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The Motorsports Sponsorship Library
Everything the brands told us. These articles and brand guides are built from what marketing directors, sponsorship managers, executives, agents and racers said at the Sponsorship Summits and in Meet the Sponsors interviews. Read online or download the PDF, and every quote links to the video so you can watch them say it.
- Articles
- 63
- Articles
- Brand guides
- 40
- Brand guides
- Industry voices
- 122
- Industry voices
- Topics
- 12
- Topics
How to Get Sponsored by…
Straight from the people who run each brand’s sponsorship program.
AEM Performance ElectronicsAEM Performance Electronics5 min read
Alpinestars5 min read
BELL Helmets5 min read
BFGoodrich6 min read
BOB the Cooler Company4 min read
Boxo USA5 min read
BRP5 min read
Coca-Cola5 min read
Eibach Springs5 min read
Engine Ice5 min readEnjuku RacingEnjuku Racing5 min readEPIC RacewearEPIC Racewear5 min read
Fifth Third Bank5 min read
Ford Performance5 min read
Holley5 min readHondaHonda5 min readHorizon HobbyHorizon Hobby5 min read
K&N Engineering5 min read
K1 RaceGear5 min read
Kenda Tires5 min read
King Shocks4 min read
Lucas Oil5 min read
Maxxis5 min readMechanix WearMechanix Wear5 min read
Monster Energy5 min readNGK Spark PlugsNGK Spark Plugs5 min read
Off Road Warehouse5 min readOPTIMA BatteriesOPTIMA Batteries5 min read
Permatex5 min readPolarisPolaris5 min readRed Line OilRed Line Oil5 min read
Slime5 min read
Stanley Black & Decker5 min read
Sunoco Race Fuels4 min readTHORTHOR4 min read
Titan Fuel Tanks5 min read
Toyota5 min read
Vision Wheel5 min read
VP Racing Fuels5 min read
Wahoo's Fish Taco5 min read
Alpinestars5 min readBELL Helmets5 min readBFGoodrich6 min readBOB the Cooler Company4 min readBoxo USA5 min readBRP5 min readCoca-Cola5 min readEibach Springs5 min readEngine Ice5 min readEnjuku RacingEnjuku Racing5 min readEPIC RacewearEPIC Racewear5 min readFifth Third Bank5 min readFord Performance5 min readHolley5 min readHondaHonda5 min readHorizon HobbyHorizon Hobby5 min readK&N Engineering5 min readK1 RaceGear5 min readKenda Tires5 min readKing Shocks4 min readLucas Oil5 min readMaxxis5 min readMechanix WearMechanix Wear5 min readMonster Energy5 min readNGK Spark PlugsNGK Spark Plugs5 min readOff Road Warehouse5 min readOPTIMA BatteriesOPTIMA Batteries5 min readPermatex5 min readPolarisPolaris5 min readRed Line OilRed Line Oil5 min readSlime5 min readStanley Black & Decker5 min readSunoco Race Fuels4 min readTHORTHOR4 min readTitan Fuel Tanks5 min readToyota5 min readVision Wheel5 min readVP Racing Fuels5 min readWahoo's Fish Taco5 min readNetworking & Meeting Sponsors
6 articlesTrade shows, introductions, LinkedIn and the relationships that come before any deal.
Networking & Meeting SponsorsIntroductions: Let Someone Else Open the DoorHemmings, Fifth Third Bank, EPIC Racewear, Horizon Hobby, K1 RaceGear and Eibach explain why a warm introduction beats a cold pitch, and how to get one through the people you already know.5 min read · 6 voicesNetworking & Meeting SponsorsNetworking: Be the Person in the Center of the RoomHemmings, Wasserman, Fifth Third Bank, a longtime K&N marketer and two Formula Drift drivers explain how racing relationships are really built: early, often, and long before anyone asks for a sponsorship.6 min read · 6 voicesNetworking & Meeting SponsorsProspecting: Pick the Right Company Before You Pick Up the PhoneMarketing leaders from Permatex, NGK, Horizon Hobby, K1 RaceGear, Holley and BELL explain how to research a brand's goals so you approach the companies most likely to say yes.6 min read · 6 voicesNetworking & Meeting SponsorsThe Follow-Up: Sponsorships Are Won on the Fifth Touch, Not the FirstFifth Third Bank, Toyota, NGK, BFGoodrich, K1 RaceGear and Permatex explain what happens after the first meeting, and why patient, useful follow-up beats a perfect pitch.5 min read · 6 voicesNetworking & Meeting SponsorsTrade Shows: Go to Meet People, Not to Hand Out DecksExecutives from K1 RaceGear, BELL, NGK, Eibach and Wasserman explain why PRI and SEMA are the wrong place to pitch and the right place to start a relationship.5 min read · 6 voicesNetworking & Meeting SponsorsNetworking: The Deals Start With a HandshakeMarketing directors from Sunoco Race Fuels, Engine Ice, Boxo USA, and USAC explain why relationships — not cold pitches — open the door to sponsorship.4 min read · 4 voices
Why Brands Sponsor
5 articlesWhat endemic and non-endemic companies actually want from racing.
