SILLY SEASON 2019

I'm kinda giddy Larson and he will be on the same team. The comparisons will make it interesting. No doubt they are aware of that. It's go time for both. Larson is going to have to step up his game if he has any more speed. Kurt's pretty darn good.
 
StandOnIt said:
I'm kinda giddy Larson and he will be on the same team. The comparisons will make it interesting. No doubt they are aware of that. It's go time for both. Larson is going to have to step up his game if he has any more speed. Kurt's pretty darn good.
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Yeah, I agree 100%. Having Kurt in the same team in equal equipment will be the final semester in the Nascar Cup education of Kyle Larson, I believe.

My prediction: Larson will be as fast as before, but over the course of a long, grueling season, his average finishing position will improve... and Kurt will have something to do with that. JMO.
 
wi_racefan said:
Well it sounds like the money from Monster definitely isn't near enough to cover the whole season for Kurt. I wonder who else they have on the line for sponsorship? Kurt's past hasn't shown him to be a huge sponsor draw.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
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Combination of McDonald's/Cessna/DC Solar probably, with maybe not much left to fill. $5M is less than I expected but with all of those plus Credit One I think they're pretty well off with a couple of months left to go.

I think Kurt being a mentor of sorts for both Larson and Chastain should be pretty helpful.
 
FLRacingFan said:
Combination of McDonald's/Cessna/DC Solar probably, with maybe not much left to fill. $5M is less than I expected but with all of those plus Credit One I think they're pretty well off with a couple of months left to go.

I think Kurt being a mentor of sorts for both Larson and Chastain should be pretty helpful.
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Chastain, Larson, and KuBu... Chip Ganassi made some really smart, heads-up decisions this silly season. Watch out!
 
rd45usa said:
New team next year.
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Huh. Interesting. I found this from about a year ago on them. Sounds like they mean business...

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2017/12/18/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/Spire.aspx

Spire Sports & Entertainment, one of the most influential yet under-the-radar agencies in NASCAR, is working to raise its profile in 2018 amid on-track success and a new push into music and esports.

Founded in 2010 as a driver-focused motorsports agency, Spire has a roster that includes some of racing’s brightest young stars, and it has grown a stable of corporate sponsorship clients.

On top of having deep ties in dirt-track racing, Spire has close relationships with a number of team owners in NASCAR, such as Rick Hendrick and Chip Ganassi, auto manufacturers like Toyota, brands like 5-Hour Energy and the sanctioning body itself. It also does work in IndyCar and is looking to do more work in Formula One.

Spire routinely helps broker deals in NASCAR such as driver transactions, sponsorships and endorsements. Yet that work is usually, and intentionally, done without the agency getting public credit.

But after seeing perhaps its best year from its drivers on track, led by Kyle Larson winning four races in NASCAR’s premier series, and with a new effort to diversify into other forms of entertainment, the agency is working on a public relations plan to increase its brand recognition.

“Some of our sponsors, and certainly our teams and drivers, I think they like us because we’re private,” said Jeff Dickerson, co-founder of Spire. “[But] the best thing for the sales guys and maybe for the company overall is to probably be a little more forward about it.”


The agency started with three employees and just two rooms in an office outside Charlotte where it now controls the entire floor. On top of Larson, Spire’s roster includes NASCAR drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Christopher Bell plus IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe. In addition to 5-Hour Energy, Spire represents brands including Auto-Owners Insurance, Eneos and DC Solar.

Spire has grown to 23 employees. Almost all of its annual revenue now comes from motorsports, with its corporate sponsorship business growing the most. Spire charges retainer fees for its work and then bills based on specific projects.

Staffing will increase now that Spire is building out a new music venture that will link corporate brands with musical artists and festivals. Spire won’t be a promoter of concerts but will rather broker deals with sponsors who want to get into the space.

Spire’s first client that will push into music is 5-Hour Energy, according to Ty Norris, a longtime NASCAR executive who came over last year after Michael Waltrip Racing folded. The “energy shot” brand will endorse undisclosed national touring artists, activate and promote with the artists at the performing venues, engage on social media, create a philanthropic program with some of the artists, and create in-market retail programs.

Spire is also dabbling in esports. It recently became a founding partner in a new venture called Triggerfish Partnerships, which is the media and sponsorship sales arm of Infinite Esports & Entertainment, a holding company founded this year by Texas Rangers co-owner Neil Leibman that includes OpTic Gaming and other esports verticals. OpTic Gaming features teams that play across several first-person-shooter games.

Agency executives noted that the plan is for motorsports to stay at the heart of Spire’s work, but now the agency is capable of extending relationships to music and esports for clients looking for broader reach.

