Ferrari team going to Le Mans....sponsors? | FerrariChat
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Ferrari team going to Le Mans....sponsors?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by masermartin, Mar 11, 2008.

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  1. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

    Apr 18, 2004
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    Sugar Hill, GA
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    Martin
    #1 masermartin, Mar 11, 2008
    As time gets ever closer, and having never been given much time to work with in the 1st place, I am looking everywhere for sponsors. I am the business development manager with Tafel Racing and we are heading to Le Mans this year. We were given the invitation on Feb. 19th and I am looking feverishly for prospects. Clearly, I am not too proud to say I am running out of ideas because here I am (still relatively new to the game and I know I have to take advantage of every outlet of prospecting). I certainly know that there is a wealth of information on this board so I thought it would behoove me to at least ask for suggestions or even the slightest leads if they are out there. As some of the information can be "sensitive" please feel free to pm me if you have something you would like to share that you feel not everyone should know.

    Martin
     
  2. wetpet

    wetpet F1 World Champ
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    #2 wetpet, Mar 11, 2008
    do you know Casey?
     
  3. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    Martin
    #3 masermartin, Mar 11, 2008
    I'm afraid not. Who is Casey?
     
  4. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 BigTex, Mar 11, 2008
    He's making a bad joke....

    My personal sponsors are:

    Goodyear Tires
    Royal Purple Lubricants
    Saint Arnold's Beer

    But some Shell marketing guys cornered me at a bar the other day and wanted to bump Royal Purple off....THAT's the kind of mojo you are looking for!

    I stuck the cards on my 'fridge....I'll get them and send via PM.........
     
  5. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #5 BigTex, Mar 11, 2008
    I mean to say "current sponsors"...they dropped like flies, after 9/11 LOL!

    Cummins
    LUTRON
    Hubbell Lighting
    Gilbane
    Cooper Industries

    I have had some heavy hitters, in the past.......
     
  6. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

    Apr 18, 2004
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    Martin
    #6 masermartin, Mar 11, 2008
    Tex, do you race in ALMS, Grand AM, Ferrari Challenge Series, etc?
    Yes, that is always the best when the sponsors are knocking at your door. Or in your case cornering you at a bar (that way at least you are in a bar right?).
     
  7. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 BigTex, Mar 12, 2008
    I wish........I was parking my Ferrari at the curb, and racing karts for charity!!!

    The only real part of it was Mario Andretti coaching us from curbside.....well, and drinking the same champagne as Dario Franchitti later in the day....this was back when CART series was here in town...

    You are saying you have a 'blank car' entered into this year's event????

    That's how I started, then accumulated sponsors from my business community, but YOU are talking some serious coin!

    There's some heavy hitters lurking here, I'm hoping some rise to your challenge.......these were upper marketing guys I didn't get the cards last night...sorry....but I'll send you the names...they knew and appreciated Shell's ties to Ferrari F1. We just had some Ferraris out for a cruise and we happened across them.
     
  8. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    Martin
    #8 masermartin, Mar 12, 2008
    Well that sounds fun!

    Yes, I am talking serious coin.

    No the car isn't blank, but I am looking for a major sponsor or two secondary sponsors. How is Mario? Just one of the guys? :)
     
  9. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 BigTex, Mar 12, 2008
    I checked your website, after my post....nice!

    Looks like you are on your way with a major sponsor, but I am serious I'll get you Shell's contact info..

    Mario is indeed a true gentleman..it was a great fun time in my life, my firm was contracting some of the power to the track, I did some consulting AutoCAD stuff on the side helping plan the race facility, and was cashing checks from Newman/Haas driving a TransAm with AJ Foyt Racing stickers on the bumper!

    THAT won't ever happen again!!

    The side money bought my first 308GTB, then off I went into the Child Advocates program....raced against teams from Enron among others.....great fun!

    Hubbell is on this chat site, you know, but he'd probably want to drive......;)
     
  10. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    Martin
    #10 masermartin, Mar 12, 2008
    Nice!
    Shell's contact info would be great. If something comes out of it I'll make sure we can get you tickets for a race at minimum. I would say Houston....but with it's cancellation... :(

    Sounds like you have been doing this stuff for a while, I'm sure I could learn a thing or two.

    ...as for Hubbell, sorry all the seats are taken.
     
  11. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 BigTex, Mar 14, 2008
    I read your roster........sounds strong! LOL!

    William is pretty fast, though!

    Man, I got busy at work, I'll have time this weekend to send you a PM.......yea, the Ferrari crowd here was pretty bummed about the race this year, what with our Home Team and all.......maybe they'll sort it for 2009!

    I had a wonderful arguement over my race career with a Grand Prix Girl...she was too young to remember my glory years, on the original Downtown course...I wanted to bang her in the head with my trophy....ROTFLMAO!

