As CART Teams Look For Sponsorship, Owners Get Innovative

While "there are still sponsors spending big money to be part" of the CART FedEx Championship Series, "hardly is everyone in the CART paddock secure," according to ESPN2's Robin Miller, who added, "Searching for a single multi-million dollar sponsor is like finding a needle in a haystack, so the new breed of [CART] owner is embracing a new strategy." Arciero-Blair Racing co-Owner Larry Blair: "We're creating as many business-to-business type of opportunities as we possibly can and using racing as a theme, so (there is) less emphasis on the actual program of CART and more emphasis on the business aspects, creating great VIP life experiences, as well as the spin-off from great business-to-business opportunities." Sigma Autosport Owner Tom Wieringa said, "What we're trying to achieve is not only the signage and notoriety for the sponsor but also the entertainment value that it brings and also the business-to-business relationships." CART Senior VP/Marketing Rich Henley: "We take a look at our entire constituent base of all of our sponsors. We're trying to get a good feel for their business models to understand what additional value we can bring them." Meanwhile, Miller said, "With all that competition in America for sponsorships, some CART owners are looking to get a sponsor that is interested in an international schedule," as CART races regularly outside the U.S ("RPM 2Night," ESPN2, 9/18).