Questions about sponsorship.

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pettybludart

pettybludart

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Does anybody racing have sponsors for their cars?I was approached yesterday by my engine builders(brothers)about sponsoring me.We really didn,t go into detail much cause I was kinda in a hurry.What I want to know is,what have some of your sponsors done for you?Wether it be your engine,car parts,paint,travel expenses.Was there any contracts involved?Any help would be appreaciated as I,m new to this and looking forward to any new free mods for my car.Thanks.:burnout:
 
Scott I always check your threads but I have no clue on this. Hoping to learn a little as well.
 
Sponsor? What could be the downside besides having to put their decal on the car? Especially the engine builder as they will be motivated to make the car run better.
 
I haven't had sponsors for racing but when I was doing car shows with my last vehicle I had approx 6-10 sponsors going all the time. The best thing I can tell you is to have them put whatever they are offering on paper. Don't get into a verbal he said, she said. It's not worth your time (you'd rather be racing).

Make sure they are going to supply the decals and have an agreement on the size of them. If they want to sticker the trailer or tow rig, make sure they pony up for that. Once you have one sponsor, others are sure to follow....trust me.

Lastly make sure it's benifical to them, make sure you plug them if you win, if the annoucer is describing the car (ie 66 Dart sponsors by Engine Brother's out of GTA). The more you push there business, they more they should provide back.

Scott if you need to know more, you know my email...

Riddler
 
I use to have a dodge dealership sponser my car. My deal was I put their name on my car and they sold me parts at there cost. At the time it was a great deal and a good experiance for me.The owner of the dodge dealership was a muscle car guy and really the deal cost him nothing.
 

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Some people will sponsor a car just because they're racing fans, and don't have a way to participate.

A body shop painted our car for just the cost of materials. We stripped the old paint, they did everything else. But every deal will be different. All we had to do was put their name on the car (they approved the graphics). I never understood that. They stood to gain little, as we raced all over the northeast, and a little down south. Even a local race was 50 miles away. Who's gonna use a body shop that ain't local to them? But, hey, I didn't complain.

Another was a local speed shop. He gave us half of our gas money for the hauler. We showed him receipts. We did run quite a few local races, so I can see him doing okay. He did it for other racers, too. (I don't know what their deals were.) Looks good to see his name on several cars. He used his business' logo on all the cars.

My partner approached the body shop. He had used them in his business.
He had the deal with the speed shop for several years, before I was involved.

But his philosophy was ask for whatever you want, see what develops. No contracts were written. He dealt with people he knew well, which I always thought was the way to go. We were always appreciative. Nobody had to give us anything. If the speed shop was slow, maybe he didn't pay. No problem.

Bottom line was, it was no big deal. We were just little guys, maybe it'll help you.
 
Always think "cross-promotion". Your builder may have suppliers, or contractors, who may also get involved. They can split their costs, and have more to spend on you.

Example- Joes Machining & Blows Pistons $500.00

or
Joes Machining $500.00

Joe can get Blow to pay half,or you can double your money.

Good luck Scott

(by the way, it would help if you were better looking too:D)

 
MtNemoMopar said:
Always think "cross-promotion". Your builder may have suppliers, or contractors, who may also get involved. They can split their costs, and have more to spend on you.

Example- Joes Machining & Blows Pistons $500.00

or
Joes Machining $500.00

Joe can get Blow to pay half,or you can double your money.

Good luck Scott

(by the way, it would help if you were better looking too:D)
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Thats just plain mean Wally....does Mary Kay sponsor???
 
I've had sponsors before and it's always been cash. Depends on the deal you make though but having obligations to run so many races and show up for special events just got to be a headache for me. So now I might be broke but there isn't any lettering or decals on my car that NHRA doesn't require me to have.
 
cuda20 said:
I use to have a dodge dealership sponser my car. My deal was I put their name on my car and they sold me parts at there cost. At the time it was a great deal and a good experiance for me.The owner of the dodge dealership was a muscle car guy and really the deal cost him nothing.
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That notch is oh so pretty! I am gonna paint my fish a similar colar but will put all the trim back on.
 
Glad I bumped this today,thank-you all for the feedback.I just don,t want to go into this thing blind,its nice to have atleast some kinda idea what others have done/gotten from bodyshops,machine shops and speed shops,The painter also wants some business from other racers,so might have his name on the trunklid..Paint by so and so..In reality,any help I can get with costs is all good in my books.Thanks again everybody.:D

P.S MtNemoMopar,I past the ladys boutique yesterday and they said you,ve missed 2 appointments for perms,best give em a call.:happy5:
 
These are my sponsors.

