Do you think there is a market for Race Technician service??

[MiniThirty]

Hi all, I have been hovering around these forums for a number of years now and have enjoyed reading many threads.

However this is my first post!

I am thinking of starting up a little business offering a professional Race Technician service to people either racing there own car or taking part in track days.

I am a Race Technician for one of the top drivers in BTCC and also a fully qualified and time served mechanic, I have also won several national awards.

I was hoping to receive some responses from those of you who either race or track day on whether, in your opinion, there is a market for such a service.

I know there will be a lot of questions, its just an idea at the moment but I think there is potential in it

Cheers

Mark

[EddieFelson]

I'd suggest using Google first

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=track+day+suppor...

Tons of people providing it.

[MiniThirty]

I am aware that companies do offer this service, however many of these are garages of one sort or another that offer this as a one of many services they provide

Maybe what I need to ask is if this is a service that is used? Does anyone have any experience of such service, either used one themselves or seen them being used??

Thanks
Mark

[The Moose]

When I raced, I used a couple of different technicians dependant on what needed doing to prep the car and then had one chap helping me on race weekends.

Ok - my budget wasn't as much as most people's, but what attracted me to the people I did use was their previous experience with that make and model of vehicle.

I'm not sure I would have considered a jack of all marques as you may have a perception of a master of none where as as a driver, you want the master of that model.

[MiniThirty]

I understand what you are saying, but I am looking more at the track support side of things, I think my experience in preparing, maintaining, setting up etc, at the track can be used on all models of vehicle. What I am thinking of would ideally suit the people who love driving the cars but want someone else to do the work that is needed on the vehicles

Thanks

Mark

[The Moose]

I hear what you're saying, but, let's take something simple - ARBs and tyres. If it's dry on the Saturday for quali, but wet on the Sunday for the race. What changes need to be made to the ARBs and tyre pressures? This will vary not only from layout (FF, FR, RR, MR etc) but also models within that layout (e.g. MGF vs MR2)?

That's just my take - I'm not saying it won't work. That'd just be my concern.

[RWD cossie wil]

My first thought is that people who have paid for a trackday won't want to spend the time having the car fettled. Perhaps a emergency repairs line would be more beneficial?

[HustleRussell]

The Moose said:

what attracted me to the people I did use was their previous experience with that make and model of vehicle.

I'm not sure I would have considered a jack of all marques as you may have a perception of a master of none where as as a driver, you want the master of that model.

Exactly this. In my opinion your best chance is to get heavily involved in a particular race club, be a constant presence in the paddock and get to know that particular type of car inside out. I wouldn't pay anybody who knew less about my car than I do.

There are plenty of folk who are less experienced and qualified than you who are working on race cars in the race club I compete in.

To an extent it's not what you know but who you know. If you've worked in BTCC, perhaps you have connections in Ginettas, Clio cup etc?

[HustleRussell]

Also you should be prepared to lose money overall for a reasonably long time while you prove yourself and gain people's trust. I think a lot of people look at what drivers are paying for technical support, think it's an absolute fortune and reckon they can undercut them slightly and provide the same service. In the real world there are setup costs, lots of travelling and a lot of persistence required before it's likely you can begin to break even.