Wait….am I reading that right?
How could that be?
What Changed? The answer is simple….the team.
Taxslayer P18 in Qualifying at Dover
The NASCAR press is over the moon. TRG had a 7 race deal with Bobby Labonte thru the balance of the 2009 season. The Dover Race brings Gilliland driving for Taxslayer.com and Labonte back at Hall of Fame racing driving for DLP. In fact, here’s a quick update on our plans for the remainder of the ’09 season:
- 9/27 - Dover - David Gilliland - Start & Park
- 10/4 - Kansas - Bobby Labonte - NEED SPONSORSHIP (or will have to Start & Park)
- 10/11 - California - David Gilliland - NEED SPONSORSHIP (or will have to Start & Park)
- 10/17 - Charlotte - Mike Bliss - TaxSlayer
- 10/25 - Martinsville - Andy Lally - NEED SPONSORSHIP (or will have to Start & Park)
- 11/1 - Talladega - Bobby Labonte - TaxSlayer
- 11/8 - Texas - Bobby Labonte - NEED SPONSORSHIP
- 11/15 - Phoenix - Bobby Labonte - NEED SPONSORSHIP
- 11/22 - Homestead - Bobby Labonte - TaxSlayer
We really need to do everything possible to keep Bobby Labonte from having to Start & Park. This means we have 3 more races where we must find at least $100,000 in sponsorship.
Sponsor Employinit.com at NHMS 09.09
Last weekend was a great example of leveraging the many contacts the partners have in a local market. RJ Valentine brought Savings Bank Life Insurance of Mass. on board for the weekend (more importantly, they are an excellent prospect for a sponsorship for next season). Bruce Ledoux organized an event with about 14 prospects from the Boston area on Friday afternoon. We took them to the track for qualifying and a sales presentation, followed by lobsters at The Draft restaurant in Concord, NH. That evening we ended up getting sponsorship commitments from Clubmotorsports.com, EmployInIt.com, Velocity Terminal and ComFex.com. A couple of them are good prospects for next season. Thanks to Peter, we also had sponsorship from CBR Motorcars and Nor-Can AS.
The key to long term success will be using the remaining available races this year to give next year’s prospects a taste of what NASCAR can offer. We have to focus on the long-term. We are working on several promising leads. We are also preparing a proposal for TaxSlayer for next year. We hope to get them to sponsor at least six races next year.
We are hosting a sponsor demo day at Chicago’s Autobahn on 10.6.09 and then NJ Motorsports Park on 10.7.09. We want to invite anyone that might be a prospect for sponsorship for our NASCAR or Grand Am programs for next year. Complete details here - contact info here.
Loose Bruce
TRG Motorsports Ltd Partner
www.guardianangelmotorsports.com
I think it may help to involve the fans on Bobbys facebook and leave them info where they can write if they can help in any way to get sponsorship. You have almost 4000 fans on there and Im sure some know of corporations out there ( even some they make work for ) that might be intrested in sponsoring Bobby Labonte for the remainder of the year. I know you dont want to get hammered with emails that dont concern sponsorship but Im sure you can find a way of managing this. There are many fans willing to donate to a fan car… (Hopefully Phoenix because I will be there) I just think you need to broaden you search efforts in locating sponsorship. Thanks,
Angela Wolf
Pinetop AZ
Hi Angela - great input. We’re working hard to arrange something in that vein but finding it creates as many questions as it solves in terms of brand strength for Bobby. There is a school of camp that says fan support dilutes his brand and damages his ability to secure prime time sponsors in the future. However, capitalism rewards creativity….we’re working hard in the creativity department these days and suggestions like yours go a long way. Thank you and enjoy the Phoenix race! - Bruce Ledoux - TRG Motorsports Ltd Partner.
Thanks for listening,
I think I can speak for a majority of the fans out there for Bobby Labonte. We do believe you have the respect a man like this deserves and you surround him with postive things. This separates your business from many that he has been with in the past. We see that and thank you for this. In the hearts of many, business may be business but Nascar fans are very down to earth people and still do believe the good guys will finish 1st in the end. If anyone deserves the best its Bobby.
