The NAPA AUTO PARTS Atlantic City Indoor Race is more than just a race, it’s an event.
This January 31 and February 1, the connection between the racing and the after party, will be stronger than ever. Thanks to support from The West at Caesars Atlantic City (formerly Wild Wild West) and the Atlantic City Sports Commission, the TQ Midget winner’s share on both Friday and Saturday night will be increased by $1,500.
“The Atlantic City races are special, everytime I walk into the arena on race weekend I get goosebumps, the building has so much history and over the past 20 years we have made history of our own,” stated event promoter Len Sammons.
“Hosting the event in a resort town like Atlantic City, offers our racers and attendees benefits few events around the country can match. When the races are over world class casinos, restraurants and nightlife are just steps away, making for an epic party only Atlantic City can produce!”
The Atlantic City Indoor Races, are held annually the last weekend in January, inside famous Boardwalk Hall, located right on the inconic boardwalk and steps away from the casinos and resorts that have made the town famous.
In 2025, the ‘Race Hard, Play Hard’ post-event parties will help to raise the stakes for the winner of Friday and Saturday night’s TQ Midget A-Main. Should a driver sweep the weekend, the winner’s will exceed $10,000.
“Last year we took an unofficial tradition of the winner and the Gambler’s Classic Cup trophy making its rounds around Wild Wild West bar to the next level, when Andy Jankowiak went on stage to salute the crowd and do a winner’s toast,” added Sammons.
“Starting in 2025, the race winner of Friday and Saturday night will not only go on stage at The West, but they will both be presented with a $1,500 bonus check as well.”
The lively hub of nightlife during race weekend is only a two minute walk away at Caesars Atlantic City. The West at Caesars features live music, casino gaming, beer pong, sports betting, bull riding, arcade games, and much more.
Tickets for the event are on sale now via Ticketmaster and the Boardwalk Hall box office.
In addition to the high-speed TQ Midgets—purpose-built race cars powered by 750cc motorcycle engines—three support divisions will also race: Slingshots, Champ Karts and Dirt 600 Micro Sprints.
Family-Friendly Pricing: Tickets start at just $20 for adults, with general admission for children available for only $5 on the day of the event. Premium front-row seating and reserved seats are also available for an additional fee. Pricing excludes facility and ticketing fees.
Fans can enjoy an exclusive pre-race FanFest on the arena floor, where lower-level reserved ticket holders can walk the track and meet their favorite drivers before Saturday night’s race.
The 2005 Indoor Auto Racing Series opens with a two-day show inside Allentown, PA’s PPL Center on Friday and Saturday, January 4th and 5th. The stars will then head to Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. The series will conclude its season on a clay oval at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ, on February 21 and 22.
For more information about the Indoor Auto Racing Series, including hotel deals at nearby casinos and hotels, racer rules, and entry forms, visit IndoorAutoRacing.com.
NASCAR has announced an expanded long-term technical partnership with Stratasys making the company the official 3D printing partner of NASCAR. NASCAR will now exclusively use Stratasys 3D printing technology for the design and production of parts and tools across NASCAR, replacing previous technologies used alongside Stratasys solutions.
The official partnership cements Stratasys’ role as a critical technology provider for NASCAR, with a new state-of-the-art 3D printing lab set to open at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina. The facility features multiple Stratasys technologies, including F370, 450mc, F900 (FDM printers) and a NEO800 (SL printer) to support research and development, parts production, and tooling for NASCAR’s three national series. NASCAR engineers will benefit from the agility of 3D printing, which allows for faster design cycles and on-demand production of custom components, keeping them at the cutting edge of performance and safety.
“Partnering with Stratasys allows NASCAR to push the boundaries of performance and accuracy like never before,” said John Probst, Executive Vice President, Chief Racing Development Officer at NASCAR. “Their 3D printing technology empowers us to quickly iterate and optimize components, ensuring that our staff has the best possible machines to stay ahead in this high-stakes environment. Stratasys has proven to be a valuable partner, and this agreement represents our commitment to staying at the forefront of motorsports innovation.”
