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Two-time IMSA GT Daytona class champion Christina Nielsen and GT veteran Lawson Aschenbach are both without rides at Daytona after Wright Motorsports decides its drivers must be "fully funded." Madison Snow exits Paul Miller Racing, after getting reclassified from Silver to Gold.
Bottom line. Very few drivers, no matter what resume or demonstrated talent they possess, can command a seat in a top level team without bringing some commerce, and sometimes a lot, to the team.
In accordance with that, few teams have the long term resources and reserves to have complete freedom to pick their drivers independently of commerce brought.
Always been that way, but pro Motorsports is even more expensive now than it was just a few years ago.
I thought I saw a release that said Madison was taking Bryan and the car to SRO/WC events and expanding to a two car team, before the abrupt announcement stating that, at age 22, he was “retiring” from pro racing to attend to the family business...
It's a tough reality now. I talked with a bunch of quality drivers the last two days who are without rides becuase of money, not skill. The cost of running even a low level effort in almost any of the pro series is a very large number.
Can someone elaborate a little on this. So if you are a driver you are out there looking for money to drive but how do they sell it. I would think if the team and driver worked together on funding it may be easier to sell. Do drivers just look for money and then tell potential sponsors/marketing partners they dont know what car or what team they will be part of? Do meetings happen before hand with teams and a bunch of drivers, then whoever comes with the money gets the seat. I guess my point is if someone was to approach a corporation or business about being a sponsor wouldnt that company want to know what team is representing them.
My other part of the question is say a sponsor gives you a million dollars to race, how much does the driver take out for salary, travel, living expenses etc... or does the entire million go to the team?
Thanks in advance for anyone who can shed some light on these situations.
Here's a question for Peter Krause: When he is hired to coach a pro driver, who typically pays Peter's bill? The driver...or the team? If it's the team, do they build that cost into their yearly budget? If it's the driver, it seems to be a case of trying to build skill, when, in fact, money is the "driving" force to building a motorsports career. It seems, to a casual observer, that every year, teams and drivers bemoan the escalating cost of racing...yet, every year, more and more teams show up at Daytona...then fade away in the summer. In its current form, sports car racing appears to be a financial bubble that can't sustain itself. Yet it does...somehow.
If teams "hire" fully-funded drivers (presumably, less skilled), aren't there likely to be more incidents involving costly equipment damage? Isn't the level of competition then eroded?
I'm not Peter. However, when pros hire me, sometimes they pay me, and sometimes the team does. However, if it's the latter, we all know the money originally came from the driver's funding...
RS1, 2017 Conti Champs in GS, pulled out of IMSA for 2019 due to cost. When IMSA changed the BOP calc for the GT4CS it became impossible to complete without 2 pro drivers in the car, meaning no gentlemen driver to provide funding. Support from Porsche only goes so far. They will be focusing on club events for 2019.
If it's the driver, it seems to be a case of trying to build skill, when, in fact, money is the "driving" force to building a motorsports career. It seems, to a casual observer, that every year, teams and drivers bemoan the escalating cost of racing...yet, every year, more and more teams show up at Daytona...then fade away in the summer. In its current form, sports car racing appears to be a financial bubble that can't sustain itself. Yet it does...somehow. If teams "hire" fully-funded drivers (presumably, less skilled), aren't there likely to be more incidents involving costly equipment damage? Isn't the level of competition then eroded?
You are absolutely correct! It’s the money, not just skill that is the driving force behind a Motorsport career and there are very few exceptions. Every year gentlemen drivers come into the sport and run out of talent or money mid season because they underestimated the total cost and overestimated their driving skills. Teams are in this to make money on the support and so are the coaches, engineers and manufacturers in terms of spares sales. Problem is that most series now require a pro/pro driver set up to be competitive.
If you look at the IMSA Conti videos from this yeason, it’s clear that backmarkers in the various classes were responsible for most of the accidents. If you are a pro, you are expected not to crash the car.
Motorsports is the only sport I can think of that you can buy your way into whether you are good or not. Can you imagine buying your way into playing in the NBA, MLB or NFL?
You are absolutely correct! It’s the money, not just skill that is the driving force behind a Motorsport career and there are very few exceptions. Every year gentlemen drivers come into the sport and run out of talent or money mid season because they underestimated the total cost and overestimated their driving skills. Teams are in this to make money on the support and so are the coaches, engineers and manufacturers in terms of spares sales. Problem is that most series now require a pro/pro driver set up to be competitive.
If you look at the IMSA Conti videos from this yeason, it’s clear that backmarkers in the various classes were responsible for most of the accidents. If you are a pro, you are expected not to crash the car.
Mike H might have some views on this for PWC as well.....
Motorsports is the only sport I can think of that you can buy your way into whether you are good or not. Can you imagine buying your way into playing in the NBA, MLB or NFL?
i have heard rumors regarding a nhl player and this happening. In todays world i would believe anything.
Knowing some of the numbers it is beyond reality for many, and from previous athletics at different levels this is generally the driving force of your "career" in sports. There are the few that have the talent and right place/right time - but aside of that there are far more that fall short in either talent, funding, or poor luck.
12-08-2018, 09:18 AM
No money, no drivey