Why Brands SponsorRing the Cash Register: Why Sponsorship Is Really a Sales JobExecutives from E3 Spark Plugs, Engine Ice, K&N, Wheel Pros and Monster Energy explain the business reason behind every check, and how racers can tie their programs to sales instead of logos.5 min read · 5 voicesWhy Brands SponsorWhat Brands Look For in a Racer: The Ryan Beat Case StudyShort-course champion Ryan Beat and the brands behind him show what sponsors check before they say yes: a program that looks professional, a racer who helps build the product, and a reputation that holds up when a brand comes looking.6 min read · 2 voicesWhy Brands SponsorWhat Drag Racing Sponsors Want: The Mechanic in the StandsNGK, K&N, Permatex and Elite Motorsports explain why they spend in drag racing, why the driving matters less than you think, and how a racer goes from free parts to a check.6 min read · 4 voicesWhy Brands SponsorWhat Motocross Brands Want: The Dealer, the Shop and the Kid Everyone CopiesThor, Troy Lee Designs, OGIO Powersports, Wahoo's and Monster Energy explain why motocross sponsorship runs through dealers and local shops, and what makes a rider worth backing.6 min read · 5 voicesWhy Brands SponsorWhat Tire and Wheel Sponsors Want Before They Hand Over a SetAtturo, Wheel Pros, Maxxis, Kenda and Vision Wheel explain who they're really trying to sell to, the homework that gets a racer taken seriously, and why your daily driver matters as much as your race car.6 min read · 6 voices
Return on Investment
6 articlesHow marketing directors and CFOs measure whether a sponsorship paid off.
Return on InvestmentB2B Return: Why Business-to-Business Sponsors Count Revenue, Not FansFifth Third Bank, Stanley Black & Decker, Toyota and off-road racer Ryan Arciero explain how sponsors measure the business they win through a race program, and why that return takes years to build.6 min read · 4 voicesReturn on InvestmentCount the Sale: Promo Codes, Affiliate Dashboards and Store TrafficPermatex, Boxo USA, Enjuku Racing, NGK and OGIO explain how brands trace sponsorship to actual sales, where tracking breaks down, and how racers can make their results countable.5 min read · 4 voicesReturn on InvestmentProve It: How Racers Give Sponsors a Return They Can UseGumout's brand manager, a Monster Energy finance executive who races, K1 RaceGear's president and the Mint 400's CEO explain how racers can produce a return a sponsor can see, count and pass along inside the company.6 min read · 4 voicesReturn on InvestmentROI Starts With the Objective: Agree on the Scoreboard FirstCoca-Cola, K&N, BELL, VP Racing Fuels and Fast Orange explain why a sponsor can only measure a return after it decides what the deal is supposed to do, and how racers can find that out before they pitch.5 min read · 5 voicesReturn on InvestmentShow Finance the Activation: How a Sponsorship Survives Budget ReviewStanley Black & Decker, Toyota, Permatex and E3 Spark Plugs explain who inside a company decides whether your sponsorship was worth it, and what kind of reporting keeps the finance department on your side.5 min read · 4 voicesReturn on InvestmentThe Reality of ROI: How Sponsors Actually Measure ReturnFrom Monster Energy's CFO to a regional bank's CRM system, sponsorship math is messier — and more honest — than racers think.4 min read · 4 voices
Valuations & Pricing
5 articlesPutting a dollar value on your assets, media and content.
