Track Day Tents
Track days are one of the best ways to safely take your pride and joy as close to the limit as possible, on the very circuits that BSB and WSB legends have taken their bikes to the very limit. Whether you’re climbing the Mountain at Cadwell or going knee to the road at Snetterton round Agostini, following in the tyre tracks of the greats on a Track Day is a very satisfying experience.
While a few UK circuits offer the use of one of their garages (if you’re lucky enough) most paddock areas tend to double up as your pit and break-out area and whilst you will want to spend as much time as possible out on track, the truth is you’ll be off track tinkering and socialising more than you will on your bike.
As the UK’s weather is unpredictable, some shelter is often needed to keep you, your vehicle and your tools dry or shaded from the sun while you are out on track, working on your vehicle or simply having lunch, and a track day tent is the best, most cost-effective solution for that.
Pop up track day tents
Gala Performance sells pop-up track tents that can be deployed in a matter of minutes and offer unrivalled protection against the elements, so you’re buying a great low-cost commercial grade structure that can be put up in the time it takes for you to boil a kettle. They are available to buy in six frame strengths, twelve great colours and seven sizes, so no matter what your requirement, there’s a Gala Performance awning for you. If you’re in the market for something to cover your race team and want to enhance the image by adding team or sponsor logos and artwork, our in-house printers can do that for you often in a matter of days.
The gazebo framework is lightweight yet incredibly strong, and comes with up to a 5 year warranty so you can be sure you won’t be leaving it stuffed into a ‘Biffa’ bin at the end of your day and eyeballing yet another cheap gazebo before your next track day.
Motorbike track day tents
For Motorcycles, whilst you can buy a perfectly adequate and easy to manage 3m x 3m track day tent that will cover you and the bike, the most popular size to purchase from Gala Performance is our 3m x 4.5m, as it can easily house up to three bikes. Alternatively, if you are racing alone, you can utilise the additional space to store your tools, jerry cans, tyres etc.
Large track day tents
Of course, not all track days are just for motorbike nuts, and there are countless events up and down the country for you to take your 4-wheeled beast out and get your foot to the floor. A 3m x 6m, or the monster 4m x 8m track day tents will easily cover most vehicles completely, although a very popular choice is to spread the cost between friends and purchase a single tent with a vehicle in each bay, with the nose out in the natural light. If there are a few of you, then consider joining one or more together to create an even larger structure, which becomes as large as a complete garage unit.
Track day paddock checklist
At Gala Performance, we’ve been supplying professional motorsport paddock equipment for over 7 years, and over that time we have attended countless race and motoring weekends. From enjoying VIP treatment at the European Le Mans Series with United Autosport, to 750MC weekends as title sponsors of the Toyota MR2 Championship in 2018 and 2019, to BTCC weekends as partners of Clio Cup and Mini Challenge superstar Max Coates, and to high octane action of the sadly now defunct British Drift Championship. We've also been to many track days as petrolheads in our own right, and we've created a great paddock checklist for your track day.
On top of attending as partners of teams and championships, we also have our own race team, headed up by our directors and drivers Mark Thompson and Andrew Scott, which goes by the name Gala Performance Racing and competes regularly in the wildly popular Citroen C1 Challenge endurance series, with some great results. Track days are great low-cost alternatives to test days, and we like to make sure we're well equipped.
So, on top of your track day tent, what else will you need? Let's have a look.
Weights and tie-downs
Motorsport paddocks are notoriously windy places, and the likes of Donington and Cadwell in particular, at the top of steep hills, are a magnet for blustery weather. This means you must always ensure that your awning anchored as best you can.
Our advice is that there seriously is no such thing as too much anchorage. Use 50Kg water weight pyramids, available to buy from Gala Performance, tyres, a vehicle, anything you have to hand to ensure that you’re not damaging yourself, your vehicle or your tent.
Garage flooring
One word, Swisstrax. The world’s leading brand of modular flooring is suited to almost any flooring application, but motorsport more than anything else. Each of the Ribtrax or Smoothtrax tiles are non-slip, self-draining, resistant to oils, brake fluids, acids, alkali, high temperatures, low temperatures, and extremely heavy weight. Put simply, they’re world leading for a reason, and this is why we not just supply it, but we ensure we use it at all times whether we’re at the circuit or a trade show like Autosport International.
At the end of the day, it’s a matter of what your budget allows and what you consider a priority. We’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of paddock spaces, from a variety of championship levels, and we also regularly pitch up our own, so this is just our best advice on what we know works. Go with what your budget allows, or why not source a sponsor who will be happy to help you to improve your presence in the motorsport paddock in exchange for their branding all over the tent? We’ll be happy to provide you with a quote, if you call our team of experts on 01709 803457, or drop us a line via Live Chat. Alternatively, why not take Gala Performance away with you and subscribe to receive a copy of our exclusive quarterly magazine GPQ?
