So I have the go ahead to build my GP 914 to take to the SCCA Nationals next year. I landed a big sponsor who is going to help pay for a good deal of the stuff I need but would love to find more sponsors. I am building the car from scratch so I will need everything. Anyone have any experience in this or want to help me out?

I will be campaigning this 914 all the way to the National event and I believe we have the talent to take 1st and 2nd in the class. I have the advice of a few great mechanics and even one who has built a national winning 914. Any and all advice is also aprieciated.

I think you should be the one offering the advice! How the hell did you get someone to pay for prepping a Prepared class car for a minor series in less than a year? What'd you do, offer them a kidney?
Seriously though, if you're gonna be running SD National Tour, SeanV8914 is a good guy to be in touch with. He's got a race shop in SD and is a hella good 'wrench'. He was a huge help(understatement) to Britt and I when we were down there.
That's all I've got, but I would love to see a buildup of your car since I'm prepping mine to DP spec.
Mark D.

Step One: Win a bunch of races...

There's actually a pretty good section on 'turning pro' in Alan Johnson's "Driving In Competition."

Don't take money from a sponsor whose products will slow you down. Don't take money from a sponsor you can't ethically endorse.

Make a marketing plan. Show that you have a professional product. Show the event schedule and the demographics. Show the sponsors how their money is an investment that will pay off in increased sales.

Sean is a great guy . I won't be coming down to SD though. We have an NT up here and then the Nationals is a long trip.

I was able to get a good deal from someone who has a lot of faith in my codriver and I. My codriver, Matt, is a very good driver and with Greg Fordahl's help we believe I can build the winning car.

I have been blue printing the car for over a year. I just didn't say much about it because I didn't think I could afford it . Now I know I will be able to get it done. I will need some additional help to get everything I would like to do but if I am not able to get what I really want I will do fine

Wow, that's great advice Thanks.

Autocross isn't the biggest dollar racing but it sure does have a lot of people who spend a good deal of money to do it.

How much of that money ever leaves the circle?

This is one reason why contingency money is so attractive - if you actually win, you get paid and the sponsor gets to show they backed a winner. If you don't win, they still get the advertising but don't have to put out any cash.

Tire Rack has a big presence because mile for mile, autocrossers undoubtedly buy more rubber than anyone else.

You're probably not going to sell a lot of Porsches based on how well a 914 can do, so the Porsche dealer circle is not a prime candidate.

If you're selling to people within the autocross circle - what do they buy?

In addition to the strictly car-related stuff, they buy services. Travel stuff. Motel rooms. Fast food (a motorsports tie-in if ever I saw one, and not for nothing has Burger King got a deal with Tony Stewart...).

It's going to be hard to hit up the big motorsports suppliers (i.e. the Summits and the Pegasuses) without a championship, which is why Step One is Win A Lot. But there are a lot of 'second-tier' suppliers. There's a big trailer supply company in Delaware. I need to buy a bunch of trailer stuff myself - send me a press kit, and I'll drop it off.

Why would they be interested in you? They have a web site and an 800 number - they already market to the whole country whether they know it or not. It's your job to make sure they know it ;-)

True. I think I am looking more for peoploe from our community that want to help see a 914 win nationals again. Even if they send a sticker I will sport it proudly . This will be my first time going to the big event but I plan on doing this every year after as I feel the 914 is going to be the car for this class. What I have blueprinted may not be able to be fully carried out this year but it will be close.

So much confidence......

Let me ask a couple questions a potential sponsor might ask:
How do you compare to the local competition? How many class wins for the car?
How many SCCA class wins for the drivers against National level drivers?

Now the tough ones:
Why should I sponsor you?
What do you bring to the table (see above) that Joe Blow doesn't?
Why so few NT events?(I need exposure for my dollar) Are you a "homer"?

Good luck.

Thanks Ury. I am going to give it the best shot I can.

I havent looked but do 1.7 and 1.8 cars run G Prepared? Had never thought about that class. A tweeked 1.8 might just be the car in that class if thats what runs there. What is weight minimum and weight calculation for that class?

Non automotive sponsors are probably your best route. Honestly I dont think many automotive companies in traditional sponsorship realm are intersted in your car being GP AX National Champion. I think finding sponor that thinks its cool to sponsor a race car would be best route.

1.8l down to 1600lbs. Greg has read all the rules on it and he is a master at "interpreting" what you can do and can't do. The biggest factor I am looking into know is the engine. I have a good deal of people I need to talk to but have everything laid out fairly well so far.

