Knowing What You Have to Offer
Meet Riley
Riley is a young racer who can’t wait for another season.
Mom has her role. Dad has his. Riley’s only role is to race—for now.
Team Riley — A Racing Family’s Dilemma
It’s early Saturday morning. Dad is already in the garage, giving Riley’s kart one last check before loading up.
Riley is ready to go.
Mom walks into the garage and sees Dad staring at the kart.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” Dad says. “I’m just wondering how long we can afford to keep doing this at this level.”
Riley hears him but doesn’t say anything.
At Dad’s Work
Monday morning, Dad is at work talking with two coworkers, Bob and Sally.
Bob says, “You need a sponsor. If Riley starts winning, somebody will want to put their name on that kart.”
Sally adds, “Unless Riley has a million followers on TikTok. Then you can probably get anybody to sponsor you.”
Bob continues, “You need a professional resume and a proposal. Put together something really good and send it to a bunch of companies.”
Sally nods. “And keep sending it until somebody bites. Once that check clears, you’ve done your job.”
Dad smiles.
“That would be nice.”
.
So, What Did We Just Hear?
Let’s stop for a minute.
Do you have to win all the time?
Do you have to be famous?
Do you need a professional proposal before you can even talk to a potential sponsor?
Does sending a proposal to everybody work?
And once the check clears, is the work over?
We’re going to spend the rest of this guide looking at those questions.
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Myth #1 — No Winning Equals No Sponsors
Winning helps.
There’s no question about that.
But winning is not a requirement for sponsorship.
Remember the Underdog story from Guide 1. Remember the four-year-old racer who hadn’t even raced yet.
A sponsor isn’t necessarily buying race wins.
They may be looking for something else their business needs.
Your value isn’t automatically determined by where you finish.
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Myth #2 — It Pays to Be Famous
Being famous gets attention.
But attention and value are not the same thing.
You don’t need a million followers to have something to offer.
You can tell a story.
You can help a sponsor reach customers.
You can bring people together.
You can represent a business.
You can create opportunities for a sponsor.
And you can do those things without being famous.
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Myth #3 — You Need a Professional Proposal
A good proposal can be important later.
But you don’t need a professional proposal just to start talking to a potential sponsor.
Sometimes a face-to-face conversation and a good relationship are worth more than a fancy proposal.
A nice proposal won’t fix a bad relationship.
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Myth #4 — Ask Enough and You’ll Find a Sponsor
Persistence matters.
But persistence isn’t simply asking everybody you can think of.
Sending the same proposal to 100 businesses doesn’t make the proposal better.
Good persistence means following up.
It means having a reason to stay connected.
It means building relationships.
It means creating value.
And it means giving a business a reason to want to work with you.
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Myth #5 — Once the Check Clears, the Work Is Done
No.
That’s when the work starts.
Even if a sponsor says, “Just put our logo on the car,” you still have a responsibility to represent them.
Talk about them.
Post about them.
Promote them.
Use their products appropriately.
Tell people who they are.
Your job doesn’t end when you receive the check.
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HOT LAPS
1. True or False: You need to be a winning driver to get sponsorship.
2. Which matters more to a potential sponsor?
A. Stickers
B. Value
C. A fancy proposal
3. True or False: Your work ends when the sponsor’s check clears.
ask
There’s lots of opinions about sponsorship. How will I know what’s true?
learn
Question what you hear.
Sponsorship advice can vary. Some advice is useful. Some is outdated. Some is simply wrong.
Don’t just learn what someone says works.
Learn why it works.
build
Write down two or three things you’ve heard about sponsorship.
Then label each one:
Myth
or
True
If you’re not sure, put a question mark beside it.
We’ll keep working through these questions as we go.
Team Riley — Time for a Team Meeting
Dad kept thinking about what he had heard from his coworkers.
He wasn’t sure how much of it was true, but he was sure of two things:
The family needed some financial help.
And this family team does ALL of the racing business as a team.
It was time for a team meeting.
