``Escort Class'' is an entry-level Street Stock category designed to entice beginners to the sport. Typically, a driver will invest $3000 in this type of vehicle, but financially it's all uphill from there. The average purchase price for a Standard Stock car is $7000, but some are worth 10 times this amount. Speedway New Zealand estimates its 2300 registered competitors have over $40 million invested in vehicles at any one time. They will spend between $1000 and $20,000 on maintenance and refitting per vehicle--a figure that doesn't include running expenses such as fuel and tyres.