Pacific NW transmission.
Hubbard Oregon.
Mike built my transmissions and doe's all the rear end work for my 68 Dart race car and 67 Dart street car.
Also built my trans for the 74 Duster.
Also built a spare 727 trans brake trans spare for the race car.
Built 4 transmissions for free and up keep on the rear ends.
Car stays at his shop about 10 days a year for promotion.
Hats,shirts and jerseys for mike.

Caughlin Performance.
All the chassis on the 67 Dart.
Tin work,wing and tweaking the suspension at the track.
Roll bar in the 74 Duster.
Jim has built headers for the Super Stock boys.
His work is artfull.
He did this work for a sticker on my car

Davidson Napa.
Craig Jensen
Built the engine in the 67 Dart.
The 67 Dart is a true pump gas street car that has run 10.71 in the 1/4 mile.
Freshened up my 496 engine up in 2110
Changed the 496 engine to a roller cam engine in 2011
Total cost of roller cam swapped would be $4200
Again for a sticker,hats and shirts.

FAF inc.
Fuel card.


What these guys have in common is the love for racing.
I didn't go to any of these guys,but I do talk to everybody at the track and on the street.
When talking to them I don't talk to them as if I know everything.
Once you get people that want to invest in your car treat them as gold.
Always have time for them.
All my sponsors have become friends,you know the kind that call you at 3 in the morning for help.
I've offered all of them to take my car down the strip,even offered Mike the race car to get his licence.

I only made it to the strip once this year.
I was talking to them this last month and all they wanted to know was what they needed to do to get ready for next year.
Bring them in as part of the family.

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I don't know if this is any help.
I kinda fell into the sponsors.
But I had to do the work to keep them.
 
On my dirt track car a BBQ restaurant would pay me weekly as I raced, On race day I would show up with my car on the trailer or the day before witch ever was best and they cut me a check $100.00 each race night at our local track.
I would make sure they had at least one trophy and a picture to put in there lobby and on special event's they would send a banner with enough BBQ and fixin's for at least 25people.
All verbal and if they was not happy they would drop a car because the lack of racing each week. Buttler eng builders did all my machine work for free and so on Scott.
I had many great sponsors that made it easy for me and my sons to enjoy racing on the dirt.
The main thing I think is take care of your sponsors at the track and in your daily life buy doing good P.R. work, it's the little things that count that worked for me, Stop by the engine builders and bring a couple pizza'a and before you know it you will have a Pizza co. sponsoring you.
 
Thanks for the added advise Womanator and MeMike.All I can do is wait and see what the new year brings.Things seem to finally be taking a turn for the better lately.Wish me luck,cause we all know I,m gonna need it.:D
 
As said before make sure the track is saying who your sponsors are.
 
I happen to sponsor several cars thru my shop, from weekly bracket racers to a Pro Top Outlaw dragster. Everyone has a different " sponsorship" based on several things such as:

1) What are they going to do for ME? In your first post you mentioned your looking forward to getting " free stuff". That would totally turn me off as a sponsor. Sponsorship isnt about giving away free stuff because you have nothing else to spend your money on. Its about return on investment. Running a business ( especially engine/speedshops) takes a tremendous effort, lots of sacrifice, and very very hard earned rewad. If I wanted to lose money, I'd just go out back and burn a stack of 100's. The sponsor wants to know what YOU are going to do for HIM! You are chosen because of your driving ability, maybe you have a really nice car, your successful and so forth.

2) Is the potential sponsored team PROFESSIONAL ? This is as important as anything to me. I dont want some fly by night wildman out there acting like a lunatic from a bad episode of Dukes of Hazard. To be a professional, you need to act like a professional. This includes your portfolio to the sponsor. Show him your clean car, your clean trailer, under the hood, your tow rig, your accomplisments. Thats professional.

3) What are you willing to do OUTSIDE of the racetrack for your sponsor? Will you trailer your car to car shows, cruise nights etc. Maybe a visit to the local high school. Can you do this? Are you willing to do more than slap a sticker on your car? This is what shows the sponsor you appreciate him/her beyond the free stuff.