Riley, Mom, and Dad sat down at the kitchen table.
Dad said, “I’m really proud of how far you’ve come, Riley. But this division is costing us more than the class you were in before.”
Dad laid out three choices:
– Run at the back of the pack.
– Move back to the previous division.
– Find a sponsor to help relieve some of the costs.
Riley said, “Let’s just get a sponsor.”
Dad smiled.
“Okay, kiddo, but companies don’t just hand racers money. We need a plan.”
Mom spoke up.
“At work, charities ask for sponsorship all the time. That’s kind of like what we’re doing.”
Mom worked for a company that couldn’t sponsor Riley’s team, but she could ask HR what they look for when considering sponsorship requests.
Riley asked, “What can I do to help?”
Dad said, “For now, I’ll keep the mechanical stuff up to par. Mom will research what we can offer companies, and you can help us both.
“Clean up the garage every morning before school, and get with Mom after school to put together a plan.”
A few days later, Riley and Mom were talking.
Riley asked, “Did you find out anything at work?”
Mom said, “I did. They told me that small, local charities can appeal to them because they serve the same size community that their customers are already in. They like that small, personal connection.”
Riley thought about that for a moment.
“So maybe being small isn’t such a bad thing?”
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You’re the Perfect Sized Team
You don’t have to be a NASCAR team.
You don’t have to be an IndyCar team.
You don’t need millions of people watching you on television.
You don’t need a huge social media following.
You may be exactly the right size.
Think about a local business like ABC Plumbing.
They don’t need customers from Maine to California.
They need customers in the communities they serve.
Your grassroots racing team may be part of those same communities.
The people at your local track may be your neighbors, friends, customers, coworkers, and families you see every week.
They know you.
They know your family.
They see your car.
They see what you do.
That creates a different kind of value than a professional team offers.
A big professional team may reach millions of people.
Your team may reach a few hundred people who actually know you and live in the communities a local business serves.
For some businesses, that can be very valuable.
How Big Is Your Market?
Don’t guess.
Ask your promoter.
– How far do people travel to your track?
– Where do they come from?
– What communities are represented?
– What businesses serve those communities?
Then look for businesses and organizations that serve the same people.
Don’t say:
“We’re just a small team.”
Instead, say:
“We’re part of this community, and here’s what we can do for it.”
You don’t need to become a bigger operation.
You need to understand the market you’re already part of and find businesses that fit it.
HOT LAPS
1. True or False: A grassroots team needs a huge audience to be valuable to a sponsor.
2. What can be a grassroots team’s advantage?
A. More television coverage
B. A bigger budget
C. A closer connection to the community
3. True or False: You can determine your market size just by guessing how far you think your fans travel.
ask
Is my local market too small to sponsor me?
learn
Your market doesn’t have to be huge.
But you do need to understand it.
Know:
– Who comes to your track.
– Where they come from.
– What communities they represent.
– What businesses serve those communities.
build
Ask your promoter about your track’s market.
Write down:
– The communities represented.
– Where your fans come from.
– Businesses and organizations that serve those communities.
Start seeing your team as part of a market—not just a race team.
Now you know you’re not too small to be of value to a sponsor.
It’s time to build your Team Resource List.
But before you can figure out what you can offer a sponsor, you need to know what you have.
This is not a list of things you are promising a sponsor.
It is not a sponsorship menu.
It is simply a way to discover what your team has available.
We’re going to look at three areas:
Equipment.
People.
Connections.
Equipment
Start by listing everything your team has.
Don’t worry about how you’re going to use it yet.
Don’t leave something off because it doesn’t seem important.
That old enclosed trailer? Put it on the list.
The race car? Obviously.
Tools, pit equipment, uniforms, canopies, generators, radios—whatever your team has.
You may be surprised at what you already have.
Equipment can also tell a potential sponsor something about your commitment to your racing program.
People
Now list the people on your team.
What do they do?
Start with their official team job.
Then think about their other skills.
Maybe someone is good at photography.
