About the Equipment

So once you decide you want to race, cost becomes a factor. Always the first question is, "How'd you get into that?" immediately followed by "Is it expensive?"
Well, cutting to the chase, it's can be mildly expensive to insanely expensive depending on you. Some people go to the track with the bare minimum. Some people race (run) one car, some people have 3 or 4 per kid. Some people go to the track looking like they are on the NASCAR circuit (via Washington?).

So I will tell you the bare minimum gear -- then fill you in on what we thought made sense, and be we I mean I because the kids had no say.

Equipment

The 2 Fiser cars on the right are ours. The one on the left is a friends.

Quarter Midget

You can find a car w/ an engine and pit cart anywhere from $1500 to $6500 for package deals.
** Typical, you'll pay about $2500 - $3500 ish unless you get lucky
*** Lots of people are super nice in racing and will give you all kinds of spare things you dont understand why you need until much later. There are, of course, sometimes buyer beware instances where people are selling you junk. =(

A note on cars - often you can sell them for the same range you bought them. Kind of like borrowing. =)

A way to get the car to the track

You'll see all sorts of set-ups at the track - RVs and trailers, trucks and trailers, pickup trucks w/ the cars in the bed (yes, they fit)
Most everyone has some sort of canopy situation for keeping dry/shaded.

Driver's Safety Gear

Helmet - protect the noggin'
Neck collar - support the weight of the helmet (Z has a 2 lb helmet cause he's got a fathead)
Wrist restraints - Keep the hands in during an accident
Gloves - Fire rated
Jacket - Fire rated

** You can also get a full drivers suit but dont have to. If you just have the jacket, then they have to wear jeans and closed toed shoes.


So, we ended up having to get 2 cars, one for each because they are different sizes. I really balked at that but then decided that because  of their spacing and they can only drive until 16, Zachary could grow into Kira's and Elena could grow into Zachary's and I'd get my money's worth - plus be able to recoup some cost when I sell them sometime.
** When I was looking for cars I looked for the same brand so the car parts would be interchangeable and I wasn't having to try to figure out two designs.

I went with the RV and trailer combo mainly because of the baby. It's really super hard trying to do this with the baby and I wanted place to be able to have her nap, get down, have toys, etc. I didn't get an outrageous one but it was very worth it and I don't have any regrets yet.
Well, maybe just that I don't know how to drive a trailer very well and my yard and HOA don't allow for RVs and trailers.