Sponsorship - How do they pull it off?

[Adam43]

and your talent is matched only by your modesty.

[rcarr]

Originally Posted by AdamAshmore

and your talent is matched only by your modesty.

Yes. When it comes to life I am retiring but when it comes to driving/racing, I know I am good, there is no point thinking that your crap at it.

I am clean and never cheat! When I run with the very experienced guys, my lines are smooth but my driving style isn't! Think latter day Gerry Marshall without the money or opportunity!

[Adam43]

Being modest doesn't mean thinking you're crap at something.

Anyway it was only a little joke...

[Triple J Motorsport]

I am amazed they make a helmet big enough for your head...

It's one thing to know (or think) you're good but it's another to shout about it on here....

[Triple J Motorsport]

Originally Posted by amier

Thats the plan matey I want one!!

I dont seem to see many Tatuus for sale? Whens the best time end of the BARC FR season?

There was an 98 or 99 for sale a while ago here:-

http://www.racecarwarehouse.co.uk/frames.htm

[Bob Pearson]

Originally Posted by RayFF

There was an 98 or 99 for sale a while ago here:-

http://www.racecarwarehouse.co.uk/frames.htm

I thought you brought it

[rcarr]

Originally Posted by RayFF

It's one thing to know (or think) you're good but it's another to shout about it on here....

I am happy to be shown the way by someone, can we wait until my car is finished then we will carry this part of the conversation again!

As for my head, I'd look really silly with a small head and a massive body!

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by gcalvert

Best advice that can be given. Most people racing are doing it with their own money, or through commercial bsuiness association related to there own business ventures.

Give up racing early (unless you get into some development program that pays the bills..unlikely for most) get a great job (not just a good one), or better start your business empire. Invest in that soley for 10 years and then come back later to spend some of it on racing. Belive nothing else this is the best chance anyone has of enjoying motorsport on an ongoing basis. It wont get you a drive in F1, but it might allow you to drive an ex-F1 car. As another said above, take a large fortune and spend it.......

I think you're right on that one.

[Triple J Motorsport]

Originally Posted by Bob Pearson

I thought you brought it

No Bob I bought another one

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by rcarr

I have talent but I don't have the money! I take a car and wring it neck and stand it on its head to get an extra tenth here and there. I used to beat a car that had supposedly at least 60bhp+ more than my car and I regularly beat it! It was also being driven by someone the weight of my left leg!

Try losing a bit of wieght and you may get another few tenths. As for the money, Pull out your Platinum Amex card and hand it to the person who builds your cars.

[dwf1]

hey everyone I thought this might go under this. Im 19 years old and a student at uni but would really love to go racing. Im not too bad in a go-kart but I know alot of people who are better. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for how to raise the money and what series I should try and race in?

[rcarr]

Originally Posted by falcemob

Try losing a bit of wieght and you may get another few tenths. As for the money, Pull out your Platinum Amex card and hand it to the person who builds your cars.

I don't have a platinum amex card and I don't have people that build my cars, I am doing it all myself.

As for my weight, it is advantagous when you are an accomplished rugby player.

[Adam43]

Are you better at Rugby or Motor Racing?

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by dwf1

hey everyone I thought this might go under this. Im 19 years old and a student at uni but would really love to go racing. Im not too bad in a go-kart but I know alot of people who are better. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for how to raise the money and what series I should try and race in?

I don't think there is any right way to go about it. What I did was read up about other race car drivers and their history to see how they did it. As a now paid driver, the tips I could give you would be:

1. Decide what you want to do in regards to racing, i.e. rally, sports cars, open wheelers, etc. and stick to it. Jumping around disciplines wastes time and resources if you don't have a lot of either.
2. Learn as much as you can about the sport. Read, read, read.
3. Get involved with motor racing clubs. You might be amazed at the connections you might make.
4. Get a job and make lots of money.
5. IF you are not prepared to sacrifice everything forget it. Like Mr. Miyagi say, walk left side road safe, walk right side road safe, walk middle of road sooner or later squish like grape.
6. Don't give up. I'm still fighting and I've had more ups and downs then I could count. It's never ending.
7. People will rip you off and stab you in the back left and right. It is not a nice business. Before you pay for any ride or drive anything for that matter do your research. I will not drive garbage or poorly prepared cars. There is no point risking your career or life in a trash heap of a car. And believe me there is plenty of garbage out there.
8. Go to a good racing school with good instructors who will talk to you and you can learn from. Also go to a school more oriented towards actual racing rather than corporate drive days. You will also learn quickly what your skill level is. Sometimes when people actually see the reality of driving a race car, they then opt for doing it as a hobby or being involved elsewhere. Also the instructors opinions are just that. But be honest with yourself, do you have talent or not? If not so much, are you prepared to spend the time and money to improve?
9. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

The best book out there for newbies in regards to sponsorship is Guy Edwards "Sponsorship and the World of Motor Racing". It is 15 years old and out of print but it's the best I've seen.

When I signed my first contract, there was initial elation, but then I quickly realized I have a LONG way to go. The improvement never ends. If you are not prepared to give everything to it, then I would suggest it as a hobby.