Maybe someone knows how to build things.
Maybe someone is great with kids.
Maybe someone can cook for a team event.
Maybe someone knows graphic design.
Your crew chief may also be the person who can help with a school visit.
Crazy?
Maybe.
But things like that happen.
The point is to discover what your people can do—not just what their job title says.
Connections
Then there are the things that don’t fit neatly into the first two categories.
These are your connections.
Maybe someone on your team knows a billboard company.
Maybe someone knows a trucking company.
Maybe someone knows the manager of a grocery store.
Maybe the track photographer gives your team photos in exchange for a byline.
Maybe a fast-food district manager can provide food for a team event.
These are resources too.
You just have to know they’re there.
HOT LAPS
1. True or False: Your Team Resource List is a list of promises you’re making to sponsors.
2. What’s the purpose of the Team Resource List?
A. Put a price on everything
B. Create a sponsorship menu
C. Discover your team’s resources
D. Track your racing money
3. True or False: You should list people’s skills even if you don’t need them right now.
ask
Can’t I just ask people or find things when I need them?
learn
You can.
But knowing what you have beforehand saves time and can uncover opportunities you might otherwise miss.
Think about:
– Equipment
– People
– Skills
– Connections
Know who and what can help your team.
build
Start your Team Resource List.
Create four sections:
Equipment
People
Skills
Connections
Don’t worry about what you’ll offer a sponsor yet.
For now, just find out what you have.
Team Riley — Copying Here Is Not Cheating
Mom said, “You know, Riley, HR gave me another tip the other day.”
Riley asked, “What?”
Mom said, “It’s okay for small charities to copy the bigger ones as long as they shrink it to their size.”
Riley asked, “What do you mean?”
Mom said, “We can do some of the same things NASCAR teams do as long as we do it on a smaller scale.”
And that got Mom and Riley thinking.
So, what exactly do the big teams offer their sponsors?
Here are some of the things you’ll see professional teams offering:
These are just to get you thinking of ideas you can copy at your level, All of these are not required to build a local sponsorship offering.
– Sponsor logo/name on the car
– Logo/name on the driver’s uniform
– Use of pictures
– Driver appearances
– Autographs
– Meet-and-greets
– Tickets
– Special track access
– Hospitality
– Social media posts
– Photos and videos
– Giveaways
– Contests
– Promotion of sponsor products
– Bring the car to events
– Fan interaction with the car/driver
– Community appearances
– Entertain sponsor customers
– Promote a special event or promotion
Now go through the list.
For now, just think about the things your team could do at your level.
You may not be able to do them exactly like a big professional team.
That’s okay.
Let’s Talk About Some of These
SPONSOR LOGO/NAME ON CAR – This is probably the first thing most racers think about.
But don’t stop there.
SPONSOR LOGO/NAME ON THE DRIVER’S FIRE SUIT/TEAM UNIFORMS – Your driver wears that uniform at the track, at appearances, and sometimes away from the track. (DO NOT SEW PATCHES ON A FIRE SUIT BEFORE CONSULTING THE MANUFACTURE)
DRIVER APPEARANCES – Could your driver visit a sponsor’s business?
Maybe.
It doesn’t have to be a huge event.
AUTOGRAPHS – Your driver may be able to sign photos, posters, cards, or other items for a sponsor’s customers.
MEET-AND-GREETS – Give people a chance to meet the driver.
That could happen at the track, at a sponsor’s business, or at a community event.
TICKETS – Professional teams can offer large numbers of tickets to sponsors.
You may be able to offer a few.
Just remember that tickets may have a cost, so think about that before promising them.
HOSPITALITY – You don’t need a million-dollar motorhome to provide hospitality.
Maybe it’s a cooler, some chairs, and a place for a sponsor to spend time with your team.
Think about what you can realistically do.
SOCIAL MEDIA – You can help tell people about your sponsor online.
You don’t need millions of followers.
You need to use the audience you have.
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS – Give your sponsor images they can use.
Maybe it’s the car.