Thanks again for the support you have given him. Even if he may not be with you next year Ill remember what you have done for him and wish your team the best.
With all due respect, Bruce, I have some issues with your blog/article.
I find it very interesting that TRG made the ‘jump’ decision to install a brand new engine in the car for Bobby at NH, and yet installed an engine that had tallied 600 miles in the car that David was to drive at Dover. There was a clear intent to have a drive for sponsorship for Bobby, and yet the car at Dover, ON AN OLD ENGINE, runs in top ten ten in practice, with resultant great media response, and yet with no opportunity to create leads for sponsors.
And, really….can TRG afford to Start and Park for ANY race left in this season? James Finch is gunning for the 37th spot, which could be critical to the way the points will land at Daytona in 2010, due to the loss of some teams. He had declared that all of his races will be full races. TRG is not that far ahead of Finch’s car. The partners of The Racers Group should be looking over their shoulder, at all times, to prevent the Finch team from taking that spot away.
And for fans of Bobby, who are hoping to get together a fan drive, good luck. I wish the best for you! I will say that TRG was very open to this from Gilly’s Gang! And yes, we had some sponsorship come from our group, too!
I’m so glad that you are so happy having a past champ,and your working so hard at trying to entice sponsors.But then the person who helped make you a relevent team,you decide to not even give it a fighting chance.Why would anyone want to believe anything that this group has to say,reminds me of a carnival side show and thier two faced promoters.Nothing agaist Bobby,but David made this team.
Like all things in life - somethings make some people happy and otherthings make others upset. What I can tell you is that in a team - there are multiple personalities and multiple issues each individual wants addressed. Without going into great detail, a fan car is simply not the option is was for David.
The fan donations were a fantastic effort and David’s 23 races were tremendous….we’re super mindful and appreciative of David’s contribution to the brand and team. Please don’t forget about the other 31 people that gave David the tools he needed to drive the way he drove and get the ‘Cinderella story’ media that we’ve gotten together. Which, btw, is the point of my post - it is a great team vs. any Herculean effort of one individual. It was, has always been and will continue to be, a collective effort.
We look forward to David’s races with us in the balance of the season. It’s not over until it’s over and not one of us knows what 2010 will bring in terms of funding, driver line up or race strategy.
Thank you for sharing your remarks and perspective, without fan support - the NASCAR brand wouldn’t be what it is today.
“Wait….am I reading that right? How could that be?
What Changed? The answer is simple….the team.
you got this wrong. what changed was the driver not the team!
To qualify in a worn out used engine that slugger him self said could not possibly make it through a race is pure talent. I find it disrespectful and degrading to Mr. Gilliland after all he has done for TRG.Mr.Gilliland has brought TRG it name. he is the one who took them from obscurity to a name everyone in nascar is looking at.it is flat shameful. I guess the days of honor and respect for one another are long gone and a shake of a hand was a binding contract. it has made this TRG fan look at NHRA for excitement.
TRG’s new business model isn’t new ,it’s the same thing major corporations have been doing for many years now/ use people to THERE best advantage then throw them away when you can make a quick buck on the media frenzy. Donald Trump has more morals than this team
You can twist the words and the facts to try and make it look the way you want.And though it is true thier are plenty of other people involved in this team.The fact is you can’t get over yourselves having a possible provisional.What gets to DG fans is you couldn’t wait to spread it all over that you had a contract with Bobby,while David was on a race to race deal.Then you place a new engine for Bobby,and beat the bushes for sponsorship.Then David gets a throw away engine and no effort.But thats OK,as they say what goes around comes around.Bobby will sign a contract with someone else,Slugger has enhanced his appeal and will have an oppurtunity to get back with a good team,and perhaps David gets to run for a team that treats him with respect even if it is Nationwide.Then you get to start all over.Believe me people in the garage know and have seen this dog and pony show before.They see how people are treated and payed.Sometimes you can talk and pump your chest,and after a while the only ones listening are the ones talking.This is good old boy racing not sportscar.
