FFA Newsletter July 2011

Brian SampSonThe racing legend inTerviewed

The baThursT experience

going protips to finding sponsors and more

ffa racer

Formula Ford Association Member Newsletter July 2011

what waS it like?

Message froM the editor

In an economic environment that is a bit uncertain we are seeing strong support for Formula Ford amidst other categories that

are struggling to get half the numbers we are attracting. Hopefully this trend can continue into the future. The last few months in

Formula Ford has seen some great highs and lows.

The height is the Bathurst Motor Festival that saw a great field of historic and modern Formula Ford 1600 cars put on a great show

with clean racing all weekend. From all reports everyone had an amazing time, enjoying every minute of the event. Credit goes

to the FFA for organising a great event with special thanks to Jeff Senior, Sharon Meyers and Amy Ellacott for all their efforts in

managing the Formula Ford contingent.

The lows are definitely the driving standards of some that have been displayed at both national and state racing events.

It is amazing that a 40 car field at Bathurst can produce clean racing but a 30 car grid sees us struggle to get a clean race in our

state events.

On a much brighter note, if you haven’t heard, Formula Ford 1600 has been invited to be one of the support categories at next

year’s Bathurst 12 hour event. It is early days and more information will be provided in due course but if you have a car sitting in

a shed then you might want to get it out for a run before next year’s event. Anyone that has driven around Mount Panorama in a

Formula Ford will tell what a great experience it is so this is an event you would not want to miss.

The theme of this newsletter is a career in motorsport. We cover some tips for those looking at finding sponsors, share the

experiences of a young drivers first race meeting and have a feature article on one of Australia’s racing legends and Formula Ford

competitor Brian Sampson who not only tells us about his start in motorsport but shares stories of his racing life with us.

As we reach the half way mark in many of our championships, I hope that those racing are enjoying every minute of their

participation and those sitting on the sidelines hurry up and come join us.

Cheers,

Andrew Sill

we are a fortunate Bunch of people to have the opportunity to race carS. SometimeS i think we can loSe Sight of how lucky we actually are. i meet many people that would love to have the opportunity we have to race great carS around Some great trackS.

1 I FFA Racer Newsletter

Latest NeWsformula ford returnS to the mountain….again!!!

duratec power BooStS numBerS at nSw and vic eventS

Supporting avon

After this year’s successful event at the Bathurst Motor Festival that saw a great bunch of Formula Ford 1600 cars successfully tame the mountain, the organisers have extended an invitation to return to the mountain again as a support category to the Bathurst 12 hour event at the end of February.

The organisers of the event had high praise for the FFA who worked closely with them to coordinate the Formula Ford contingent which greatly helped our cause to continue to be invited to such events. Details are currently being gathered and when finalised will be communicated to all members in the coming months.

As a result of national Formula Ford rounds at Eastern Creek and Sandown, a welcomed boost in grid numbers has ensued with many national racers participating in state events to gain some extra mileage.

Though numbers were high the racing disappointed with numerous safety car periods resulting in minimal racing laps.

With the upcoming Victorian state round at Sandown, numbers have been boosted again and the hope is that level heads prevail and clean racing ensues.

Avon is a proud supporter of Formula Ford racing and have contributed greatly to our classes over the years. As part of our tyre contract, all cars running Avon tyres in state and national events must have Avon stickers on the car.

Not only do we receive a competitive fixed price for Avon tyres but financial support which aids our development and promotion of Formula Ford. Stickers can be obtained from your local FFA committee member or Avon tyre outlet.

FFA Racer Newsletter I 2

ffa committee updateWith the Bathurst event dominating the time of some committee members the past few months has been a relatively quiet

time with a few negotiations occurring regarding the Formula Ford 1600’s return to Bathurst again next year. Now our

sights set on preparing for Bathurst with the first item on the agenda an information flyer.

As a result of some of the poor driving standards in some states, we have been involved in liaising with state meeting

promoters to develop plans to better control and penalise wayward drivers. Through these discussions many good ideas

have been put forward which hopefully will result in some new initiatives put in place.

We continue to review technical regulations for the Formula Ford 1600 category to ensure that a level playing field remains

in our category.

As always if you have any concerns about Formula Ford speak to your state FFA representatives.


driving StandardS in formula ford

note to driverS:FFA Racer Newsletter I 4

The driving standards at all levels of Formula Ford have come under fire as a result of the seemingly

inability of some to stay out of trouble on track.

