Anyone into top-fuel drag racing?
Discussion
Seems to be very much in it's infancy on this side of the pond...
Reason I'm asking the question is because 2 drivers who been to the top of the FIA european top fuel championship are working on my building site (!) (-as many hours as they can!). They won't be running their Andrews & Forbes team this year because they're low on funds, but they're getting together with another team instead....
Are there any interested bods out there who would like to join forces with/ sponsor them or even just find out more about racing these 6000hp, 300mph+ beasts?!
www.eurodragster.com/default.asp
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:9_XsDwGXOJYJ:www.eurodragster.com/news/news.asp%3FStory%3Djan1
Reason I'm asking the question is because 2 drivers who been to the top of the FIA european top fuel championship are working on my building site (!) (-as many hours as they can!). They won't be running their Andrews & Forbes team this year because they're low on funds, but they're getting together with another team instead....
Are there any interested bods out there who would like to join forces with/ sponsor them or even just find out more about racing these 6000hp, 300mph+ beasts?!
www.eurodragster.com/default.asp
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:9_XsDwGXOJYJ:www.eurodragster.com/news/news.asp%3FStory%3Djan1
Wouldn't say top fuel racing is in its infancy over here, in fact quite the opposite - I think it has now reached the level where it takes serious money to compete, hence some of the smaller teams struggling. Only a few years back we thought 4s/300mph were never going to happen, but now you need US spec cars, consistent 4.8s or better and stacks of parts (ie money) to be in with a shout, and sadly some of the teams just don't have the funds to do it. Seems to me that there are an increasing number of well funded teams out there now, and this season has seen several additions that should make things interesting (Hakan Nilsson, Urs Erbacher and the Turners in a second Carter Motorsport car, plus maybe another CBD car). It's a shame for the smaller teams, but that's the way it goes.
I wish there was a "UK Open" championship that could catch all the fuel/methanol cars (funny and dragster) without the funds to do the whole European circus. I can think of at least two top fuel dragsters and two or three methanol funnycars that probably won't see FIA action, and it seems a shame to have them sat idle when they could be pulling in crowds at the national level events.
I wish there was a "UK Open" championship that could catch all the fuel/methanol cars (funny and dragster) without the funds to do the whole European circus. I can think of at least two top fuel dragsters and two or three methanol funnycars that probably won't see FIA action, and it seems a shame to have them sat idle when they could be pulling in crowds at the national level events.
As well as running my own "wierd" projectile, I crew for Erbacher and know the commercial issues very well as I am working on some of the new deals. We are well sponsored, but its a massive leap from funny car to top fuel, particularly if we are to run at 100%. Its heartbreaking to hear Smax, Gary Page, Chris Andrews, etc say they only have the money for 1 or 2 full qualifying passes - and then in mild tune.
Because it is the pinnacle of drag racing, top fuel is still a good class to attract sponsorship but I see too few viable bids outside the automotive industry. Andy Carter's B&Q deal is a great example where there is a tangible return through 3rd co-op funding and point of sale roadshows. We're now proposing to deliver 3G and MMS multi-media content as an integral part of a sponsorship package - a sign of the times. I've just (today) agreed support for my snowmobile from a major telecoms company based on this approach where I showed them what they can get in return. They will get downloadable action clips for your phone, so they are really happy. I'm seriously thinking of setting up some form of sponsorship consultancy to develop this further.
Because it is the pinnacle of drag racing, top fuel is still a good class to attract sponsorship but I see too few viable bids outside the automotive industry. Andy Carter's B&Q deal is a great example where there is a tangible return through 3rd co-op funding and point of sale roadshows. We're now proposing to deliver 3G and MMS multi-media content as an integral part of a sponsorship package - a sign of the times. I've just (today) agreed support for my snowmobile from a major telecoms company based on this approach where I showed them what they can get in return. They will get downloadable action clips for your phone, so they are really happy. I'm seriously thinking of setting up some form of sponsorship consultancy to develop this further.
Hey Maxc,
What you have been up to has really interested me. I am a final year Motorsport engineering student at Coventry University and for my dissertation have covered the media and marketing areas of our 3 main projects. a formula student race team, a landspeed record attempt and a peugeot 206 750 motorclub Hot hatch entry. More info on these can be found on the site I created www.covunimotorsport.co.uk
Obtaining sponsorship has been a big hurdle for me, in the past, our teams rarely had sponsorship and just scrapedthe barrell with the money the university provided but since I have taken on the challenge, we have managed to get loads of service based sponsorship. Financial sponsorship is still my achilles heel though. I haven't managed to get any yet (for team clothing and hiring pit/umbrella girls) and any tips or hints you could give on the subject would be great.
I have arranged for brian sims to give a guest lecture at the uni next week (Former chairman of MIA, current marketing director of team GB A1 and author of a great book on sponsorship which i would recommend). Hopefully his input will help us progress.
Matthew
What you have been up to has really interested me. I am a final year Motorsport engineering student at Coventry University and for my dissertation have covered the media and marketing areas of our 3 main projects. a formula student race team, a landspeed record attempt and a peugeot 206 750 motorclub Hot hatch entry. More info on these can be found on the site I created www.covunimotorsport.co.uk
Obtaining sponsorship has been a big hurdle for me, in the past, our teams rarely had sponsorship and just scrapedthe barrell with the money the university provided but since I have taken on the challenge, we have managed to get loads of service based sponsorship. Financial sponsorship is still my achilles heel though. I haven't managed to get any yet (for team clothing and hiring pit/umbrella girls) and any tips or hints you could give on the subject would be great.
I have arranged for brian sims to give a guest lecture at the uni next week (Former chairman of MIA, current marketing director of team GB A1 and author of a great book on sponsorship which i would recommend). Hopefully his input will help us progress.
Matthew
6000hp? knocking on 8000 these days, I have been going to Santa Pod for nearly 20 years and I still cannot get enough of them, I get serious withdrawal symptoms over the winter, if only I could afford to go to the States, perhaps if there was enough interest we could get a discount???
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