2008 Spec Focus racers

[68 Touring Car]

Racers, As everyone can see the Series will be growing in the next season and to make sure all competing are informed and on the same page I would like to have a contact list of the Guys or Girls that will be running Spec Focus. I will be keeping all on this list updated with any changes or questions that I might have for you and on what is happening in our series News, Rules, and Events.

Please email me your contact info at tech@capaldiracing.com

Thanks

[focaljet-1]

I think 2008 is going to be a breakout year for Spec Focus!

[sleeperlove]

it sure is looking that way!!!

[BUR_ZX3]

If the series and its sponsors would show any west coast love, then I suppose it might be.

[polarisman14]

You guys just get all of the west coast love for everything else...can't you let us have something? lol

[BUR_ZX3]

My point is kinda this: There are more active Focus racers in SoCal, NorCal and the Dez than any other region. But how many SpecFocus racers are there?

None active.

Ford Racing sure appears to show a lot of Love to Leo and the Mid-West contingent, and thats why you see the entire contingent of Nationals Competeors coming from there. How many Spec Foci ran @ JetFest? Only the two cars that were brought from the Mid-West.


Boost Camel Racing wants to field a team in '08. But the money and the sponsor support just isn't there.



BTW, I've reached out to Ford Racing to see where they might help in the West and gotten no response. So it isn't for lack of trying.

[sleeperlove]

What about the cars in the east that aren't in any way sponsored by FR? There is Chris Kisner, Matt Marks, now Homegrown2nr, Recar off the top of my head.

[BUR_ZX3]

Chris and Matt, don't they rent from Leo? Or was that just Jack?

[Ted7rns]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

Chris and Matt, don't they rent from Leo? Or was that just Jack?

Chris and Matt have their own cars. In SoCal there's 3 cars built, One by Lapp (new in 2008) and F2 has 2 cars for rental in 2008.

[BUR_ZX3]

The same cars that F2 said would be available for rental in '07?

Just checking.


And Lapp doesn't have his comp license yet.... Has he even been signed into HDPE 4? (he was 2 at the Buttonwillow event in July IIRC).


Ted, as the director, can you tell us please, is there any potential support to be found from Series Sponsors?

[sleeperlove]

What kind of support are you looking for Todd?

Not that I could help but just wondering.

[f2focus]

What about Focus Sport (Todd) since you are real close to them they should be happy to help you in your venture! Being that they are the biggest and longest running operation for the Focus market....

As for car rentals this year there was one available to rent but no interest until just a short time ago.

I am also talking to a few potential sponsors to spark interest in the series and I hope to have something real soon that I can announce but not saying anything else until then, but it looks promising!

[ZX3autoxtasy]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

My point is kinda this: There are more active Focus racers in SoCal, NorCal and the Dez than any other region. But how many SpecFocus racers are there?

None active.

Ford Racing sure appears to show a lot of Love to Leo and the Mid-West contingent, and thats why you see the entire contingent of Nationals Competeors coming from there. How many Spec Foci ran @ JetFest? Only the two cars that were brought from the Mid-West.


Boost Camel Racing wants to field a team in '08. But the money and the sponsor support just isn't there.



BTW, I've reached out to Ford Racing to see where they might help in the West and gotten no response. So it isn't for lack of trying.

I think your asking way to much from the series and sponsors.

It's NASA Grassroots stuff. Your your own sponsor, and that's that. It's silly to expect anymore. The support Leo gets from FR (I'm assuming) is because he has a long history of road racing and people like to support experienced, consistent racers who can help grow the sport and in this case, the class.

No offense, but you sound like your looking for a handout on this one. If you want to build a Spec Focus, either (A) cough up the money to build it (I know $9,000 is hard to come buy these days to build a competetive race car) or (B) Rent one.

Just don't compain about not getting a bunch of stuff for free, because it doesn't work that way. I'm not looking for a brash response to this either, just don't nag and nag about not getting "sponsor support" (aka cash/parts) until you can show somthing in return.

[R0B]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

The same cars that F2 said would be available for rental in '07?

yes the one that sat all last year cuz there was no one interested or able to afford to rent it, get the facts straight before posting, and if i remember correctly one of the cars was sold

[Ted7rns]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

And Lapp doesn't have his comp license yet.... Has he even been signed into HDPE 4? (he was 2 at the Buttonwillow event in July IIRC).