Maybe it’s the driver.
Maybe it’s the sponsor’s product with your team.
GIVEAWAYS – Could your sponsor provide something you can give away?
Maybe.
Think about what would make sense for the sponsor and your audience.
CONTESTS – A simple contest can get people involved.
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
PROMOTE SPONSOR PRODUCTS – If your sponsor has something to sell, help people learn about it.
You don’t have to be a professional salesperson.
You can simply help tell the story.
BRING CAR TO LOCAL EVENTS – Can you take your race car to a sponsor’s business, a school, a community event, or another activity?
That can give people something to see and talk about.
Fan interaction with the car or driver – Let people get close to the car.
Let them ask questions.
Let them take pictures.
Those interactions can be valuable.
Some of these ideas overlap.
That’s okay.
The point isn’t to create a giant list of things you have to offer.
The point is to start thinking about possibilities.
Try doing some of the things the pro teams do.
You can do them too.
Just at your scale.
Think About It
A local business likely doesn’t need a “Pro” scale offering.
For them, you are not too small.
You are not too little.
You’re just the right size.
HOT LAPS
1. True or False: A grassroots team can offer some of the same sponsor activities as a professional team, just on a smaller scale.
2. What should you do when you see a sponsor activity a professional team offers?
A. Assume you can’t do it
B. Copy it exactly
C. Think about how you could do something similar at your own scale
D. Ignore it
3. True or False: If you can’t offer every item bigger teams do, you really have nothing to offer a sponsor.
ask
Is my version of what the big teams do really gonna be good enough?
learn
You don’t need to offer the exact same thing.
Create the same type of opportunity at your scale.
Big teams have bigger budgets, bigger audiences, and more resources.
That doesn’t mean their ideas are off limits.
Think big. Scale it down. Make it yours.
build
Choose two activities from the list.
For each one, write down how your team could do something similar at your own scale.
Don’t worry about pricing it yet.
Just figure out what you could actually do.
Now let’s push a little further and get yourself ready to take the next step.
Your Equipment
Use the inventory you created.
Go through it item by item.
Is everything presentable?
Does it look like something you’re proud to show a potential sponsor?
You don’t need new equipment.
But what you have should be clean, maintained, and presentable.
Rebuild it if necessary.
Wash it.
Get it in tip-top shape.
Team Appearance
Grassroots teams are often made up of friends and family.
That’s perfectly fine.
But when you’re representing a team, you should look like a team.
You don’t need expensive uniforms.
A matching team T-shirt can be enough.
The important thing is that it looks purposeful.
Remember the four-year-old racer from Guide 1 who was wearing red pants and a red-and-white dealership shirt?
That little team looked like a team.
What Do You See?
Look around the pits.
You’ll see teams that look sharp.
They’re together.
Their car and equipment are clean.
They look professional.
You want potential sponsors to look at your team the same way.
What do they see when they look at you?
Team Duty Board
Put a duty board in your trailer or team meeting area.
List everyone on the team and their responsibilities.
Include the person responsible for promotion and sponsors.
You might call that person:
– Team Promoter
– Sponsorship Liaison
– Promotion Person
The title doesn’t matter.
The job does.
Someone needs to own that responsibility.
Weekly Pre-Race Discussion
Before the race—or the day before—have a short team discussion.
Give everyone an opportunity to talk about something that will help make the race go smoothly.
The crew chief may have something to say.
The tire changer may have something to say.
The person handling promotion may have something to say.
This isn’t just about making the car faster.
It’s about making the whole team better.
Everyone has a role.
Everyone’s role matters.
Video Test
Have a friend, Mom, or your wife take some natural video of your team at the track.
Don’t pose.
Just use a phone and capture what actually happens.
Then watch it the following week.
Ask yourself:
“Do we really look as good as we think we do?”
Do we look purposeful?
Or do you look like a bunch of fools?
It’s better to find out now than after you’ve brought a sponsor into the picture.
Coach’s Note
Congratulations
You’ve now done a lot to get your team ready.
