Just a couple things more I do know... Gearing to,the motor and truck will become important. I believe that info is readily available from the manufacturers and could possibly give you an idea of speeds and run times... Again, I am not positive of this but pretty sure.
Also, unless there are commonly known issues for this particular truck, upgrades I recommend... Rpm control arms are pretty much indestructible and a common upgrade for a LOT of rigs... They are also lifetime guaranteed so for bashing, they are kind of an awesome upgrade. Aside,from that... Most upgrades are based on what breaks. Anything he may have broke and replaced with stick parts? Upgrades are a good option. Other than that, it's just a good way to spend money on stuff you might not need. Let me recommend you stay FAR away from aluminum upgrades. In general, they are a good way to waste money and break the parts that attach to them. They tend to bend up easy but because they take more impact to bend or snap, they will send that impact energy to the next part(s) and break them in the process. Rpm is a way better option. If he is racing, rpm parts may not be the way to go. They are a bit softer in most cases and hardcore racers often complain they give too much and make the steering inaccurate (on control arms). I don't have a solid opinion on this as I am not racing and havent been for too long. Just info for you.