On the sponsor side, I think I am going to contact some of the venders I have used in the past (since I am going to need to use them again) and see if they will send my stickers for the car. I am happy to help spread the name. If they want to give me a discount or throw me a few parts, awesome. If not no biggy as they have already helped me by supplying the parts.

Blue printing the car took a long time to get everything planned that I want to use but I'm finally finished and have some backing. Now I need to get a tub and get started building. I have three or four 914s I need to get finished before I can bring this home but the work starts soon .

You know it may actually do very well there. Wonder why no one has tried that class recently? 1600 lb 175 HP 1.8 might just be the ticket to a winning 914 in GP. Are there many fast cars running that class? I know its poorly attended at events I go to ...meaning 0 to 1 cars.

Well, it will be. It is generally the old (the one that doesn't break will win) type cars. Sounds like there is about three other drivers in the NW alone looking into doing this and two of them have won nationals in other cars. Greg told me he thinks the car I build may have an advantage over all the others as I am very familiar with the 914 and these others are more just drivers. However, having the right car is only half the battle. Still have to drive it. My codriver is at the level of a national driver but I'm not there...yet.

The winning car in GP (AH Sprite) at the 2009 Nats was 1.5 sec(about) slower per day than the FP winner. No cherry picking here.

I attended the SCCA Runoffs last year, and didn't see many 914s do anything special, so I don't know how well the plan may work, but best of luck! Years ago, we were running a Mazda RX2 in the IMSA Radial Series, and if it wasn't for the Mazda money and support, our driver would have never gotten anywhere. We had a fresh engine for each race, and fresh spare in the trailer, and another being rebuilt at the same time. That was the level that was required (and that was 30 some years ago). We had a lot of fun, but it cost a ton of money and time.

The SCCA has never been too kind to Porsches in the Production classes!

That's because they were just allowed into this class and people are really just now getting it going.

With the blue print I have for this car I don't see how a 914 would NOT be the car for this class. If you had all the money to do what I really want to do you could come very close to a FP car in this 914. Unfortunately, I don't have all the money to get it that far but I do think I have the skill and resources to get it close. Plus, I have a great driver to go behind the wheel. Matt is one of those people who can hope into anyones car and generally get a faster time than they did . He is generally a few tenths ahead of me but I have those days when I actually pull it off .

Jon, you are about to get an education at the University of Packwood & your report card will be published nation wide.

Lesson one: Git er' done in 3.

Lesson? I already know I am about to have my ass handed to me I just don't know why you always have to be a dick about it. I don't recall seeing you do very well with a car that actually COULD do well. a '93 RS America in ASP against three supercharged Lotus' and three GT-Rs hardly stands a chance.

However, it is about having fun and getting more seat time.

The 914 for G prepared if built correctly is the car to have for the class.

Must read the G prepared rules for my self.
I still know where my old race car is and it is pretty much just as I sold it to the guy.

Just needs a motor.

Ah screw that Iam going get my ass handed to me in a Kart. At least I will be going fast as crap when it happens.


Hang on just one sneaky minute. Are we talking Autocross? SCCA SOLO???

If so then Welcome to D Prepared. and that allows a 2056cc motor.

If you meant G Production SCCA road racing then I don't know shit and I will be quiet.

Autocross Joe . Something tells me your old car would have been perfect for this class. They opened it up to the 914 this year.

The weight is a really 1795# for the 914 in GP. All weights are done by displacement. Should be able to get 115whp or so with the stock plenum. The 85 Honda CRX's can make 115+ and only weighs 1488#. My friend runs one in the class. He is still running the CSP engine in it and has beaten the GP Nat Champion a few times at local events. I would be very interested to see how you do. i had thought of building one for road racing.

SCCA G production road racing class went away 2 years ago. The cars got split between F and H.

Was this change in a fast track or something as I was just reading my copy of 2010 rules. Only Porsche in GP was the 356.

They added it a year ago to the class. You have to look under Limited Prep GP. It starts on page 210. At least that is what it is online.

Son of a gun, look at that. Thanks Blake. I sent an email to the guy who bought the race car.
A high strung 1.8L hmmmm. Thinking.
2.0L fly cut heads 2.0L intake, SDS EFI. 10.5:1 compression. Dry sump, some pimpin header.
15 x 7 wheels awe damn it. Good sticky autocross tires could be hard to come by.

Thanks for the weight Blake. Fordahl was going to get me the numbers on the weight for a 1.8l very soon but for him that can be weeks to months.

