Take a chill pill - what's personal ???
Your post invites/provokes response? Your post comments critically on others, so dont get umpty if the responses aren't all cuddly.
This is sport/leisure sector like any, where there a mix of people/companies/organisations that serve/support competitors and make money in the process; whilst at the same time others do it for the love of the sport.
I dont begrudge those making a profit from running a business and I am hugely grateful to those that, whether for profit or not, allow me to have fun when I can (whilst for the main part of the year, I can focus on earning a crust just about thick enough to scrape a few races out of).
As others have hinted, registration fees represent such a small amount of a season's racing for any individual / team. For me - a modest club racer without the budget to do a full year - registration costs are less than 1% to 1.5%.
Taking into account, for example; storage, insurance, paying the man who knows what he is doing to prep, repair and set up the car so that i can have fun (he runs a business and deserves to make a profit - dont you ??), fuel at and to/from races (taxes and oil company profits), tyres (Avon, i'm happy to recieve tyres at cost or less if you want to offer), parts and rebuilds (again i think you'd agree these are honest people looking for some profit from a sport / business they love), budget hotel costs (they need to pay staff to clean the room), etc etc etc etc. Of course I would also like my bank manager to waive bank charges when I use my overdraft (their money actually) to fund the next race costs / entry fee / new cranky shatfy thingamywhotsit.
A tedious way of making a point, but I think this whole registration cost point is a bit of a herring; if you are willing to spend on what we all have to admit is something of a luxury sport (at whatever level), then the registration cost is bugger all.
I dont have the ability or expertise to create and promote a race/series, search for venues and dates that might suit racers and not conflict with other events. I dont have the cash to negotiate with Mr Palmer, to pay fees/deposits months up-front, I wouldnt know how to provide for insurance/public liability, advertising, etc etc...
I do, however, appreciate how reassuring it is to turn up to a venue/event when all the circuit officials, club staff, marshalls know what is going on and are there solely to make it so easy for me to go out and have fun. I am happy to pay what is a tiny fraction of my overall costs for what is a hugely beneficial service.
I don't represent / promote / defend any club. Like most posters, I speak freely.
I am, hugely grateful to those individuals, companies and volunteers/organisations that spend huge amounts of time creating the opportunties to race.
Rather than get anti-establishment over minimal registration fees; I'd rather we discussed how organisers / events might levy a service charge on 'drivers having fun' to help marshalls; we tip taxi drivers, waitressers etc etc; these guys and gals put themselves out (and often at risk) just for us to have fun.
I wont be responding any more on registration fees, its a herring that become a kipper.
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