How to Choose a Motorsport Awning
Choose a motorsport awning by your discipline first, then size, frame, walls, anchoring and branding. Karting and bike racers are best served by a 3m x 3m or 3m x 4.5m pop up, single car teams by a 3m x 6m or 4m x 6m Pro 50, and endurance, multi-car and hospitality teams by a Pro 60 or the freestanding MQ-65 awning.
A motorsport awning is any shelter that covers your vehicle, crew and kit in the paddock, from a 3m x 3m pop up to a 6m x 12m clear-span structure. Our motorsport tent size guide covers exact sizing; this page helps you pick the right type.
Which Motorsport Awning for Which Discipline?
| Discipline | Starting size | Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Karting, one kart | 3m x 3m | Pro 40 or Pro 50 |
| Bike, one rider | 3m x 3m | Pro 40 or Pro 50 |
| Bikes, two riders sharing | 3m x 4.5m | Pro 50 |
| Car track days and club racing | 3m x 6m | Pro 50 |
| Drifting | 4m x 6m or 4m x 8m | Pro 50 or Pro 60 |
| Endurance, one car | 4m x 10m | Pro 60 |
| Hospitality or two or more cars | 6m x 8m or 6m x 12m | MQ-65 |
| Endurance pit wall | Pit perch | Pit perch |
What Should I Decide Before Buying a Motorsport Awning?
Decide five things before you buy: your discipline, how many vehicles you cover, whether you need hospitality or branding space, how exposed your circuits are, and how much room you have to transport it. Size and frame follow from those answers.
Discipline and vehicles
Karting, bikes, drifting, circuit racing, hillclimb and rallycross each set up differently, and a kart, a bike, a single car and a two-car team each need a different footprint. Count every vehicle you run, plus spares.
Use and exposure
How often you race and where matters. Airfields and open circuit paddocks funnel wind, so regular racers on exposed tracks need a heavy duty frame.
Transport and set-up
Pop ups fold into one bag and go up in minutes. A freestanding MQ-65 needs more vehicle space and more crew to build.
Which Awning Is Best for Karting and Bike Racing?
For karting and bikes, a pop up race tent is the right choice: a 3m x 3m covers one kart or one bike with room for tools, and a 3m x 4.5m suits two riders sharing or a kart with a full set of spares.
Karting
Karting is compact and usually run from the back of a van or trailer, so most privateers want a small, quick-pitch pop up that covers the kart on its trolley, the tools and some shelter for family. Club kart circuits often allocate tight pitches, so check the space you are given before sizing up. Weight every leg, because a busy kart paddock is no place for a tent to lift. Our karting paddock guide covers the full setup.
Bikes and bike track days
Bikes need less floor space than cars, with specific kit under cover: paddock stands, tyre warmers and somewhere dry for leathers between sessions. Two riders can share a 3m x 4.5m behind one van and split the cost. See the motorcycle paddock setup guide for layout ideas.
The lightweight Pro 40 suits occasional karting and bike days on sheltered sites. Regulars, and anyone on exposed circuits, should choose the heavy duty Pro 50. See motorcycle race tents for bike paddock setups.
Which Awning Is Best for Car Track Days and Drifting?
For a single track day or club race car, a 3m x 6m Pro 50 covers the car nose to tail with space for tools. For drifting, a 4m x 6m or 4m x 8m Pro 50 or Pro 60 gives room to work on both sides of the car and stack spare tyres.
Track days and club racing
Most hatchbacks and saloons fit under a 6m roof. If you want to work with the doors open or the wheels off, a 4m x 6m is more comfortable. For a driveway or show car, see our guide to car gazebos.
Drifting
Drifting is a spectator event, so the awning is part of the show as well as the workshop. Teams need room for the car, a stack of tyres and a proper work area, and most want it printed, because the paddock is full of fans, cameras and sponsors. Drift events often run on exposed airfields and circuits, which is where the heavier Pro 50 and Pro 60 frames earn their place. Our drifting paddock setup guide goes into more detail.
What Awning Do Endurance and Hospitality Teams Need?
An endurance team running one car is best served by a 4m x 10m Pro 60, which leaves space for the car, driver changes and a fuel and tyre store. Teams hosting sponsors, or running two or more cars, should choose the MQ-65 freestanding awning in 6m x 8m or 6m x 12m.
Endurance
On long races the crew lives in the awning for hours at a time, so length and comfort matter. A 4m x 8m works for shorter endurance rounds. Add side walls and garage flooring so drivers can rest out of the weather.