“In some ways it’s still the exact same — motorsports is still the focus of it,” Dickerson said. “You have this success, this is your time to capitalize and maybe take on some risk but you can’t take your eye off the core business — and our core business is going to be NASCAR and IndyCar.”
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StandOnIt said:
I'm kinda giddy Larson and he will be on the same team. The comparisons will make it interesting. No doubt they are aware of that. It's go time for both. Larson is going to have to step up his game if he has any more speed. Kurt's pretty darn good.
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I think he will gain more from Kurt than he ever did from Jeremy
 
LewTheShoe said:
^ Speaking of Ross Chastain, his previous seat in the #4 has been filled by Blake Koch. I *think* this is new info, but not sure...

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Koch, is a solid if unspectacular driver, I know his twitter all year while he didn't really have a ride was pushing his business. I honestly thought he was done driving and focusing on that.
 
Kiante said:
Moffitt has confirmed he will not be returning to HRE. Hattori said he needs a driver with sponsorship to keep the team open.

https://autoweek.com/article/nascar...-enough-prevent-brett-moffitt-losing-his-ride

Rough, but Hattori and company did a great job with what they had and won a championship out of it. Lets hope Moffitt gets a sponsor and finds an Xfinity ride.
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Yoinks.

Unfortunately there's probably not much left, is there? JRM #9 part-time? JGR #18 part-time? GMS?
 
FLRacingFan said:
Yoinks.

Unfortunately there's probably not much left, is there? JRM #9 part-time? JGR #18 part-time? GMS?
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GMS confirmed John-Hunter, no? Those are like the only two good cars available. Maybe the 18 if they can get Craftsman involved again. Moffitt was pushing so hard to get Pabst Blue Ribbon behind him on social media... Would have been nice to see.
 
Kiante said:
GMS confirmed John-Hunter, no? Those are like the only two good cars available. Maybe the 18 if they can get Craftsman involved again. Moffitt was pushing so hard to get Pabst Blue Ribbon behind him on social media... Would have been nice to see.
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Aww man a PBR scheme could look so cool
 
Kiante said:
GMS confirmed John-Hunter, no? Those are like the only two good cars available. Maybe the 18 if they can get Craftsman involved again. Moffitt was pushing so hard to get Pabst Blue Ribbon behind him on social media... Would have been nice to see.
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This was last I saw. GMS doesn’t say anything on their site either.

 
Kiante said:
GMS confirmed John-Hunter, no? Those are like the only two good cars available. Maybe the 18 if they can get Craftsman involved again. Moffitt was pushing so hard to get Pabst Blue Ribbon behind him on social media... Would have been nice to see.
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I don't know how serious the PBR thing was, but my understanding is that PBR has got serious issues right now. I guess PBR has been brewed under contract by Miller Coors, but supposedly Miller Coors is closing the only facility they have available that could brew it at a reasonable cost, and it sounds like MC MIGHT be trying to put the screws to them. If the owners of PBR can't reach a new deal with MC or find a new brewer, they may be up a creek. personally, I think gasoline tastes better than that god awful stuff.
 
Kiante said:
Moffitt has confirmed he will not be returning to HRE. Hattori said he needs a driver with sponsorship to keep the team open.

https://autoweek.com/article/nascar...-enough-prevent-brett-moffitt-losing-his-ride

Rough, but Hattori and company did a great job with what they had and won a championship out of it. Lets hope Moffitt gets a sponsor and finds an Xfinity ride.
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I hope he does. That is pretty rough, having the championship in your hands to prove what caliber driver you are and still somehow not convincing someone to pick you up.
 
Formerjackman said:
I don't know how serious the PBR thing was, but my understanding is that PBR has got serious issues right now. I guess PBR has been brewed under contract by Miller Coors, but supposedly Miller Coors is closing the only facility they have available that could brew it at a reasonable cost, and it sounds like MC MIGHT be trying to put the screws to them. If the owners of PBR can't reach a new deal with MC or find a new brewer, they may be up a creek. personally, I think gasoline tastes better than that god awful stuff.
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They won that lawsuit and will stay on shelves.
 
Formerjackman said:
I don't know how serious the PBR thing was, but my understanding is that PBR has got serious issues right now. I guess PBR has been brewed under contract by Miller Coors, but supposedly Miller Coors is closing the only facility they have available that could brew it at a reasonable cost, and it sounds like MC MIGHT be trying to put the screws to them. If the owners of PBR can't reach a new deal with MC or find a new brewer, they may be up a creek. personally, I think gasoline tastes better than that god awful stuff.
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PBR is brewed? Huh. Who knew?
 
StandOnIt said:
passed right thru a sock Charlie
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I wish Coors did that. Maybe then it would pick up some flavor.

Side note: Those commercials with Pete Coors walking around the snow-covered mountains are the only ads that ever made my Darling Bride or I want to get in the car and go get a case.
 
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