As part of the expanded partnership, Stratasys will increase the existing FDM® (Fused Deposition Modeling) capabilities within the NASCAR R&D center, allowing for larger-scale part production. In addition to FDM technology, NASCAR will now integrate Stratasys NEO® stereolithography (SL). These technologies will support a variety of applications, from aerodynamic testing, prototyping and production parts with high-precision tooling, further enhancing the design and manufacturing flexibility that 3D printing brings to the sport.
Engineers at NASCAR worked with Stratasys on solutions for NASCAR Cup Series cars, with every vehicle on the track currently using 3D printed parts. For example, working with Stratasys Direct Manufacturing for on-demand production parts using the H350 SAF printer with plant-based Nylon11 material to produce a cold air inlet vent at the top center of the windshield to force air into the car to cool the driver. FDM printers used in the NASCAR R&D Center using ULTEM® 9085 black material to produce a NACA duct located on the lower engine panel, to vent hot air out from the engine bay.
“Our partnership with NASCAR allows Stratasys to showcase the unique advantages of 3D printing in motorsports,” said Rich Garrity, Chief Business Unit Officer at Stratasys. “From on-demand manufacturing of custom components to speeding up the design cycle, we’re helping NASCAR with faster production times and enhanced part performance. Furthermore, our work in high-performance environments like NASCAR spurs innovation in the production of commercial vehicles, demonstrating the broader impact of additive manufacturing across the automotive industry.”
Martin Truex Jr. will retire from full-time Cup Series racing following the season finale Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
He still plans to race and is expected to attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in a fourth 23XI Racing car next year.
But don't expect the relatively introverted Truex to be hanging out at the track all that much. The 44-year-old has been racing in Cup full-time since 2006 and values his alone time.
He also values his career with 34 Cup wins and one Cup title — all but two of the wins coming in his 10th Cup season or later. Truex has driven for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Furniture Row Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing. Four of those organizations (all except JGR) closed while he was driving for them. Truex won back-to-back Xfinity titles in 2004-2005 driving for Chance 2 Motorsports, the precursor to JR Motorsports.
Truex talked with FOX Sports prior the recent Cup race at Martinsville about his career and semi-retirement outlook:
How do you look back at your career overall?
Happy. Thankful. Proud. Just the things we've been able to do. If you would have told me after my first couple years in the Cup Series that I would win 30-some races and a championship and had three runner-ups and just be around and be a solid, front-running driver for this long, I would be very excited about that. And so I just feel like I've had a great career, more so than I ever thought I could accomplish or would accomplish, especially early on. And I'm just thankful for all the people I got to work with and the fans and all my partners that made it possible. I feel very lucky to be able to get to do what I've done.
It hasn't been easy, especially the first 10 years?
Yeah, not easy at all. There was a lot more tough years than good years. But those tough years kind of make you who you are, and they make you appreciate the good times. And so I wouldn't change any of it for anything. Definitely feel good about what I was able to do.
You are a guy who hates change, and yet your career has had a ton of change, How'd you handle it all?
Just approach everything with an open mind and try to work with the team and take their information and just try to be a team player — just always come in with a good attitude, work hard and be thankful for everybody's hard work.
What are you going to do on Sundays?
I'm not sure yet. Hunt and fish. Enjoy life. I'm sure I'll watch some racing still, probably won't be as closely interested in it as I am now. But I don't know. We'll see. Time will tell.
What are you going to miss the most?
The team, working with the guys, just having that camaraderie and sharing that passion for trying to win and working hard at it. The relationships are really what you take from here and things that will go on for years to come. You get to keep the trophies, and you get to go back and look at videos and all the stats and all the things — they're always there to see. But you miss the people, just seeing all the guys at the track every weekend.
What are you going to miss the least?
The traveling, just every Thursday getting ready to go. It's just nonstop. It's a grind, and it'll be nice to just not have my schedule printed out for me a year in advance. That's the biggest thing, really, is just having some time to myself to do what I want and still getting to race some, too. So just doing things on my own terms.