Valuations & PricingExposure Is Not a Value: What Sponsors Are Actually Paying ForHookit's CEO, a Monster Energy finance executive, a Stanley Black & Decker sponsorship veteran and K&N's longtime sponsorship manager explain why impressions alone don't win a budget, and what does.5 min read · 3 voicesValuations & PricingPrice the Gap: Turning a Budget Shortfall Into Value You Can SellMonster Energy's deputy CFO, four-time Vegas to Reno winner Ryan Arciero and longtime K&N sponsorship manager Tony Yorkman explain how to work backward from your budget, create enough value to cover the shortfall, and decide what to ask for.6 min read · 3 voicesValuations & PricingPutting a Price on Content: Why Your Footage Is Worth More Than Your FeedMonster Energy's Matt Burroughs, trophy truck winner Ryan Arciero, the Mint 400's Matt Martelli and Eibach's Mark Krumme explain how brands really use racers' photos and video, and when that content is worth the most.6 min read · 4 voicesValuations & PricingTangible and Intangible Assets: Count What You Can, Then Multiply ItHow to put an honest number on the assets you can count, from tickets to media coverage, and why reputation, credibility and audience fit can be worth several times more, with Megan Meyer, Matt Martelli and Hookit's Scott Tilton.6 min read · 3 voicesValuations & PricingWhat a Logo Spot Is Really WorthA Canadian sports car champion, Monster Energy's Matt Burroughs, Megan Meyer and two Hookit analysts explain why a decal by itself is worth very little, and what makes a logo placement worth paying for.6 min read · 5 voices
Decks, Proposals & Proof of Performance
5 articlesThe documents that open doors, close deals and win renewals.
Decks, Proposals & Proof of PerformancePricing the Deliverables in Your ProposalHow to put a defensible number next to each line of a sponsorship proposal, with advice from VP Racing Fuels, Maxxis, K&N and Megan Meyer on media value, product deals and what not to charge for.6 min read · 4 voicesDecks, Proposals & Proof of PerformanceRecaps and Reports Sponsors Actually UseK&N, BRP, Polaris, BFGoodrich, Ford Performance and Megan Meyer explain how often brands want to hear from you after the deal is signed, what a useful event recap contains, and which numbers they trust at renewal time.6 min read · 6 voicesDecks, Proposals & Proof of PerformanceWhat Brands Want to See in a Pitch DeckMarketing executives from VP Racing Fuels, Slime, Maxxis, Polaris, K&N and Monster Energy describe the decks they save, the ones they toss, and the details most racers leave out.6 min read · 7 voicesDecks, Proposals & Proof of PerformanceWhen to Send a Deck, and When to Send a ProposalMarketing executives from Maxxis, VP Racing Fuels, Monster Energy, BRP, BFGoodrich, Slime and K&N explain the two clocks every sponsorship pitch runs on: the relationship and the budget.6 min read · 8 voicesDecks, Proposals & Proof of PerformanceWrite Proposal Deliverables a Sponsor Can SignVP Racing Fuels, BRP, K&N and Megan Meyer explain how to turn a sponsorship proposal into a list of specific, measurable promises, and why every line may end up in your contract.6 min read · 4 voices
Activations
5 articlesTurning a sponsorship into customers at the track and beyond.
ActivationsActivation Budgets: The Fee Is Only Half the BillUSAC's Kevin Miller, the Mint 400's Matt Martelli and SCCA's Dan Dennehy-Rodriguez explain why a sponsorship needs money and manpower behind it after the check clears, and why the racer is often the one who has to supply them.6 min read · 3 voicesActivationsHospitality: Give Your Sponsor a Place to Do BusinessUSAC's Kevin Miller, the Mint 400's Matt Martelli, Seafoam racer Chris Bishop, Sheetz driver Travis Shoemake and Wahoo's co-founder Wing Lam on how a tent, a ride or a free beer at the track can help a sponsor win customers, and why you should ask what kind of hospitality a sponsor actually wants.6 min read · 5 voicesActivationsMeasuring an Activation: Get the Name Before They Walk AwayUSAC's Kevin Miller, the Mint 400's Matt Martelli, Toyota's Andre Jackson, Sheetz driver Travis Shoemake and NHRA champion Megan Meyer on capturing leads, tracking what fans do and showing a sponsor exactly what an activation produced.6 min read · 5 voicesActivationsPit and Paddock Displays: Your Pit Is a ShowroomRon Capps, SCCA's Dan Dennehy-Rodriguez, the Mint 400's Matt Martelli and drag racer Dystany Spurlock on turning the space around your race car into a place where fans meet your sponsors.6 min read · 4 voicesActivationsSampling and Demos: Put the Product in Their HandsPermatex's Eric Seibold, the Mint 400's Matt Martelli, USAC's Kevin Miller, NHRA champion Megan Meyer and Seafoam racer Chris Bishop on handing out samples, staging demos and selling on the spot, so fans try a sponsor's product instead of just seeing its logo.6 min read · 5 voices
Publicity & Media
5 articlesGetting press, podcasts, announcers and broadcast to talk about you and your sponsors.