The FFA understands that Formula Ford is traditionally a very competitive class of cars and a great

breeding ground for young drivers. All the hard work that has gone into establishing Formula Ford is

slowly being undermined due to the lack of racing laps as a result of incidents, red flags and pace

cars and this is a major concern for the FFA.

We have had external parties contact us in relation to the disruptions caused to race programs as a

result of our actions with warnings of serious repercussions if this behavior continues.

Each driver must be responsible for their actions both on and off the track. We say off the track as

well as some stewards have complained about the attitude of some young drivers when questioned

about incidents. Showing a lack of respect to fellow competitors or officials will not be tolerated.

We urge all drivers to consider the following:

1. You can’t win a race unless you finish.

2. Races are not won at turn 1.

3. When you attempt to pass a car ensure you can do so in a clean manner.

4. Clashing of wheels in a Formula Ford will lead to damage and injury to property and persons.

5. Qualifying is not a race so leave plenty of room between yourself and fellow competitors

6. Keep an eye on the flags.

7. If you are not confident that you can make a pass then don’t.

8. Respect fellow competitors

9. Respect the stewards of the meetings and their authority.

We urge all drivers, parents of young drivers and team managers to pay closer attention to driving

standards as the consequences of poor driving will lead to some unfavourable outcomes for all.


by luke ellery

the BathurSt experience


When you get an opportunity to race at the Mount Panorama track at Bathurst it’s not a decision that involves a lot of thought. You have to do it.

When the Formula Ford 1600 class got the opportunity to race as part of the Bathurst Motor Festival over the Easter weekend it represented a long awaited return to the mountain with the last time our cars racing there in 2004.

I was pretty intimidated at first, when people were talking about how daunting it can be in an open wheeler. I haven't had nerves like that for a long time prior to learning a new track.

Having never been there before I knew it would be about sur-vival and not making a fool of myself. The field was very respect-ful to everyone else and the mix of cars and ability meant that everyone knew what they wanted from the event. I guess the biggest thing for everyone was getting plenty of laps. Everyone drove to the conditions to try and get as many laps around the place instead of fencing it on the outlap.

Having a big field wasn't an issue at all, I thought it was going to be really messy but with such a long lap everyone seemed to settle down pretty quickly. There were so many places to pass. At one stage in practice I was able to pass 5 cars thanks to a triple tow all between Forest Elbow and the chase.

I found the secret to a good lap was carrying a heap of pace through the cutting and using the banking of the road to your advantage. That basically leads you all the way into skyline and it's a huge amount of time on 'almost' full throttle. I noticed that when I had a really good run out of the cutting I would have ended in the fence if I tried to go flat all the way through to Sky-line. I tried a few times but could only do it once when I had the new tyre gain in qualifying on my pole lap.

The undulations were really noticeable when I first hit the track. To be honest, the biggest thing was having to really manhandle the car up mountain straight and down Conrod. It was really, really scary passing down those straights as the car wanted to skip almost a full car width from left to right over the bumps in the road.

It's not hugely a horsepower track. I didn't have the best motor out there as we just ran pump fuel. Some of the older cars also had better top speed due to the sidepods not being there. My top speed all weekend was 229kmh with a Phillip island top gear. I know it sounds crazy but it's all about mid corner speed and using the drafts. With so many gear changes you have to be flat shifting every gear. I looked at the data and it saved me a tenth of a second every shift.

The draft from a car in front could be picked up from around 600 metres behind which was very surprising.

It would have easily been the most fun weekend I have ever had in a race car. I loved the fact I got to experience everything in one event - winning a race, pole in qualifying and even coming from the rear of field and passing a bunch of traffic.

I would like to thank the FFA for their efforts in organising the event as they did a great job to bring it all together.

If you own a Kent powered Formula Ford you would be out of your mind not to do it. It was that good!

the BathurSt experience

Support Luke ElleryLuke Ellery is one of the fastest and most committed

Formula Ford drivers in Australia. He is currently racing

in US F2000 championship in the US to try and further

his career. As with most young up and coming drivers

he is seeking support to help fund his efforts in the US. If

you are interested in providing Luke with some financial

support visit his website at www.supportlukeellery.com.

KeNts Breath agaiN at BathUrst

KeNts Breath agaiN at BathUrst

racing legend.formula ford Star.