[rcarr]

I am closer to playing for Scotland but racing brings less pain!

Or England or Wales!

[dwf1]

Originally Posted by mountainstar

I don't think there is any right way to go about it. What I did was read up about other race car drivers and their history to see how they did it. As a now paid driver, the tips I could give you would be:

1. Decide what you want to do in regards to racing, i.e. rally, sports cars, open wheelers, etc. and stick to it. Jumping around disciplines wastes time and resources if you don't have a lot of either.
2. Learn as much as you can about the sport. Read, read, read.
3. Get involved with motor racing clubs. You might be amazed at the connections you might make.
4. Get a job and make lots of money.
5. IF you are not prepared to sacrifice everything forget it. Like Mr. Miyagi say, walk left side road safe, walk right side road safe, walk middle of road sooner or later squish like grape.
6. Don't give up. I'm still fighting and I've had more ups and downs then I could count. It's never ending.
7. People will rip you off and stab you in the back left and right. It is not a nice business. Before you pay for any ride or drive anything for that matter do your research. I will not drive garbage or poorly prepared cars. There is no point risking your career or life in a trash heap of a car. And believe me there is plenty of garbage out there.
8. Go to a good racing school with good instructors who will talk to you and you can learn from. Also go to a school more oriented towards actual racing rather than corporate drive days. You will also learn quickly what your skill level is. Sometimes when people actually see the reality of driving a race car, they then opt for doing it as a hobby or being involved elsewhere. Also the instructors opinions are just that. But be honest with yourself, do you have talent or not? If not so much, are you prepared to spend the time and money to improve?
9. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

The best book out there for newbies in regards to sponsorship is Guy Edwards "Sponsorship and the World of Motor Racing". It is 15 years old and out of print but it's the best I've seen.

When I signed my first contract, there was initial elation, but then I quickly realized I have a LONG way to go. The improvement never ends. If you are not prepared to give everything to it, then I would suggest it as a hobby.

hey thanks for that! it does really help to get advice off someone whos been there/still is there. As a university student, I struggle for cash at the best of times so when you see the prices you have to pay, it basically scares people off....I know theres reasons behind the price but theres no-way I can raise the cash just throught working and its very hard to find sponsership (as me and my mates are finding out for our motorsport society at university). The other thing that basically scares me off is that im 19 already and havent been racing not even in karts so it can put doubts in your mind of if you can really hack it but I just the thrill of racing (even if it is some social at a kart track). Im willing to work hard on things like fitness and racecraft....the money is just the problem and finding something best to do. My aim would be down the single-seaters route.

[andy_b]

i work with quite a few teams and drivers on sponsorship proposals and liveries. What surprises me is that many (not all) junior level drivers dont see what they can offer a sponsor away from the racetrack.

Small things like having a local company (i.e: a hotel) branding on their car on display and the town fete, carnival etc, weekend open day (obviously not a race weekend), line drawings for kids to colour in of your racecar with sponsor logos in, that sort of thing. Doesnt really cost anything to the driver, but its a big win for a sponsor.

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by andy_b

i work with quite a few teams and drivers on sponsorship proposals and liveries. What surprises me is that many (not all) junior level drivers dont see what they can offer a sponsor away from the racetrack.

Small things like having a local company (i.e: a hotel) branding on their car on display and the town fete, carnival etc, weekend open day (obviously not a race weekend), line drawings for kids to colour in of your racecar with sponsor logos in, that sort of thing. Doesnt really cost anything to the driver, but its a big win for a sponsor.

Also, get a website or just a blog going. Add links to sponsors and keep a diary. You can show this to potential sponsors. Once you net a sponsor, things like this are a sure way to keep them on-board and feel part of a team.

[rcarr]

Andy, some people can't even get the foot in the door to potential sponsors! In Scotland you need to be in the public eye.

We have a 30 min slot on MotorsTV/ Channel 5, most of that is taken up by the Minis/Legends races. We don't have the national press involved so there is no coverage for the sponsors.

[midgetman]

>>>>>We don't have the national press involved so there is no coverage for the sponsors.

Then you have to come up with some creative ways to get coverage for your sponsor instead of whingeing about it. Getting my company name on minority TV is NOT a good return for my sponsorship anyway. Go away and think again or risk becoming one of the millions of cr*p proposals that are junked every day.

There are young drivers out there who have found sponsors, who are working hard with their sponsors and who are on the verge of finding new sponsors. They're living and breathing their job (earning money to go racing). What they're not doing is posting on web sites, whingeing and wailing that the world owes them the chance to go motor racing.

My favourite quote has been attributed to several people, it goes something along the lines of: "Some people say I'm lucky. Yup. The harder I work the luckier I get."

If you're looking for serious dosh for professional series, surely you're best to hook up with a professional money-finder. Or you go down the well-trodden route - Nigel Mansell sold his house, Niki Lauda sold his soul to his bank manager...

