Race Trailer Size Guide
8.5×20, 24, 28, or 32? The right race trailer size comes down to what you’re hauling, how much you’re hauling with it, and how serious the race weekend gets. Here’s how to pick.
The right race trailer is the one that fits your car, your gear, your team, and the way you actually run a race weekend. Some racers want the smallest, lightest trailer that gets the car to the track. Others want a rolling shop with cabinets, A/C, an observation deck, and a generator on the tongue. Allstar Cargo & RV builds and sells race trailers across the full spectrum, and this guide walks through each size — what fits, what works, and where you’ll outgrow it.
Once you’ve picked your size, jump to our custom trailer options page to spec axles, electrical, interior, and exterior packages, or browse current race trailer inventory.
The Allstar Speedway Series
Pick Your Race Trailer Package
Once you’ve picked your size, choose from Allstar’s three named race trailer packages — same .080 Polycore foundation, three tiers of axles, interior height, A/C, lighting, and finish.
8.5×20 Race Trailer — Compact and Capable
The 8.5×20 is the entry-point race trailer and the smallest size we usually recommend for hauling a car. With the V-nose, you get roughly 22 feet of usable interior floor and 8’2″ of width — enough for one race car plus a small toolbox, tire rack, and basic cabinets.
- Best for: drag cars, asphalt circle track cars, motorcycles, compact race setups
- Typical axles: tandem 5,200 lb torsion or leaf spring; 7,000 lb optional
- Interior height: 6’6″ standard, 7′ upgrade common
- Trade-offs: tight on cabinets, very tight on a side-by-side plus chase quad, no real room for an observation deck
Pick a 20-footer if you’re hauling one car or one to two motorcycles, you tow with a half-ton, and you don’t need a full pit setup at the track.
8.5×24 Race Trailer — The Most Popular Size
The 8.5×24 is the size we sell more of than any other race trailer. With 26 feet of usable interior floor (including V-nose), it’s the sweet spot for serious club racers and small race teams — there’s room for the car plus real cabinetry, tire racks, a toolbox, and enough wall space to mount E-track, hold-back rails, and lighting.
- Best for: race cars with full pit gear, side-by-side plus chase ATV, two-bike motorcycle teams, motocross teams
- Typical axles: tandem 5,200 lb torsion (entry) or 7,000 lb torsion (preferred for loaded race builds)
- Interior height: 7′ is the standard race trailer spec at this length; 7’6″ available
- Best for packages: A/C, generator box on tongue, escape door, base cabinet with mousehole and winch plate
The Allstar Qualifier and Velocity series are most commonly built on the 8.5×24 chassis. If you’re not sure where to start, this is the size to look at first — see what’s currently in stock.
8.5×28 Race Trailer — Full Race Team Build
The 8.5×28 is where race trailers start to become rolling pit setups. Thirty feet of usable floor (with V-nose) gives you room for the race car plus a full lounge area, a generator compartment, finished cabinetry, and the start of a real interior buildout. This is where observation decks and walk-on roof systems start to make sense.
- Best for: full race teams, side-by-side teams with multiple machines, premium race builds with finished interior
- Typical axles: tandem 7,000 lb torsion spread axles standard
- Interior height: 7′ or 7’6″
- Best for packages: mini-split A/C, generator compartment, observation deck, premium electrical (50-amp twistlock), full cabinets and toolbox
If your race weekend involves more than one driver, real hospitality, or you want to host crew and family at the track, the 28-footer is the size to look at.
8.5×32 Race Trailer — The Flagship
The 8.5×32 is the largest enclosed race trailer we build, and it’s the size used for our Platinum series — the most loaded race trailer Allstar offers. Thirty-four feet of usable interior with full triple-axle suspension, the room to add observation decks, lounge areas, generator compartments, mini-split A/C, finished interior with TV and entertainment, and a base cabinet large enough to be a real workbench.
- Best for: premium race teams, observation deck builds, drag and dirt teams running full hospitality, side-by-side and motorsports teams hauling multiple machines
- Typical axles: triple 7,000 lb torsion axles
- Interior height: 7’6″ with reinforced/walk-on roof
- Best for packages: all of the above — observation deck, full mini-split A/C, generator compartment with shore power, finished cabinetry, entertainment package, and the works
A 32-footer is the right call when the trailer is part of the team’s identity at the track, when you need real hospitality space, and when budget allows for the build.