    *sigh*

    Look for my PM Saturday, or send me one to remind me......I have the cards on the 'fridge....
     
  12. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #12 BigTex, Mar 14, 2008
    Dude, Sponsorships are just like dating...you'll get 100 'no' answers before you find the right fit, then after that you care for them like gold!!!
     
  13. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    #13 masermartin, Mar 17, 2008
    Just got around to checking Ferrari chat. Yes, it is somewhere around 1 out of 100 hundred that you contact. The stats are proving themselves to be pretty accurate at this point.

    No pm's so here is a reminder :)

    Thanks,

    Martin
     
  14. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #14 BigTex, Mar 19, 2008
    Sorry for the delay.........woman troubles.....PM sent.
     
  15. mawu

    mawu Karting

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    #15 mawu, Mar 19, 2008
    Hi Martin,

    unfortunately I can't help you with the sponsoring thing – we tried ourselves to get some sponsors over an interesting connection to companies in India, but we weren't successful...

    Interesting team, I have been on your website too. You race with Ferrari and Porsche? Actually I am more in the Porsche racing subject...

    Regards, Martin
     
  16. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #16 BigTex, Mar 19, 2008
    Sold Pcars...moved to the Fcars...

    They had a good history in the Series to get an invite to The Big Show........go get 'em, man.
    Make me proud! I'll catch you in 2009 if Houston gets back on the calendar....come by for a good steak on the grill!

    Those guys were interested in doing something with my car.

    Thanks for the kind words on my girl, she was sure a good one, hard to find those these days......
     
  17. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    #17 masermartin, Mar 20, 2008
    Yup, sold the Porsches. Are you going to be at Le Mans this year?

    Thanks Tex!

    It is a shame that Houston got taken off the program. Hopefully it will be on for 2009 and I will certainly take you up on the offer of a steak on the grill. You lucky dogs have some of the best beef in the world. My wife is Texan and she has shown me how great of a state it truly is. You know what else I like is beef brisket! Rudy's is my absolute favorite http://rudys.com/ ....hey maybe I could get them to sponsor us? :) They could pay me beef by the pound. Now why in the hell it is so hard to find beef barbeque in GA and TN is a shame but most places here have pork. Damn, I got my self in freenzy and ain't even lunch time. :(
     
  18. mawu

    mawu Karting

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    #18 mawu, Mar 20, 2008
    Hi Martin,

    I have only been in Le Mans once with Joest Racing 2004 (as Audi works team) in their pit to produce Internet news, I was running their webserver then. I really liked it in Le Mans... :) My favourite are the GT2s by the way, I don't really like this prototype stuff.

    So you have to get an invitation as team to drive there? I didn't know that it is so complicated actually.

    Why did you change from Porsche to Ferrari in GT2 anyway? I heard the ACO regulations don't favour Porsche right now.

    Regards, Martin
     
  19. Pantera

    Pantera F1 Rookie

    Nov 6, 2004
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    #19 Pantera, Mar 20, 2008
    If Lamborghini isn't racing you can bet your ass ill be going for Team Corvette in GT1 as for GT2 Team Ferrari baby!.
     
  20. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    #20 masermartin, Mar 21, 2008
    2004...that must have been fun! Yes, it is difficult to get an invite. More then half of all who apply get denied. And it isn't cheap to apply either (couple grand $ ). Porsche didn't show enough interest in what we were doing and Ferrari clearly had a better product. I don't know about the ACO not favoring Porsche but they will have less entries in Le Mans then Ferrari, so chances are slimmer for them to win GT2.



    There should be a Russian team running a Lambo Murci GTR in GT1. But there will be plenty of Ferrari's in GT2 for ya! :)
     
  21. mawu

    mawu Karting

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    #21 mawu, Mar 21, 2008
    Hi Martin,

    2004 really was fun as Joest Racing's third victory...

    Are there really more Ferrari than Porsche entries this year? Wow!!! Up to recently the Porsches were more competitive, but I have the impression that changed a while ago in favor for Ferrari. I am curious for the reasons. I know Porsche didn't enter its GT2 anymore because the ACO and FIA regulations disadvantaged turbo engines - but Porsche only has its 3.6l (3.8l) for these cars and without turbo they are chanceless in this class. In GT2 I heard they have problems with traction on their rear wheels. They can't use a diffusor because of the engine being there, that's the main problem. They tried to compensate it with introducing the 997 GT3 RS for homologation, which I hobby race, with the wide body for additional tire whidth. But obviously that wasn't enough...

    Regards, Martin
     
  22. masermartin

    masermartin Formula Junior

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    #22 masermartin, Mar 21, 2008
    I didn't know that about the diffuser issue, thanks.

    As it looks from the entry list:

    There will be 3 Porsches, 8 Ferraris (including us) and 2 Spykers in GT2
     

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