Our team manager is a club racer. However, he can go to big events and do pretty well. If you watch his videos over the past few years, you can see how he has improved his driving style, etc.
Besides, maybe you aren't that good because you don't have the right car?
Sponsorship is a 2 way street and here is how I look at it. If you love rc racing and you are liked and you try to race and want to improve and you try to help others just in general, then it will be fun for you and you get to race for less money. Now if you are a basher style racer, then the discount means more than someone who drives smooth and doesn't order parts all the time. Ultimately, you get way more than just a discount with us. It is also an experience and you are part of an international team who is there for you.
What do we get in return? Well, if you are the right guy, then our cars will be seen by people in your area and they might want to buy them. As demand increases, hopefully, the track or lhs will pick the line up and sell a few here and there along with parts and we all win.
If you do not have those traits, you will hate being sponsored and we all have a bad experience. The key is how much you love racing and your attitude. We cannot change that much if at all.