Brian SampSon


The name Brian Sampson is synonomous with motor racing in Australia. Not only has he been racing for over fifty years but won great races such as his Bathurst win with Peter Brock and Rothmans 500 win with Warren Cullen.

Brian has owned and raced a wide range of cars but has a soft spot for open wheeler racing that began in 1970 when he raced an F3 Elfin 600 that he built with a special Motor Improvements Toyota Corolla Engine. Since 1999 Brian has been a committed Formula Ford stalwart competing in the Victorian State Series and Historic Racing.

Now at the age of 76 he is still racing and putting other, many younger races to shame.

With such a long history in motor racing, Brian has seen a lot of changes and raced at all levels. Not only is Brian a committed racer but his passion for motor racing has never waned.

I recently sat with Brian to have a chat with him about his career in racing, Formula Ford and other categories.

You are probably one of Australia’s longest competing motor racing drivers. How did it all start?

My very first race was in 1955 at Albert Park, a 100 mile (160 km) Le Mans start sports car race called the Argus Moomba TT. The race was sponsored by the long since defunct Argus News Paper.

My own road car was a 1938 Morris 840 and my father had an Austin Healy. His engineering business “Samson Bearings” used to do work for Austin Distributors. At that time they ran works race cars for Geoff Brotherton and Haigh Hurst. The guys that worked on those cars came down and put pressure on my old man telling him to give me a go at racing at Albert Park and that it could help his business, - he was conned into letting me race his car.

Had you had any racing experience prior to that?

I had had one Saturday at a hill climb in Teurong Valley on the Mornington Peninsular, it was run by the VADC(Victorian Amateur Drivers Club), they were very active club in those days.

So first race. Turn up. Go race?

Oh well I used to do a bit of practice on the way to work sometimes. I used to drive from home in Glenhuntly to work in South Melbourne, do a couple of laps around Albert Park Lake at around 5.30am in the semi dark. I did use the headlights but didn’t hang around afterwards.

Where did you end up Finsihing?

I finished tenth out of the thirty five starters including an Allard, Jaguar XK120’s, 140’s, MG TC’s,TD’s, TF’s other Healeys and Triumphs and some “Specials” etc.

The Austin Healy was not the fastest car and I certainly wasn’t the fastest or bravest driver. It had standard motor, road tyres, some old army webbing for a safety belt a borrowed helmet and a Pyrerene fire extinguisher – the hand pump type that always seemed to leak everywhere. The race was won by Doug Whiteford in a Triumph TR2, I did however beat Harry Firth in his Supercharged MG TC Special and about another 15-20 cars

How does the racing in the old days compare to now?

There weren’t many young guys like there are now. I would

have been one of the youngest of the era because I was 19 and there I was racing in a fabulous sports car race against the hero’s of the day.

The safety in the sport has dramatically changed over the years. Back then what did you think of just having a lap belt and the general lack of safety equipment?

Well back then you never drove with a seat belt on the road and there were no roll bars but we didn’t think of the consequences. It was the norm racing the way we did up until about the early ‘60s, and we didn’t think about it too much.

There were a number of tracks around back then that no longer exist such as Catalina and Warwick Farm. Which track over your entire career has been your favourite to race on?

Phillip Island. You travel a lot faster now on the new track and there is plenty of run off but not on the old track. What Lindsey Fox is doing with the track is staggering. Winton is fantastic. If you want to learn how to handle a car then go to Winton. You’ve got heavy braking, corners, a very fast hang on for your life sweeper and hook back corners.

I used to love Amaroo. Sandown is the greatest most little used facility. It’s a marvellous facility that is just down the road.

So after your first race at Albert Park what did you do?

I only raced the Austin Healy once, and one day I saw a little car hanging out under a tarp at a car yard that Bob Jane owned opposite the Brunswick Town Hall. I had seen that car racing at Fishermans Bend driven by Bob himself. It was a Morris Special sports/racing car that was built by a guy named Lyn Evans with advice from the great Peter Manton.

So you got the racing bug very early?

Yes I did. My father never raced but I kept on going after the first opportunity I had.

Did you work on the car?

Yes. I had to because you couldn’t drive it half a kilometre without it boiling because of the engine installation. It was a 918cc side valve engine, with the water outlet on the top of the engine and the inlet to the radiator was about 8 inches below and with no water pump it wasn’t a cool running engine. I fitted a modified Ford 10 water pump, made up a header tank on the


firewall which was above a revised water outlet. This solved the overheating and I decided to press on with making more power.