And what do you hope fans remember about you, or when they think of Martin Truex Jr., what do you want them to think about?
I've gotten that question a lot lately, and it's a tough one. Just that I was a good guy, treated people right and hopefully people still think I'm a little bit underrated.
Big Machine Distillery – home of Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers and Ascot Award-Winning Borchetta Bourbon – has extended its multiyear partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As an official partner of IMS, Big Machine, a valued IMS partner for more than a decade with its music & entertainment and spirits brands, continues its dedication and passion for motorsports.
“Big Machine’s continued enthusiasm for IMS and motorsports is incredible,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Scott Borchetta and his team have been engaged and dynamic partners in a variety of ways for more than 10 years. Their continued commitment to the Speedway helps provide our fans with the best experience possible.”
Music mogul Scott Borchetta acquired and created Big Machine Distillery in 2015 with the desire to venture into the business of producing and marketing high-quality craft spirits. With his brother Mark Borchetta, they have disrupted the spirits industry with the development of a proprietary Platinum Filtration system for the Double Gold Award-winning Big Machine Platinum Filtered vodka brand, the only system of its kind in the world. Big Machine has produced many multi-award-winning products, including their popular Spiked Coolers and their highly acclaimed Borchetta Bourbon, which is beautifully packaged and honors a different legendary INDYCAR race car each year. The Distillery’s family of spirits also consists of a true craft Tennessee Whiskey – Clayton James, New American style gins, moonshines and single batch rums.
“We are so proud to continue our relationship with Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Big Machine Founder and Chairman Scott Borchetta said. “IMS is unlike any other sporting venue in the world, and the Indy 500 is always a memory-maker, which aligns with all Big Machine brands: making memories.”
Tickets for marquee events in 2025 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – including the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG and the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks – are on sale online at IMS.com and at the IMS Ticket Office.
Sponsorship Proposal Tips
It's the time of the year that many of us are approaching renewals, potential partners and even cold calling on new businesses and measuring their interest in being involved with the sport. Writing a proposal that works is a challenge, however some of these tips may be helpful with your endeavors.
Sponsorship Packages Start With What You Have to Sell
Your sponsorship package will be completely empty without a list of things to sell. These things that you sell are called “assets” and those assets are grouped together into your sponsorship proposal “inventory.” Most people start the sponsorship process by creating a sponsorship proposal template based on their financial goals, full of predefined benefits, grouped into three or four levels. They then send out these templates…and hear nothing back.
Rather than creating a single sample sponsorship package and sending it to everyone you know, start instead by building an inventory of everything you are willing to sell.
Should Your Sponsorship Packages have a Menu?
Gold, Silver or Bronze (or any other stock levels) sends a message to your sponsors that you are an amateur. Don’t do it! List some of the ways that you can help your sponsors achieve their goals but don’t list them out as packages that they have to buy. Instead, show your sponsors that you have options that help them with the following areas:
Brand building
Product placement
Sampling
Contests
Growing their database
Thought leadership
Show your sponsors how you’ve helped other sponsors achieve their goals by working with you.
Corporate Sponsorship Inventory Building
Get your leadership team, program team, marketing department, volunteers and current sponsors together and ask them what they think you should be selling.
Come up with a list of everything you currently sell and then ask the group what’s missing from the list. Look at your competition and see what they are offering. Once you’ve done this exercise, challenge your group to come up with a list of five things not on the list and not being done by your competition.
How to Ask for Corporate Sponsorship Matters Less Than Who to Ask!
But how do you know who to ask? This process is far easier than most people realize. You see, the trick to a good sponsorship proposal is that it has very little to do with what you write…when you have the right audience.
It is with firm belief that when you have a good asset list and well deserved audience, your ideal sponsor appears on their own. Take the list you created in the “sponsorship proposal inventory building” section and ask yourself what types of companies want to hear about these opportunities.
