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Stock car racing is enjoying an all time surge in popularity in part due
to the rise in popularity of NASCAR stock car racing. Here in Niagara
we are also experiencing a rise in popularity coupled with the fact that
stock car racing at Merrittville Speedway is continuing to enjoy a rise
in attendance having furnished fast family entertainment for over 46 years.
We at Sharp-Gordon Racing, an established racing team would like to introduce
ourselves to you and tell you a bit about the popularity of stock car
racing and the benefits of sponsorship. The Sharp-Gordon Racing team is
a true family-based racing team with its roots going back close to 30
years involvement in the sport. Over that period of time Ken Sharp and
father Neil Sharp have seen much success in the sport however, over the
past 4 years teamed with driver Doug Gordon, a veteran of 28 years in
the sport, accomplished much on a tight budget. The team under the direction
of Ken Sharp, always presents a pristine racing machine at the track and
coupled with their consistent performances, finishing all but one race
in 1997, the team finished in the top 3 position in season points only
5 points behind second place. In order to finish in the top 3 positions
in season's points, the team had to finish consistently in the top five
positions week after week. The team competed on a limited budget, however
the team members are an example of how experience and a professional approach
to winning can accomplish much. To recap the 1997 season the following
was accomplished and more than satisfied the requirements of the sponsors:
1. Consistent Top 5 feature finishes. 2. Neil Sharp and Ken Sharp were
named top crew chief of the month for July-August, 1997. 3. Had displayed
their pristine race car at Merrittville Speedway's 46th Anniversary Reunion,
giving fans a chance to view their race car up-close and personal, as
well as discussing racing with fans and giving their sponsors recognition
for their involvement. 4. Top 5 finishes and only 1 DNF in 1997 resulted
in a third place in final modified points standings. As a race team we've
accomplished much on a tight budget, but could accomplish much more with
a wider range of sponsorship dollars. To give you, the prospective sponsor
an idea of how the sport of auto racing has grown, we only have to look
at the Merrittville Speedway success story, and those teams involved.
Merrittville Speedway opened on July 1, 1952 and has continued to surpass
local lacrosse, baseball and other stick and ball sports, in attendance.
According to Jack Gatecliff, Merrittville Speedway and the sport of stock
car racing has not only been the success story of local sports, but is
now the oldest continuous run stock car facility in Canada. This has not
happened by accident since fan support for local race drivers and teams
has rewarded the sport with record attendance numbers year after year.
In 1996 the average nightly attendance was estimated at 3,500 enthusiastic
fans with a total attendance of over 70,000 paying fans. Over 58% of the
fans come from Niagara, with the balance coming from Hamilton/Burlington,
the U.S.A., with the rest coming from the London, Waterloo and Toronto
area. Most of the fans are 25 to 49 years of age, 59%, with 46% of the
fans having attended for over ten plus years, with 48% of the fans earning
$35,000.00 plus per year. An interesting statistic is that most people
view stock car racing's appeal as male driven (58%), however 42% of all
race fans are female. Why are these statistics relevant? It is because
auto racing's appeal is widely accepted as the top sport regarding fan
attendance and brand loyalty in North America. A recent sponsorship survey
conducted by NASCAR indicated that 72% of all race fans are brand loyal
to the products sponsored on the flanks of race cars, such as STP, Budweiser,
Miller Beer, G.M. Goodwrench, Ford Credit, Quaker State, as well as Kellogg's,
Hot Wheels, and Tide all enjoy brand loyalty. It's a well documented fact
that products that support race fans' favourite race teams, lead to 48%
of all race fans purchasing the products that sponsor race cars. Competitive
sports such as NFL and the NHL, have all had their affiliations with stock
car racing being used to attract stock car fans over to both football
and hockey. The Sharp-Gordon Racing Team being a well established, family
based racing team, not only knows how to race well on a tight budget,
but portraying itself and sponsors professionally on and off the track.
Our racing team not only furnishes a pristine race car week after week,
but hauls it in an enclosed trailer which would easily be suited as a
mobile billboard. Corporate sponsors such as Swiss Chalet and Harvey's
restaurants, Valvoline Oil, SKOAL Tobacco, Sunoco Fuels, STP First Brands,
and Commisso's Food Markets have all seen benefits in sponsoring race
cars and events. We are confident that the professional abilities of our
first rate race team could accomplish the same exposure for you, our prospective
sponsor. We ask you to please consider our request and we would like to
arrange a meeting to discuss the possibilities of how sponsorship of your
products on our race team could lead to more recognition for your product
and increased sales in your market, and possibly reaching the market brand
loyalty of the race fan. As of yet, the popularity and marketing of motor
sports continues to grow and with it the increased markets reached with
the products that support it. With Merrittville Speedway advancing towards
it's 50th anniversary, the sport of dirt track stock car racing will also
continue to flourish, as will the race teams involved. We are confident
that the Sharp-Gordon Racing Team will be at the top with continued sponsor
support. We look forward to meeting with you. |
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