 Still, it is darn fun to turn on a win light, and on the rare occasion it is a final, real exciting for this old goat😁😁

When I started drag racing back in the 60's I won money about 1/3rd of the time , paid for slicks and fuel. Even won a couple big races back then . Not bad for a 4 speed geek. Now, just spend money building a car that I always wanted, a Hemi 'Cuda, It'll be on the track in February just for fun.

Yep.

just for fun,and the great people you make along the way,did get 2nd this year in a bracket race,been doing it for 40 years,never looking to make money out of it,just a hobby

I got hooked on speed in cars street racing and then won a trophy the first two times I raced at a real drag strip I've been hooked ever since.
The reason I race is to win Which hasn't been a lot lately
Next year

Ive become a millionare dragracing. Unfortunately i started out as a multimillionare.

Neither.

I race for the competition. It is a constant quest to get better.
Obviously the money and trophys and winners pictures are fun and desirable, but for me its about the competition.

Same here. Always looking for a new best...I get bored running the same stuff for too long. If there happens to be a headsup class my car fits into well, then I run it. Won the only bracket race I've ever entered. Won a couple street car shootouts, runner upped in a bunch, been outrun a bunch, spun the tires and lost a lot too. Sure aint doin it for the money. All about the fun and the rush of a good pass.

I race for one reason ONLY.

Deep down I know that for every thou of a sec I'm faster, somewhere, somehow, a starving pygmy will get a ham sandwich straight from the hand of jesus. That's it, nothing more, nothing less.

Both. I've been fortunate to win a good chunk of change racing the past 10 years, and I do look at purse/payout when I'm planning where to race. In the end the thing that keeps you coming back are the friendships made, no one is out there getting rich.

I race for the ladies, but as I get older I'm a bit slower and less interested.

Maybe I'm slower BECAUSE I'm less interested??? Anybody tried a little blue pill to improve track times?

I am by no means a competitor!! I am an ET chaser AKA tuna fish.
I street drive well over a 1000 miles a season.Bought my 1st car when I was 14, a 65 Belvedere big block,stick,Cragers with N50s.I was addicted!

Some of my friends won a lot of money and by a lot I mean 10,000-20,000 dollar plus races and they are digging for change in the ashtray just like I am at the end of the month. I do not go after sponsoring and never will out of being stubborn and wanting to totally run my program but I can sure see the benefits of getting free tires, fuel, etc. to old to change my thinking now. Lol
I watch guys double entering cars at races in sometimes multiple cars and just shake my head. Then they hit the 150.00 buy back lane if they lose one entry. No thanks.

1000 miles a year ? That's impressive coming out of Long Island ! .... With all the wind, rain and snow and coooold weather - you have only about 10 days a year to cruise that Beast ! .... 100 miles a day - in THAT TRAFFIC. .. Lol

If I could only afford to do Drag Week!! I still have not seen more than 10 lbs of boost without spinning the 10.5 W

Do Drag Week Al!! Then you can have Doc Fibbergast for a trunk monkey!!

LMOL,then where does my suItcAse go??

Need for speed,adrenaline rush, competition, spending time with great friends and meeting new ones, quality time with my wife and kids, traveling, camping, spending my kids inheritance, doesn't get better than that!!

Hay ted !

Interesting topic...money or glory? Well, it all went hand in hand for me, winning brought fun, money and glory, the more you won the more fun you had and the more money you received. No winning...no fun...no money...getting put out before the money rounds was no fun. Bracket raced from 1984 until 2010 and loved it/lived it, got a tax number and turned it into a business, some years I made money and some years it was a really good tax shelter. Quit in 2010 on a snap judgement and wish I hadn't...may go back someday.