I overbored the block to 1087cc and made my own piston from castings that I sourced from a Repco manufacturing division. The Morris 840 rods were heavy and I modified a set of Ford 10 rods to suit. This combination saved over 650grams of rotating/reciprocating weight. I made lager valves, did a port and polish job and finally fitted a supercharger. For the stopping department I made my own special alloy brake cooling fins, they also stopped the drums from expanding and in combination with competition linings really helped it stop.

It finished up a fast little car and I raced it for about 4 years at Phillip Island, Tarrawingee, Bathurst, Fishermans Bend, Albert Park in 1958 and all of the hillclimbs at Rob Roy, Templestowe, Hepburn Springs, Mt Martha and probably others that I have forgotten. In those days the organisers awarded real trophies that were worth keeping although they did need the occasional polish.

After that I raced an Austin A30 and Lancer.

Were you looking for a career in motorsport at the time?

No. I didn’t think there was a career. I knew then that I was never going to be world champion. I just enjoyed it.

It was a good adjunct to my business. I would have a good day racing at Calder and Monday morning there would be people waiting at the door wanting their cylinder heads ported and polished.

Tell me a bit about your business, Motor Improvements, that you started.

I started the business in 1959 at the age of 24. I used to work for my father who was an engine re-conditioner. They would get

guys that would want jobs they didn’t want to do such as port and polishing heads. I used to do that after hours with a guy that still works in the business today. Then I went and started the business.

How did you juggle racing and business.

We didn’t travel interstate back then.

My dad told me that a Motor Improvement engine was the one you wanted.

He was right. We were very careful. We didn’t tell lies and said what we said we would do.

You ended up racing for a few teams. How did that come about?

AMI, Australian Motor Industries, were the importers and builders of Triumph, Javelin and tractors and they wanted to build a special Triumph Spitfire. We did a couple of things with the engine and balanced the tailshaft and they sold about twenty of them.

They used to have the Triumph 2000 MD’s. There wasn’t a lot done to them but I said you should put triple carby’s on instead of two. So we made up a manifold for them and put them on. That’s how I got involved with AMI. They then wanted to race a Spitfire and then it went from there.

Why did they select you to drive the cars?

They had seen some of my other races.

They imported an aluminium Lemans style body for the car and I raced it against all sorts of cars. It was good.

I then went on to race a Toyota Corona and Corolla’s for them at


Bathurst and then Harry Firth invited me to race with Brocky at Bathurst in 1974 with the Holden Dealer Team. We were six laps in front and Brocky blew the engine up or the engine blew up. He wouldn’t slow down. He was fast. That was the big fall out with Firthy.

We used to do work for Gown and Hindhaugh and they used to do some for us. They wanted to run a car at Bathurst so they chose Brocky and myself.

The business I had definitely opened doors for me in motor racing.

Who do you rate as some of the greatest drivers you have raced against or with?

Peter Brock was at the top as a driver.

What was he like?

He was different. He would drive around faults. Doesn’t say it was the best way to do it but he was fast.

What was it like winning Bathurst?

It was fantastic. As a team is was a great thing. It didn’t open any other doors for me though.

I didn’t race in 1976 because Brocky went and raced with his brother Phil. In 1977 I raced with Warren Cullin.

Peter Jansen introduced me to Alan Brown from Re-Car. I did some good running with him at Bathurst and then I raced with Bill O’Brien in the Everlast Team Falcon & Commodore’s.

You raced a number of different cars from Group C cars to a Renault Gordini to many different open wheeler cars, which has been your favourite?

The Dallara 393 Formula 3 car. It was very fast and probably the best car that I have ever driven.

The Formula Holden was better but it was bigger but the one I had wasn’t up to the standard of the carbon fibre cars but it was still a good little car. I raced that car in Indonesia. Brian Shead built it. It was the only one he made and it is now historic.

My favourite car is the car that I am driving at the time. The best car I have driven is the Formula 3 car.

You must have seen many changes in motorsport. Do you think racing is better today?

I think it is better now.

The tracks and facilities are better as well as the cars. The cars are definitely safer. The organisation of events is a lot better.

What about the costs involved in going racing?

