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

Thank you so much to those that have donated.  I am so happy that this is starting to finally work out.  Thank you also for the advise.-Tyson

Get some local phone books from that area, Knoxville, Pella, Chariton, Indianola...look at the yellow pages for business that may benefit from advertising at your event. Think about the age groups and interests of the fans and possible businesses that may attract them.

In that area there are some farm and construction equipment manufactures, food store chains, Network and computer companies.

Look at newer businesses that don't know about your sport that would benefit by getting the word out. Try some local advertising or marketing agencys they may know someone, or find it a unique opportunities for clients.

Before you go and discuss with businesses, know what you need and want and explain the benefits and value for the businesses. They will be impressed you know what you are talking about and more likely to give it a try.

Good Luck.

Thank you for the pointers.  Yesterday I called many businesses from my area and had some luck but nothing definite.  I have a meeting with a business in Knoxville on Saturday and I have made up an informational packet to hand out.  It's hard to go place to place since I live in a small town and can't drive.  

Yo Arbo', maybe I can meet the young fella at your place during the Nationals, I think I may even have some old Brownie pics (enlargements) left over to give him, will look!  I know I can give him some other stuff he may want to use for a raffle etc., the Kinser stuff alone would be important with him nearing the end.  Look forward to meeting young T, heck I remember Brownie when he was about that age hanging around my booth at Knoxville.....

Thank you Sir, Look forward to meeting you all.  This is so cool that I get to do this and meet all of you. 

Good look with the racing, I hope you do well.

Stupid comments like the ones that took over this post are the reason that I don't come to this forum much anymore. Everyone wants to be a keyboard cowboy and put down others.

If there were no young people aspiring to start racing then there would be no sport in 20 years. Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Larson, many others started out in karts or qtr midgets.

Hang in there, vande will be one of only many idiots that try to kick you down on your way up.

Peace

We should give this kid some credit for going out and doing the things he can for a sport and a passion he loves. if i wasnt in the same boat trying to find funding and run my own sprint car opperation, i would fund this kids whole deal. Alot of young kids ( not all but a lot) rely soley on their parents for the funding. This young man deserves a lot of respect for being outgoing and getting invoved and trying to make a dream come true. I know in my own experience from cold calling companies, youll here 100 "no's" before you hear a "yes" its a full time job in itself. Good luck my friend, i am a fan of yours now.

Thank you!  My parents told me if I wanted to do this I had to do the work not just drive the car.  Getting told no really sucks and sometimes I want to quit calling but my mom said to keep at it and I will get a yes sometime.  Seeing people that think I can do this helps too.

We will make it work on this end, Mike.  We will have him and his family over when you stop in to pay me for the bet on the Stanley Cup Finals!!  lol. lol

My wife told me if I went to one more Sprint Car race 
she would leave me.................I'm sure gonna miss 
that ol' gal. 

zach,

I wasn't trying to kick him down, just offering some advice to help him along.  I want him to succeed, however I also know you have to be prepared to succeed (you have to have answers to questions that a potential sponsor might ask), I just threw them out there in my post which may have been a mistake as everyone on this board automatically looks at everything as negative.

From someone that has younger siblings that race, I know it is hard to find sponsors willing to spend $$$ (even small amounts), so having a plan prior to meeting anyone is a must in today's world and those small businesses are more willing to spend $$$ when they see something tangible in front of them to review.  The reality is that the # of "this doesn't work for us right now" will outnumber the amounts of "yep, let's do something together".  The more prepared you are, the odds of the latter happening.

I think this young man will do well as his parents are there to help him, yet aren't the ones doing the work or being "helicoptor parents" and are allowing him the freedom to chase sponsorship, as opposed to them lining up everything for him.  As a racer, that will serve him well IMO as he will have more respect for his and others equipment (as he's probably going to be doing a majority of the work on the car) and his sponsors (he'll know how hard it is to obtain them and retain them).

I think we look at your posts, all of them. Each and everyone one of them has to do with you telling everybody how you know the right and correct thing to do or say to fix everything. If you really wanted to help, then you could have asked for contact info and spoken with Tyson personally. But instead you decided you know more than everybody and proceeded to post it and continue to try to point that out. Move on.

Tyson - 

Keep your chin up and keep at it. This is will be a learning process, and there will always be someone telling you to go about things in a different manner, be it in your chase for sponsors, car set-ups or chasing girls. There really is no wrong way and your "art form" (as I call it) will be refined as you gain experience. Best of luck in all your endeavors.

