Those are the words of Dick Leach, the co-owner of the No. 30 sprint car driven by Lancaster's Doug Esh. And they seem to echo the sentiments of many who own the sprint cars that race at southcentral Pennsylvania dirt tracks.
While Leach's statement has been true for many years, it is even more of a painful reality now, with the cost of fuel soaring to record heights every week.
Turning a profit is nearly impossible.
Sprint cars run on methanol, which, like petroleum products, is at record prices. Drivers and crews are now paying at or above $4 per gallon -- an increase of more than $1 per gallon from last summer.
Local teams feel the crunch beyond just the fuel for their race cars. There's the high cost of fuel needed to transport those cars to tracks in Pennsylvania, Maryland and beyond.
Most sprint-car haulers are tractor trailers running on diesel fuel, which is approaching $5 per gallon.
And the increased transportation costs escalate the price of other fluids and materials -- basically, everything a race team needs.
"The truck fuels are up, the tires are up because of the fuel. Methanol is up. The whole gamut of things are up," Esh said. "And the sad part about it is we are not racing for more money.
"It's not the tracks' fault. It is just the way it is. We are spending more and racing for less."
The facts do not paint a pretty picture for what is a hobby for some and a way of life for others.
"We are lucky we have fuel sponsors for the race car and the truck," veteran sprinter Fred Rahmer said Friday at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg. "But personally, for my motor home, I am going to start to leave it out here because it just costs too much to come back and forth."
Esh also runs a motor home and is feeling the pinch, but his family enjoys it so much he can justify the cost.
"There are a few drivers that want that luxury," he said. "It is getting so expensive, but I am willing to do it for my family."
Rick Lafferty transports his sprint car from Pennington, N.J., nearly every week to race at Williams Grove on Friday and then at Port Royal Speedway or Lincoln Speedway on Saturday.
"It has doubled in the last two years," he said of costs. "This year in March I did a checklist -- from the Grove and back to our shop was a little over $200. The price has probably gone up 60 cents since (March)."
Lafferty said he always checks the weather forecast before heading west.
"Once we see something over 50 percent chance of rain, we are going to stay home," he said. "Economically that is what we have to do."
There are also the travel concerns for drivers competing in big events in other states. It's a nearly 2,000-mile round trip from York County to the Knoxville Nationals in Knoxville, Iowa.
Although no one indicated that they won't travel, many said they will have to think about it more this year.
As of now, both Esh and Spring Grove's Brian Leppo plan to make the trip to Knoxville, but that could change.
"I think it is going to limit the amount we might think about traveling," co-owner Leach said.
Leppo, the top money winner at Williams Grove this season, said that while drivers are feeling some effects, car owners like Floyd and Joyce Swope -- the owners of his No. 71 car -- are really taking the brunt of the cost increases.
"I am just the driver," he said. "I know it does affect business, but does it directly affect (drivers)? We still race all the races."
Local tracks haven't felt a major pinch quite yet. For now, according to Williams Grove general manager Justin Loh, the sprint cars are still coming out.
In fact, the recent Keystone Cup series races drew 81 cars.
Attendance in the stands has been decent, although Loh said that factor is tough to gauge because of all the rained-out events this season. (Saturday night's event at Williams Grove, in fact, was washed out for the third time this season.)
Still, even with the huge increase in expenses because of gas prices, Leach gladly continues in the sport.
"Two years ago, we won $200,000 and lost money," he said. "We are in it for the fun. We love racing and the camaraderie with all the guys -- just making friends, having a good time and trying to win races."
"Everybody is feeling the effects," Esh added. "The owners are taking the biggest hit. They do it because they love it. If the fuel is four bucks, or if it is five bucks, they will still be there and so will the drivers."
