I'll have to dig mine out. For some reason I never could bring myself to throw it away, because it was essentially a new battery with very little "use" but was too old for me to get replaced from the place I bought it from.
New Automotive Reality Tv Series Seeking Drivers
- Thread starter OptimaJim
- Start date
I'll have to dig mine out. For some reason I never could bring myself to throw it away, because it was essentially a new battery with very little "use" but was too old for me to get replaced from the place I bought it from.
Flstang65, I don't work in our sponsorship department, but I am surprised to hear you submitted a sponsorship request and received no response. Our sponsorship department tends to be very responsive, even if the answer is “no.” Usually when folks tell us they haven't heard back from us, it's because our sponsorship folks never actually heard from them. We try to be very straightforward about how to apply for sponsorship from us and have an entire page devoted to it on our website.
Even if folks can't figure out how to find our sponsorship forms through the “Contact Us” page on our website, I have authored several blogs on our site, hoping to have increased visibility if someone's search for how to get sponsored by us doesn't get any further than Google. I'll even re-direct people to the right place who tweet their $50,000 sponsorship pitch to us.
I don't know how every sponsorship request is handled, but I can tell you phone calls are rare- there are just too many requests. No battery manufacturer in the world has anywhere near the sponsorship presence in motorsports that we do, so we get inundated with thousands of requests per year, covering everything from local car shows to submarines headed to the bottom of the Pacific ocean. The vast majority of sponsorships we do offer come in the form of discounted product. One of the rare groups that gets cash from us is drag racers.
We pay NHRA contingency for both batteries and chargers, which can be worth more than $14,000 per year for a racer and that payout is the same whether you're John Force in Funny Car or John Doe in Super Stock. I can't for the life of me figure out why there are some folks out there running in our battery program, but not our charger program, especially when they're winning events. If they even win a single race, they'd probably have gotten almost double their money back on both the battery and charger and they basically lose up to $300 in potential contingency dollars every time they win a race when they're not in our program.
I don't know how much we have wrapped up in our Search for the Ultimate Street Car, but you seem convinced it is millions of dollars. I don't know if that is even remotely accurate. What I do know to be totally inaccurate is your suggestion that these events may or may not make it on TV. Contracts are signed, sponsors are in place and the TV network (MavTV) has been announced. Our 2013 OUSCI event has already aired four times on MavTV and is scheduled to be re-aired at least four more times before the end of next month.
After spending the time that I have around TV productions, sponsors and sporting events in general, I'd have to say the real risk is in individual sponsorships, because they don't guarantee anything. If an individual fails to produce, they probably won't get any coverage or worse, may get negative coverage. When you sponsor an event or a series, your name gets in the mix, regardless of who wins or loses. There may be less reward, because you're brand probably won't be synonomous with a Dale Earnhardt, but there's also less risk, because you didn't decide to bankroll Kerry Earnhardt, instead of Dale Jr. Fortunately for individual seeking sponsorships, I don't make those decisions for Optima.
As for the cost involved in participating in our events, if you can talk Daytona International into letting us use their facility for free, I'm sure we can waive your entry fee. If someone bought a Mustang with the intention of wiping it with a diaper in a car show parking lot while showing off their dyno sheets, then this event probably isn't a good fit (although they're still more than welcome to attend and show/spectate). If someone bought a Mustang with the idea that they might actually want to drive it on a track like Daytona or Sebring some day, then the rare opportunity to do that is well worth the price of admission. Either way, we'll be at the track filming the action, we will televise it and some (not all) cars from these events will be invited to SEMA.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Even if folks can't figure out how to find our sponsorship forms through the “Contact Us” page on our website, I have authored several blogs on our site, hoping to have increased visibility if someone's search for how to get sponsored by us doesn't get any further than Google. I'll even re-direct people to the right place who tweet their $50,000 sponsorship pitch to us.
