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Sponsored Driver versus Privateer: The Good, Bad, and Honest Truth

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Sponsored Driver versus Privateer: The Good, Bad, and Honest Truth

Old Yesterday, 02:52 PM
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Default Sponsored Driver versus Privateer: The Good, Bad, and Honest Truth

For those who don’t know me, my name is Marc McGurren, also known as Mr. McGoo, or simply McGoo. I've been fortunate enough to race toy cars for quite some time, albeit with a hiatus from 2010 to 2017 after my daughter was born.

Years ago, I believed that being a "sponsored" driver was the pinnacle of racing toy cars – proof that I was skilled enough to earn the right for someone to want me to race their product. However, through the years, I've learned that most sponsorships are just "contracted customers".

There's no shame in a business locking in a customer for a small discount; I get it. However, this post isn’t about the current state of “contracted customers”, but rather my take on being sponsored by various companies during my time as a competitive RC racer.

Just for context, I'm not merely a club racer. I travel to 2-3 big races a year and always strive to be the best. Currently, I hover around a mid-pack A-main national racer in carpet on-road.

So here are some observations over the years:

1. Sponsorship is a two-way street. It's not just about you getting free/discounted products. These companies are doing this to (a) gain a customer and (b) find individuals who will be good representatives and help the company brand themselves, ultimately selling more product. NEVER forget this.

2. Don’t choose a company solely because they offer you a discount. Sometimes cheaper isn't better. If you want to be competitive, use the best. If your sponsor isn't the best, you might want to reconsider running something else.

I've seen many racers use an inferior product just because they are “sponsored”. Sorry, a small discount, t-shirt, and decals aren’t worth going slower.

Personally, I do not choose battery, body, and motor sponsorships for this very reason. Saving a few bucks is not worth not being able to drive the latest and best equipment.

3. If you want bigger discounts/free products, prove to the sponsor it’s worth it for them. Remember, the more you help the sponsor, the more they will help you. Show up, work hard, be a good representative by helping others, perform well (you don’t have to be the best), and help the sponsor sell more product. THEN, you have a leg to stand on when requesting a larger sponsorship.

4. Chassis sponsorships: First, refer to observation #2. Don’t just change chassis sponsorship due to them giving you a discount. Make sure it will be a platform you can compete with.

Also, consider the team dynamic. If you're a traveling racer, ensure your personality meshes well with the team. If you're going to spend thousands of dollars traveling the country, you want to enjoy your time away, not just on the track.

Some of my best buddies have come through RC, and when you pit with someone all the time, you become good friends. So, it’s essential to consider whether you’d work well with the team. Are they helpful, or do they keep “trade secrets”? Are they welcoming to new team members, or do they exclude you? I've seen this all too often and have experienced it firsthand.Many teams have their “cliques” and don’t allow others in. When you travel, this is NO fun. So, make sure you have a team that is actually a team, and not just a group of fast guys that don’t work well together.
5. Want to know a secret (which I do not partake in)? Many times, I'll go to a race, pit next to successful racers, and they then I see them post their setup, and I know 100% that is not the full setup.

I've seen this with my own eyes, and I have no idea why they do this. Well, I do know; they don’t want others knowing all the tips and tricks that make them faster. The problem with this is, it doesn’t help anyone.

In my opinion, a rising tide raises all ships. Every setup I've ever posted is exactly my actual setup. I want everyone to go faster as it will only push me. I don’t hold back, but I know many do so plan accordingly.

6. Support your local hobby shop. I try to buy as much as I can through my local track/hobby shop. If my discount from my sponsor is similar to what my track sells it for, I buy from my track, even if it’s a little more expensive. Remember, without a track, all of your sponsorships are worthless.

7. We don’t get special stuff (well I don’t). I've heard countless people claim that certain racers are faster because they get exclusive items that the public cannot obtain. For most sponsored racers, this is untrue. We get the same items as you do, but at a small discount. Now, do the top guys (I'm not one of them) get some extra love by receiving hand-picked batteries/motors? ABSOLUTELY. However, technology is so advanced these days that I have yet to be outperformed by the “top guys”.

8. Have fun. Too often, I've found myself in a downward spiral of negativity when my car isn’t performing well. I then enter what I call “McGooberville” and wholesale my entire car... even though I KNOW McGooberville never works out.