He should be ready to take Driving Concepts Racing School next Feb. If he passes it, he should be ready by Cal-Speedway for the first points race.

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

Ted, as the director, can you tell us please, is there any potential support to be found from Series Sponsors?

What type of support are you talking about, Contingency? Most of our Sponsors support mainly went to Contingency for Nationals in 2006 and 2007. We're are looking at different types of sponsorship for 2008, but we need to wait until after the rules are done so we know what and who to target for Sponsors. The board should have the 2008 rules done in November.

Now we do want to leave some room for sponsors for individual teams to get on there own. I don't think it's good for a Series to take up all the sponsorship possibilities and leave none for individual teams.

[lapp4sm]

Lapp moved into HPDE 4 this past weekend at Buttonwillow .

[brads03zx3]

Originally Posted by ZX3autoxtasy

No offense, but you sound like your looking for a handout on this one. If you want to build a Spec Focus, either (A) cough up the money to build it (I know $9,000 is hard to come buy these days to build a competetive race car) or (B) Rent one.

I agree. Todd, it is extremely hard to race for free. Automobile racing is the 2nd most expensive hobby in the world...only behind Speed Boat Racing. Very few drivers actually get paid to race (Most F1 drivers, several Champ car drivers, maybe a handful of SPEED WC drivers). Contingency sponsorship is about all you can expect in the beginning. If you talk with companies (not just FR) you may be able to get some parts/labor discounts, but cash sponsorship is extremely hard to come by. We do this every year for the FSAE team.

I have been helping Dan Gardner with the PTE/TTE Scion tC. He has several sponsors (TRD, JD Comm, progress, etc) but this isn't his first year in the business. He won a national championship last year in TT. Only after that was he able to show sponsors that he had the time and determination to build a car, race a car, attend PR events, and do it all very well.

Leo Capaldi, same thing. He didn't jump into the race scene in 2006. He's been around a while. He has invested several thousand of his own dollars, several years of his own time.

My circle track buddy...he said 20k came out of the family account last year. That was with several small sponsors, but no big sponsor.

It really is a give and take relationship. You have to prove (not usually promise) to potential sponsors that you have something to offer them. A 6"x18" area on the body of a SF car really isn't cost effective advertising. Let's face it, not very many people head out to spectate NASA events (besides me ). Even so, I know 90% of the companies that sponsor those cars, and that little decal probably won't sway me to purchase parts from that company.

Good luck...save your pennies. Racing's expensive.

[lapp]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

The same cars that F2 said would be available for rental in '07?

Just checking.


And Lapp doesn't have his comp license yet.... Has he even been signed into HDPE 4? (he was 2 at the Buttonwillow event in July IIRC).


Ted, as the director, can you tell us please, is there any potential support to be found from Series Sponsors?

I was signed off for HPDE 4 last weekend at Buttonwillow. I should be good to go for next season.
Ive only missed 1 event this season since Ive started and Ive only Seen Ricardo at maybe 3. Last I heard, one of his Spec Focus is for sale..

[Ted7rns]

Originally Posted by brads03zx3

I agree. Todd, it is extremely hard to race for free. Automobile racing is the 2nd most expensive hobby in the world...only behind Speed Boat Racing. Very few drivers actually get paid to race (Most F1 drivers, several Champ car drivers, maybe a handful of SPEED WC drivers). Contingency sponsorship is about all you can expect in the beginning. If you talk with companies (not just FR) you may be able to get some parts/labor discounts, but cash sponsorship is extremely hard to come by. We do this every year for the FSAE team.

I have been helping Dan Gardner with the PTE/TTE Scion tC. He has several sponsors (TRD, JD Comm, progress, etc) but this isn't his first year in the business. He won a national championship last year in TT. Only after that was he able to show sponsors that he had the time and determination to build a car, race a car, attend PR events, and do it all very well.

Leo Capaldi, same thing. He didn't jump into the race scene in 2006. He's been around a while. He has invested several thousand of his own dollars, several years of his own time.

My circle track buddy...he said 20k came out of the family account last year. That was with several small sponsors, but no big sponsor.

It really is a give and take relationship. You have to prove (not usually promise) to potential sponsors that you have something to offer them. A 6"x18" area on the body of a SF car really isn't cost effective advertising. Let's face it, not very many people head out to spectate NASA events (besides me ). Even so, I know 90% of the companies that sponsor those cars, and that little decal probably won't sway me to purchase parts from that company.

