Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

I don't live close enough to a track to attend weekly events, & i suspect there are others like me. If not for special events, I never would have heard of Ollie's

Tonite I'm gonna get plastered on a bottle of Abreu Vineyards wine (actually not, I don't drink...)

But I live in Colorado... if we ever get sprint cars going here again, there are plenty of ganja dispensaries

Happy New Years everybody!

  Nickules,

As a loyal sprint fan. My $ is spent on brands that support sprint car racing. From groceries to gas. Especially at tracks I travel to where their signage is posted. Usually not anymore $ or, comparable to others. And sometimes we see others with sprint t's at these mkts. Fuel stops and, restaurants.

  Informative thread. Thanks

  From central coast of Cali.
   Peace, Out.

Thanks for supporting those that support Sprint car racing. I do the same. I actually started a thread on that topic months ago too which had some great responses. Confirms the brand loyalty we have in the sport. 

Oh yea, gas.... I always get it at Casey's when I'm in the Midwest....

I just want to say thank you for the chance to ask you these questions.  Also a big big thank you for supporting the sport and tracks.

I have a few questions.  In a previous response you said it was a benefit to have a car at the track weekly to build a strong fan loyalty to the product and team. My question is how does a team convince a potential marketing partner to associate with a team for a certain dollar amount and they say we'll I can sponsor car "x" for way less and be at the same track. We all know the pecking order at tracks and what is the number one division and so on. How do I convey the difference in divisions and interest ?

Second question. Would be when you as a marketing partner consider a team to form  a relationship ; do you want to knew if the team is on solid financial footing?  Example using the sponsorship money to race and not finish the car, buy a hauler etc.

And the final question would be in line with the second question.   Once the marketing partnership is established do you as a company make payments on the sponsorship or full payment upfront?  What way did your company choose? Also did you choose to see where the money is being spent?  An audit of the sponsor funds use?  What would you think of a team having a separate bank account for the race team and the books being open for any sponsor to see? 

Thank you again for your time and information. 

I have a question that I've always wondered about sponsorship at a local level.  Do you take the driver's or team's behavior or beliefs into consideration?  For example if you have a driver that is generally a dirty driver or getting into fights or whenever their name is called there is a ton of boos, is this something that would make you consider pulling your sponsorship?  Or do you look at it like there's no such thing as bad press?  I know racers are generally very loyal to any sponsor of racing but how do you view this?  I remember years back when I worked as a bartender there was a young lady who drank Miller Lite.  When Kurt Busch was going to that ride she was mad.  Sure enough the first time after Kurt Busch's first race in that car, she ordered a Bud Light, I gave her a look and she said "As much as I like Miller Lite, I hate Kurt Busch that much more and I won't drink it again until they sponsor someone else."  I thought it was funny but in this case, the car was more competitive with Kurt Busch but did his reputation help or hurt Miller?

Depends on your business and how involved you are.  As we know a lot of drivers have sponsors that might be family friends, relatives, etc. so in that instance it probably doesn't matter.  For us, that stuff absolutely matters.  We did an exhaustive background check (not a legal one, just asking ?s of other drivers, track managemnet, etc.) before we sponsored the driver we currently do.  But to be honest it's pretty easy to decipher the teams that treat it as a business and those that are in it for fun (not saying one group is better or more important than the other).  Our driver is a literal extension of our brand and an ambassador for our company.  Because we see this as a true partnerhsip where we co-promote each other it was important to align ourselves with an extremely professional driver (who is now a "full time" driver).  Think Brian Brown or Greg Wilson. Those guys are extensions of their partners, that's how we view it.  Our driver promotes our brand 24/7, not jsut at the track and they treat the partnership as a full time job.  That works for our brand more than someone who does it purely for fun.   

Your Nascar example is literally the exact example (not the same driver) when I explain brand loyalty to people in regards to Nascar/dirt track.  I always say if your favorite driver is sponsored by Beer Company A you drink that beer. If they switch to Beer Brand B you now drink that beer.  Shows the driver-brand loyalty partnership.  It can be powerful. 

Does that answer your question?

