Our business plan

Road to Race Car — Complete Business Plan (Unified + Updated)

Executive Summary

Road to Race Car is a content-driven automotive brand built around a YouTube channel that documents the full transformation of everyday street cars into legitimate track and race machines. The series combines entertaining build storytelling, mechanical and engineering transparency, and data-driven motorsport testing to engage car enthusiasts, DIY mechanics, track-day drivers, and racing fans.

Mission:
Show the journey from street to track — realistic, gritty, hands-on, and fun.

Vision:
Become one of the leading creators in the car build / race prep niche on YouTube and beyond — eventually expanding into merchandise, sponsorships, live events, affiliate sales, digital products, and possibly secondary channels or a branded race team.

1. Company & Brand Overview

Brand Identity

• Name: Road to Race Car

• Style: Relatable, authentic, precision-driven storytelling

• Tone: Engineering-focused but still fun and relatable

• Taglines: “From Road to Race Car.” / “From Street Car to Track Car.” / “Pavement to Podium.”

Platforms

• Primary: YouTube

• Secondary: Instagram, Facebook (short-form + teasers)

• Website: Central hub for build logs, affiliate links, merchandise

Owner & Team

• Creator/Host: Dave

• Editor: Marlin

• Social Media Manager: Dave

• Mechanic/Technician (part-time or partner): Dave

• Logistics and Brand Merch: Mike

• Occasional guests/collaborators

Location / Garage

Aspirational: Modest but professional: a dedicated garage/shop with filming space, tools, storage, and space for lift, lighting, and project car(s).

Actual: Two car garage, normal household stuff in it in addition to the tools and equipment to work on project. This will be part of the hook as you can start exactly where you are and build a solid race car.

2. Market & Audience Analysis

Target Audience

• Primary:
  Car enthusiasts age 30–65; track-day drivers; amateur racers; DIY modders. Gentlemen/women racers that may not have a lot of motorsport experience, but have found themselves bitten by the bug later in life. An additional angle is providing behind the scenes info on how to create and run a small business (that happens to be an automotive/motorsports content YouTube channel).

• Secondary:
  Motorsports fans, younger YouTube viewers drawn to transformations and challenges.

• Psychographic Strength:
  Audience skews older, more affluent, “gentleman/woman racer” aspirational profile (higher spend on parts and track days).

Market Opportunity

• Automotive build channels maintain strong RPMs (est. $8–$15 for DIY/engineering content).

• Transformation content is evergreen: viewers love watching cars go from street → stripped → rebuilt → tested at the track.

• Sponsorship opportunities across aftermarket parts, tools, tires, safety gear, motorsport brands.

• Multichannel monetization: affiliate sales, e-commerce, merch, events, Patreon/membership.

Competitive Landscape

Comparable channels:

• SuperfastMatt – storytelling style, DIY builds + entertainment

• Mighty Car Mods – DIY builds + entertainment

• Driver61 – motorsport technique & education

• Gears & Gasoline – emotional stories + road trips

• BigTime – DIY builds + entertainment

• Vin_tra (The Driver's Era) – DIY builds + entertainment, OEM +

• Top Dead Center – DIY builds + entertainment

• Engineering Explained – motorsport focused education/explanation

Road to Race Car’s Unique Selling Point (USP):
A narrow, disciplined focus on real builds taken all the way through to track results — with data, testing, storytelling, and transparency.

Highlighting the DIY accessibility of building cars as well as the work to run the business.

3. Content Strategy

Core Content Types

1. Build Series (Hero Episodes)
   Full lifecycle: purchase → teardown → upgrades → testing → race day.
   6–12 episodes per build, 8–15 minutes each.

2. Track Day / Race Day Episodes
   Lap times, driver feedback, telemetry, before/after comparisons.

3. How-To / Technical Deep Dives
   Engineering analysis (suspension theory, aero, brakes, ECU tuning, tires).

4. Lifestyle / Vlogs / Behind the Scenes
   Shop life, parts runs, wrenching mishaps, garage culture.

5. Short-Form Content (Reels/Shorts)
   Progress shots, tips, failures, “first start,” “first drive.”

6. Collaborations
   Other creators, local tracks, shops, part manufacturers.

Publishing Cadence

• YouTube: 1 hero episode every 1–2 weeks

• Shorts/Reels: 3–5 per week (TBD)

• Website: Build logs, part lists, affiliate pages, business plan

• Social: Daily stories, progress, teasers (TBD)

Search Engine Optimization

• Titles: “Street Car to Race Car,” “Track Build,” “Lap Time Challenge,” etc.

• Thumbnails: clear before/after, track action, bold branding.

• Descriptions: chapters, parts lists, affiliate links, playlists.

