8/9/04

Making the case for Outlaw 10.5 sponsorship

Racecars have sponsors, don’t they?

ell, moving day has come and gone and I’m cursing myself
now for all those magazines and press kits I saved over the years. Remember that "archivist of the sport" crack I made a couple of columns back? Well, forget about it. I had no idea there were so many boxes of glossy paper stashed in our attic and shed. It’s funny how slugging countless containers to and from a moving van in 90-degree temperatures—knowing all the while that their contents will most likely never see the light of day again—makes you question your motives (not to mention sanity). Yes, it will be painful, but my collection is definitely going to be put on a diet. Here’s to hoping I have a little more success there than I’ve had in maintaining the resolution to reduce my own mass this year.

One way to cut down on the clutter, I suppose, is to continue concentrating on the ever-popular 10-wide scene here in the Southeast. Unlike their counterparts at the NHRA and IHRA professional levels, these racers rarely have more than a hero card, if even that, to hand out at the races. And while that may help with my personal packrat problem, it’s actually a shame these guys don’t—or can’t—employ more promotion to get their names out there beyond a relatively small, but hardcore fan base.

I realize, of course, that creating and printing promo items like press kits, photo cards, and even simple press releases costs money—something that always seems to be in short supply, no matter what level you’re racing at—but at the end of the day getting the message out is nearly as important as who won the race. It’s all well and good to pocket the winner’s check and gain a little notoriety on a few obscure Internet message boards, but the stars of Outlaw 10.5 racing should be able to garner more widespread attention.

I mean, nearly all the components are there to make a bigger splash in the overall drag racing pool. Fast cars? Check. Talented drivers? Check. Colorful personalities? Check. Unusual combinations? Intense rivalries? Wild action? Check, check, and double-check. There is one glaring omission, however. Sponsorship.

With few exceptions to the rule, sponsorship in 10.5 racing is practically invisible. A big part of the problem, I think, is a misguided desire to portray these cars as somehow still being street worthy. They’re not. They are purpose-built racecars that no one with an ounce of sense is going to think can be driven to the local Burger King or Wal-Mart. Yet, promoters and sanctioning bodies persist in trying to maintain that street-car illusion, specifically by prohibiting sponsor lettering or decals on the body panels. One word sums up my thoughts on this: Why?

Like most fans, I don’t relish the thought of Jack Barfield or Mike Hill getting out of his car at the end of the day and saying, "The guys at XYZ Corporation deserve all the credit, etc., etc …" but if that’s what it takes to keep them racing, going faster, and getting a little recognition, then so be it. Advertising is all around us these days; no one seems to like it, but I think nearly everyone recognizes it as a necessary evil, especially when it comes to doing things strictly for pleasure and/or entertainment. And if drag racing doesn’t fit that bill, what does?