Ron McQueeney/IMS
If the TV cameras end up on Danica Patrick even half as much as they did last year, chances are she’ll blow past the competition to become the most valuable driver at the Indianapolis 500.
The definition of “valuable” in motorsports—and with the Indianapolis 500, in particular—is about sponsorships. The Indy Racing League can’t exist without them.
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“Sponsorship is what drives our business,” said Terry Angstadt, president of the IRL’s commercial division.
It doesn’t take a winning driver to have the most sponsors. It does, however, take skill and charisma, looks and potential, Angstadt said.
Which brings us back to Patrick and our rankings of who will be the most valuable drivers in Sunday’s Indianapolis 500.
Last year, Patrick placed 22nd at the Speedway, but she still pulled in about $15 million for her personal and team sponsors, according to Joyce Julius.
This year, Patrick is in much the same position, if not a better one. Not only does she still count GoDaddy.com and Motorola among her sponsors, but she’s also picked up Boost Mobile.
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Primary sponsorships in the IndyCar Series range from $2.5 million to $7 million, though few companies ever cite exact investment amounts.
Bob Parsons, CEO of Web company Go Daddy.com, said Patrick is a rare gem when it comes to sponsorships. She is the first woman to win an IndyCar race, the Japan 300. He described her as talented, exciting, edgy and, of course, “a woman” and “hot.”
Parsons said he’s not worried about how his company’s bottom line will be affected if she doesn’t win.
“If you go to the race, any race, it doesn’t matter if Danica’s finished 10th,” he said. “You look at the media and fans, they’re all around Danica.”
Angstadt agreed. “Because of who she is, what she has done, that’s a big deal.”
Is there anyone else who can match Patrick’s golden touch for sponsorships?
All were still millions of dollars away from matching Patrick in securing TV time for their sponsors.
“Sponsors love to be on leading cars,” Angstadt said. “They love to be in that winning circle.”