Good luck...save your pennies. Racing's expensive.

It would had been tough for Dan as well if he wasn’t already in the Automotive PR Business, and working for Jackson-Dawson. But, showing potential sponsors you had success in some form or automotive competition, like Time Trial or Regional Races goes a long way.

But truthfully you need to look at money sponsors as more of a partnership. Most sponsors would like to see you put in equal amounts of money towards the team. Even Dan had to do that with his Scion. He spent a lot of his own money to run this year. I’m sure he spent more money to develop and run his Scion, then it would have taken a SF owner.

But, you’re right Brad, it takes more then just a decal to make and keep a sponsor/partnership happy. You have emails, monthly updates, setting up magazine articles, photos, press releases and of course results. Believe me, I'm currently looking for sponsors for myself for 2008, it's not easy even with my past results.

Todd, once you take Driving Concepts like what Ryan Lapp will be next year, they’ll get into sponsorships and running a race team as well. They really get into how much it cost to run a full year and what it takes. They do a very good job in teaching you things other then just running the car on the track.

[f2focus]

Originally Posted by lapp

I was signed off for HPDE 4 last weekend at Buttonwillow. I should be good to go for next season.
Ive only missed 1 event this season since Ive started and Ive only Seen Ricardo at maybe 3. Last I heard, one of his Spec Focus is for sale..

Way to go Lapp I hope you get your stuff done for next year....

This year I was not out a lot because I don't want to there by myself, I already tested in 05 and 06 and if there was any interest to race the cars are available to be run. But on a personal level I do not want to race anymore, I don't have the time to do it. TO support and have cars available yes I do.....also the cars are always for sale because if someone wants a complete car they are ready to go. We can always build more...we have parts in abundance to build it again. We want to build more cars but we only have so much room to store them....

I have spent a lot of money in racing all of these years and I am not doing it anymore, I did it with no sponsorship help until my last two years where I got some help but sometimes it is not worth it because of the requirements.

[BUR_ZX3]

When I see Leo pull into JetFest with a gigantic Ford Racing trailer... I wonder what kind of love they'll give someone out here? And find none.

Now I know Leo has his Touring Car experience and history with Ford, and I don't fault him for that, but I think Ford, if they care at all about the series, needs to step up the overall support for the series.

I'm not looking for anyone in particular to come at me with a wad of cash (although I won't turn it down).

Boost Camel Racing has a lot more interest from potential sponsors for time attack rather than Spec Focus. Nobody out here has heard of it. (save for the focal enthusiasts).

As for contingency... well I guess whats the point of it. If Lapp and I are going to be racing each other only... theres not any real contingency there available to us anyway.





I understand that Spec Focus is in its infancy. But I honestly don't know that its getting the support it needs from the sponsors, and even from NASA. Mazda runs ads on television that highlight Spec Miatas. (and yes I understand that Spec Miata is long standing and well known so it makes sense to highlight them) but Ford could step up and support the series in a marketing standpoint.

[brads03zx3]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

But I honestly don't know that its getting the support it needs from the sponsors, and even from NASA...Ford could step up and support the series in a marketing standpoint.

Now I agree that the series could use a bit more marketing, but the series is kind of a small corner niche. Spec Miata had to start somewhere...Honda Challenge had to start somewhere.

I don't want you to feel like I am bashing you or anything, but I doubt you have the faintest idea how much the sponsors have supported the series. Ted, Leo, and probably others have done quite a bit of testing. Testing is expensive, and I bet they didn't pay for all of it themselves. Series sponsors support the series, not the competitors.

[68 Touring Car]

Originally Posted by BUR_ZX3

When I see Leo pull into JetFest with a gigantic Ford Racing trailer... I wonder what kind of love they'll give someone out here? And find none.



Now I know Leo has his Touring Car experience and history with Ford, and I don't fault him for that, but I think Ford, if they care at all about the series, needs to step up the overall support for the series.



I'm not looking for anyone in particular to come at me with a wad of cash
(although I won't turn it down).


Boost Camel Racing has a lot more interest from potential sponsors for time attack rather than Spec Focus. Nobody out here has heard of it. (save for the focal enthusiasts).


