looking for a promoter/agent

[Mike wick]

Wanted a promoter/agent for a 19 yr old female driver who is currently racing indycars in an off series. Please view her website at miannawickracing.com then contact us for further info.

[mikey]

IndyCar or FM?

[Purple Frog]

If anyone named Jon calls, hang up immediately.

[Parker]

What, and miss the opportunity to be lied to soo many times that even he doesn't remember which lie to tell next?

[Daryl DeArman]

If anyone named Jon calls, hang up immediately.

or John

[JerryH]

Where exactly are you running now? You may find some good advice here if you give more details.

Jerry Hodges
JDR Race Cars

[Wolf Pack Racing]

You will have to pay an agent to represent her. It is not worth the money, they will not do anything you would not be able to achieve yourself. I can offer some free advice though.

Assuming Indycar is the goal, Mianna will need to start on the Mazda Road to Indy. A season in the first rung on the ladder, F2000, is going to cost $200k. Providing she wins she will receive a $200k prize to contribute to a season in Pro Mazda, the next rung on the ladder. Pro Mazda will cost around $400k for the season. Once more, providing she wins Pro Mazda she will be awarded $750,000 to contribute to Indy Lights. Indy Lights will then cost $1 Million. There are no teams in any of those series that offer free rides to anyone. Everybody pays to be there.

Start with rounding up the $250k to go race F2000, hire a driver coach and pay for the travel to each race. I would not worry about a "Manager" until Roger Penske has left her a voice mail.

[BMLeib]

You will have to pay an agent to represent her. It is not worth the money, they will not do anything you would not be able to achieve yourself. I can offer some free advice though.

Assuming Indycar is the goal, Mianna will need to start on the Mazda Road to Indy. A season in the first rung on the ladder, F2000, is going to cost $200k. Providing she wins she will receive a $200k prize to contribute to a season in Pro Mazda, the next rung on the ladder. Pro Mazda will cost around $400k for the season. Once more, providing she wins Pro Mazda she will be awarded $750,000 to contribute to Indy Lights. Indy Lights will then cost $1 Million. There are no teams in any of those series that offer free rides to anyone. Everybody pays to be there.

Start with rounding up the $250k to go race F2000, hire a driver coach and pay for the travel to each race. I would not worry about a "Manager" until Roger Penske has left her a voice mail.

This is great advice. I hired an agent in 1998 to try and run the F2000 Pro Series. All we ended up with was heartbreak, a lot of money gone, and no racing. If we would have just spent the same amount on renting a ride and racing, we would have started at least three races.

[Daryl DeArman]

In my opinion it would be prudent to cite accomplishments without overstating them. You don't need any potential money running away when their BS meter starts acting up.

If she is a driver for Loophole racing, get them to update their site listing her. If she tested with them, state that was what she did.

If she is 19 with a Bachelors' degree, that's quite an accomplishment and should be expounded upon. Not that it has much to do with her racing abilities, but it does speak to her intellect and ability to accomplish goals that not many can at such an age. Attributes some potential sponsors would find appealing.

Update her facebook page and/or website so that the resumes don't conflict.

Don't waste your money on a PR company or agent until you NEED one to help negotiate a pending contract.

[problemchild]

I will go against the advice you are getting, and suggest that you develop a strategy that will allow your daughter and you to go racing as a family for many years or decades to come, while having fun, kicking butt, and developing great life skills. Make sure she makes a contribution to the workload and sit her out when she acts likes a brat.

For every body that makes it anywhere on the Mazda Road to Indy, there are hundred "failures", washed up at 20, with money spent that common people make in a lifetime.
In direct contrast to that, was the 3 family teams that battled for the win in FF at the 2015 SCCA Runoffs. Yes, you can be sure that bills are still being paid off, but they are "priceless" memories for all involved. It could not be more different than being at a MRTI event and seeing the 17 year old professional drivers doing their thing!

If Mianna is actually the next coming of AJ Foyt, then Chip and Roger will find her wherever you are racing!

[TimH]

I will go against the advice you are getting, and suggest that you develop a strategy that will allow your daughter and you to go racing as a family for many years or decades to come..
If Mianna is actually the next coming of AJ Foyt, then Chip and Roger will find her wherever you are racing!

Still don't need an agent for that. Don't really need any promotion at all.

[DFR Dave Freitas]

Having someone who knows the ropes to guide you through the lower ranks is a huge deal and cannot be understated.

Promoter is probably not needed, but having someone with you to make sure you are getting what you paid for, that you aren't getting screwed, that the equipment is up to task is important.

The driver should just be showing up with a helmet, having the manager handle all the dealings with the team as far as the business side goes. The manager should make sure his client has the good mechanics, engineers, the right chassis etc. There is a lot that goes on inside the team that a 19 year old rookie cannot understand, and if an experienced manager is close by the team will not be tempted to pull the wool over the drivers eyes.

[Neil_Roberts]

http://www.go-annamarie.com/

I saw Annamarie spreak at a standing-room-only presentation at PRI last year. Her method was a real eye opener, completely logical, and clearly a full time job to implement.