I must remind myself that I’m here to have fun and race toy cars. This is much easier said than done and something I always must remind myself of. When you're having fun, you're a much better representative of the brand compared to the grumpy guy acting all frustrated.

So….all this to say….sponsorship is NOT the pinnacle of racing. I've had RC cars for nearly 30 years now, and guys, don’t stress about being sponsored versus a privateer. Remember, we are playing with toy cars. Make sure you are having fun and doing what is best for YOU.

Now stepping of my soap box…..
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Old Yesterday, 03:55 PM
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its deja vu all over again,
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Old Yesterday, 04:20 PM
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Sponsored - when the teams slow your slow
Privateer - when your favorite company is slow, you dont have to be

Contract Customer - wonders why his local hobby shop closed and he has no place to practice
Privateer - shows up for laughs and supports his LHS so it will be there next season

I love #5 LOL.
If theres no pictures then its either a prototype or a prototype with another car as a donor.
Cant sell a kit when the whole thing isnt what won.
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Old Yesterday, 04:26 PM
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Why a person would like to be sponsored is beyond my understanding. To do marketing / sales / pr work for a company for mere discount or freebie is not worth anyone's time. With the added pressure to win.

Focus our time on earning money then fund our hobby 100% with no obligations to anyone.

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Old Yesterday, 04:27 PM
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What about factory team drivers who help develop the cars? Just curious if they have their own category?
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Old Yesterday, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by mrreet2001
What about factory team drivers who help develop the cars? Just curious if they have their own category?
Without a doubt. That's a different sponsored driver. I would call that a "factory driva"! Lol

That's a different animal as they are actively working with the manufacturer, not just racing their stuff for a small discount.
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Old Yesterday, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Robbob
Sponsored - when the teams slow your slow
Privateer - when your favorite company is slow, you dont have to be

Contract Customer - wonders why his local hobby shop closed and he has no place to practice
Privateer - shows up for laughs and supports his LHS so it will be there next season

I love #5 LOL.
If theres no pictures then its either a prototype or a prototype with another car as a donor.
Cant sell a kit when the whole thing isnt what won.
Love this! And #5 is 1000% true. I know not everyone does this, but many do.
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Old Yesterday, 06:10 PM
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factory guy gets the Barbie doll for free to play with , sponsor guy gets a coupon for a discount to target buys the Barbie doll and tries to dress it up like the factory guy
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Old Yesterday, 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by rccartips
Why a person would like to be sponsored is beyond my understanding. To do marketing / sales / pr work for a company for mere discount or freebie is not worth anyone's time. With the added pressure to win.

Focus our time on earning money then fund our hobby 100% with no obligations to anyone.

A lot of people don't realise you need to do marketing etc and think it's just about free stuff.
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Old Yesterday, 06:57 PM
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Friend of mine was "sponsored" by trinity, one day at the track he asks, what motor you running, I tell him, he says you should try a slot machine, as of right now I have 3 motors I bought from the LHS that I would not have bought, and one from a "tuner" to see if there was a difference, now he has a different sponsor, because of that sponsorship I bought one of those motors, from my local hobby shop.
Sometimes that sponsored driver that isn't putting money into the local hobby shop is actually putting money into that hobby shop/track
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Old Yesterday, 09:42 PM
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The thing I hate most about the sponsored/team driver is there are way too many of them. How does a hobby shop that is trying to support an indoor or outdoor track make ends meet when over half the drivers are getting discount parts elsewhere? It's just a horrible business model and as far as I'm concerned the businesses that sign a lot of team drivers are hurting themselves in the long term since a lot of the local hobby shops/tracks go under.
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Old Yesterday, 11:08 PM
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Sponsored drivers sign the front of a check.
Factory drivers sign the back.

That is the only difference.
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Old Today, 12:19 AM
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Being sponsored is not only about performance. I can tell from own experience that if you are a nice helping guy can also be a reason to get free stuff or huge discounts.

But today it is sad to see how many people beg at shops and manufacturers to get free and the better stuff. I am a guy being more technical so when I wat more performance or change a car with an out of the box vision, I just make it happen. It gives me a better feeling, for sure when people come to your pit table and try to find out what I have done.
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