We can talk about the amortorized cost per run, cost per race type of deal where you spread expenses over x number of runs or races. Many times cash flow can be the killer, especially in the beginning of the year with recert expenses. Updates to parts, new parts, restocking, etc.
If you drove, tuned and worked on the car yourself with a volunteer crew that rides in the truck to the races, you might get by on $2500-$5000 a race, depending on travel. And that's a no frills, stay at the track type of deal. Many times trying to get a few more runs out of a part can prove disasterous.
It's not hard at all to spend $8500-10,000 a race, especially with travel and airfare. Especially with some modest damage (spread across the season). Kick the rods out, easily will cost $5k plus. We broke a crank at the end of 2012, killed block, pistons, rods, ti flywheel, clutch components, ring and pinion and cracked the chassis.
The teams with big name crew chiefs (not me) and a bunch of fly in crew help (getting paid too) and a full time guy are probably spending over $20k an event.