I don't know how every sponsorship request is handled, but I can tell you phone calls are rare- there are just too many requests. No battery manufacturer in the world has anywhere near the sponsorship presence in motorsports that we do, so we get inundated with thousands of requests per year, covering everything from local car shows to submarines headed to the bottom of the Pacific ocean. The vast majority of sponsorships we do offer come in the form of discounted product. One of the rare groups that gets cash from us is drag racers.
We pay NHRA contingency for both batteries and chargers, which can be worth more than $14,000 per year for a racer and that payout is the same whether you're John Force in Funny Car or John Doe in Super Stock. I can't for the life of me figure out why there are some folks out there running in our battery program, but not our charger program, especially when they're winning events. If they even win a single race, they'd probably have gotten almost double their money back on both the battery and charger and they basically lose up to $300 in potential contingency dollars every time they win a race when they're not in our program.
I don't know how much we have wrapped up in our Search for the Ultimate Street Car, but you seem convinced it is millions of dollars. I don't know if that is even remotely accurate. What I do know to be totally inaccurate is your suggestion that these events may or may not make it on TV. Contracts are signed, sponsors are in place and the TV network (MavTV) has been announced. Our 2013 OUSCI event has already aired four times on MavTV and is scheduled to be re-aired at least four more times before the end of next month.
After spending the time that I have around TV productions, sponsors and sporting events in general, I'd have to say the real risk is in individual sponsorships, because they don't guarantee anything. If an individual fails to produce, they probably won't get any coverage or worse, may get negative coverage. When you sponsor an event or a series, your name gets in the mix, regardless of who wins or loses. There may be less reward, because you're brand probably won't be synonomous with a Dale Earnhardt, but there's also less risk, because you didn't decide to bankroll Kerry Earnhardt, instead of Dale Jr. Fortunately for individual seeking sponsorships, I don't make those decisions for Optima.
As for the cost involved in participating in our events, if you can talk Daytona International into letting us use their facility for free, I'm sure we can waive your entry fee. If someone bought a Mustang with the intention of wiping it with a diaper in a car show parking lot while showing off their dyno sheets, then this event probably isn't a good fit (although they're still more than welcome to attend and show/spectate). If someone bought a Mustang with the idea that they might actually want to drive it on a track like Daytona or Sebring some day, then the rare opportunity to do that is well worth the price of admission. Either way, we'll be at the track filming the action, we will televise it and some (not all) cars from these events will be invited to SEMA.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Diode Dynamics
10 Year Member
Thanks for all the information Jim
I've always wanted to know more about how the process works for this particular promotion. I was extremely impressed with the variety of cars that were selected for last year's shootout and they showed well at the 2013 SEMA show.
Hopefully I'll see you there this year
Nick C.
I've always wanted to know more about how the process works for this particular promotion. I was extremely impressed with the variety of cars that were selected for last year's shootout and they showed well at the 2013 SEMA show.
Hopefully I'll see you there this year
Nick C.
horse sence
15 Year Member
I have a Nascar Select in my 2001 F150 . 750-890 amp series 65 that i bought in 2006, it is just now giving me trouble ,that is eight years on this battery . can anyone beat that ? The shop i bought it from has gone out of business ,soon as i find another one that is what is going back.
Yeah, that's one of Exide's batteries. I replaced the Exide in my '75 Chevy when it was eight years old, not because it was bad, still tested full capacity on a load test with a Midtronics tester, but because it'd started to leak at the positive terminal (side-post battery). I replaced it with a dual-terminal Optima red-top... the one that's now in the Mustang, lol.
Charged my Red Top over the last few days. Voltage was 12.8 at time of disconnecting the charger. That was three days ago. Voltage is currently at 12.2 volts, and continues to slowly drop. Plan was to see if it holds steady at any given voltage.
Is your battery in the car as voltage is dropping? How old is the battery?
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
No, it is sitting on my workbench. I was going to pitch it, but thought why not see if it can be revived. It was bought in 2010.
What should the resting voltage range be?
What should the resting voltage range be?
I took my red top into AutoZone last weekend, they gave me $15 for the core and I got one of their "gold" batteries.