Your equipment is in shape.
Your team looks like a team.
You’re thinking about how you act and present yourselves.
You’re getting ready to represent your team—and eventually your sponsors.
HOT LAPS
1. True or False: Looking professional requires spending lots of money.
2. Why is a Team Duty Board useful?
A. It looks professional
B. It gives people responsibility
C. It sells tickets
D. It keeps the car clean
3. True or False: Everyone on the team should have an opportunity to contribute ideas.
ask
What if I try to do all this and nobody will listen to me?
learn
Buy-in starts with understanding why.
This isn’t just about looking good.
You’re building a prepared, professional team that’s ready to represent itself—and eventually its sponsors.
Give everyone a job.
Give everyone a voice.
Expect everyone to be part of the team.
build
Pick one issue involving:
– Equipment
– Appearance
– Personnel
Make it better than it was yesterday.
Then do it again.
It’s time to think about where your team fits in the puzzle.
Take a fair look around you.
Don’t compare yourself to the front-pack teams with the biggest budgets and deepest pockets—unless you are one of them.
Look at the teams that are most like your team.
Those are your peers.
Ask yourself:
Does your team stand out? In a good way?
Are you doing the best you can among the people you’re actually competing with?
This isn’t about being the best team at the track.
It isn’t about being the best team in your division.
That’s not the point.
It’s about growing as a team and as a competitor.
A sponsor may be able to help your team move toward where you want to go.
And while they help your team, your team can help promote their business.
Don’t act like you’re something you’re not.
It’s hard to show progress when you pretend you’ve already arrived.
You don’t need to pretend.
You’re in just the right place.
You need to understand what your team is, what it does well, and where you want to go.
Maybe you’re a back-of-the-pack team that’s happy just being there and having fun.
You can still have sponsors.
There’s no reason to be embarrassed about where you are.
Sponsorship is for everyone.
It can be for the team trying to win a championship.
It can be for the team moving up to the next division.
It can be for the team that’s happy spending Saturday night at the track having fun.
There is value in all of those teams.
Your job is to understand your place in the puzzle and incorporate that into your story.
Wear it proudly.
Team Riley — So Where Do We Fit?
Riley looked around the pits.
There were teams with bigger trailers.
Teams with more equipment.
Teams with more experience.
Riley looked back at their own team.
“We’re not the biggest team here.”
Dad smiled. “Nope.”
“We’re not the best team here.”
Dad shook his head.
“That’s not what we’re trying to figure out.”
Riley thought about everything the family had learned.
They knew their market.
They knew what their team had.
They knew what they could offer.
And they knew they didn’t have to pretend to be something they weren’t.
Riley smiled.
“I think I know where we fit.”
HOT LAPS
1. True or False: You need to be a top team to have value to a sponsor.
2. What should you consider when looking at your place in the puzzle?
A. The biggest teams at the track
B. How many followers you have
C. Your peers, what you do well, and where you want to go
D. How much money you spend
3. True or False: A team that’s racing for fun can still have value to a sponsor.
ask
What if I’m not happy with where I’m at in the puzzle?
learn
Your current place doesn’t have to be your permanent place.
Identify what you want to change.
Maybe it’s your equipment.
Maybe it’s organization.
Maybe it’s promotion.
Maybe it’s your results.
Maybe it’s professionalism.
Set goals you can actually reach.
Look for small improvements.
It’s okay to be happy with where you are today while still wanting to move forward.
Don’t pretend you’re somewhere you’re not.
Work toward where you want to be.
build
Define your piece of the puzzle.
Write down:
Where are we now?
What are we good at?
Where do we want to go?
Be honest.
It doesn’t have to sound impressive.
It just has to be true.
Coach’s Note
Good job sticking with me this far.
Guides 1 and 2 were designed to help you understand your place in the racing world and how you play a part in the sponsorship that helps fuel your racing.
You now have an idea of your responsibilities to the racing community, as well as the real meaningful things you bring to it.