As for contingency... well I guess whats the point of it. If Lapp and I are going to be racing each other only... theres not any real contingency there available to us anyway.





I understand that Spec Focus is in its infancy. But I honestly don't know that its getting the support it needs from the sponsors, and even from NASA. Mazda runs ads on television that highlight Spec Miatas. (and yes I understand that Spec Miata is long standing and well known so it makes sense to highlight them) but Ford could step up and support the series in a marketing standpoint.

#1 I bought that trailer while racing the SCCA Spec Racer series and made payments ( out of my pay check that I supported my family with) on it for 5 years. NO one gave me love and the bank charged me 7% on the money. Oh and buy the way LCRacing is in the business of selling Ford Racing Parts everyday maybe that's why it has Ford Racing on it?

Just because a Ford dealership has the Ford logo on there walls does not mean that Ford paid for the building?? They might want to sell Ford cars.

#2 I have done a lot more that Touring car. I have been working with and for Ford motor company and Ford racing since 1983 ( longer than some of you have been alive) on many programs including the last spec road race series they did the SCCA Ford Spec Racer. Maybe they trust me or maybe we have had a working relationship for all them years our maybe I did a good job the first time?

#3 Incase you haven't heard Santa Claus Died. Sponsors were not under my Christmas tree one morning after me dreaming. No one handed it to me.
You can always work your a** off like I did build a reputation, earn respect, win hundreds of races, have your customers and people you work for and with win hundreds more and invest hundreds of thousands of dollars of your money and build and race at that level for over 30 years.

#4 Then Boosted Camel should race in time attack which is great ( Which LCRacing is also looking to compete in next year) if that's what you can find support for and give them a return on there investment.

PS: If you don't have the money then do something you can afford or find support to do it but don't cry if someone else has the money or has put out the effort to find support. I figured that out 25 years ago

#5 After you have been around in racing you will find out that all classes have certain areas of the country that that we will have greater numbers and support. Like The Honda class in NASA they have great numbers and support out west but we get very few in the Midwest. I am betting we have 9-12 Spec Focus cars in the Midwest next season.

#6 Maybe Ford spends most of there dollars in other forms of racing where they get a larger ROI. That is good business. But I am grateful and so is every other Spec Focus owner that has raced that they and NASA have decided to help us get the series going. Oh and Ford has supported all the testing and development of this series.

Now we all need to work together and make this series fun.

[Matt Marks]

I think that you will find that individual sponsorships are available. However, YOU need to go out and find them. The way to do that is to GO RACING and win. Most racing suppliers, inlcuding Toyo, Hawk Brakes, and probably Ford Racing, have a page on their websites where you can submit applications for sponsorship.

What you'll find is that they are asking for the follwowing:

1) Racing resume
2) Results (are you getting podiums every race out? Who are you beating?)
3) Pictures showing your personal appearance
4) Pictures of your car
5) Description of how you can help THEM sell more of THEIR products

Can you pass the sniff test on all of the above? If so, there is significant sponsorship available - most likely in free or reduced price products, but also sometimes in cash.

For example, I have an agreement that I reached (simply paddocking next to them and cultivating a relationship over time) with a local racing team that does race rentals and arrive drive for another NASA series. I do some driver instruction, sweat equity in labor for car prep, and some trackside support for them and their customers, and in return I get some cash, brake pads, and some track time. Plus, it lets me generate some tax adavantages to write off my tires, gas, and other expenses. (Do not underestimate this - it's a very nice way to fund your racing if you're smart about it. Check with your tax professional - of which I'm not one - before doing this).

Another example - I used to get my previous race car washed at the local drive through car wash before each event. Got to know the owner and made an offer to put 10x30 or so sticker on the hood of the car in return for 10 free washes. Small potatos, but it saved me a couple of hundred bucks in car washes on my car and my truck over the course of a summer.

Money is out there - YOU need to find a creative way to access it.

In the meantime, Hawk, Toyo, Ford, and a number of others offered product and cash incentives at nationals. So they are, I think, giving a reasonable level of support considering the number of cars that are running.

Want more support? Go out and spread the word about the series.

Show off your car. Drag your buddies to the track. Find other people in the crowd or paddock who drive a Focus. Let them crawl through the car. Tell them how this is one of the cheapest ways to get into racing, with modern cars, cheap parts, and you can still drive 'em to the track. Tell them about how inexepensive the wheels, suspension, tires are - how little it costs to run them. And most importantly how great it is to drive one on the track!