I knew 60 years ago that it was probably the most expensive thing you could be involved in as a sport except yacht racing, flying or horse racing.

I knew I had to work hard to afford it, and to do as much as I could myself on the car to cut costs.

Did you ever have any sponsors?

Well, there wasn’t much around and I didn’t get any, nor did I spend time chasing it. I did have some works drives and excellent co-driver seats. I never got paid nor did I actively look for payment or sponsorship

The only time I got some money from racing was from winning the Rothmans 500 in 1977 with Warren Cullen. I think he gave me 5 grand or something. The prize money was substantial, he asked me what I thought it was worth. I said about 5, he was happy, wrote a cheque and that was it.

You are now an active supporter of Formula Ford. How did you start in Formula Ford?

I bought a Historic Van Dieman RF77 in 1999. The car had been being raced by Mike Beeley and I thought it would be good fun, not a massive amount of maintenance and something you could do yourself.

Is that why you have stuck with Formula Ford?

Well with some other categories and cars you need a cast of thousands to keep them going.

They are easy to maintain. I am sick of driving my truck to the meetings so now the Borland team prepares my State Series cars and they deliver them to the tracks, but essentially Brendan and I look after ourselves at the track.

How many Formula Ford’s do you currently own?

Currently 10 but I’m always on the lookout for something different.

If you had the choice to drive anyone of them which one would you choose?

The car I am driving now the Spectrum 011 with a Kent engine in it. It was the first 011 model built.

Brian out in front.

Spectrum 011 with Brian at the wheel.


I didn’t like it at the start. I preferred my Spectrum 06 initially as I found the 011 model had go kart like steering. It was very direct. Mike Borland made me some different steering arms, which suit’s my driving style.

How do the older cars compare to the more modern cars?

I think the biggest difference is the tyres. The historic cars use the Dunlop tyres which I find a lot friendlier than the Avon tyres. Ultimately the Avons are a bit faster but I don’t like them as much.

Driving a Formula Ford fast is a challenge. What do you think the key to driving them fast is?

I haven’t found the secret yet to driving them fast but you need to drive them on the limit to be up the front.

There was no excellent training ground like go karts in my learning days and all of these young guys have probably had 10 or more years of the closest and toughest racing before the reach the age that I started at. To me my old habit of - “Look Before You Leap” has always been a part of my driving ethics. The driving standards in Formula Ford have been questioned around Australia. What is your advice to drivers in order to improve the racing?

Racing go karts is definitely the way in which to become fast but with go karts you can rub a bit with no issues. I think some competitors forget that Formula Fords have large diameter exposed open wheels and without the side pod protection as go karts, and when they interlock wheels the can really take off. It will only take a couple of “Heroes” to get hurt and then the message about over aggression will really sink in.

Is it a concern that someone will be seriously injured if it keeps up?

Of course, it’s the last thing anybody wants to see. We have a wonderful safety record in Australian Motor sport and I’d love to see that continue.

What would be your advice to those that want to go on and become professional drivers?

I’ve never been a professional but I would say start with a lot of money. Get a good team behind you and someone with experience that can encourage you and stand on you and keep you inline. Don’t cheat because you will get caught one day.And remember “ To finish first , first you must finish”.

Motorsport is not cheap. For those seeking the funds to go racing what are your tips?

You have to be able to perform first and then present yourself well.

Kent or Duratec?

For running costs I would say Duratec as you can get a lot of miles on an engine. Not many people have problems with Kents but they are certainly a bit more brittle. They probably need their engines rebuilt 2 to 3 times before a Duratec rebuild.

As the pressures of running at the front increase then the Duratec guys will spend more money.

It would be hard to find someone in Australia who has raced as long as you. How have you kept it going?

It is my hobby and passion.

I’ve never played football or any other sport except for having a hit of tennis. Motorsport is my thing.

You are still active in state and historic racing and a good mid field runner. How long do you think you can keep going?

Well I hope to race until my age equals my racing number 78, however I will give up when I feel that I should.

Finding a person that has maintained a strong passion and commitment to motor racing over a long period of time is extremely rare. Brian’s life has revolved around racing to this day it continues. His office walls tell a tale of years of racing and experiences and I think there are still many more experiences to be celebrated on those walls.

Still turning up to work every day, and no plans on retiring any time soon Brian will be seen around the tracks of Victoria for many years to come, and as long as he is fit and able, we look forward to continue the racing journey with him.

