Motorsport stakeholders frequently discuss rising costs, but relatively few true apples-to-apples examples exist to both benchmark those cost escalations and identify their underlying drivers. Using a unique comparison between driver safety equipment costs from the 1977 Indianapolis 500 and modern IndyCar requirements, this presentation explores how regulations, safety standards and technical requirements drive cost escalation across the sport. Attendees will gain quantifiable insights into various cost drivers and what those imply for future efforts to keep costs manageable.