World of racing sponsorship changing
Recently, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series competitor, Ron Hornaday, revealed that he had found a ride for next year, as he had signed a letter-of-intent with someone, but didn’t reveal what team or in what series he’d be racing in next year. So it’s unclear whether or not he approached a team with a sponsor in his back pocket or he got a gig with an already-sponsored team.
Not long ago, though, Hornaday said in a television interview regarding his future that he was still looking for 2012 employment and that he was in search for a sponsor, something that he had never done before. Previously, he drove for teams that took car of their own sponsorship issues.
The days of administrative personnel within a racing organization getting sponsors for racing vehicles seem to be gradually fading away. It doesn’t seem all that long ago that drivers’ primary concerns involved driving the race car. It was up to team owners to find sponsors.
In the last few years, an increasing number of drivers have gotten their rides in NASCAR’s national series by getting a sponsor first and then approaching car/truck owners to ask for a ride, pointing out that they’d bring ever-important sponsor dollars to the organization.
At first, it seemed like this tactic was utilized primarily by drivers who didn’t really seem to have the talent and ability to get a ride based on that talent and ability alone. I won’t mention any names, but in the past few seasons, a handful of drivers have come and gone who didn’t really seem to have what it took to be competitive and looked to get rides with mid to bottom-tier teams that were desperate for money.
As the economy continues to suffer and sponsorship gets harder and harder to come by, apparently, even the more talented drivers have felt the need to resort to getting a sponsor to entice potential car owners. Because, really, do drivers come any more proven in a particular series than Hornaday? He’s the reigning Camping World Truck Series champion, leads the series in number of titles and has made multiple trips to victory lane this year. And this guy feels the pressure to go on sponsor hunts?
The face of racing is constantly changing, both on the competition side and the business side. But now, more than ever, drivers must at least dabble on both sides.
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