Below: Brian Shead built F2 car in the background with a Lola historic Formula Ford that Sambo still races.

Spectrum 06 with Brian at the wheel.


going protips to finding sponsors and more

by ANdrew Sill


When I was a young boy I liked playing with toy race cars. As I grew older the toy race cars got bigger.

For some, the toy race cars we loved to play with became more than just a bit of fun. These characters seek to forge a career as a professional race car driver. Is it the lure of the big bucks that you can earn if you make it or the prestige of travelling the globe racing cars? Whatever it is, Formula Ford has been a vital part to the development of young aspiring professionals.

For those chasing the professional dream, read on. For others that don’t possess the skills to race at the highest levels, such as me, yet have skills in other areas of life then you might want to skip this article.

The reality check

The journey to becoming a paid racing car driver is a bumpy ride. So what are some of the realities of that journey?

1. Motor racing is extremely expensive.2. Competition for professional driving spots is very high.3. Finding sponsors as you rise through the ranks is challenging.4. Winning helps but doesn’t guarantee a job.5. Not all professional drivers are earning big bucks.6. It’s more than just about driving.7. Your window of opportunity is relatively short.8. Professional car racing is about marketing.

The Costs

If you are a young budding racing car driver you might want to pass this newsletter to your mum or dad at this point as we are about to talk money.

It is often said that motor racing is one of the most expensive hobbies anyone can have. If you are chasing a career in motorsport and working out a budget then maybe add a few more zero’s to your expectations.

It has also been said that if you want to become a professional racing driver then start with a lot of money.

Often young guys and girls and their families venture into Formula Ford with sights set high. Formula Ford budgets at state level are manageable and all may be going well. Step up to the National championship and budgets rise to in excess of 5 figures with some budgets over $200,000 for a season consisting of only 8 rounds.

If you are chasing a career in V8 Supercars then often the next step is Porsche Carrera Cup which may set you back in excess of $300,000 a year. After Carrera Cup you may move into the Fujitsu Series which will see you spending in excess of $400,000 a year for a competitive drive. Assuming you spend two years at best in the Fujitsu Series and an opportunity has come up in the main game, you have already spent in excess of 1.2 million to get the opportunity to race at the highest level in

Australia. If you are lucky, you might get a paid drive or, if not so lucky, may need to pay for a ride in the main game which could set you back a small fortune again. If you do get a paid drive, you won’t be earning the big bucks until you prove yourself. Earning a $50,000 income after spending in excess of 1.2 million dollars might not seem that attractive and if you were a keen investor you would have left the game years ago.

If you are chasing a career in Formula 1 and head to Europe, then quadruple the numbers at best. If you chase a dream in the US then you may spend less than chasing the European dream but you still won’t have any change left from $800,000 unless you get lucky.

Only those that have the complete package and are tough enough to fight for the opportunities will survive.

How to fund your racing

I have had numerous chats with budding young drivers and supportive parents and relatives. On paper they have a plan of how they are going to make it to the big time. They may be correct but when I ask if they have the budget to support the plan, the most common answer is no. If you answer no to this question, then I suggest you find another profession to chase other than motorsport as finding financial backers for junior levels of racing, i.e. anything below V8 Supercars in Australia, is extremely difficult.

Often the same supportive parents and relatives tell me they will find sponsors to help pay. Easier said than done I say. If you don’t believe me then ask a V8 Supercar team how hard it is to find sponsors. I have, and the answer is very hard.

I recently had a chat with a current V8 Supercar driver who told me that it is very hard to make money in racing but it is a passion. Fortunately that driver had the financial backing of his family but was very quick to say that if the family decided not to continue he would gladly stop, understanding the expense involved in motor racing.

So to make money you will need to spend alot and relying on sponsorship funds is probably not a good idea.

Finding sponsors

If you still haven’t given up reading this article then let’s look at getting sponsors.

I’ll start with another reality check. Sorry, more bad news is coming but I promise this is the last of it.

1. Finding sponsors to fund racing in junior levels is extremely difficult.2. Sponsorship is more than just about signage on the car.3. Finding, securing and supporting sponsors is a full time job.4. Just because you are winning doesn’t mean you will easily get sponsors.


Finding a way forward in the search for sponsorship starts with understanding why companies are not eager to sponsor motor racing and in particular junior levels of motorsport.