The red top would take a charge but lose its charge over time, getting weaker and weaker. I could no longer trust it, I had it for over 5 years though. That is a reasonable amount of time for a battery to last, but only just...
Since I saw no additional benefit for me to getting another red top and since it cost twice as much I decided not to get another.
The red top would take a charge but lose its charge over time, getting weaker and weaker. I could no longer trust it, I had it for over 5 years though. That is a reasonable amount of time for a battery to last, but only just...
Since I saw no additional benefit for me to getting another red top and since it cost twice as much I decided not to get another.
madspeed, ideally we like to see RedTop resting voltage in the range of about 12.6-12.8 volts, but that can decline somewhat with age, use and sulfation. Sometimes it can be reversed to some degree, by cycling the battery down to about 11.5 volts and then recharging it at a higher amperage rate (about 10 amps) two or three times.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Thanks Jim. I had it charged up and seemed to hold around 12.2, at least for a few days. If I put my battery tender junior on it, it never completely charges. Been on it for several days now and stays around 12.8, but the tender never shows a complete charge
That's why I suggested cycling it down to about 11.5 volts and hitting with a higher amperage charge (~10 amps) two or three times. Batteries that have begun to sulfate will tend to rest at lower voltage levels and a low amperage charge from a tender usually won't break up the sulfation.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
I have to ask this question only because I've seen it before and never fully understood:
@flstang65
Did you submit a complete proposal or did you just email someone?
From what I understand, there are LOTS of companies that get LOTS of emails about this persons or that person, requesting sponsorship. What is NOT surprising is that a lot of these kinds of emails go ignored (think of spam in epic proportions). What is generally NOT ignored, is a proposal that's put together well and addressed to a specific person.
So my question is about how someone goes about obtaining sponsorship. Is there a tried and true method or is a free-for-all kind of thing?
Noobz347, as I mentioned before, I've authored blogs on how Optima handles sponsorship requests. The short answer is that sponsors seem to prefer known entities and the only way for people to become known entities is to get out there and get noticed. That turns into a bit of a chicken and egg argument, because I understand someone's valid point that it is hard to get out there and/or get noticed without the support of sponsors. That often results in the sponsor-rich getting richer, while the sponsor-poor stay that way.
When the USCA event ran at Daytona over Memorial Day weekend, the entry fee was $500 (if someone didn't get a $250 early registration discount for getting a friend to sign up). That's not cheap, but for the track time available, it was an absolute bargain, especially considering what race teams pay to rent the track out for testing. That doesn't even take into account the TV exposure all of those competitors received, as well as the direct exposure to sponsors in attendance at the event, who are known to pro-actively sponsor people.
Bret Voelkel, the owner of Ridetech runs in these events and gives a $500 gift certificate to someone at every event. Everyone who ran at Daytona also received a $110 battery charger from us. The BFG folks are there, but other competitors run Falken and some run Nittos or other brands. When they see someone showing up at events and running well, they'll often advocate on behalf of someone and give a potential sponsor a heads-up- this guy comes to a lot of events, he has a really cool car and does really well. Several competitors have built up their reputations to that point that sponsors offer to pay transportation costs to get to and from events and/or entry fees, but it doesn't happen overnight or without a significant commitment from those folks.
The USCA will be running at Auto Club Speedway the week after next and Road America the week after that. Sponsors will be at both events, as well as the TV crew and other media covering the event. These events happen because they generate serious and significant exposure that sponsors can justify spending money on. That's just one example, but there are many others out there. Again, I'm not in our sponsorship department, but if you know companies receive thousands of these requests every year, what is going to make your request stand out from the rest and warrant support?
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
When the USCA event ran at Daytona over Memorial Day weekend, the entry fee was $500 (if someone didn't get a $250 early registration discount for getting a friend to sign up). That's not cheap, but for the track time available, it was an absolute bargain, especially considering what race teams pay to rent the track out for testing. That doesn't even take into account the TV exposure all of those competitors received, as well as the direct exposure to sponsors in attendance at the event, who are known to pro-actively sponsor people.
