mcracecars

Lots of good info here...
Most racers have trouble asking for money from a company, and a company will ask "why should I give YOU anything". The racer now must start to think like a business man and not as a racer anymore.. YOu need to sell yourself to them, what is in it for them, what is the advantage for them. Really you are selling advertising space to them.
But as said, a lot depends on where and how you race, the big boys deal with large corporations and that is a whole different world to deal with.
If you are just a local guy and go to a few out of state races a year, and just need a few bucks to help with expenses, then it is easier, you can talk to the guy in the company direct most of the time that can make the decision.
You still need to approch them in a business like fashion. If you get some money, you need to promote their business, actually go to a lot of races, and you need to win some rounds. IF they do not see a return on their invesment they will drop you the next year.
When you watch races on tv, when the big racer wins, they always give the names of the major sponsors.
With most racers these days using enclosed trailers, they become a rolling billboard going down the road, and in my opinion, is a cheap way to advertise, givin what the advertising rates are in magazines these days.
But with so many asking for money, you need to convince them why they sould give you any. It is almost like going for a job interview, you must be prepared to sell yourself.

bjuice

Good to you see you Jimmy and Eric i hope you hang around a while at RJ . We need more people like you around here to ad to our growing family 'so to speak"..

brian mcswain

jimmybiggs

I'll stay till ya ban me :P

sledgehammer

:roll: Trust me he is good at that!!!! LOL


Hey Jimmy I left my phone in the truck...I will call you in a little bit.

mikeaton

as bjuice knows our main sponsor goes with us every race we go to and is welcomed by all! the trick is to sell yourself yes that is true but also when you speak to a potential sponsor never promise a win or a winning season thats just wrong!everyone has a different way of finding a sponsor we just kept asking and grinding out the proposals with all of our winnings. events we were attending, scheduled events,clippings from newspapers etc... all which are very helpfull when going to ask for their support. a advertising agent once told me several years ago. a uninvited proposal asking for money is just like junk mail,it usually ends up in the trash can.most of us who have sponsors are very lucky indeed! and we are very protective of them. once a month i take mine out to eat and every week we speak at least 3 times. i involve them in all buisness dealings that are tied to the car and the races so they know whats going on. sometimes i think the getting of the sponsor is the easy part the hard part is keeping them and keeping them happy! just my 2 cents worth mike

truk

i race at kil-kare in ohio also go once a month to pitts. pa mainly at these tracks, i have one great sponser now that pays for fuel for tow truck, they have the doors and are on my trailer i also wear one of there company shirts while i race. i give them a monthly news letter and take the truck to local car shows for them. they come out to the track alot and we cook out with them. i try to do as much as i can for them. i just have to others looking at coming on ,1 is a two man company very small they hinted at a straight 300.00 plus they pay for lettering the other is a med. sized towing buss. not real sure with them money wise what to ask ?

trayandcarm

I have been indirectly involved with business sponsorships regarding racing and I will say the first impression makes all the difference. Make sure the race car, truck, and trailer are kept absolutely squeaky clean along with your crew. Remember that you will be the face of their company and little details like a neat appearance and clear speaking can make a difference. There is also alot of software out there to help you with presentations and plans to help gain substantial sponsorship. The software may be a little more than your looking for but it can offer some great tips that can make the difference between you and your competitors. Start on the low side to get them involved and if they see returns on their sponsorship then ask them for more money or parts. I would suggest asking for parts as they own a towing repair business and most likely can get them at cost.

zipper06

I've been watching this thread, and i'm not sure, but i will probably meet with some disapprovel in my thinking, but it it only my opinion.
I've been racing longer than a lot of you guys have been alive, over 50 yrs. In all that time no one has ever given me anything, every part on my car/cars i had to pay for. Unless you run a professional cattagory, theres almost no contigency money paid to win. Sure if you run regional and Nat'l events in the sportsman class axle people give you 100.00 cams might give you 100.00 to win. But they didn't give me anything when i paid $600.00 for axles and related parts to put in the car. So i donot even run stickers on any car i run, even at a Nat'l event. (see pic below) I have friends that does grafics, i buy him a 12 pack and let him sign the grafics. The only people that have ever helped me on prices are BTE, Bullit, and PTC, for them i put a sticker on my trailer door. i have a friend Jimmy Smith who has 100's of stickers on his car, they don't make his car run faster, in fact i've never seen a sticker make a car run faster. I get the biggest kick out of 10 yrs. old kids walking thru the pits, looking at all the cars and stickers on the cars. They say MAN, look how fast that cars is just look at all those stickers. What a joke we give all the manufacturers bocoo's advertisment and get nothing in return. If i'm in Miss. i can drive 1 hr. and run 4 different tracks, and not a one of them pay contigency money for parts you may be running. In louisanna, i can drive 1 1/2 hrs. and run 3 NHRA tracks, and not one pays contigency money unless it's a regional or nat'l event, and then if you run sportsman class and win you might get $500.00. I will not cover up my paint for that amount of money.
To me a sponser is someone who sets up a bank account, give you a check book (with limits) that you use to run your car in major events, and makes you accountable for what you spend.
If you think i'm just blowning smoke take a look at the photo, AZ. Nationals, not one sticker.

Just my 2 cents,

Zipper

double click for enlarge

mikeaton

well zipper i agree with you on some accounts with the exception of racing junks sticker that i proudly display on the back of my funny car every sticker ive got on my car some one has paid me something! im like you why should i advertise for someone who doesnt give me money? hell i can buy all the oil,plugs.gaskets etc... they can give me those items but i want cash attached to them! im one of the lucky ones i have a sponsor well several and i keep them all happy sometimes its very hard at 1 am putting the final touches on a rear end or a engine swap but thats what they pay me for! if i have no sponsors i dont race simple as that! im a poor working stiff who owns over 100,000 dollars worth of race cars trucks trailers and spare equipment that ive paid for my self and if i want to go racing i can but if i can race on some one elses dime well thats even better, so far i have. like i said im one of the lucky ones who does have a sponsor who pays us and pays well for us to go racing and he goes with us and i run his company name on our t-shirts.funny car,dragster, truck and trailer! but im like you they can give me all the parts they want but if there isnt any dead presidents with them no stickers allowed! mike in new mexico

zipper06

Hey, Mike
I can see where you are comming from, i too have lots of money tied up in parts and cars.
I'll probably never have a paying sponser because i don't race all the time, and it would be an injustice to a sponser. Even worse than being a working stiff, is being semi-retired on a fixed income which i am. I could be racing at 3 different events this weekend that are paying good money, but instead i'm getting ready to go cut my grass which has not been cut in 3 weeks since i was away working.
My malibu is ready to run, just charge the batteries and pour in the alcohol.


Zip.