4) What size decal, and where are you willing to locate it on your car/trailer. again, your sponsor is quite simply looking for visibility. However that comes, Truck, trailer, golf cart, announcements, flyers , WHATEVER is positive for him. Again, he could have 25 people that want sponsorship, why should he choose you?

I could go on and on, but this should give you some ideas.

As far as what gets sponsored, a small deal would be parts at cost, maybe discounted or free shop services. Maybe fuel for travel, money for lodging, tires for car, oil changes and so forth. That all needs to be worked out in advance. If your like some of my guys, you race 300+ runs a year, and I'm willing to offer a little more as a sponsor for those committed guys. I also have something as simple as one oil change ( Brad Penn) per year. I have a girl that displays my decals just for that, and the reason I do it? Girl appeal. yes, there are more and more girls racing, and I want an approachable pleasant woman to talk to the other ladies that race, so they know they can use my services, or at least feel comfortable that there is a shop that isnt afraid to help a woman out. Its really a bigger issue than you may think.

A more serious effort may be free yearly engine service, where I do all the engine serivce for the year. This would be a high dollar serious effort, and I expect more from this team in reference to THEM advertising ME, and so forth.

What often happens is customers EXPECT a sponsorship because they spend money with you. What they forget is I porvided a service for them , at a reasonable and fair rate, and also supoport them throughout their race season. If they are willing to do more for me, as a business, and help promote and build it, then it means a lot more. Not everyone, ( almost 90% or better) are NOT prepared to have a sponsorship. They dont want to commit to things above and beyond their own agendas.

Hope this helps a bit, but make sure you look at the whole picture, and especially understand the sponsors side, as he is the one with all the investment, and most to lose. Whatever you do, dont ever make him think your just looking for free stuff. Thats is the kiss of death. Make him think you want to EARN sponsorship. Good luck to you.
 
Thanks CWE for a more detailed responce about "Sponsorship"

My engine builders know how much I race,travel and mingle with groups.Yes I have an enclosed trailer and my own truck.(just to get that out of the way)

About the "free stuff" what I meant was,after spending thousands of $$$ on my car build,it sure would be nice to get some.."free stuff":D

I already belong to a Nostalgia group of racers(ONDR)and do some travelling to events,but am considering joining a bigger group also(OSCA)Ontraio Street Car Association.I,ve done all the work to my car myself,except the machining,assembleing of the stroker engine and the tranny rebuild.I have a fair bit of money invested in this hobby and am hopeing for more than just oil changes or parts at cost.Am I asking too much?

My car is only a simple build running a 408 with 10.5 to 1 pump gas engine running mid to high 10,s.With some simple mods(better heads,cam,intake)can be in the 9,s pretty easy.Is it worth it to me to take the extra step into NHRA rules?(Chassis cert.,licencing,mods to car,cost $$)extra fees for joining clubs all to promote the company for some small add-ons?
I,m looking for more,like machining,parts(add-ons)cost of joining clubs,NHRA fees and maybe some help with fuel costs.Am I asking too much here?I,ll have to speak with them more to see exactly what they,re expecting from me and I,ll take it from there.Thanks for input.:D
 
pettybludart said:
P.S MtNemoMopar,I past the ladys boutique yesterday and they said you,ve missed 2 appointments for perms,best give em a call.:happy5:
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LOL, maybe they will sponsor you.

I have heard of getting radio stations to give you...say..20 minutes of free commercial time in exchange for a spot on your car. Then you offer that time to other potential sponsors as incentive to hand you parts or money. You can even get the track promoter, and the radio station together for equally advantageous promotions.
 
I ran a MX team for 5 years and we dealt with both US and Canadian sponsors. I think there are 3 types of sponsors... or at least we dealt with three types and I cannot see how car vs bikes would be different. We rec'ed either cash, free bits or a discount on bits. We made sure everything was in writing and we only put sponsorship decals on our bike. We made sure everyone knew our decal policy, we spoke very highly of our sponsors especially when we were on the podium and we also provided all our sponsors with a newsletter describing the day, some events that happened and photographs. We also acted professionally and with sportsmanship in mind. I have seen too many sponsors walk away from an up and coming star because the rider was an idiot. At end of season we handed out board backed photos that they could hang on their wall. We quickly learned that some companies were not a match with us. In our first year, we were loaned a camper so it doesn't have to be just drag bits.

We made some very good friends and it felt good that people stood behing your racer.

Ian :)
 
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