It all comes down to value proposition. A company will invest in sponsorship on the basis of how it will enhance their business and drive sales growth. When it comes to junior levels of motorsport, the value proposition becomes more challenging due to the lack of mainstream promotion, drivers that are unknown and therefore lacking a profile and the limited opportunities to add value to businesses marketing.

A Formula Ford is a great car to drive but as a vehicle to sponsor, it lacks visible signage space, media coverage is minimal including a television package that provides minimal air time and when on camera it is hard to read the signs on the cars. Being a single seater car makes it difficult to provide sort after ride days and even if you are brave enough to let someone jump in your car and take it for a spin you need to make sure that they can fit in the car.

Winning races definitely helps when finding sponsors and getting exposure in the media but it is not a license to sponsor dollars. Just ask any previous winner of the Formula Ford Championship how hard the ongoing search for sponsors is. It never gets easier. That is why even the likes of HRT, Triple 8 racing and Formula 1 teams have vast amounts of resources committed to finding and servicing sponsors.

Your sponsorship package

It is critical to develop a sponsorship package that looks further than the signage on the car. You need to work closely with a prospective sponsor to develop a sponsorship proposal that

addresses and supports that companies marketing and sales strategy. Simply sending a proposal which outlines signage options won’t cut it. The aim is to demonstrate to a prospective sponsor how you can help them in implementing and achieving their marketing goals. If you can find a way to support the businesses effectively, the money will come. To do this you may need to work closely with the prospective sponsor to understand their business needs.

With so many businesses in Australia, it is hard to determine who exactly is conducive to the idea of motorsport sponsorship, but with a little thought you can narrow your search to minimise your chance of failure. The first step is to evaluate the kind of industries that are more likely to sponsor you. A good start is to determine the demographic that motorsport generally appeals to and those businesses that appeal to that demographic.

The obvious businesses are those in the automotive industries but you can be assured that these companies have probably been approached a thousand times for sponsorship. You can give them a go but make sure you don’t roll out the same proposal they have probably read a thousand times. You need to be different to stand out from the crowd. There is nothing wrong with providing a bunch of ideas on how a company can utilise motorsport sponsorship to help their sales and marketing efforts however crazy the ideas may seem.

Think outside the square when it comes to prospective customers and keep in mind that approaching companies that are already involved in motor sport sponsorship might not be the best idea as an initial push. If a company has already establishment deals then it is unlikely they are seeking more drivers to sponsor in the immediate future.

Alot of hardwork goes into getting a drive in one of these.


Approaching prospective sponsors

So now you have worked out a rough idea of what kind companies you need to focus on and developed some ideas on how you can provide value to prospective companies. You now need to work on how you will get your proposal in front of the right people. This is possibly the hardest part of the process as finding the right people to talk to is difficult and involves considerable amount of effort. Be prepared for many rejections but it only takes one positive response to get the ball rolling.

I recommend starting by developing a database of companies to contact. Use the internet to your advantage to build a database by researching companies and obtaining contact details for them.

Cold calling companies is a tough way to go but sometimes required to determine if there is an opportunity and to obtain the details of who is the best person to talk to about sponsorship. Approaching companies that you may have a connection to through a family member or friend can provide you with a foot in the door making the search for the right person to speak to a lot easier. If in doubt, asking for the Marketing Manager is a good place to start.

Only the strong will survive this painstaking process but those that stick it out will reap the rewards.

Presenting your proposal

Whether presenting your proposal in person or through a printed or pdf based sponsorship proposal document, your proposal should look as professional as possible. Making a professional first impression is critical as most companies will not be eager to part with large sums of money and put faith in you if you look second rate.

When meeting in person to present your proposal, it is critical that you are fully prepared and can answer any questions that might be thrown your way. Practice makes perfect so prepare by presenting your proposal to family and friends.

If you get lucky you might have a deal after one meeting but be prepared for a long wait for an answer as getting sign off on the sponsorship expense may involve many internal stakeholders which can delay any decision being made. The deal is not done until you have a signed agreement, or some may say until you have received the money, so crack open the party pies then.

Servicing your sponsor

Providing value to your sponsors is critical. They have sponsored you on the basis of what you are going to do for them. Not only must you actually provide the service that you proposed, but also manage your relationship with your sponsor.

Keeping them involved in your activity is essential so consider providing them with regular updates on your activity and progress.