More competitors = more sponsor $$

[JB-S1]

What an interesting discussion...

BUR_ZX3, I've been on both sides now* of the sponsor/no-sponsor deal. On one hand, I had the pleasure of competing in the 2006 One Lap of America for free. We built a sponsorship package consisting of Mercedes-Benz Canada, Motorworks, MB Classic, and a variety of other folks, and as a result we got to run a $58,000 car in an event that costs about $6K to finish, at no charge to us.

On the other side of the coin, it cost me about $14,800 to run five NASA races and the National Championships this year. In my tax bracket, with the 17% self-employment "vig" on top of it, that means I had to earn $28,000-plus to run the series, not counting any work I missed, travel, and all that extra stuff. My financial return on the whole thing was about $2000 of sponsorship money and $500 of contingency, so I was definitely "in the hole" for '07!

What was the difference between the two? Mostly, it was the value we could show to sponsors. For Cannonball, we were able to deliver team-focused coverage in two major newspapers (one of which, the Toronto Star, is more or less the Canadian paper of record) plus two feature magazine articles and mentions in Car & Driver. We calculated the advertising value of this exposure ahead of time and took it to the sponsors.

For Spec Focus, on the other hand, I was lucky to pick up any sponsorship, because I didn't have any connections with potential sponsors who would benefit from the exposure - and there was no guaranteed exposure to show 'em anyway.

Club Racing is always a money-losing game, and it's a game played mostly by self-financed folks. SF is one of the cheapest ways out there to race a recent production car, and I think it's an outstanding value, whether you rent or build.

In Speed Secrets, Ross Bentley lays out the hard truth. If you want to make money in racing, you have to accomplish the following:

* Start young, and "young" means in your teens or earlier.
* Have massive talent - but that doesn't mean much, because talented drivers are a dime a dozen. It's simply a prerequisite. My friend Aaron Povoledo is an example of this. Go look at his career: http://www.povoledo.com/career/index.asp and then realize that he's currently racing Grand-Am ST on a part-time basis! That's right - a record of open-wheel wins and stellar performance in top-level testing still won't get you sponsorship automatically.
* Devote your whole life to racing. Sell your street car, your bling, your home. Quit your hobbies and let your girlfriend or wife know she'll have to play second fiddle.
* Then you have to simulatenously perfect your driving, using as little money as possible, while continually working sponsors.

Does that sound like something you want to do? As for me, I'm too old, too lazy, and I enjoy a good steak too much to do any of that stuff. I'm content to club race on my own dime, with perhaps a Grand-Am race or two in the near future Most of the folks reading this forum will never amount to anything as professional drivers, which means we'll always be paying to race in one form or another.

Most of the world's top drivers had significant personal financing. Fangio went through his inheritance buying rides. Niki Lauda signed fraudulent personal loans against his family's business. Others hustled for sponsors in the full-on fashion above. Michael Schumacher was a pay driver when he started in F1. Bill Auberlen worked as a mechanic to get a chance to drive. Randy Pobst was self-financed and took out a regular car loan to buy his first race car!

I don't know what you guys think Leo does for a living; it isn't racing Spec Focus. Leo works a regular job plus he runs SF on the weekends. He's not exactly cleaning up on this; he has to employ people, buy consumables, and pay for hotels and meals. Just running two diesel trucks to Mid-Ohio and back probably costs five hundred bucks.

Ford's support of this series has been pretty good if you ask me. They helped develop the parts, they have made them available at ridiculous prices, they've publicized the events, and most importantly they've helped keep Leo involved. Where would the Series be without Leo? The Spec Neon guys don't get any help from Chrysler; the Spec Miata guys have to buy Sunbelt motors to run at the front; the Honda Challenge drivers are mostly running decade-old cars which use parts that aren't even stocked at Honda dealerships anymore.

I'm not sure how much anybody could ask for. SF is a good program and it's only going to get better - but even if it gets as big as Spec Miata, it won't pay. Ask Derek Whitis or Eric Meyer about that. Derek probably spends twenty or thirty grand a weekend to run in SM, and if he's lucky he can win ten grand in contingency at the Championships.



* I'm guessing you are too young to remember the song "Both Sides Now"