To all Gilliland fans have you forgotten what your favorite driver said in an interview just a few days ago. One of the reasons there was an opening for Bobby at TRG was due to David getting a 4 race deal with JGR in the 02 this year. David’s words not TRG’s. One more thing why all the hatred for TRG, if anything you should thank TRG for providing David with the equipment so he could be noticed by other teams. I will say this I love your passion when it comes to David G, we Bobby fans feel the say way for our driver. All I know is since Bobby signed with the #71, he has a spring in his step and his confidence is back. What happened to Bobby at Yates racing sucked, but in reality in was a “Blessing in Disguise”, perhaps David will get the same chance with JGR.
Thank you TRG and Slugger for giving Bobby his “Swagger” back, it’s been along time coming!!!!
Trish, I have always liked Bobby. I am glad that he is in a ride. I have been totally amazed that he stepped into what WAS David’s ride, and then did even worse than David at YR. That is not a slam at BL, but is a commentary on how well David did in that rotten equipment with less sponsorship. And we see how well it has worked out for Bobby at YR.
But the point we are making is that for Bobby, they are giving him new engines, and new cars. David has been forced to start and park, even when running Top 10 practices. They are going to Kansas with no sponsorship, hoping to ‘pull out the stops’ to get sponsorship, also. And this article states that DG will be doing a S&P at his home track. That would be much like Bobby going to TMS with a S&P in the future.
Read the above article. It doesn’t say they are pulling and wanting sponsorship for David. The quote “We really need to do everything possible to keep Bobby Labonte from having to Start & Park.” says it all. They are NOT doing everything possible to find sponsorship for David. Indeed, they are not even going to the track with a good engine for David. And they are having a sponsorship drive for Bobby, even though that blog shows David’s picture.
And do you think for a moment, if David were getting race engines, and new chassis, and a contract, that he wouldn’t have considered taking another ride?
My other point really bears repeating: Keep an eye on the Finch machine. He may be making a run at that spot.
Good luck to TRG and all 10, or is that, 31 of the people doing all of the work. I am sure that they feel that we Gilly fans are over the top. But as I told Kevin, this is NASCAR, and the NASCAR fans are a much tougher breed than that in most other motorsport series.
Just to let you know… David was interviewd by Sirius Radio ( Nascar Station) and before you start saying things are unfair ect.. because Bobby came aboard the 71′ maybe you should listen what David had to say.. He seemed pleased with the whole situation and in fact his deal with JGR seems was in the works prior to Bobby coming to TRG
He is a very respectful guy and had nothing BAD to say of his situation with TRG..This worked out for all.. As far as a new car Sponsorship, ect… I think everyone at TRG is proud of this and you will NOT make them feel bad that they were able to do this for Bobby. This is a very POSITIVE thing.
And just so YOU will know, yes..that is what David has said to us. And just so YOU will know, TRG is making an effort to smooth things over with the fans of David’s. This comes from dialogue both here, and at other locations. There is someone from TRG that is facilitating a meeting or online chat with Gilly’s Gang members, as there is an agreement amongst most parties that that things could have been handled better.
And while David has had some good opportunities, they came about because of his being in the TRG ride. However, he does not have a ride for all of the races for the rest of the season. And to really be clear, if David and the TRG team had not done such a good job, Bobby would not be having a ride. David with the 10/31 members are the ones that got notice. I am glad that they have such a good quality driver to help them out. I hope that it will last beyond this year!
And just to repeat, so YOU will know….I would hate to see the same thing happen to Bobby. Remember how upset BL’s fans were between the YR announcement and the TRG announcement? I am still seeing some pretty disrespectful comments from Bobby’s fans about Yates Racing. It happens!
My ONLY gripe is that TRG appears to be marketing Bobby far harder than they marketed David in recent months. That is the ONLY thing I was trying to say. There is no disrespect intended.
NASCAR needs teams such as TRG, a far better situation than other teams out there that have no intent to ever do more than a start and park.
And hey, Bruce…I saw the hood on ebay! I hope it brings in some good $$ for you! And I mean that sincerely! (Free plug…please note it!)
And Bruce, I won’t be back to bother you or Bobby’s fans. My best to you all!
That was a positive comment.I guess.. Did you hear the Sirius interveiw with David? It was great. Ill leave it at that. Good Luck TRG and Bobby at Kansas this weekend.. I bet that new car is gonna be great!!