How the Hell does Sponsoring Work?

I don't understand this concept. Companies give you free shit for you car. I guess in return you let them put "advertising" stickers on your car? Do you have to go to shows in return? Are you "on call?" Do they ever want their stuff back? I've seen several sponsor cars going on eBay, and they state that the companies may or may not continue to sponsor the car. Does that mean they'll come strip the car you just paid for? How do you even get in a position where someone will extend an offer to sponsor you car? I know that's a lot of questions, but I'm just curious as to this (correct me if I'm wrong) "something for nothing" concept, and how it works.
Thanks, guys & girls!

its pretty hard to get sponserd, you have to make a name for your self, you will start out small, im sponserd by Detail works which is located in my town, just keep doing things to ur whip and who knows...

You pretty much have to show your dedication to the scene. Whether it be for race or show, you have to attend events on a consistent basis and do consistently well in these events. That's how you get noticed, or if you have particular companies in mind just shoot them an email with pics of your car, list of mods, events you've attended and placed in, and future plans for your ride. Getting sponsored is not an easy thing to do by any means, but if you're dedicated you'll get rewarded in the long run.

Five more questions:

1)So whatever they do is yours to keep?

2)Do you have to go to shows whenever they tell you to, no matter where they are?

3)Do they require full coverage insurance (since it's THEIR investment)?

4)Do they want to know that you're not racing (legal or street), just because there is that chance that you MIGHT lose control, or get caught and have their name attached to the car that was impounded?

5)This one's about showing. To place well, and I mean WELL, at these show, I'd say they care more about appearance, right? Rather than performance? I mean, will they differentiate between you having a factory engine w/ a dress-up kit or a JDM H22a* swap with a turbo sittin' in the engine bay (also with a dress-up)? I'm just wondering if I should concentrate on the appearance, spend all my cash there, then start showing and worry about the performance later.
* My car's a '91 Accord, and this is the set-up I'm goin' with in a couple of months.

Thanks, for the info. I'll have to do quite a bit more work before I'M satisfied that my car can show and place. I'm a little bit of a perfectionist, but I think that's they way you hafta be.

I know this one guy who got sponsored with a TOTALLY stock 2000 Civic EX. Yep, totally stock. Hes sponsored by Edelbrock, got their new turbo kit for free, you might have seen his car in Super Street a few months back when they did the section on the install of the new Edelbrock kit.

Totally stock? How did THIS happen? Did he know some guys? How did he get noticed?

Companies can use your car as a test-bed for thier products...probably why a stock Civic was 'sponsered'. If a company sees that you're doing good in a race, they might lend a hand and try to make it BETTER so they get good advertising.

Thanks for your post, Integra...

I thought the thread was dead.

For some reason this sponsoring thing just intrigues me...

There are various ways to get sponsored. As stated above, you have to work hard and get noticed. There are different ways this can come about. I am sponsored by Decah. I have talked many times with them, I showed them pics of my car. It just didn't happen overnight, they had to see some benifit in it. I also know a guy in Seattle, Tam, who is sponsored by Toyo Tires. He has a very nice, fully modified Prelude, with more Ice than you would beleive (12 tv's in the car and trunk, for example). He is friend's with Joe Galinate (I spelled that wrong), whose Supra cleans up at every HIN and Import Rev in Seattle. He is spnosored by Toyo tires. Well, he hooked Tam up with Toyo tires. Tam had a nice enough car, and procured a full sponsorship from them. If you attend HIN in Seattle or see pics from it, you've probably seen his car. Another way people get noticed is by submitting a spnosorship proposel to the company. These are very professional looking. They can state/show what has been done to the car so far, what is planned, who is doing the work, what other cars they have built, etc. You have to present it as a mutual benifit for both you and the company. You have to show them how they will benifit from sponsoring you over someone else. I hope this helps answer your question a bit.

Thanks, Ecko!

and most of the time, the company doesnt give you free stuff
they usally give you a hook up with a discount
my friends truck is sponsered by trendz and some other stuff i cant remember and they just give him a discount

Thanks, Ecko!