Bret Voelkel, the owner of Ridetech runs in these events and gives a $500 gift certificate to someone at every event. Everyone who ran at Daytona also received a $110 battery charger from us. The BFG folks are there, but other competitors run Falken and some run Nittos or other brands. When they see someone showing up at events and running well, they'll often advocate on behalf of someone and give a potential sponsor a heads-up- this guy comes to a lot of events, he has a really cool car and does really well. Several competitors have built up their reputations to that point that sponsors offer to pay transportation costs to get to and from events and/or entry fees, but it doesn't happen overnight or without a significant commitment from those folks.
The USCA will be running at Auto Club Speedway the week after next and Road America the week after that. Sponsors will be at both events, as well as the TV crew and other media covering the event. These events happen because they generate serious and significant exposure that sponsors can justify spending money on. That's just one example, but there are many others out there. Again, I'm not in our sponsorship department, but if you know companies receive thousands of these requests every year, what is going to make your request stand out from the rest and warrant support?
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
Thanks Jim,
I've never looked into anything like that and the discussion in this thread made me wonder.
Something else it got me thinking about:
I'd love to see an event where all the racing is amateur and prizes are all car parts etc.
Maybe that's been done?
Seems like it would make one hell of a circle track or road course series.
I've never looked into anything like that and the discussion in this thread made me wonder.
Something else it got me thinking about:
I'd love to see an event where all the racing is amateur and prizes are all car parts etc.
Maybe that's been done?
Seems like it would make one hell of a circle track or road course series.
flstang65
10 Year Member
Countless calls, emails, emails including professional presentations with factual numbers I get compliments on my presentations. They are to the point, factual and not overly flashy. I even offered to pay to have potential sponsors come to certain prime time races we were at. Offered to come in person myself with my driver. I did this with any company I was talking to. Got pretty far with some, got shut out with most.The closest I came with anyone was with Wurth (auto supply) but, that didn't work out. Well, it did for Mr. Penske. Lol. We were in the negotiating stages and planning to have them come down from Jersey to FL for the Governors Cup race but, Mr. Penske came in and killed it for us. Eventually life happened and I got my itch to work for Uncle Sam again full time.
I put so much of my own money, blood, sweat and tears (literally) into my work and competition that I refuse to wear or display ANY other logo other than my own. However, there are 2. UPR because they give me such good deals on stuff and, a few freebies every now and again and AMSOIL because I am an authorized dealer and I get cash back for selling their stuff and using their logo in advertising and tons of freebies to hand out to customers or to keep for myself. Sorry, I forgot a 3rd logo, you can see that one in my avatar. I even go so far as to remove the logos from installed parts or, install them in a manner that you can not see the logo on my own personal cars/race cars.
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Noobz347, professional drivers are not allowed to compete in USCA events, although guys like Paul Tracy, Tanner Foust and Randy Pobst have all run as exhibition drivers in the past. The USCA doesn't offer any cash prizes, but they do award parts and gift certificates. I've played in more golf outings than I care to remember and it always frustrated me to see the long drive contest winners receive new drivers- like they need the help. That's one of the reasons I like the RideTech Renegade award- it doesn't necessarily go to the fastest driver, but usually someone who does the most with the least.
So flstang65, if I'm understanding you correctly, your sponsorship presentations are so good, that you get compliments on them, but you only display two sponsor logos and one of them isn't really a sponsor? What kind of racing do you?
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
So flstang65, if I'm understanding you correctly, your sponsorship presentations are so good, that you get compliments on them, but you only display two sponsor logos and one of them isn't really a sponsor? What kind of racing do you?