Look at your audience, who will attend your event, who cares about your brand and who do you interact with through your e-mail lists and social media, and ask yourself which companies want to connect with that group in the ways you’ve outlined. If you have a media sponsorship, make sure to include their audience in this process.
When you’re done, move on to your competitors and see who they are working with. Now, for every sponsorship prospect you’ve added to your list, research their competitors. If one bank has interest in your brand then more probably do. Do this with every prospect on your list and suddenly you will have more prospects than you know what to do with!
Know What to Charge for Everything in Your Sponsorship Packages
It’s worth noting that so far, this guide on the corporate sponsorship proposal hasn’t even discussed graphics, number of pages or sponsorship level name ideas. There’s a reason for this!
It is true that most sponsorship sales involve a sponsorship proposal. It is not true, however, that a sponsorship proposal is sufficient to sell sponsorship. Having the right products and knowing your customer are essential, and so is knowing what to charge for the assets in your sponsorship proposal.
Before you reach out to your prospects, spend some time figuring out what to charge for everything in your sponsorship package. The best way to do this is to list every single item you plan to sell in your sponsorship proposal along with who will see it (or hear it) and assign a value to that benefit. Use resources like Google Adwords and the local newspaper when trying to determine what to charge for things like logo placement. Assign a value to samples, product placement, speaking opportunities, free tickets, exhibit space…basically, if you offer it to a sponsor, give it a value.
Why do this? Well, for two reasons. First, it tells you how much money you can realistically expect to make through sponsorship. Second, it gives you the ability to negotiate with sponsors and trade benefits across the various levels within your sponsorship packages.
Finding the Right Contact
Even the best designed, best researched and best priced sponsorship proposal won’t work if you send it to the wrong person! So who should you send your sponsorship request to? Look for people with the following in their titles:
Brand
Marketing
Sponsorship
Business Development
Communications
Product
Those with Corporate Social Responsibility in their title typically handle the “corporate philanthropy” side of things though this can often be combined with sponsorship and cause related marketing. If you can only find a CSR person, approach them with the request that they help you find the best contact for your proposal.
Want to Know How to Write a Sponsorship Proposal? Ask Your Prospect!
Never submit a sponsorship proposal cold, without talking to someone first. Sometimes you meet them by e-mail, phone or, best of all, in person. When this happens, never bring anything but a mental list of questions.
Here are the questions to always ask prospects before you submit a sponsorship proposal:
Who is your target audience?
How do you normally engage in sponsorship?
What does your target market value?
What can you tell me about your sales goals for the coming year?
What would you consider to be the most important elements of a sponsorship proposal?
The Sponsorship Proposal Template
Here is a really simple sponsorship proposal template:
Sample Sponsorship Proposal Outline
Remember: your sponsorship package is not the sales tool…you are!
Page One: Title Page or Sponsorship Proposal Letter
Include your logo and the name of the opportunity or program and your tagline. Keep this simple and NEVER call it a “sponsorship package”!
Page Two: Describe Your Audience
Sponsorship is all about the audience! Your sponsors want to connect with a particular group of people and they want that group of people to take a very specific action. Before you ask your sponsors for money, tell them about your audience.
Page Three: Describe Your Opportunity
Paragraph one:
Talk about your cause, event or brand. Note, one paragraph only! Plain and simple- don’t talk about need or sad stories.
Paragraph two:
Talk about the opportunity, program or event.
Page Four: Think Menu not Sponsorship Levels
Never say “sponsorship opportunities.” Instead use something like “Engage Leaders in Industry X” or “Reach out to People of a Certain Age or Geography” or “Come and Meet X Sector”
Start with a statement about how you like to work with sponsors and your philosophy. Most orgs put a statement at the end of their package stating “we are also willing to customize. Contact us.” Don’t do this!
Instead, open by telling your prospects that these are suggestions to get the process started. Invite them to have a look and contact you with their own suggestions about how they want to engage your network, then list all of your assets and opportunities!
