THE SIGN GUY FROM FAST TIME SIGNS

Ever wonder who is responsible for getting those race cars and haulers looking as good as they do? A number of the cars are decaled by Steve Wilson. He is owner of Fast Time Signs, a full service sign shop, but Wilson specializes in race car and vehicle lettering. Wilson transforms freshly painted cars into the works of art you see on the track. A large percentage of the race cars he does are the NASCAR Winston West, NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series, and the NASCAR Winston Racing Series, but he has also done some work with the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks and on cars used for movie sets. Wilson will decal any race team, any vehicle.

Wilson grew up in the business. His father had been in the graphics design business all his life. Wilson's first job was working for his dad at Autographics when he was in high school. When he started college he left the business and began working in radio as a DJ and promotion director. He spent about 5 years in radio promoting.

But his heart was still working with race cars and when his dad asked him to help with the vinyl division of Autographics, he jumped at the chance. Wilson's family has always been involved in racing from doing the decals for 10th and 12th scale RC Cars to doing the pace cars at Mesa Marin Raceway to sponsoring Team Mears.

About a year ago he wanted to try it on his own and that is how the now very successful Fast Time Signs got it's start. Wilson could not have started his business at a better time. Said Wilson, "Over the last three to four years I have seen a big change in NASCAR racing. The price to run these cars is 2 to 3 times more then three years ago. When I started billing out to teams with Inc. at the end of their team's name you know things have changed for the better. Let's say 4 to 5 years ago I would not be able to do what I do because all the teams would want the decals for free. I can't beat free. Don't get me wrong I would love to help everyone, but I would not be able to make a living. We do have a few we give out, such as the full sponsorship package with Kevin Vernon. This was the first team my dad and I really got behind. I was hoping to prove to my dad that doing race cars can be a good thing to help promote the business. The only real advertising we do is race cars and a billboard at Mesa Marin Raceway".

What does the future hold for Fast Time Signs the way things are progressing?
"In the future you will see Fast Time Signs not just a place to get decals, but a place you can call to get help with sponsorship packages (with our drawings and layouts). We will offer all the promotional needs a team needs to give them the exposure their sponsors deserve. We also just came out with window covers for Late Models, NASCAR Tour cars, NASCAR Winston West, NASCAR Busch and NASCAR Winston Cup cars. You can get these covers in almost any color and we can put your sponsors logo on them. We also have a line of 'pit pals' this new line of decals are things to help in the pits like decals to help see the lug nuts at night and pit stops arrows for the jack man. We have so much going now it is very exciting. We are very proud of our pit banners and so many of the other fine products we offer ".

Well, we had to ask him the question we all want to know, how much are those pressure sensitive vinyl decals some of us call stickers?
"Prices can start as low as $50.00 for a 1 color set of numbers on up. The average car cost is about $250.00. NASCAR Winston West cars are a little more; there's a lot more room to place the decals there".

Who are some of the teams you do decals for?
"In the Winston West Jason Small, Jerry Cain and Craig Raudman. In the Tour Mark Reed, Scott Lynch, John Baker, Greg Pursley and yes Craig Raudman. In the late models Kevin Vernon, Jason Small, Terry Henry, Greg Pursley, Charlie Walters and a few more, sorry guys I wish I could list you all! I also do cars in every division that runs in Bakersfield including the Bakersfield Speedway".

And what are the hardest decals you have ever done?
"It was a 4ft x 17 ft decal I put on Dave Reed's hauler. It was the night before Fontana and the wind was blowing and Dave never did see the mistakes I did. (Just joking Dave)".

What if you don't have a race car, can you still use Fast Time Signs?
&qout;Yes we do decals for businesses. We just just started doing the decals for the County of Kern's fire trucks. Most people that own a race car own their own business. We try to take care of their decal needs also.

"We have also done a few commercials and movies just a few days ago I was in Hollywood decaling two cars for an up coming movie called Faster. We did some cars for GameWorks. I had fun doing these cars. Victory Circle built and painted the cars and we decaled them. Two of them we did we had to make look like the #88 NASCAR Winston Cup car. You can see the cars on our web site. www.Fasttimesigns.com

Fast Time Signs is known for the quality and Art of their decals what is the secret of doing such a good job?
"Well, thank you. I hope our decals stand out over our competitors. We try to stand out by putting all the colors together in-house and not for the customer to try to do on the car. No one wants to spend 8 hours putting decals on a car. I'm always at a track every weekend. Talking to customers about what they would like to see me do for them. I know what a race car looks like and 9 out of 10 times just tell me where you want a decal and I know what size to make it."

How long does it take to get decals?
"I try to keep our name "Fast Time" if some one call me on Monday they can have their decals with in 1 to 2 days".

How much time do you spend with your business?
"All the time. Thursdays and Fridays I don't get home before 10 or 11 at night, then up at 5:30am to do it all again. Thank God, I have a very understanding wife".

Is there a favorite decal you have done?
"Oh man, that's a hard one. I would have to say the GameWorks cars are my favorite. To think people from all over the world will see our work is a pretty cool feeling."

Do you do haulers?
"Yes, we did the back and part of the side decals on Dave Reed's trailer. We also did the decals for Mark Reed's hauler and show trailer, Jerry Cain's show trailer, Jason Small's and a few more. I like doing trailers and haulers; they are like rolling billboards.

With all the work you have done have you ever received any awards?
"We placed 4th for our decals on the Mesa Marin Raceways Pace Car. This was in a competition in a magazine called Sign Business. To place fourth in a world wide competition was a neat feeling.

What would you like to do in the future.
I would love to do a NASCAR Winston Cup team. To see the decals I did on TV every Sunday would be the coolest feeling of all.

We would like to thank Steve Wilson for the time he took answering our questions. If any of you would like to learn more about his business and all he has to offer you may reach him at:

Steven Wilson
Fast Time Signs
5323 Sierra Caves Ave
Bakersfield, CA 93313
661-663-7673
www.fasttimesigns.com

Photo Courtesy Stacy Raudman Photography