Tyson-Don't be afraid to go to a local McDonalds chain around the track or your area. I used to work at a Hockey Rink for a few years and whenever we would have an event chains like that would always give us a few bucks because they 1)like to support local sports and individuals and 2)it gives them another golden arch for people to see. Also, Pizza chains are very big. The other thing usually works is a local body shop/Mechanic shop in your area or the area of the tracks that way it gives them more direct advertising. I help out with a lot of specialized events with youth sports and I find the motto of not putting all of your eggs in 1basket helps. If you find a lot of local/franchise business to spread it out, it works a lot easier.

Thank you for the tip Nick14.  I am camping in Knoxville this weekend so I will go to some places like that.   We thought maybe big places like McDonalds wouldn't work.  I will give it a shot.

Good  luck  in your  endeavors   to gain  sponsors  , I give   you much credit   for   all  your efforts  to support  your  racing  team  .  People   tend to be   not nice  on this   message  board  , but then others  are  really great people  as most  fans  are .

I was fortunate enough to meet Tyson Friday night at English Creek Speedway and as we talk about racing you could see the excitement in his eyes.

I admire these kids that are willing to put themselves out there to try and fulfill their dreams.  I do believe young men like Tyson are the future business men and leaders of our country. There are so many life lessons to be learned thru motor sports at any level. When you think about our sport the highs are highest of highs and the lows are the lowest of lows it is just a emotional roller coaster.

English Creek Speedway races Outlaw Dirt Karts. They not your normal kart, for more information visit www.englishcreekspeedway.com .

I would say that on any given Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway 8-11 drivers come thru ECS.

Some of the talent that has raced ECS during the Outlaw Dirt Kart Nationals (Aug. 4 & 5, 2014) is people like Kyle Larson who was a main event winner for three years. Who knows Tyson may be the Kyle Larson.

I wish Tyson nothing but the best and look forward to watching him race at ECS.

Dream big Tyson!   You never know who reads Hoseheads. 

This is the type of learning experience that will go along ways in life period for any kid, not just in racing but in life in general. So many parents just pave the way for their kids now days and don't realize the kid didn't learn anything along the way but then can't figure out why they can't navigate life on their own once they turn 18. IMO this is why there are so many 30 year olds still living in their parents house still.

Good for you guys in letting your young guy learn the skill of selling your skills and yourself to others and real quick people will be saying thats quite the kid you got there, in anything he does.

http://gph.is/XMLGff

Construction Companies, Wrecker Services, Salvage Companies, Trucking Companies seem to be a lot of the Sponsors in my neck of the Woods which is Late Model Country! One of our locals Brian Birkhofer has a sponsor who simply foots the bill on all of his fuel costs for his transporter which is huge. Best of luck...  

Vande im not nessessarly trying to start a beef with you, but part of your post irritates me a bit, now, like I said, im not trying to start anything , but,  hear me out here,  many people proubly dont understand the expence in racing,  Its not like stick and ball sports, a kid just cant show up with his glove or skates and start getting in the game, its way more specific than that, alot more dedication, work ethic, and focus, If the kid is looking for sponsorship that proubly means his funding is in jepordy anyhow. spare cars,engines ,parts,fuel, ect he wouldnt be asking for funding if all thos items were at his disposal, its kinda a rich get richer type deal then? soo,  if a kid off the street likes to race, we cant boost his prospect for his future in racing because he is on a budget?, I understand your intrest for return on your sponsorship.but, these are kids, hes on the verge (age wise)of becoming a competitive racer or just another car in attendance, either way is fine for his personal goals, to race is expensive, to race competitively is really really expensive. cut the kid some slack. sponsorship seeking is a tuff game. rule #1 you proubly have to find your sponsors from people mildly intrested in the sport in the first place, family and friends are great to have aboard, its warming to have a core of people following you. staying on a personal level with large sponsors is difficult ..  Good Luck on your Pursuit. Learn and  Have Fun!

Yes, they are kids (most of them anyway that are running the division he is looking at).

Do I think he has dedication? yes. 

However, businesspeople aren't in the business of handing out $$$ just because you are a kid (you can't look at it just from one perspective, you have to look at it from both sides).  They still expect to see certain things.  Doesn't matter if it's a mom & pop operation or a huge corporation, they have to justify the expense (even $100) as profit margins (especially for mom & pop operations are very slim, that's why most don't stay in business very long anymore.

Even most of the cars @ English Creek that have some type of sponsorship are sponsored by FAMILY members that own a business, not by complete strangers.  Do I think he'll get some takers?  I hope so, but my only thought was about helping him and get his wheels turning in his head before he met with a potential sponsor.

If you were the one out there pedaling for sponsorship would you rathter read those questions in response to a post on a message board or be un-prepared for them when you meet someone face to face asking them to sponsor you?

I'd rather be prepared.