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
flstang65
10 Year Member
My main background is circle track. Successful Superlate/Late models and NASCAR K&N East Series teams/cars. We dabble in open wheel modifies on occasion. That being said; do you want to give me 750,000-1.25 Million dollars to run a full NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule? That's what we were looking for. We had the facility, trucks, haulers, uniforms, tools, crew logistics, full time legal adviser, smaller associate sponsors (pending a primary one), schedule all worked out. The money wasn't an issue for most of the people that we were talking too, it was that we were a new upstart team. I lost several deals to bigger name people. Plain and simple, no one wanted the take a risk on the new guys. So, we gave up after 2 years of trying. Life happens and I decided to go back in the Army full time and finish out my retirement. I'll re open a shop then. When I am retired at 50 or so.
By the way, that was not a plea for money earlier in my statement, it was purely sarcasm. Lastly, I just had to replace another Optima that was less than a year old (3rd one this year already) for one of my customers. Sold them an Odyssey. Anyways, good luck with your "show" or, whatever it was again. I am off to get me some Dorritos locos tacos and a Mt Dew!
By the way, that was not a plea for money earlier in my statement, it was purely sarcasm. Lastly, I just had to replace another Optima that was less than a year old (3rd one this year already) for one of my customers. Sold them an Odyssey. Anyways, good luck with your "show" or, whatever it was again. I am off to get me some Dorritos locos tacos and a Mt Dew!
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As I mentioned before, I'm not in charge of sponsorship and it's probably a good thing. I was a big NASCAR fan (Mark Martin/Roush specifically) and used to have season tickets at two tracks. When I asked why Optima doesn't sponsor anything with NASCAR, I was told the price was too high for the ROI. I remember having dinner one night with Ernie Irvan and Mark at Michigan and Ernie was telling me how great the truck series was and then proceeded to try to convince me to buy into his team. I asked him why he would want to share in the riches, if his team was so profitable. He didn't answer and just kind of smiled. Then we talked about other stuff.
From what I observed, major sponsorship for Optima doesn't begin and end with writing a check and slapping a logo on a vehicle. We have a comprehensive activation strategy that often includes sending support rigs and partnering with some of our retailers for brand experiences, like we currently do with Advance Auto in the NHRA. Established teams like Kalitta, tend to have the resources in place to integrate other elements to the agreement, because they already do it for some of their other sponsors.
Optima is in the Lucas Oil family of sponsors, so we do sponsor their late-model and modified series, as well as Eddie Carrier Jr's car. One of the things that is really nice about Lucas Oil is that they have their own production company and TV network, so just about everything they do ends up being televised...a lot. Since I started this thread, the 2013 OUSCI has aired at least two dozen times and is scheduled for two more airings this month (5PM ET on June 8th & 8PM ET on June 21st on MavTV), as well as two more airings of our 2013 qualifying event from Road America (8PM ET on June 14th & 8PM ET on June 28th).
I'm sorry to hear your customer had trouble with their battery, but at least their warranty wasn't voided if the battery voltage was below a specific level. It sounds like that will be the case for them going forward. I wish them luck and you in your racing endeavors!
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries
From what I observed, major sponsorship for Optima doesn't begin and end with writing a check and slapping a logo on a vehicle. We have a comprehensive activation strategy that often includes sending support rigs and partnering with some of our retailers for brand experiences, like we currently do with Advance Auto in the NHRA. Established teams like Kalitta, tend to have the resources in place to integrate other elements to the agreement, because they already do it for some of their other sponsors.
Optima is in the Lucas Oil family of sponsors, so we do sponsor their late-model and modified series, as well as Eddie Carrier Jr's car. One of the things that is really nice about Lucas Oil is that they have their own production company and TV network, so just about everything they do ends up being televised...a lot. Since I started this thread, the 2013 OUSCI has aired at least two dozen times and is scheduled for two more airings this month (5PM ET on June 8th & 8PM ET on June 21st on MavTV), as well as two more airings of our 2013 qualifying event from Road America (8PM ET on June 14th & 8PM ET on June 28th).
I'm sorry to hear your customer had trouble with their battery, but at least their warranty wasn't voided if the battery voltage was below a specific level. It sounds like that will be the case for them going forward. I wish them luck and you in your racing endeavors!
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.pinterest.com/optimabatteries