Publicity & MediaGetting Booked on Podcasts: Bring an Angle, Not a RésuméFour motorsports podcast hosts, Cory Texter, George Hammel, Don O'Neal and David Pingree, explain who they book, how to pitch them, and why a podcast is the best place to tell a sponsor's story at length.6 min read · 6 voicesPublicity & MediaGive the Microphone Something to SayAnnouncers Matt Holt and Scott Rehn, Supercross winner David Pingree and TV executive Mark Carter explain what makes a broadcaster talk about you, and why stories get your sponsors more airtime than a list of logos.6 min read · 4 voicesPublicity & MediaPitching a Magazine: Think Inside the BoxMagazine editors Dan Schechner, Marty Fiolka and Trevor Hocking explain how to study a publication, pitch the sections it already runs, and hand over content so complete it's hard to turn down.6 min read · 3 voicesPublicity & MediaPress Releases That Actually Get UsedA publicist, a veteran motorsports PR man and a magazine editor explain what goes into a press release, when to send it, and why a simple pitch or short video sometimes works better.6 min read · 5 voicesPublicity & MediaStart Local: How Hometown Coverage Becomes National NewsPR veterans Elon Werner and Stuart Rollins, editor Dan Schechner and media producer Trevor Hocking explain how a small-town story climbs to bigger outlets, and how to keep the reporters who cover you.5 min read · 4 voices
Branding & Image
5 articlesYour personal brand, professional image and how you represent sponsors.
Branding & ImageBranding for Young Racers: Sponsors Are Watching Before You Know ItAlpinestars' Heath Cofran, THOR's Josh Shorter, Troy Lee Designs' Max Lee, Holley's Bill Tichenor and drag racer Dystany Spurlock explain what brands notice about kids at the track, and the habits that turn a young racer into someone they want to sign.5 min read · 5 voicesBranding & ImageMany Sponsors, One Brand: Keeping Your Look and Message ConsistentMotorcycle drag racer Dystany Spurlock, Wahoo's founder Wing Lam, Toyota's Andre Jackson, Monster's Joe Parsons and Vaughn Gittin Jr. explain how to make a whole roster of sponsors look and work like one team.5 min read · 6 voicesBranding & ImagePersonal Branding: Decide Who You Are Before a Sponsor Decides for YouHoonigan's John Viscardo, Mint 400 CEO Matt Martelli, drift insider Gary Reyes and others explain how racers define a personal brand, and why the brands look it up before they ever call back.6 min read · 4 voicesBranding & ImageReputation Travels Faster Than You Do: Conduct, Bad Days and Broken PartsDrift insider Gary Reyes, Wahoo's founder Wing Lam, Wheel Pros' Brian Henderson, Atturo Tires' Michael Mathis and off-road racer Shelby Hall explain how sponsors judge your behavior, and why one bad moment can outweigh a season of results.5 min read · 5 voicesBranding & ImageThe Ambassador Never Clocks Out: Representing Sponsors Off the TrackWheel Pros' Brian Henderson, Alpinestars' Heath Cofran, Monster Energy's Joe Parsons, Hoonigan's John Viscardo and off-roader Holly Fowler explain why brands care more about the other six days of the week than the race itself.5 min read · 5 voices
Agents & Agencies
5 articlesWhat agents and agencies do, what they cost and when you need one.