[rcarr]

The world owes me nothing! I am trying to work for my 2nd degree, make my self more employable, like several other 1000s of graduates, I can't find work in my chosen field! I will probably go into something else other than car design, I am more concerned about my own welfare than anything else, mental and physical welfare. I have been through alot in the past year, inches away from being killed, impending court case etc, so get off my back!

I am not moaning, my Dad has been trying for 24 years to get sponsorship but to no avail! He has had to spend his hard earned cash on his own car and sometimes my car.

I am not young, I realised at the age of about 14 that I was too tall, too broad, hips and shoulders and too heavy to become a professional racing driver. I live and breathe racing more than most people on this forum, cars especially racing cars are my life! Some of you will be working outwith the car industry but I am not happy doing that!

Accountants, doctors, what have yous, remember as Jim Clark said Motorsport is just a sport! I've seen Formula 1 teams, it is full of back stabbers etc I thought about it, yes I am qualified to do it but I don't want to do it.

Andy B is very lucky because he was snapped up by McLaren when he was young, he was given a chance, I haven't been, we did the same course at uni.

[andy_b]

Re your first response, what I'm saying is look for something creative and different to attrack sponsors and formulate a marketing plan before you approach anyone, so you stand out. Companies get approached all the time. Don't waste your time on mimimul TV coverage if your at the bottom rung of the ladder, better to focus on the local immediate community. Anyway, thats just my experience from helping out drivers over the last 10 or so years.

Originally Posted by rcarr

Andy B is very lucky because he was snapped up by McLaren when he was young, he was given a chance, I haven't been, we did the same course at uni.

Actually I wasn't I worked for a small company after University initally doing stupid designs and projects, but just kept knocking. My final year project was choosen deliberately for race and sportscar companies,,,so I suppose I formulated my own marketing plan .

Anyway, I thought this was to do with racing drivers. I didn't need sponsorship for my general employment

[rcarr]

*OFF TOPIC* Sorry!

OK Andy, you still got a job out of uni, maybe not the McLaren 1 1st off, but you were one of the lucky ones. About 10 guys from 75 graduates from my year got jobs, most of them went home to the oriental countries and got jobs there.

My parents don't like me being at home and I dont like being home either. I can't afford to see my fiancee.

I have sent work to hundreds of companies and all of them have rejected me, even the chief designer from Bugatti called me but...

I too did my final degree show car to be attractive to racing car companies but they all say do an engineering before working in the racing business. I tried doing an MSc and it backfire on me, I came from an artistic design background and all of my colleagues on the course were engineers.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by dwf1

hey thanks for that! it does really help to get advice off someone whos been there/still is there. As a university student, I struggle for cash at the best of times so when you see the prices you have to pay, it basically scares people off....I know theres reasons behind the price but theres no-way I can raise the cash just throught working and its very hard to find sponsership (as me and my mates are finding out for our motorsport society at university). The other thing that basically scares me off is that im 19 already and havent been racing not even in karts so it can put doubts in your mind of if you can really hack it but I just the thrill of racing (even if it is some social at a kart track). Im willing to work hard on things like fitness and racecraft....the money is just the problem and finding something best to do. My aim would be down the single-seaters route.

Well, I was in that exact same position in university. I had no money, no contacts, no experience. I was also working 25-30 hours a week. In college I did 2 things. One was a driver search competition of which I did very well, in the first bit, but didn't have enough for the second part. 2 years later I went to the UK and it was a failed trip because I didn't have any money to do anything. The lesson I learned was that I didn't have the resources to follow though if something did eventuate.

So I would say start saving. As a hypothetical if someone did offer you a free drive, would you be able to afford living expenses and have a job around that? Probably the first thing I would save for is a good racing school as I mentioned before. Go to racing school and see first if you really like it(as the reality of driving a race car fast is different from the fantasy) and second if you have any measurable talent. Second take a licence course and get your licence. Only after that would I think of the racing. Don't get too far ahead of yourself.

In regards to sponsorship, I do think it's good to start building a profile for yourself, but have something to sell before you try to sell it. In other words, once you do start driving, get some results, then sell yourself.

Pair your sponsor with the appropriate venue. I asked the owner of the company i worked for in college to sponsor me in karting in another state hundreds of miles away. I really had nothing of measurable value that would help his business. However if I had asked him for sponsorship for the local short track of which he was a fan I would have had a deal. And he did end up sponsoring a local car there and bought track signage as well. I failed to recognize the opportunity there by adjusting my proposal. Lesson learned.

A friend of mine started out on his own and had a tire company as a contingency sponsor that paid out free tires or some money if he did well. He started getting results and long story short, they are now his primary sponsor. They don't pay all the bills and he has to beg, borrow and sleep with older women for the rest and he is in debt to everyone, but he's out there in a national championship.

Probably the best advice for a 19 year old with no money or connections or experience is to work towards becoming a race instructor at some point. But that's another story.

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by rcarr

*OFF TOPIC* Sorry!

OK Andy, you still got a job out of uni, maybe not the McLaren 1 1st off, but you were one of the lucky ones. About 10 guys from 75 graduates from my year got jobs, most of them went home to the oriental countries and got jobs there.

It wasn't luck. It was ***** hard graft and a very small bit of talent.