No matter what the outcome I am really looking forward to doing this. It should be a blast to build and even more fun to drive.

Slow down Joe. Must use all 1.8L parts. Stock rods, 1.8L heads, no dry sump, .420 lift any duration, stock brakes at all four corners.

Damn the fun started coming out of it with the 15 x 7's now you took the wind right out of the sails with an anemic little motor.

Hey wait a minute 1.8L heads but porting is open and valves can be bigger. How busy is Len these days. LE200's ???? hmmmm ???????

Lightend 66mm crank, lighter flywheel like a quartermaster set up.

I will take more wind out of your sails. Stock ports may only be match ported 1" inch, stock size valves with stock shape, No under cut valve stems, any spring and retainer.

The GP rules have nothing to do with any of the regular Prepared rules.

Oh that sorta sucks. Well you could build a fairly strong motor to GP spec. And if weight is 1795 thats OK.

I'm not sure its a slam dunk National Champ car but it should be decent.

Not necessarily true, otherwise Danica's bum would be sitting on a couch stuffing her face with Cheetos.

Jon, How about a Sex Change?

Never did I say it was the only way...
But it's a good door-opener.

Still - it comes back to - how are you going to help your sponsor sell product - not how is your sponsor going to help you do what _you_ want ...

She's one of the few IRL drivers I can associate with a primary sponsor. Tony Kanaan is another. The other 31 drivers - I have no idea what they're trying to sell me...

Well, that's the beauty of advertisers. They're so full of bullshit that they're convinced it works on everybody. Most of them can't even tell when they're full of shit because the lines in their heads have gotten so blurred. It's not about what you can offer them as far as promoting their product. It's about how good of a bullshit line you have to get yourself into their pocketbook... And no, I'm not joking at all.
Mark D.

Well with GP you will win every local event because you'd likely be the only one in the class. Easy to sell "winning" record to sponsors just by showing up!

GP cars in San Diego were not anything too impressive. More than 3 seconds off my stock powered 2480cc Boxster. Stock miatas were faster!

I don't know about 'G" for the 914.

When I first started out I had a 2.0 in ITA and got my ass handed to me.They've moved the car to ITB and its still not competitive.

I don't know how you'd ever get a " D Jetronic'd 914 with a SIR to be competitive in production.

Tom B.

Donno what a SIR is in this context, but they are talking about 'G-Prepared' SOLO-II -- Not G Production...

SIR stands for "single inlet restictor" and is SCCA's new way of bringing new cars into certain race classes.
Didn't realize you were talking about solo.Don't know if SIR's have been introduced into that venue.

Tom B.

Good Luck Jon !

Word of warning for G Prepared.

DON'T EVER TRY A RIDE IN A SHIFTER KART.

The car will go up for sale is a quick hurry.

I made some assumptions while pitching my sponsors:
Porsche guys that have money to race have given deeper consideration to finance than the aVg joe...hint investor types
I gave him some Panos and some PCA mags illustrating that HIS target demographic plays alng with me, same venues
I have also been top 10 for over a year in a sea of monster cars with our 4 banger. not braging too much but it matters whos eyes will be on you and your sponsors logo
you must do or have done something that stands out...that draws targeted eyes onto your team.

do you currently have the funding in hand and a build schedule corrolated to the NT schedule?

Close. Trying to see if I can get there I will keep you posted

Interesting read. My gutted "cafe racer" 1.7 sounds like it fits in this class. However, I need more years doing 8-12 runs a day with PCA before a SCCA run....

Sponsorship - I did this lots 10 years ago. The "NPD rider" is my old hobby/business building and racing offroad mountainboards. I received thousands $$ in sponsorships, but mostly in-kind and donations. Target some free stuff you need or can use to reduce other costs, like from a local beverage distributor, pizza chain, or hardware store. Build your sponsor list with little, local targets before hitting up the big boys. Look and see who sponsors local races, whether auto or bike or whatever, and pick those easy targets.

When you are ready to go for the big targets, make 2-4 page packet. Page 1 is you, w nice photos of you and your past cars racin and positive points pointing to past successes. Diagram sticker placement options on your 914 with different estimated cost levels for them. Honestly, your strength is the team. Become "Team Fordhal GP John" and use his massive reputation to carry you on page 2-4, listing all of his sponsors. Don't compete with his sponsors direct! That is lame. Go for local parts house managers and friends of friends. If you can be professional, respectful and present yourself as a great face for their product, you can develop that relationship from small to large sponsor over time.

Or, just kick @$$ and win all the time, then they come to you!
Good luck!