Agents & AgenciesAgent, Manager or Agency: Who's Actually Across the TableAgents and agency people from Connections, Wasserman, Blue C and Jackson Motorsports explain who works for the racer, who works for the brand, and why it changes how you pitch.5 min read · 5 voicesAgents & AgenciesCommission, Retainer or Scorecard: How Racing Agents Get PaidBob Walker and Eric Morley disagree about retainers. Between them, they show racers what to ask before signing with an agent and how to tell whether the money is well spent.5 min read · 2 voicesAgents & AgenciesDo You Need an Agent Yet? An Honest TestAgents from Connections, Wasserman and 660 Marketing, plus Blue C's Eric Morley and BFGoodrich's Nate Hunt, explain when representation pays off and what to do until it does.5 min read · 6 voicesAgents & AgenciesHow Brand Agencies Decide Which Racers Get the MoneyBlue C's Eric Morley, a Jackson Motorsports agency veteran, Wasserman's Travis Clarke and agent Bob Walker explain how agencies match racers to a brand's strategy, and why sending a deck to a brand agency rarely works.5 min read · 3 voicesAgents & AgenciesWhat a Good Agent Actually Does All WeekAgents from Connections and Wasserman walk through the unglamorous work behind a sponsorship deal: monthly decks, Monday photo drops, teaching brands what's authentic, and the phone calls that start at 6 p.m.5 min read · 3 voices
Keeping Sponsors
6 articlesRenewals, long-term partnerships and over-delivering every season.
Keeping SponsorsBad Season, Good Partner: Keeping Sponsors When the Results Don't ComeEibach's Mark Krumme, EPIC Racewear's Dan Bailey, Johnny Greaves, Monster's Mitch Covington, BFGoodrich's Nate Hunt and Ford's Matthew Winter on what brands expect from you when the car breaks, the money runs short or the wins dry up.6 min read · 6 voicesKeeping SponsorsEffective Sponsorships: What the Best Partnerships Actually Look LikeA Funny Car champion who works the parts counter, a fuel-injection early adopter who became a tech ambassador, and a sprint car driver eating frozen custard in the dirt — three case studies in sponsorships that last.4 min read · 3 voicesKeeping SponsorsIn-Season Communication: What Sponsors Need to Hear Between RacesK&N's Tony Yorkman, Eibach's Mark Krumme, Lucas Oil's Morgan Lucas, OPTIMA's Cam Douglass and Enjuku Racing explain how often to report, what to send and why communication can outweigh results.5 min read · 4 voicesKeeping SponsorsThe First Season: Turning a Signed Deal Into a RenewalMegan Meyer, Wasserman's Travis Clarke, BFGoodrich's Nate Hunt, Rob and Kaden MacCachren and Toyota's Andre Jackson explain what to do in the months right after the contract is signed.5 min read · 6 voicesKeeping SponsorsThe Renewal Conversation: How Sponsorships Get Renewed, Grown or EndedEibach CEO Julian Gill, BELL's Kyle Kietzmann, EPIC Racewear's Dan Bailey, Wahoo's Wing Lam and two other sponsors explain when renewal decisions really happen, how deals grow and why a partnership that stops growing gets cut.5 min read · 4 voicesKeeping SponsorsWin Over the Sales Team: The Racers Sponsors Can't Afford to LoseEibach CEO Julian Gill, BELL's Kyle Kietzmann, Fifth Third Bank's David Morton, EPIC Racewear's Dan Bailey and Lucas Oil's Morgan Lucas explain why racers who help a brand sell get renewed.5 min read · 5 voices
Getting Started
5 articlesFirst sponsors, budgets, timing and building a program from scratch.
Getting StartedBuilding Toward a Factory RideThe people who built and run Polaris Factory Racing, plus BELL and Holley, explain how factory programs are put together and what moves a racer up the ladder toward a paid seat.6 min read · 5 voicesGetting StartedProduct Before Cash: How Most Sponsorships Really StartBELL, Holley, Eibach, Alpinestars, Engine Ice and Lucas Oil explain why your first deal will probably be parts, not money, and how a product deal can grow into a title sponsorship.5 min read · 7 voicesGetting StartedThe First-Timer Mistakes Sponsors Keep SeeingDecision-makers from Eibach, Red Line Oil, USAC, RhinoUSA and Crandon name the errors that sink new racers' pitches before anyone reads the numbers, and what to do instead.6 min read · 5 voicesGetting StartedYoung Racers and Their Parents: What Sponsors Want You to KnowUSAC's CEO, a teenage open-wheel racer, Troy Lee Designs, Alpinestars and Engine Ice explain how young racers land their first backers, and how parents can help or quietly kill the deal.6 min read · 5 voicesGetting StartedYour First Sponsor, Step by StepA rock bouncer racer who made 76 calls for his first yes, King of the Hammers' founder and Boxo USA's partnership manager lay out how a first deal actually comes together.5 min read · 3 voices
Social Media & Content
5 articlesBuilding an audience and content that sponsors can use.