The goal was to prove you could run the OPTIMA Batteries and Ultimate Street Car Association Search for the Ultimate Street Car and get into the big show on a “normal” person’s budget, and we did it. We pointed in after finishing the season 6th overall in the GTC Class.
This is a big deal for us. We’ve attempted getting into the the Optima Ultimate Street Car Invitational four times, and we’ve made it in four times. Twice with the Buick, and now twice with the Probe.
This one is especially cool because the last time we got in with the Probe was 2020 – there was no SEMA. We made it to the invitational at COTA, which was totally awesome, but SEMA is SEMA and the goal wasn’t fully met until we got a Ford Probe originally purchased for $500 on display at SEMA.
Goal met.
What is a “normal” person’s budget? Am I full of crap? Did I hide something? No. Here’s how we did it:
- 1994 Ford Probe, turbocharged – $12,000 in car and supporting mods and restoration work, all done by me
- Tow vehicle – $2000 1990 F-250 with another $4,000 in deferred maintenance thrown in
- Trailer – $1400 used 16′ car carrier
That’s under $20K in fixed expenses. That’s less than half the price of the average new car. The rest came down to entry fees, fuel, and lodging for the events. Lodging could be reduced dramatically with the purchase of a tent and an air mattress, but I’m lucky enough to be able to afford hotels. Each weekend ran me between $250 and $600 in hotels and anywhere from $200 to $900 in fuel depending on how far we went (Laguna Seca was a LONG drive). Entry fees are $500 per event, making each weekend ~$1500 on average. Somebody making $60K a year can swing one or two of these a year easily if they budget well and are not in debt up to their eyeballs.
This is how to do it. You get something very cheap and not running – but complete – fix it yourself, and don’t get crazy on the infrastructure. You don’t need an $85K King Ranch dually diesel to tow 5,000lbs of trailer and car. Almost any V8 powered vehicle from the 1990s onward can get it done for pennies. Shop smart. You don’t need a $30K paint job! Turns out $700 of Plasti-dip (including the gun, prep, and masking materials) can get you reliable mid-pack D&E scores. You don’t need 700 horsepower! 210 in a lightweight car does fine.
So, if you watch this page or watch the series at all, and think to yourself, “Man, that’s cool, I wish I could do that!”, well, YOU CAN DO IT. Figure out your budget, make a plan, get to work, and we’ll see you out next year!
Or, if you are a troll that is always writing how the series is just a bunch of rich folks, you’re wrong. It isn’t. Anybody can do this stuff for the price of a used Honda and some elbow grease.