1. It's an education process for businesses that maybe don't have any knowledge of the sport.  Ask your track if they've ever done a survey of customers where you could pull out data showing that "Sprint cars" are the fans favorite sport, etc.  If not, then you'll have to put on your "sales" hat.  If they already have a cursory knowledge then they'll know that Sprint cars are most popular.  Also sell them on the idea that the $ involved with sprint car raicng makes it much more than a hobby (even if it is just a hobby).  "Show" them the cars, engines, haulers, etc. Invite them to the track or your shop to see the operation.  There's no easy answer for this outside of simply educaing them.  Explain that simply being at the track is not enough.  It makes much more sense to align your company/brand with a professional team in the most popular division (who has a bigger following at track and off).  That costs more $ to do, but the return potential is also greater.   

2. Quick answer, yes.  For us, we view the team as a true partnership so we absolutely want a professional team who is on good fitting.  That doesn't mean we open the books and check them out, but it's fairly easy to tell.  If their shop has cars built, engines in, spare parts ready to go and a hauler then yeah they're spending the money as part of their "team business" and not to finish stuff. 

3. Full payment up front for us.  I'd guess that very large corporate sponsors (i.e. like with KKR) may do payments, probably in established installments.  Because of what I said in #2 (knowing that our team is already establisehd from a "ready to race" perspective) we don't ask to see a specific breakdown of say how many tires they bought with our $.  We DO have established deliverables where we can see where some of the $, in theory, is going.  Like logo on car, on hauler, on suit, etc.  But it's more of a the $ goes into our "business account" and we spend it where needed.  I don't need to see a breakdown (and I doubt once it's in that account they literally account for exactly where our specific $ is going).  Our team has a seperate bank account just for the racing team.  DO THAT.  Seems more professional and looks better on our end as well as theirs to cut a check to a business rather then a personal check.  I've had conversations with our team and know that it costs them X amount of dollars to race each night and the in flow of cash they need to break even at the track each night.  I personally don't need to see their books. 

Does that help at all?  Any follow-ups?

You mentioned Lernerville Speedway. What car and driver do you sponsor, and what is your company? If I missed that in one of the posts, I apologize up front.

I didn't say specifically. I was trying to keep at least a modicum of some anonymity.  If you look at the "Top Tier" sponsors at Lernerville we're the only one that also sponsors a well known Lernerville Sprint Car driver who hits regional shows (WoO and All Stars).  That narrows it down.  As part of our large Lville sponsorship we have a billboard in Turn 4 and something refreshing in Victory Lane for drivers (and you can't go there without seeing or hearing about us) and you can see our logo on the center wing of the car/driver we sponsor.  If you've been to Lernerville you should know...If not email me

I have a 2 part question with each part relating to the other....

1) Before you actually got fully on board, pulled the trigger and partnered with your first team or track how many times in the past had you been pitched, wether it be a serious proposal or an off handed comment by a driver/owner? Did the first one grab you, did you finally get approached by the right group after several that you couldn't take serious, or did you actually go initiate the discussion because although interested you had never been proposed to?..................................................                           .....................................................                              .............................................................                             ...........................................                               ................................................                               .

2) Once you had your company fully involved and visible in the sport how many times per year do you get pitched by yet another team or track? If there was a significant increase do you feel like the newly approaching group is being lazy by going after somebody currently involved (another sort of low hanging fruit as you put it) as opposed to trying to bring in new support? Or do you get the impression that teams/tracks are actually trying to "Steal your support" from who currently has it? Or do they legitimately hope you have the means to add them on and expand your current partner group? I ask this because I can't even count how many times a person or biz that helps me out gets approached by someone trying to talk them into giving them my help.

Loose is when you hit the wall with the rear of the
car, tight is when you hit the wall with the front of
the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and
torque is how far you move the wall.

1. 0, sort of.  Luckily I grew up going to our local dirt track and loving Sprint Car Racing (thanks Dad!) so I had knowledge of the power of the sport for our brand.  It did take until I took over as Director at our company to fully immerse ourselves in the sport at our local track (it wasn't something that was proposed and turned down before I offered up the idea, it's just not something that was fully on our radar as a company quite yet).  So the initiation was on us/me sort of to get into the sport.  We sponsored the track our first year and then after the season I sat down and looked at our marketing plan and decided to try and extend our sponsorship to the driver realm.  I reached out to the driver we currently sponsor and serendipituously they were literally working on a proposal to send to me.  Everything clicked from the get go and has been a fantastic partnership.  So I initiated again into the driver realm, but we did get a number of proposals after we sponsored the track our first year. Just timing wise it appears as if I initiated, but truth is if I waited I would've had a number of proposals from drivers.