Payload & Axle Setup
Payload is where racers most often under-spec a trailer. The empty trailer weight is real, the car is real, and the gear adds up fast. A loaded 8.5×24 race trailer with car, cabinets, generator, and tools can easily come in around 9,000 lb — which is the upper limit of tandem 5,200 lb axles. Stepping up to 7,000 lb torsion spread axles gives you 14,000 lb GVWR, which leaves real headroom for upgrades, water, fuel, and the inevitable extra gear that gets stowed for the next race weekend.
- Tandem 5,200 lb axles — fine for an 8.5×20 with a single light car. Tight for a loaded 8.5×24.
- Tandem 7,000 lb torsion spread axles — the standard race trailer setup on 8.5×24 and 8.5×28. Smoother ride at speed and headroom for a fully built trailer.
- Triple 7,000 lb torsion axles — the standard on 8.5×32 trailers and on heavily loaded race builds.
Torsion axles are the right choice for almost every race trailer — they ride smoother, transfer less vibration to the cargo, and last longer in highway use than leaf springs.
Cabinets & Storage
Cabinet packages are what turn a race trailer from a hauler into a workspace. The standard race trailer cabinet setup is a base cabinet across the front V-nose with a mousehole and winch plate (so the winch cable can pull the car forward into the cabinet), overhead cabinets along one or both walls, and a toolbox built in or mounted on the floor.
- Base cabinets — typically span the front V-nose. Holds tools, fluids, and a winch.
- Overhead cabinets — wall-mounted, typically with cabinet lighting.
- Closet over toolbox — vertical storage for crew gear and uniforms.
- Toolboxes — built in or aftermarket, ATP-clad in some builds.
- Interior speakers — entertainment package on premium builds.
- TV mounts — typical on Platinum-tier builds, mounted between overhead and base cabinets.
Observation Decks
An observation deck is one of the most popular premium race trailer upgrades, and it’s something Allstar builds regularly. The deck is a reinforced walk-on roof with railing, a ladder, and a finished platform — turning the top of the trailer into a viewing platform. Drag teams use them for spotting, road racers use them for trackside views, and at outdoor events they double as the best seat in the house.
Observation decks are typically built on 8.5×28 or 8.5×32 race trailers — the platform needs the length to be useful, and the trailer needs the structural reinforcement to handle people on the roof. Pair with extra interior height (7’6″) and you have a build that works as a viewing platform on race day and a finished workspace the rest of the week.
Generator Packages
If you’re running an A/C, lighting, tools, and a fridge in the trailer, you need a generator — or you need to be parked next to one. Most race trailers we build have a tongue-mounted generator box that holds an inverter generator (typical Honda EU2200 or similar) and runs through a transfer switch into the trailer’s electrical system. Premium builds use a recessed generator compartment in the front exterior wall, which keeps the generator out of sight and protected from the weather, and is usually paired with a larger commercial-grade unit.
- Tongue-mounted generator box — the standard race trailer setup. Vented, locking, holds a 2-3kW inverter generator.
- Recessed generator compartment — built into the front exterior wall. Larger units, hidden from view, premium look.
- Pre-wired transfer switch — lets the trailer run on shore power or generator without rewiring.
- Marine batteries — for 12V circuits when neither shore power nor generator is running.
How to Pick the Right Size
The fastest way to get to a size: start with what you’re hauling, then add the gear and the team.
- One drag or asphalt car, basic gear, half-ton tow vehicle → 8.5×20
- One race car, full pit gear, cabinets, A/C → 8.5×24
- One race car, lounge/hospitality, generator, real interior → 8.5×28
- Premium build, observation deck, full team and entertainment → 8.5×32
- Side-by-side plus chase quad, race weekend gear → 8.5×24
- Two side-by-sides plus gear → 8.5×28 or 8.5×32
- Two-bike or three-bike motocross team → 8.5×24 with motocross interior
If you’re between two sizes, go up. The cost difference between an 8.5×24 and an 8.5×28 is usually less than the cost of trading the trailer in two years from now when you outgrow it.
Ready to Spec Your Race Trailer?