No one cares about your success more than you do, so you can do a better job of promoting yourself than anyone else can. Summary: make yourself a celebrity in every possible venue, from social media to yacht club parties, then prove how much value you can create for your sponsors through those venues. No sponsor? Promote a charity to prove your skills.

[problemchild]

The manager should make sure his client has the good mechanics, engineers, the right chassis etc. There is a lot that goes on inside the team that a 19 year old rookie cannot understand, and if an experienced manager is close by the team will not be tempted to pull the wool over the drivers eyes.

If you were to get in this situation, you have the wrong team, the wrong manager, and your talent level is such that people are just taking your money.

[DFR Dave Freitas]

What I meant Greg was that each team only has one best mechanic, one best engine, one best car, etc etc. Nothing is ever 100% equal no matter what the team tells you. Having someone with knowledge assist you means you are more likely to get the most out of the team.

A 19 year old rookie without pro experience hasn't clue one what to ask an organization before signing and having a manager can keep that driver from having issues crop up as the season progresses.

[jim morgan]

1) have the $
2)be sure you have the talent before you show people the money
3)pick the team that matches your goals keeping in mind there are scam artists every where but even legitimate teams are running a business that is based on spending your money

4)female angle will help self promotion might get you enough $ for 1st two rungs but absent a Venezuelan oil company your not getting much farther without performing

5) agent/promoter money wasted until you produce results

Imho

[Wolf Pack Racing]

If you were to get in this situation, you have the wrong team, the wrong manager, and your talent level is such that people are just taking your money.

Show me a team outside Penske Racing and Ferrari F1 that does not take money.

[problemchild]

Show me a team outside Penske Racing and Ferrari F1 that does not take money.

Sorry, but if you take the "just" out of my comment, then you are putting my comment in a different context.

I know many people who operate race teams who provide excellent value for the money they charge. They want to win, or atleast develop the skills of their customers, and at worst, are providing a legitimate service for their customers that just enjoy being involved. I would hope to be considered in that group that are not "just" taking the money.

In any sport, when the competitor's agent is involved with the team management during the course of competition, then the train wreck has already started. At that point, the agent is beyond fixing anything, and is just working on the "divorce".

I thought Jim Morgan's comments were an appropriate end to this thread. I still believe that the proper course for the parents of young racers, is to build an affordable, sustainable, fun program whose success is not determined by becoming a professional race driver.

[John LaRue]

This is all dependent upon the aspirations and experience of those involved. In most all endeavors one can represent themselves pro se'; whether that is the most prudent thing to do is another question.

In some circumstances the advice and counsel of someone with knowledge and experience would be well worth the expenditure both to the driver and his/her sponsor(s) and the team. The agent or counsel can temper the expectations of an overly optimistic driver and sponsor who are expending significant money to see results. Likewise, they can clearly communicate the requirements expected of the team.

Consider how much some of these junior level programs are costing per season and then decide whether you would lay out that type of money for an investment product or real estate without the advice of experienced counsel.

it is all a matter of ones' experience and comfort level; caveat emptor. For a family oriented amateur program there certainly is no need for the interjection of "paid professional" advice or counsel when that can be obtained from the great resources available on APEX or any of the notable experts that routinely assist on line. For other programs well...

John

[Steve Demeter]

Show me a team outside Penske Racing and Ferrari F1 that does not take money.

Ganassi??

[John LaRue]

Nope, TK brought money...

[jim morgan]

John,
Your response above presumes some level of ethics and professional responsibility from the person taking the money as the promoter. If that's hard to find in regulated industries such as financial advisors, and attorneys why should one expect it from freelancers.
Of course my view might be jaded from living in So. Fla. for too long.

[Agitator]

The information on her website is very vague, and she appears to have very little actual racing experience that would be of interest to a sponsor. I'm not taking a cheap shot at all, it is what it is. Implying to a potential sponsor that she is currently "racing an Indycar", when, in fact, she has driven a 20 year old Indycar is misleading, at best. Loophole Racing doesn't appear to have a website. Their Facebook page has virtually no info, other than a couple of testimonials, including a guy that says "They put me in an Indycar and I finished 3rd my first time out". Any sponsor/promotor who understands anything about motorsports will call BS immediately.

At a minimum, she needs to get into a Pro F1600, and get serious results before any real sponsor is going to even look at her resume. Again, this is just reality.

With the economic situation over the last 7-8 years there are simply not a lot of companies that have the sponsorship $$ to take a chance on an unproven talent. I know of a couple of VERY good female drivers right now who probably have the talent to race at a high level, but don't have the money to get to a level to be noticed. Being a female could be a real advantage for Mianna, but you need to have results in a known series to approach the right people. Like others, I think an agent is just a waste of money. If you don't have the funding to get her in a car, start to talking to friends and family..and friends of theirs. Maybe there's someone in that network that can fund a season and get her foot in the door.

Best of luck.

[Steve Demeter]

Nope, TK brought money...

You are kidding, Right?


TK lost ride at Andretti cause they could not pay his salary.

[Fred Michael]

TK has had to bring money in the past but I doubt he has brought money to Ganassi.
Max Chilton has brought money to Ganassi as has Sage Karam and Charlie Kimball.

[BMLeib]

TK took $$ to Ganassi. The NTT deal is his sponsor.