2. We get pitched by a handful of teams each year, funny thing is its not just in divisions that are at the track.  I get pitches from motorcross/dirt bikes, drag teams, etc., etc.  A lot of parallel fans, but to me dirt track racing/sprint car racing is still what makes the most sense for us.  But it does illustrate the parallels in the "automotive" and action sport community/industry.  No other tracks have pitched us.  A little bit of both - every once in a while I get the "stealing our support" feeling, but those are easy to weed out. Actually just got one of those because our driver accepted a great opportunity to drive for an established team next year. We haven't decided if we're continuing with him yet (my feeling is we will because we have a great partnership on and off the track), but I got one of those "did you know your driver is driving for someone else (like I wouldn't know that - they called me before it was public and I was EXCITED for him/their team) so maybe you should sponsor me" pitches.  I don't think most are being lazy, they see our increased presence and want to know if they can have a piece of the pie.  That's actually smart on their part.  I think most hope that we have the means to "expand our roster," which at this time we do not.   

All I can think of when I read your second point is Pennzoil and Jack Elden.....Car Owner loses his sponsor so the series can have it.

Thank you so much for the insight.... as a typical seeker of financial help I have always been irritated when I get told that such and such called one of my supporters asking how much and what would lowballoffer it take to go with them and such. It is really nice to know that many who provide such a service for us racers don't see it the same way when they get approached for more slices...when done ethically and professionally of course

Loose is when you hit the wall with the rear of the
car, tight is when you hit the wall with the front of
the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and
torque is how far you move the wall.

Your ending says it all...when done professionally and ethically.

We're more likely to discuss being approached by others when it's done under a not so professional guise...hence why you're being told such. In the end it hurts the reps of those who go the unprofessional route. 

That situation hadn't even entered my mind when Iasked that but now that you mention it that was probably the most high profile and well known example of it to ever hit our sport. Sadly the Elden team didn't last much longer after that, and niether did the title "Pennzoil" World of Outlaws. I always wondered if the experience soured the company on the sport or if it was true that they were a sister company to Quaker State and the execs thought they were over exposed (code for spending way too much) to a small demographic by doing both.

What many people don't see is how often and underhanded some of the attempts can be. Sit in the pits some night and watch the people instead of the races. when you see the driver of a well funded team head toward a restroom or concession stand with a long line watch how long it takes before another driver just happens to stop to chat with an owner. If a well funded car ends up in the B main take note of where the owner is watching from and how many guys in uniforms end up withing earshot of him to watch. Listen for comments like "I'm sure glad I locked in already" or "it will be a wonder if half the field doesn't get tore up outta this one"... theres more to that than coincidence and small talk.

And wouldn't you love to have a dollar for every time Todd Q gets an introduction, phonecall, text or email from a driver not currently in one of his seats....

Loose is when you hit the wall with the rear of the
car, tight is when you hit the wall with the front of
the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and
torque is how far you move the wall.

Apologies for the many typos... bandaids on 6 of my 10 fingertips are my excuse...

Loose is when you hit the wall with the rear of the
car, tight is when you hit the wall with the front of
the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and
torque is how far you move the wall.

What you describe is definitely the underbelly of the sport that's less than satiable to discuss so it's not typically brought up. 

From the sponsor side of things (what you're referencing is more on the car owner side of things) it's rare for another driver to meander over and have a discussion in the pits or during the race evening, at least in my experience. It has happened (and since we're pretty visible at the track and I'm active on a number of race nights at least a number of teams know what company I'm with) but that's definitely more on the owner side and definitely something done more at larger shows on during sanctioned races. 

It is encouraging to know that, at least in your area, the dealings with sponsorship partners are less shady than the typical driver-owner politics....

Personally I would like to see guys make a habit of thanking guys like you for their involvement. You would feel even better about what you do if 10-15 competitors came to you throught the season and  told you what a good guy your driver was and how much they appreciate your supporting him. And the longer you stay involved helping my competitors the less likely they are to need to go out and compete with me for outside funding help. Likewise, if I can demonstrate to a potential partner that several other companies see value in being involved it should help them see value in coming on board with me.

Again, thank you so much for your insight. Hope you have a safe and win filled 2017.

Loose is when you hit the wall with the rear of the
car, tight is when you hit the wall with the front of
the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and
torque is how far you move the wall.