Through sponsorship you become a representative for your sponsors business. Anything you do on and off the track will be noticed. Make a fool of yourself off the track and you are making a fool of your sponsor. Value and respect your sponsor as they are giving you the opportunity to fulfil your dreams.

Decision time

There is no doubt that chasing the professional motor racing driver dream is financially draining. As sponsorship is hard to find for all levels of motorsport and even more so for anything outside of V8 Supercars, only the strong and dedicated survive. If you do not have a lot of money to start off with then it is difficult to catch up by funding your racing through sponsorship in today’s motor racing environment. You need to decide whether you are willing to dedicate the considerable amount of time to find and service sponsors. It is more than a full time job. There are no guarantees that there will be an opportunity at the end of the road for you and the income generated form your early days in professional motorsport may be very minimal. One V8 Super car endurance driver that still has the dream of racing V8 Supercars full time said to me that there is one thing stopping him from a full time drive. $200,000. This highlights how hard it is. If your dream lies in Europe or the US then competition for the top spots is greater despite more opportunities available. If you are looking at progressing your career offshore then your hunt for sponsors becomes a little more difficult as the value proposition for Australian companies sponsoring a car and driver based overseas is not as attractive.

So the decision is yours. If you are up to the challenge, I say go for it. If you have your doubts then come and race Formula Ford at your state level event and get your kicks that way.

Go for it

So you have survived my reality checks and think you have what it takes to hunt down the dream then why not give it a go. Head down and work hard and you will achieve your dream. It will happen if you make it happen. There isn’t a much better job than being a professional motor racing driver in my books.

Surround yourself with good people. Work hard on and off the track, keep your eye on the prize and go for it!!!!


My first race by adrian lazzaro

For those that are experienced racers it sometimes good to remind us of what it was like at our first race meeting. For those that are preparing for their first race meeting it is also good to hear about someone else’s experience.

We asked Victorian rookie driver, Adrian Lazzaro to share with us his experience of his first Formula Ford race meeting.

Friday – Practice dayAs this was my first race meeting I had to complete the CAMS Observed License Test. This involved being observed as I drove around the track and ended in a mock race to make sure we were capable to race.

It was a bit nerve racking as each move was being watched and assessed by the observers around the track. A wrong move and it could have cost me the entire weekend.

My first lap during practice was amazing. The Phillip island track would have to be the scariest track I’ve ever driven on. It was daunting coming up the hill at Lukey Heights, with a sudden drop, slowing quickly to make the turn into MG. Coming down the main straight for the first time, hitting 220km, my helmet started to lift. I was going that fast. The speed was thrilling

Saturday – Qualifying and Race 1

Qualifying- morning

I started well by putting down lap times that the team and I weren’t expecting. Then, coming into turn 1 on lap 5, I had a big moment whilst trying to carry a bit more mid corner speed. As I was going faster, the back wheels gradually started to slide causing me to spin at 180km, the fastest spin I’ve had to date.

Race 1I was anxious, as this was my first ever standing start. After missing the start off the line, due to a lot of wheel spin, I remained confident. A driver a few places ahead of me, missed second gear off the start line which made us go three wide down the main straight into turn 1. To remain safe, as everyone was banked up coming into the corner, I backed off, and waited until I could pass.

Although I didn’t have the best start, I found the race was a good learning experience, and I built my speed up again and made it to eighth place.

Sunday – Race 2 and 3

My race 2 start was better as I felt more confident. The field was more spread out this race. I couldn’t pass as many people so I finished eighth again.

Feeling confident about the final race, I worked with my team to work out where I can pick up speed and how to get a better start. As a result my start improved but h safety car came out early in the race. It was my first safety car period. I knew what to do as I had read the CAMS rules about restarts and had seen the V8 supercars many time in these situations. I was a little nervous.

Once we got racing again, my confidence built as I was carrying more corner speed throughout the track.

I came through the field during the 10 lap race and passed people that I hadn’t been faster than the entire weekend, which further built my confidence.

I ended up crossing the line in third place. I ended up placing second after a technical issue with another driver ahead of me. My team was happy with my result and so was I.

I will continue to race in the Victorian Championship and hope to get faster as my experience grows.


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E: [email protected]: www.formulaford.org.au

Phone/Fax 02 47739494

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Documents

FFA Newsletter July 2011