Page Five: Sample Activations
This is the section where most people put a grid labeled “Gold, Silver, Bronze” but not you! Instead, list your ideas (as discussed above) to help bring your audience and sponsor closer together while helping your sponsor achieve their goals. Be sure to include opportunities for branding, sampling, attendee experience and contests. Will you sponsor buy one of these items off the shelf? Almost certainly not…but it gets them thinking and shows them that you know how to play the sponsorship game.
Page Six: The Contact Page
Use a title like “we want to hear from you!” Use a call to action. Encourage sponsors to get in touch, tell you what’s missing and tell you what they want to add or change. Make it clear that your proposal is a conversation tool and not set in stone. Do not include a section for your sponsor to cut out and mail back with their payment.
Proposals don’t sell sponsorship, people do!
Your Corporate Sponsorship Sales are Only as Strong as Your Follow Up
Once you have sent your sponsorship proposal to your prospect, give them a few days to sit with it. Because you spent the time talking to them and getting to know them on the front end, you have earned the right to follow up.
Get in touch with your sponsors, ask them what they thought of your sponsorship request, ask them what they thought of benefits and what advice they have to change your sponsorship package to better suit their needs.
Expect to follow up with your sponsor multiple times!
After the Successful Sponsorship Package, the Real Work Begins
Once the money arrives, it’s time to kick back and relax right? Not so fast! I would say that getting the commitment from a sponsor is about 20% of the total work of sponsorship. In other words, now that you have the money you still have 80% of the process ahead. Sponsorship is a transaction and when sponsors don’t get what they paid for, they will ask for a refund or worse, they will tell their colleagues how terrible you are to work with.
Get ready to work hard for your sponsors!
Do’s and Don’ts for Sponsorship Proposals
You want to get your sponsorship proposal right. Besides following along with my template above, don’t miss this collection of best practices for writing and sending your proposal.
DO Follow the Template
Okay, so maybe this one is a wee bit obvious, but nevertheless, Iit has to be said. Create the sponsorship proposal template.
DON’T Write Your Proposal Before the Discovery Session
You might think you saved yourself time, but you actually did anything but.
You can’t possibly put together a quality proposal until you have the discovery session. Don’t put the cart before the horse here!
DO Customize Your Proposal
The entire goal of a sponsorship proposal is to tailor it to your sponsorship prospects. That requires you to put together a custom proposal. You can still follow along with my outline, but you want to make all the fields unique to your sponsor.
DON’T Say the Proposal Is Customized
The one faux pas to avoid at all costs (well, besides mentioning the words “sponsorship proposal” in your proposal) is to tell the sponsor you customized the proposal.
Why is this such a big gaffe? You’re trying too hard to scream to the sponsor that yes, you did indeed customize the proposal.
If you actually customized it, it shouldn’t be such a big deal that you feel the need to mention it. Just don’t mention customization anywhere in your sponsorship proposal and you’ll be as good as gravy.
DO Add Your Contact Information
This is another one of those tips that maybe seems a bit too obvious, but again, you’d be surprised how people can sometimes forget the most obvious information!
You want your sponsorship prospect to get in touch with you, right? Certainly the answer is yes.
That’s why you need to include contact information. Throw in your email address, business phone, fax number (if you still fax), social links, whatever you’ve got.
The more options a prospect has to get in touch with you, the easier you make it for them. That doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a response, of course, but it doesn’t hurt your chances, either.
DON’T Use Sponsorship Tiers
Ah, the dreaded tiered sponsorship proposals. You know, like gold, silver, and bronze, or platinum, rose gold, and copper.
The names don’t matter as much as the contents. Tiered sponsorship levels are about as old as dirt. Okay, maybe not quite that old, but it feels like it!
Sponsors have seen these a million times. The only instance that wouldn’t be true is if you’re working with a brand-new business. Still, I’m sure even they’ve heard horror stories about sponsorship tiers.
To put it simply, sponsors don’t want to have their arm twisted into buying X, Y, and Z when all they really wanted was W. So please, skip the tiers.
DO Wait Until the Prospect Asks to See the Proposal
The hardest thing in the world is being patient when you’re pleased as punch with your proposal and just want to send it off. However, it’s for the good of your sponsorship opportunity.
