Trailers can dramatically improve the race day experience in so many ways. The options in the modern landscape of trailers and toters are so plentiful that Wayne Quakenbush of Capitol Custom Trailers in Beltsville, Maryland, quoted the old adage, "measure twice and cut once," when speaking about racing customers who order new trailers.

Laughing, he explained, "Budget twice and buy once, so to speak. That's what I see a lot. They've made an important purchase decision based on timing, perhaps budget, just not quite thinking it through or not understanding what all their options are when building a trailer."

Making the leap into a trailer isn't a cheap endeavor, but neither is building race cars and participating in motorsports. Affordability is approached in the same vein race cars begin: having a vision, budgeting the build, and responsible financing. Unfortunately, acquiring a stacker trailer isn't the same as acquiring parts through bartering with other racers, a strategy often used for weekend hobbyists.

We interviewed a handful of trailer builders for this article, and each manufacturer or dealer had a motorsports background. Their trailers are designed for racers, by racers, with the racing experience in mind.

"The trailers we build are primarily custom built to a specific racing style, whether it be a sports car trailer, a drag race trailer with a stacker to carry multiple cars, or the same thing for sprint cars, dirt modifieds, pavement modifieds. Each have specific trailers," explained Quackenbush.

Custom built or prebuilt, trailers play a significant role in motorsports, offering more than transportation. "The trailers don't win races, but organized racers win races," stated Quackenbush. Racing is the proverbial essence of efficiency. The location of tools, and where and how they are put away, is the difference between being prepared and adding time to a pit stop, serving as a technical time out.

Organized Trailers Win

"I think it's great when we have customers who come to us and know what they want," expressed Chad Boespflug of Flying A Motorsports, Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

"I think it's crucial to get with a dealer who can help navigate some of those things," he advised. "Network with your peers, your fellow racers, looking at what they like, what they don't like. Put a game plan together of what you think you would need or would fit you and your operation best."

Boespflug expressed questions that often come to mind when planning for the right trailer setup. "What do you race? What all are you putting in the trailer? How do you load the trailer for the car, golf cart, pit bike, etc.? What do you prefer as far as your loading sequence? What size are your tires? You've got to make sure it's going to fit your needs."

He chuckled and added, "You don't want to spend $100,000 on your golf cart, and it doesn't fit in your trailer now."

Sharing Quackenbush's position on organization, Boespflug echoed the adage, "trailers don't win races," and added, "being prepared, rested, and organized is what will win your race." He later described a scenario of how racers taking 45 minutes to load up a trailer prior to race day will then take 45 minutes to unload and set up at the track.

Forward planning for races through trailer organization has lasting benefits that are felt financially, mentally, and physically. Planning for track days helps racers save money in the long haul while increasing efficiencies at the track.

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