You are very welcome, I am glad I could help.

and most of the time, the company doesnt give you free stuff
they usally give you a hook up with a discount
my friends truck is sponsered by trendz and some other stuff i cant remember and they just give him a discount


Yea, there are 2 kinda of sponsorships. There is a "partial sponsorship," which is most commen. That's what your friend has, that's where you get the products at cost, wholesale, or a discount, etc. The second type of sponsorship is a "full sponsorship." These are much harder to procure, this is where you get the product for free. Of course, nothing in life is ever free. They use your car in ads, you represent them at many different shows, etc. IObviously, this requires much more of a time commitment. This kind is much more difficult to procure. This is the kind Joe Galantie and company in seattle, and many of the big time show car's have. This kind requires more of a commentment by the company (free product), so they are much more choosy when handing these out, and expect a good commitment and return on there investment in you. Usually, there are more requirements with thi: shows you must attent, etc.

yea another one of my friends has a full sponsorship

he was givin parts and was giving a deadline to have the truck built and rdy to show by
they require him to go to certain shows and certain events

yea another one of my friends has a full sponsorship

he was givin parts and was giving a deadline to have the truck built and rdy to show by
they require him to go to certain shows and certain events

Yea, full sponsorships arn't right of the regular enthusiast or occasional, heck, even the moderate show goer. They require too much time and commitment for most people. The are only correct for someone who takes the show scene seriously, almost like a second job (or first job if there job pertains to it). Of course, that's why they are so picky about who they choose. On a side note, can I ask who sponsors your friends truck? I assume he go it done and ready to show in time, lol.

not sure, but i will ask him next time i talk to him

not sure, but i will ask him next time i talk to him

Thanks. I am curious to know who his sponsors are.

He is friend's with Joe Galinate (I spelled that wrong), whose Supra cleans up at every HIN and Import Rev in Seattle. He is spnosored by Toyo tires.

Ive seen his car at both the HIN seattle Ive been too, and that thing is fuckin sick. The amount of work on it is just crazy. He wasnt at this past Irev though a few weeks ago. Hes a highschool spanish teacher too, wouldnt I love to have him as my teacher.

Ive seen his car at both the HIN seattle Ive been too, and that thing is fuckin sick. The amount of work on it is just crazy. He wasnt at this past Irev though a few weeks ago. Hes a highschool spanish teacher too, wouldnt I love to have him as my teacher.

Have you seen Tam Le's White Honda Prelude? He is also sponsered by Toyo. He's got like 12 tv's in the car, 2a DVD players, a PS2, a lap top, and at least one unsed a/v port to boot. FUll custom Nova-Suede Interior, a 17" Plasam Widescreen TV in his trunk, etc...to name the ice he has. It's usually in the Toyo both, near Joe's Supra and the white300ZX also sponsored by Toyo. These 3 cars would have had a "Performance LAB" decal on the front window at the first HIN in Seattle last year (in march). Tam's sho was perfomrance LAB. He was one of the 3 owners, though the shop folded Tam left the shop as part owner (another story for another time). Tam new his shit, was personable, and had quite a following. He's done work on my car before. I had a performance LAB decal on my front windsheild I put on as a thank you. He had it custom make for me in carbon fiber look. Kinda sad bussiness relations with the other 2 part owners went south, Tam knew his shit...they all knew there shit. Hell, you've seen Joe's Supra, and I am sure you have seen Tam's Prelude and the white 300ZX that both sit at the Toyo booth also. Those were all cars performance LAB had a big chunk in. Anyways, you from the Seattle Area I take it....yea, I heard Joe was a High School spanish teacer...I bet his students love him...that'd be a way to motovate em...."here you go...improve your grade, and I'll teach you some tricks when working on your car," LOL. Yea, Still...I like the Blue R34 Skyline owned by...oh shoot, I forget his name, but he sometimes goes into Superior Auto Tirm and helps them out. He's Sponsored by Do-Luck of course (makes sense, cuz they are HQ in Kent, WA). His car's usually at the Nissan Booth...I love it...Advertise the company with a car not availbable on this continnent that almost none of us can afford to import and buy. Oh well, it's a slick car. Kelly Williams, who's shop is in Federal Way I beleive, has a really slick Honda Civic with Supra Tails and a Chemolin (sp) paint job. Anways, I've rambled enough, lol. Yea, if you havn't seen the cars I mentioned above, look for em at the next Seattle HIN this March...Espcieally check Tam's ICE out...he wins Best ICE at almost every HIN and Import Rev he enters.