It is nice to know that good people can work hard, do things the right way, and achieve positive results. Such is the case at Sarah Fisher Racing, a fledgling IndyCar team that is poised to expand in 2010.
I encourage you to read the story in Curt Cavin's excellent Pit Pass in the Indianapolis Star.
Organic and Sustainable Growth
Fisher will increase her IndyCar participation to include nine races next season. Even better, Dollar General Stores, a holding of storied leveraged buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, has signed on for another year of sponsorship. Somewhat surprisingly, Fisher, a USAC veteran and oval track specialist, told Cavin that her schedule will include a mix of ovals, road courses and street circuits.
Sarah Fisher Racing took delivery of a new Dallara last month, courtesy of associate sponsor Hartman Oil. That enabled her to sign former Indy Lights Champion Jay Howard to drive in four races in 2010. The Englishman will be sponsored by Tire Kingdom, a subsidiary of TBC Corporation.
Sarah Fisher works just as hard away from the track as she does when she is in the race car. She has established a following on Facebook and Twitter. She has built an impressive array of associate sponsors including Direct Supply, IUPUI, AAA Hoosier Motor Club, autotex PINK, and the aforementioned Hartman Oil.
Congratulations to Sarah Fisher, John O'Gara, Andy O'Gara and everyone at SFR. They are making significant inroads without the benefit of government subsidies and APEX Brasil. Instead, they merely serve customers.
Perhaps the IRL might learn something from them.
Roggespierre
Sarah is a prime example of serving your customer first and giving good value for that sponsorship. Would that all the other teams would emulate her example. Imagine what she could do if the upfront "freight" wasn't so onerus.
ReplyDeleteThis is a story that warms the "cockles" of your heart.
Sarah is one of the few interesting things left of Indy Car Racing.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to her and the O'Gara Family for the hard work and SMARTS, to keep their team together and grow it, in a sport that is hardly growing.
Isn't amazing how a small team keeps people interested? Isn't amazing how a small team will give a young driver a chance? Isn't amazing how guts, determination, and will keep this team together? Get with it people...I said once and I say again. Lower the cost,allow teams to modify exsisting equipment,improve equipment lifespan and you will see more of stories like this. Not to mention more American drivers, fans and sponsors!!
ReplyDeleteRoggespierre: Oldwrench and I have been having an interesting set of conversations on another forum,with regard to transforming IndyCar racing into a viable series and successful one. I will post our converstions as a starting point for your upcoming set of posts on restoring IndyCar to it's right place in the sun. Me first, then oldwrench's reply.
ReplyDeleteHere's a starting point for us and R to consider;
!. An open supply chain for engines, chassis, susspenions, etc. Available by competitive bid. Basic engineering principles never go out of date.
2: Set of specs detailing what types of engines will be allowed. Let the teams determine what they want to run.
3. Prize monies to be distributed so that even small teams have a chance to recoup their expenses.
4. Have someone at the helm that understands business, promotion and marketing and give him the authority to make those decisions, subject to boaad approval.
I do like R's suggestion that a standard "driver's capsule" be available for under $200K and the teams can put whatever engine, suspension, and tires they want on it. Any comments.
Oldwrench replies:
Yes I do !! Here are a few:
1. Under no circumstances does a factory provide parts or assistance of any kind to any team. All componets must be IRL approved and available to ALL competitors.Approval is granted on a yearly basis. Any company or competitor may particpate, but must submit any and all components before particpating in an IRL event. A maximum price point to be determined by the IRL as to the total cost of an engine,transmission or chassis component before it may compete.Suspension is free as our shocks,springs, and any component that can be freely purchased.
2. No changes to # 2 but, After a list is determined by competitors to determine what engines THEY wish to particpate with. Again, a Total price point and a supplier must be approved by the IRL. Any engine can compete provide it meets the engine specifications. One other thing...NO Turbo's!!! They just plan cost to much to own and operate!!
3.Perfect ! Just a note.....Make sure the monies are distrubuted so a team can pay their bills AND make the next race.
4.Keep just the way you wrote it!!
Driver capsule: Better on the price. I believe that the whole car should not cost more than $250,000.00 ready to race. That allows the older cars to decline in value based upon technology and not arbitrage finance. Right Idea on the "tub" of the car. Keeps the safety factor up. Also that all cars are subject to IRL approval in relation to safety.
One thing, Keep the side pods and the wings as the cars are very stable right now and very safe. We don't need lab experiments that get people killed.
Hoep this helps get the ball rolling.
Regards, GreyMouser
GreyMouser,
ReplyDeleteThese are all very good ideas.
The difficulty that I envision is one of organization. There is much ground to cover and debate to be had. People who have similar goals are likely to imagine very different means of achieving them.
Terre Haute native Eugene V. Debs is a favorite historical character of mine. I agree with very little of his politics, but I admire both his good intentions and his incorruptible character.
He thought that he had real solutions to what at his time were very real problems. He truly believed that socialism would be the natural, evolutionary result of unfettered Capitalism. He sought justice for those who had experienced it all too infrequently.
History suggests that he was wrong. But we have the advantage of hindsight. Debs did not.
Who does not want justice, freedom and equality? The story of our nation's history was written by people who shared a similar vision.
That, I think, is where we shall begin - with vision. It is ironic, I know. But it is the right place to start.
What do we want IndyCar to be? What is the grand, Utopian dream? How should success be defined with regards to IndyCar racing?
That is where we shall begin. We must know what it is we want to achieve. Only then can we begin to devise a plan that might allow us to achieve it.
Best Regards,
Roggespierre
Yes: "vison" is ironic... but entirely appropos.I think oldwrench and I came up with those talking points as a kind of thrashing out, as it were, of the technical side of the solution. Admittedly they are intertwined with the financial and "vision" parts of the solution. IndyCar must figure out it's identity and where it wants to be when it "grows up".
ReplyDeleteYea verily I say unto you. This shall be a rebirth, a resurrection if you will.
To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln: "We resolve that this series, this race, shall have a new and glorius place in the heavens and shall not perish from the face of the earth"
"With malice toward none, with charity for all..."
ReplyDeleteRoggespierre
Hats off to Sarah and company. She epitomizes what I suspect the market will support.
ReplyDeleteLike a scratched record I repeat what I have said earlier: Put $25 million on the Indy table, set reasonable open specs, and let racers have at it. Economics will "limit" the investments made on equipment and team expenses. I guarantee a full field year after year, with sufficient buzz that the general public will be aware of the race and the racers, again. Perhaps the "star machine" can resume creating new ones.
As far as the IRL, let it collapse on itself for all the reasons outlined on this site. A series is not necessary for the survival of the "500." If there is a market for a championship series, one will form around the Sweepstakes. Regardless, the 500 should be completely free of any series affiliation, although any series is free to award championship points based on its outcome for its competitors.