Sarah Fisher Finds Sponsorship

[cosworth151]

Sarah Fisher has announced that she has struck a sponsorship deal with Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

The sponsorship of Sarah Fisher Racing and her No. 67 Honda-powered Dallara is a collaborative effort between the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts, the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, and the IUPUI campus administration.

Money is in place to get through May with all expenses, including payroll, covered. After that, she'll need help to go ahead with plans to run two more races this season and full time in 2009.

She has long-standing relationships with AAA and Tag Heuer, among others, and last week added Milwaukee-based Direct Supply as an associate sponsor.

Meanwhile, the fans have started thier own efforts. They began donating money to Fisher last weekend, and a local sports radio station started a telethon to help raise more money for Fisher's team. Meanwhile, the phone numbers for deadbeat sponsors ResQ Energy Drink and Gravity Entertainment are listed on the station's website. This has created a cacophony of phone calls from angry Fisher supporters, including at least one from a local talk show on the station. A writer for the Indianapolis Star newspaper urged calling the deadbeat sponsors, too.

Messages were left by The Associated Press with both companies.

"I want them to know, I didn't ask anybody to do it," Fisher said. "They're a little irritated and that's OK. They irritated me."

ResQ has promised a by May 15th. I can't find any report that it arrived.

Sources: IndyStar.com, USA Today, Sarah Fisher Racing

[Alianora La Canta]

Good for Sarah for persevering and good of IUPUI to sponsor her through the Indy 500. Good luck for the future.

[John S]

Sarah Fisher has announced that she has struck a sponsorship deal with Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).


ResQ has promised a by May 15th. I can't find any report that it arrived.

Sources: IndyStar.com, USA Today, Sarah Fisher Racing

I didn't realise the US mail had got as bad as Royal mail in Britain, it can take over a week for first class mail to get from one town to another over here.

It's great the Sarah will keep on trucking though.

[Dare]

I don't understand how sponsors don't pay their fees.Don't
they sign legally binding contracts which could be enforced
in a court of law.

And while were add it why wasn't SA's sponsor forced to
come up with what they owed SA?

[cosworth151]

Super Aguri's deadbeat sponsor, SS United, is a Chinese company. Chinese courts are a bad joke. As for Fisher's sponsors, I hope there will be court action in the future.

She could always do what Stoddy did when one of Minardi's sponsors failed to pony up the cash. He put their decal on the car with a large, red "NOT PAID" stamped across it!

By the way, Fisher qualified for the Indy 500. She'll start on the inside of row 8. Starting money alone in the 500 is $270,000 US.

[Dare]

I looked up ResQ energy drink on the internet and
sent them a nasty email.Sure they don't care but
it made me feel better.

Last hour of Bump Day was really exciting with a
crash in the wall to end it

[cosworth151]

I e-mailed ResQ and Gravity, too. At least it made me feel better.

I was at a British Car Fest yesterday, but caught the Indy highlights later. Did you see the crash that A.J. Foyt IV had after he qualified? Some sort of fuel leak caused the rear of the car to burst into flames shortly after he left the pits. The fuel also got under his rear wheels and caused him to spin into the wall.

[Dare]

I saw Foyt's crash Cos.The announcers were calling
it a blown engine at first,not lie any I've ever seen.

Had to feel sorry for Max Pappis,father-in-law Emmo
coming to town and you missed the race.

What do you think of Cheever in the broadcast booth?

They had a goodsetup on Heilo where a cop pulled him
over for speeding at the entreance and then acted like he
didn't know who he was and even asked him if he was trying
to bribe him.I'll look for it onthe net it's lol'ing funny

[Dare]

AJ Foyt 1v crash on bump day

[cosworth151]

When I saw the replay, they were guessing that the fuel filler connection had stuck open.

I think I've seen that film of Heilo before. They stopped him right outside of the corner gate, there at the corner of 16th & Crawfordsville Road. There's a large billboard of him in the background. Classic.

By the way, there was a really fine Lotus 22 at the show yesterday. I'll get a pix up later.

[cosworth151]

Sarah found another one:

Sarah Fisher Racing (SFR) today announced that Catalyst PDG, Inc., an Indianapolis based product development company, will sponsor the No. 67 Honda powered Dallara driven by IndyCar Series veteran Sarah Fisher in the upcoming Indianapolis 500 on May 25, 2008.

"We are happy to welcome Catalyst to our team this year for the Indy 500," said Fisher, who returns to practice on Friday at 11 a.m. "Catalyst focuses on Speed to Market, helping clients launch innovative products fast and cost effectively. This parallels well with our race team because our team of crew members work to produce the best race car through cost effective and efficient programs."

As for deadbeat sponsor ResQ, Fisher said she's learned a lot as a team owner. This from the Indy Star-Tribune:

"I've gotten to understand things you are never aware of as a driver," she told members of the Rotary Club of Indianapolis during its luncheon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday.

Fisher said the team is not going to walk away from the situation with ResQ energy drink because there was a signed contract for the sponsorship deal.

ResQ officials have not responded to phone calls asking for their side of the story.