Your prospect will ask to see the proposal sooner or later. Well, most of the time they will, anyway. Sometimes, they don’t need to see a proposal at all. That’s why you should only put one together only when the sponsor asks for it.
Keep being patient until that moment comes!
DON’T Attach the Proposal to a Cold Email
By far, the biggest mistake you can make is to blast contacts on your email list with your sponsorship proposal attached to a cold email.
That’s a great way to get blocked and reported for spam. You will not yield any results. Sure, people might open your email, but as soon as they realize what it is, they’ll send it straight to the trash.
Don’t waste your time mass-emailing your proposal. Instead, focus on making it as unique as possible for the prospect you’re speaking with.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I present my sponsorship proposal during the discovery session?
No, please don’t. You need the discovery session to be an exploratory meeting so you can then put together your sponsorship proposal later. Leave your cookie cutter proposal at the office and plan to rewrite it from scratch according to my template later.
Do sponsors ever accept unsolicited proposals?
In past experience, they don’t. That doesn’t stop people from trying, though.
Focus on prospecting for sponsors and then waiting until they ask for your proposal. You’ll be in a much better position to get results.
Wrapping Up
The sponsorship proposal is important, but is it the end-all, be-all of sponsorship? Nope, it sure isn’t. You can close deals without a formal proposal.
However, if you require one for your sponsorship opportunity, remember this advice. Always have the discovery session first. Customize your proposal according to what you learned at the discovery session, but don’t mention the words “custom” or “sponsorship proposal.”
The Trans Am Hall of Fame becomes official February 21, 2025, when Tony Parella welcomes its inaugural class of drivers and team owners to a celebratory dinner at Sebring International Raceway, where it all began 58 years ago.
"Trans Am is the longest-running professional road racing series in North America," said Parella, founder and CEO of Parella Motorsports Holdings. "The series has made a significant impact in the world of racing and has been home to some of the greatest names in motorsports. It deserves a Hall of Fame to commemorate the legacy of its great drivers and team owners."
The Trans Am Hall of Fame has been established by Parella as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and it will have a permanent home at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, New York.
Originally billed as the Trans-American Sedan Championship, the series held its first race on March 25,1966, at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Florida. This first season was composed of seven races, which are commemorated in the seven stars of the new Trans Am Hall of Fame logo.
The inaugural class of 17 inductees—which includes Trans Am drivers and team owners who are household names among fans of the series—will be honored at the Trans Am Series season opener at Sebring as part of the Sebring SpeedTour weekend. The event weekend will feature both the current cars and drivers of the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, as well as Historic Trans Am.
The inductees will be revealed closer to the event date.
Building on an outstanding 2024 season, Lime Rock Park is set to welcome fans back for an even bigger year of motorsport action in 2025.
Lime Rock Park will expand its offerings in 2025, increasing from six to eight event weekends. The iconic Connecticut venue will showcase a mix of returning favorites and exciting new events, along with a full lineup of community gatherings, autocross lapping days on the FCP Euro Proving Grounds, Sunday at The Park car shows, and numerous car club races.
The track is pleased to maintain the same ticket pricing for General Admission offerings in 2025 as in 2024. Veterans and active military will continue to receive free general admission to Lime Rock Park ticketed event weekends, and children 12 and under also gain free entry with an adult ticket purchase. General parking, courtesy golf cart shuttle rides and paddock access remain complimentary (except for NASCAR, where the paddock is closed).
Lime Rock Park season passes and general admission tickets go on sale on November 11. A Lime Rock Park Season Pass will be available for $480, representing more than $250 in savings for a full season of action.
A Lime Rock Park Season Pass includes admission to all 8 event weekends and premium parking for select events, including Sunday in The Park.
Fan hospitality upgrades will also be available for select weekends.
For tickets, visit: www.limerock.com/tickets
Please note that Lime Rock Park’s ticketing system, TorkHub, is the only officially authorized ticket seller for the June 27-28 NASCAR event weekend.
