Rather than further derail logdogs thread, I thought I'd start my own.
I know many of us have less than robust motorsports budgets. As a result many folks sit on the sidelines wondering how they can get in the game. Other folks have trouble with the wrenching end of the spectrum when it comes time for race car ownership.
So I just wanted to offer what I see as a solution to scratch that itch. Co-driving a rally car can be done on the cheap. Best of all you don't own the car, so fixing it not going to be your burden most of the time, though you will be expected to help on course.
Your financial commitments will be your personal safety gear, which is a helmet, head and neck restraint(you can rent these), driving suit and a head set. For your first rally, you can find a way to borrow this stuff. However any higher level of motorsport will likely require this stuff(headset excluded) anyway, so it's money well spent if you purchase it.
Do you think you can do it? Honestly if you get car sick riding in your every day life, it might not be a good fit for you. Otherwise, don't let other stuff intimidate you. My biggest obstacle was looking at the rules and understanding what is going on. Rally has some pretty extensive rules, and procedures. That scared the turd out of me, because I didn't want to screw up. Well, rally rules are like stereo instructions, they seem far more complex than when you actually put them in practice.
The key to having fun is picking the right driver for your first experience. They need not be the best/fastest driver. Do your homework and see how many rallies they've entered and see how many they finished. The higher the finish rate the better. However you can't always be choosey. Talk to them and make sure they are ok with having a novice. A driver with a good attitude goes a long way. Finding one that is more concerned about having fun, than finishing first.
Your financial commitment to entry fees. This can vary greatly. There is no such thing as a free ride. The driver usually has a huge expense of owning/maintaining the car, getting it to the event etc. As a first timer, you are more apt to be given a shot if you bring something to the table. Pay a majority of an entry fee, take care of lodging or whatever deal you can swing. For me, I already had a tow rig and trailer available for me. I found a driver that had a rally car, but no truck and trailer. The more value you can bring to a partnership, the better. This can still be a significant expense......but it is far cheaper than buying a car, that could become a wadded up piece of metal in the blink of an eye.
Once you have one event under your belt, and have your personal gear at the ready....you are golden. At that point you can pounce on last minute co-driver needs. Many times most of the expenses are paid by that point, so these opportunities can be less expensive. However you can't be as picky with driver choice. The more people you sit with the more you can learn.
Give it a try, you'll be glad you did. If you don't like it, you have safety gear to do lemons/chumpcar or build a car of your own.
I guess my point of all of this is that from the outside looking in, it can be overwhelming and intimidating. Give it a try, you'll love it. It is easier than you might think to get started.
BTW not a car crash.
