What Do You Need to Start a Race Team?
Chances are you love watching races of all kinds—NASCAR, Formula 1, motocross, monster trucks, or NHRA drag races, it doesn’t matter to you. High octane and nitro fuel run through your beating heart day after day. You are a race fan of the first order, and you want to start your own race team. So, where do you start? What do you need to start a race team besides passion? One doesn’t just buy a car and run it around the track—there is a huge time commitment involved. We cover a few things you’ll need to do before joining the racing world.
You’ll Need Money
Lots and lots of money. You don’t have to be an avid fan of NASCAR to know that having a race car is expensive; any average car owner that drives to work every day knows that cars are expensive to own. The average NASCAR, with no frills and performance parts on it, costs around $300,000, so consider that the jumping-off point. On top of that, there are entrance fees, as well as transportation, parts, fuel, and employee costs. Additionally, you’ll need to think about how expensive it will be to fix the car if it crashes. You may want to consider finding some partners to go into this venture with you to defray the costs. Because on average, it costs around $40,000 a week to operate a NASCAR race team
Merchandise
Selling merchandise can be a significant revenue stream for your race team, helping to offset the high operational costs. By offering branded apparel, such as t-shirts, hats, and hoodies, as well as unique collectibles like die-cast cars and posters, you create a direct connection with fans and generate additional income. Merchandise not only promotes your team and builds a loyal fan base, but it also serves as a marketing tool, increasing your team’s visibility at races and events. Furthermore, the profits from merchandise sales can help fund vital expenses, such as entry fees and car maintenance, ultimately easing the financial burden of running a race team. Engaging with fans through social media and at race events can drive merchandise sales, turning your supporters into active participants in your team’s journey. From F1 merchandise and clothing to motocross gear and accessories, the possibilities for creating unique and profitable merchandise are endless. Keep in mind that having a strong brand and creating quality products will make your merchandise more desirable to fans.
Lots of People
A race team has 20 to 21 members that attend the track each week. This includes a driver, 12 road crew members, five pit crew members, and three organization members such as the owner or general manager. That’s more people than on a basketball teams’ roster (15) and almost as much as a baseball team (25)! All these people are highly skilled, trained professionals who are not there donating their time—they expect payment. The race car needs all these people to keep it performing well and racing week after week.
Cutting Edge Equipment
In addition to a fast car, you will need many different parts, components, and technology to give your team an edge on the track. For example, a two-way racing radio communication system at track level is important so the driver knows what’s going on and the crew chief knows what’s happening with the car. You’ll also need performance parts to make the car go faster, as well as protective equipment to keep the driver and pit crew safe too.
