The Best Motorsport Awning

Many of the world’s most successful racing drivers started out in karting, including the actual most successful racing driver, Lewis Hamilton. Karting is a very inclusive part of motorsport, with kids as young as five setting out on their journey of competitive racing. More often that not, they are coached and managed by their parents, who will give up their weekends to take their young racers to the track, and these privateer teams will usually use a small pop-up awning to cover the kart.

A 3m x 3m Gala Shade Pro 40 Pop-Up Awning is ideal for privateer karting operations, as they are lightweight enough to erect alone, but the robust commercial quality aluminium framework will ensure that it is strong enough to deal with whatever you can throw at it. We do recommend that it is weighted down as best you can, using something like the 50kg water weights that you can purchase from Gala Performance.

Also consider: Sidewalls Groundbars

When we think of Drifting, we are reminded of the smell of burned rubber and smoke, screeching tyres, engines clipping their limiters, the judges dishing out often brutal appraisals, crowds of ultra-cool fans, and spectacularly liveried Skyliners and Supras parked in the paddock.

Drifting is a visual feast and this image-driven ethos extends to the service tents of the competitors, who will often smother their awnings with flashy branding, sponsor logos and cool design tweaks that personalise it to their team. Some of the coolest tents we’ve seen are awesome replicas of the vehicles themselves. Gala Performance offers two great printing processes on our service tents, so no matter what your budget or your ideas when it comes to a branded tent, we have an option available to you.

In terms of tent size, it depends on what you’d like to achieve. A 3m x 6m Gala Shade Pro 50 will cover the whole car for working on, but drift vehicles tend to be absolute beasts, so it’ll not cover much else. A popular option you might wish to consider is putting the car in one half and use the other half for your relaxation between rounds. If the budget will allow, a 4m x 8m is the perfect size for a one-car drift team.

Also consider: Branded feather flags PVC Banners

Pop up Motorsport Tents are one of the most popular forms of shelter when it comes to track days due to their quick deployment time. They are available in multiple sizes ranging from the compact 3m x 2m, up to the quite massive 4m x 8m

For Motorbike Track Days, the most popular size and frame to buy from Gala Performance is 3m x 4.5m Gala Shade Pro 40, for a number of reasons. To begin with, the size of it will comfortably cover any bike, as well as provide cover for any other mechanics’ kit you take along with you.

As it is a lightweight, but completely commercial quality structure, the 3m x 4.5m Pro 40 is easy enough to erect alone, if you need to, and the external peak pole springs will enable the tent to work with the wind to protect your investment from adverse weather conditions.

3m x 4.5m will also enable a friend/team mate to get involved and covered by the awning, so consider a double investment to split the cost

We know it as well as anybody that motorsport is a very money-driven sport. Many teams, drivers and riders are unable to get on track at all without the help of sponsors and supporters, and those who do inject cash into any race team expect the opportunity to come along and see the workings of the race circuit first hand.

The level of hospitality that you’re able to provide depends on the size of your team and the series or championship that you’re competing in, so it may be that a pop-up 3m x 6m with a trestle table and some tasty snacks will keep your guests busy and entertained. However, for the premium experience, the Gala Performance MQ-65 Freestanding Awning is the way to go.

Using fully customisable 650gsm PVC covers, with optional doors and windows and curtain-style sidewalls, all wrapped around 65mm extruded aluminium framework, the MQ-65 is a monster awning available in four great sizes, up to a sizeable 6m x 12m which is large enough to cover dozens of guests seated around tables, as well as a servery area.

Pit Lanes are far too narrow to fit a standard pop-up or freestanding structure into them, and they are extremely busy places, especially during a race, with team managers and coordinators constantly reaching out to communicate with the driver.

There are poles-and-covers based pit perches (AKA Prat Perches) available out there for obscene amounts of cash, but they are quite often superfluous for your needs and can take longer to erect than the race itself will take.

This is why we exclusively developed the Gala Performance Pop-Up Pit Perch, in-house, using the same robust, commercial quality framework as the Gala Shade Pro 40.

This simple-to-erect pit perch uses covers made of black 500gsm PVC which can be printed onto, so your team branding can sit proud on the pit lane. It also comes with LED strip lighting, electrical outlets, brackets for TV monitors, pockets for the numbers, and heavy duty table, and has been developed to fit within most pit lane areas. The sides can be taken off or rolled up to allow full access through any side if required.

Also recommended:
Cast Iron Weights

Best Tent for use as a Merch Tent: 3m x 6m Gala Shade Pro 50 with Dye-Sublimation Printing

Best Awning for use as a Ticketing Booth: 3m x 3m Gala Shade Pro 50 with Vinyl Printing on Valance

Best Awning for Driver Changing Space: 3m x 3m Gala Shade Pro 50 with sidewalls

Best Pop-up for Motorsport Storage: 3x3m Pro 40 with sidewalls

Best Race Tent for warming tyres: 3x3m Pro 50 including sidewalls