I wonder about this as well and I can only think of Banger Racing as being about the cheapest there is!
Example: I do an open track day which has been pre-arranged with numbers in mind to keep the costs down. Typical price is £170 for the day usually on a Sunday. Factor in an overnight stay at a local hotel (Between £60 & £100 inc breakfast plus your evening meal) as invariably the signing on gets done on track early between 07:30 and 08:30. You have a days fun or as much as you can handle, then it's homeward bound.
For me the very next day is always pre-booked at my local garage for routine checks and parts replacement. The oil and filter are changed along with the performance brake fluid. Brake pads, coilovers, discs, tyres are all thoroughly checked and replaced if necessary. On average I can be looking at a bill of between £400 and £1600 if the tyres are shot as well.
I realise there are savings to be made by the person or team doing these tasks themselves, but multiply this by say 10 outings and along with fuel and transportation costs, you are looking at a fantastic amount of money for a relatively short burst of fun; and that's if nothing gets crashed or engines don't go bang.
I take my hat off to those brave souls who risk everything and sometimes mortgage themselves to the hilt, just to compete in the motorsport of their choice.