4. Build Strategy & Vehicle Plan

Initial Car Purchase (Updated)

• Budget: $50,000
  Targeting enthusiast-credible platforms that appeal to gentleman-racer viewers:

  • Porsche 911 (996 - 997)

  • Porsche Cayman S/GT4 (high-mile or salvage)

  • BMW M2/M3

  • C7 Corvette

  • GR Supra

Build Phases

1. Baseline Testing & Inspection

2. Reliability & Safety (brakes, fluids, cooling, safety gear)

3. Suspension/Handling (coilovers, bushings, alignment, sway bars)

4. Power Adders (intake, exhaust, tune, turbo/supercharger depending on model)

5. Aero (splitter, wing, diffuser)

6. Interior (seats, wheel, harnesses, cage)

7. Track Validation (lap times, telemetry, comparisons)

Episode Breakdown

• Episode 1: Purchase + first impressions

• Episode 2: Baseline track test

• Episodes 3–8: Upgrades, tuning, setbacks

• Episode 9: Final track test + reveal

5. Monetization Strategy

Primary Revenue Streams

• AdSense (RPM $8–15 typical)

• Sponsorship Packages (parts, tools, safety gear, tires)

• Affiliate Sales (Amazon, parts vendors)

• Merchandise (shirts, hats, stickers, pit gear)

• Co-brand expansion: Carl’s Coffins soft goods collaboration

• Events: track days, fan meet-ups (Year 2–3)

• Membership/Patreon: bonus content, build plans, behind-the-scenes (TBD)

Projected Year 1 Revenue

• AdSense: $25k–$60k

• Sponsorships: $20k–$50k

• Affiliate: $10k–$30k

• Merch: $5k–$15k

Total: $60k–$155k

6. Operational & Production Plan

Team Roles

• Creator/Host: builds, on-camera, vision

• Editor: editing, graphics, thumbnails

• Social Media Manager: clips, engagement, scheduling

• Mechanic/Tech: assists with complex installation

• Logistics and Brand Merch: Regional transportation coordination, loading/unloading hauling

• Guests: drivers, engineers, instructors

Studio/Garage Setup

• 2 car garage

• 4K camera bodies + action cams

• Audio gear (lavalier mics)

• Lighting setup

• Editing workstation

• Track filming equipment (GoPros, telemetry units, drone)

Workflow

1. Pre-Production: parts planning, story arc, scheduling

2. Production: build filming, shop sessions, track tests

3. Post-Production: editing, VFX, sound, color

4. Release: schedule, optimize, post to socials

5. Review: analytics, community feedback, next episode planning

7. Partnerships & Sponsorships

Ideal Categories

• Suspension brands

• Tire companies

• Brake manufacturers

• Tools & shop equipment

• Safety gear companies

• Track-day organizations

• ECU tuning companies

Approach

• Provide media kit with audience data

• Offer multi-episode integration

• Build early relationships to offset parts budget

• Include track-day or data-focused performance validation

8. Marketing & Growth Strategy

Branding & Visual Identity

• Red + black minimal badge (precision aesthetic)

• Clean overlays, consistent typography

• Track-inspired sound design

Audience Growth

• Cross-collabs with creators and tracks

• Aggressive Shorts strategy

• Community Q&A and polls

• Viewer-influenced build decisions

Community Building

• Discord or Facebook group (TBD)

• Live-stream wrenching sessions

• Newsletter with build updates

• Fan-sourced future build suggestions

9. Financial Plan & Projections

Startup Costs

CategoryCost

• Vehicle Purchase $50,000 (in progress)

• Tools & Equipment $8,000–$12,000 (already have most tools required)

• Garage Setup $3,000–$7,000 (existing space will be used)

• Initial Parts/Upgrades $5,000–$15,000

• Cameras & Audio $4,000–$7,000 (already have most tools required)

• Software$1,500–$3,000

  Startup Cost: ~$71,500–$94,000

  Existing Tools/Equipment offset: ($15,000)

  Total Startup Cost: ~$56,500-$79,000

Year 1 Projections

• Subscribers: 100,000

• Views: ~6M

• AdSense: ~$60k (avg RPM $10)

• Sponsorships + Affiliate + Merch: ~$30k

  Total Year 1 Revenue: ~$90k
  Estimated Year 1 Net Profit: ~$20k

Years 2–3 Scaling

• Year 2: 250k subs, 20M+ views → $200k+ revenue

• Year 3: 500k subs, multiple builds → $400k–$600k revenue

10. Risks & Contingencies

Primary Risks

• High build costs → solve via sponsorships & tighter planning

• Slow YouTube growth → increase Shorts, collabs, SEO

• Algorithm changes → build community off-platform

• Safety risk at track → insurance, best practices, disclaimers

• Production delays → backup content (tutorials, part tests)

Audience-Specific Note

The target demo (“gentleman/woman racer,” 30–65) has:

• Higher income

• More interest in precision, data, and craftsmanship

• Willingness to buy parts, tools, merch

• Willing to buy premium products

  These factors strengthen revenue potential.

11. Timeline & Milestones

Months 0–3

• Brand identity & logo locked

• Garage setup

• Buy first car

• “Welcome to Road to Race Car” intro video

Months 4–12

• Full Build Series #1

• Launch merch basics

• Grow to 100,000 subscribers

Year 2

• Build Series #2

• Merchandise expansion

• First fan meet/track day

• Collaborations

• Target: 250k subs

Year 3

• Multi-build pipeline

• Events, possibly branded racing team

• Advanced data-driven episodes

• Target: 500k+ subs

Conclusion

Road to Race Car has a strong brand foundation, a compelling niche, and a monetization path that favors growth, longevity, and community loyalty. With disciplined storytelling, engineering authenticity, and consistent output, the channel can scale into a leading automotive entertainment and education brand — with lucrative long-term upside.