Hospitality and bigger teams
Once you are hosting guests or running several cars, you will outgrow a pop up. The MQ-65 freestanding awning is a clear-span structure with no internal legs, so seating, catering and displays go wherever you want them. It is a step up in cost and set-up, and it is made to order, typically in 6 to 8 weeks, so plan it well ahead of the season.
What Shelter Can I Use on an Endurance Pit Wall?
Use a pop up pit perch on the pit wall. Standard gazebos do not fit safely in a tight, controlled pit lane, and a pit perch is built to pit-lane dimensions.
A pit perch gives engineers a controlled base for radios, laptops and strategy. It carries power, lighting and brackets for timing screens and pit boards, so the pit wall crew can work through a long race under cover.
Pro 40 vs Pro 50 vs Pro 60 vs MQ-65: Which Frame Should I Choose?
The Pro 40 is the lightweight pop up for occasional use, the Pro 50 is the heavy duty pop up for regular racing, the Pro 60 is the strongest pop up for exposed paddocks and endurance, and the MQ-65 is the freestanding awning for hospitality and multi-car teams.
| Frame | Build | Sizes (m) | Wind rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro 40 | 40mm aluminium, lightweight | 3x3, 3x4.5, 3x6 | Not published | Occasional karting, bikes and track days on sheltered sites |
| Pro 50 | 50mm hexagonal aluminium, heavy duty, profile aluminium joints | 3x3, 3x4.5, 3x6, 4x6, 4x8 | 25 to 35 mph, weighted or anchored on every leg | Regular racers: karting, bikes, track days, club racing, drifting |
| Pro 60 | 60mm hexagonal aluminium, double-reinforced truss joints | 3x3, 3x6, 4x8, 4x10, 6x6 Vantage | 25 to 35 mph, weighted or anchored on every leg | Exposed circuits, drifting, endurance, two cars in the 6x6 |
| MQ-65 | 65mm T6061/T6 aluminium, 2.5mm wall, freestanding clear span | 4x6, 4x8, 6x8, 6x12 | 50 mph plus with 2 to 3 weights per leg | Hospitality, multi-car and championship teams |
Pro 50 and Pro 60 canopies are 600D PVC-coated polyester with a 6000mm hydrostatic head, fire retardant and UV protected. The Pro 60 is the UK's only 60mm pop up, 20% thicker than the nearest rival. MQ-65 covers are 650gsm PVC, waterproof and fire retardant, with edged beading that slides into the frame.
Weighing up an inflatable shelter as well? Read inflatable or pop up race tent, or browse our inflatable shelters.
Do I Need Side Walls and How Should I Anchor a Motorsport Awning?
Most racers need at least one side wall on the windward side, and every awning needs anchoring on every leg, every time. On soft ground use a tie-down storm kit; on hard standing use heavy-duty weights on each leg.
Walls
- A wall on the windward side blocks rain and cuts the gusts that get under the canopy.
- Walls keep tyre warmers, laptops and leathers dry.
- Printed walls carry sponsor artwork at eye level.
- For a garage-style paddock, add pit garage walling. The MQ-65 takes windows, hard doors and curtain walls.
Anchoring
- Circuit paddocks funnel wind, so anchor in all conditions.
- The Pro 50 and Pro 60 are rated to 25 to 35 mph only when securely weighted or anchored on every leg.
- The MQ-65 is rated to 50 mph plus with 2 to 3 weights per leg.
- If the wind rises past the rating, take the awning down.
Should I Get a Printed Motorsport Awning?
If you have sponsors, or race in a crowd-facing discipline such as drifting, a printed awning is worth it. Gala Performance prints canopies and side walls in team livery using vinyl and dye-sublimation, with 1 to 3 day production quoted for branding on pop ups.
Plan branding at the same time as size, because the footprint sets how much print area you have. Pop ups come in black, blue, green, grey, orange, red, white, yellow and more, though not every colour comes in every size. The MQ-65 is available plain white or fully printed.
See branded motorsport tents for livery options, and finish the paddock with printed flags, printed banners and cafe barriers.
Motorsport Awning FAQs
How do I choose the right size motorsport awning?
Should I choose a pop up or a freestanding motorsport awning?
What is the difference between the Pro 50 and Pro 60?
Do I need a printed or branded motorsport awning?
How should I anchor a motorsport awning?
How long does an MQ-65 motorsport awning take to arrive?
Get the Right Motorsport Awning First Time
Tell us what you race, how many vehicles you run and whether you host guests. The team will recommend a frame, size, walls and anchoring to suit. Call 01709 803 457 or request a callback.
Paddock guides by discipline