Tell us what you’re hauling and how you run your race weekend, and we’ll spec the right size, axles, and packages. Allstar builds and delivers race trailers nationwide from Douglas, GA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the most popular race trailer size?
The 8.5×24 is the most popular size we sell. It’s big enough for a race car plus full cabinetry, A/C, generator, and pit gear, but small enough to tow with a 3/4-ton truck and park easily at most tracks. It’s the size most of our Qualifier and Velocity builds are based on.
Do I need 7,000 lb axles or are 5,200 lb axles enough?
For an 8.5×24 race trailer with cabinets, A/C, and generator, plan on 7,000 lb torsion spread axles. Loaded race trailers regularly come in over the 9,990 lb GVWR you’re limited to with 5,200 lb axles. The 7,000 lb upgrade gives you 14,000 lb of headroom and a smoother ride at highway speed.
Can I add an observation deck to any race trailer?
Observation decks need a reinforced roof and a trailer long enough for the platform to be useful — typically 8.5×28 or 8.5×32. They have to be specced at build time, not added later, because of the structural reinforcement involved.
What size race trailer for a side-by-side and chase quad?
An 8.5×24 will fit a full-size side-by-side plus a chase quad with room for tools and gear. If the side-by-side is lifted (taller tires, longer wheelbase), step up to a 7′ interior height. For two side-by-sides plus gear, look at the 8.5×28 or 8.5×32.
Can I tow an 8.5×32 race trailer with a 3/4-ton pickup?
Most 3/4-ton diesels are rated to tow a loaded 8.5×32 race trailer, but you’re at the upper end of comfortable. A 1-ton truck is a better match for a regularly used 32-footer, especially with a generator, full cabinetry, and a heavy race build inside. Always check your truck’s hitch class, GCWR (gross combined weight rating), and rear axle rating against the loaded trailer GVWR.
What’s the difference between the Qualifier, Velocity, and Platinum series?
Qualifier is our entry-level premium race trailer package — high-end essentials like 5,200 lb torsion spread axles, .080 Polycore exterior, A/C, escape door, and dual rows of E-track. Velocity steps up to 7,000 lb torsion axles, electric awning, generator box on tongue, recessed tire compartment, and SpiderMag wheels. Platinum is the flagship — mini-split A/C, observation deck options, finished interior with TV and speakers, motion lighting, Caliber Protec floor, and the rest of the works. Detailed comparison and feature lists are coming on dedicated package pages.
Does Allstar deliver race trailers nationwide?
Yes. We deliver to all 48 contiguous states from our home base in Douglas, Georgia. Race trailers, motorcycle trailers, concession trailers, and RVs all ship through our delivery network — see the delivery page for state-by-state coverage.
What is a spread axle setup?
On a spread axle trailer, the two axles are spaced farther apart than on a standard tandem — typically about 8 feet apart instead of 3 feet. The wider spacing gives a smoother, more stable ride at highway speed, distributes weight better between axles, and looks the part on a race trailer. Most premium race trailers we build use 7,000 lb Dexter torsion spread axles — the industry standard for premium trailer suspensions.
What’s a walk-on roof?
A reinforced trailer roof rated to support people walking on it. The standard race trailer roof isn’t built for foot traffic — a walk-on package adds structural reinforcement underneath. Pair it with railing, a ladder, and a finished walking surface, and you have an observation deck. Walk-on roofs have to be specced at build time, not added after the fact, because the reinforcement is structural.
Do I need a generator on my race trailer?
Depends on the track. Some tracks provide shore power at the pit, in which case a 30- or 50-amp inlet on the trailer is enough. At smaller tracks or remote events, you’ll want a generator on board. Most race teams run a Honda EU2200i or similar 2–3kW inverter generator in a tongue-mounted box, with a transfer switch that lets the trailer run on either shore power or generator without rewiring.
How long does it take to deliver a custom race trailer?
Build times vary by season and trailer complexity, but most custom orders ship within a few weeks of being finalized. A standard Qualifier or Velocity build runs faster than a fully loaded Platinum with observation deck and finished interior. Once the trailer is ready, our nationwide delivery network gets it to you — typically 1–3 weeks depending on where you are. See our delivery page for state-by-state coverage.