Lack of contingency decals on cars????

[THE LEGEND]

Steve,
I agree with You and Terry also. If they don't pay no need to have them on there. One thing nobody has mentioned, IHRA has less contingency this year but at least the ones posting pay in a timely manner. There are decals on my car that don't pay in IHRA but do in NHRA if I ever decide to run over there. There are also a few decals that don't pay contingency but the company was nice enough to discount the parts for me.
Chip

[Michael Beard]

I remember putting them on the car as late as 10 minutes before the final.

That's a great way to lose ALL of your contingency money in IHRA, and in NHRA, those "slapped" decals are not supposed to be counted (I thought NHRA had the same "slap one, lose all" policy, but I did not see that as such in the '09 Rulebook). It's disrespectful to the sponsor at best, and just one more reason the sponsor can question themselves on "Why are we doing this?"

If you don't want to run decals, don't, but I believe it is in our sport's best interest to support the sponsors. Buy the products and run their decals (all the time, not just in the finals). There are a lot of companies who have been VERY good to the sportsman racer, and they deserve every bit of support and advertising we can give them in return.

[sc4400]

Originally Posted by THE LEGEND

Race cars have STICKERS. Show cars look pretty. Make your choice. I personally think that people without stickers probably have never one a race. If they ever do then they will realize how stupid they were for not getting sticker money.
I had my 10.90 car painted last year buy Kenny Koonce. He did a great job as usual. I had around 5 grand in the paint job and other work he did. Since I got over 15 grand in "STICKER MONEY"
I will sticker one up in a heartbeat.
Chip

Hmmmmmmm... You do what you want with your ride. Calling others stupid is no different than Obama calling cops stupid. Makes you look a little smaller Chip.My car has a few stickers. But most of the stuff on my car has lasted long enough that any contingency requirements have expired. Most of us race for the challenge. No way will we get back 10 cents on the dollar. I think that racers that focus solely on the money miss out on why most of us do this. To each his own.

I've read your posts a long time Chip. You don't usually slam folks.

RIP

[Steve Williams]

It's disrespectful to the sponsor at best, and just one more reason the sponsor can question themselves on "Why are we doing this?"

And supposed Contingency Sponsors that don't pay are respectful of the racer when they don't pay or are slow to pay? You pay full price for their part, send in your info for contingency, win a race with their sticker and they don't pay. They want their picture for the wall and the ND advertisement but don't pay. Sounds like a deal to me. Some Contingency Sponsors would be better served if they didn't post, that way we all know from the start that there are no smoke and mirrors games about phone calls and e-mails unanswered that generally makes us unhappy. The good guys will always be displayed on the vehicle, the bad guys are there for two rounds and photos. That Micheal is the way it works on this side of the tracks. Now what they do where you race, I couldn't tell. Something tells me that it happens there too. Michael I do agree that you should run them, but tell me that you have not had one that was slow to pay or no pay and that you didn't think "why the hell do I even put this on the car? They don't do anything for me even though they say they will".

Steve

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Steve Williams

It's disrespectful to the sponsor at best, and just one more reason the sponsor can question themselves on "Why are we doing this?"

And supposed Contingency Sponsors that don't pay are respectful of the racer when they don't pay or are slow to pay?

Absolutely not. That doesn't have anything to do with slapping decals on the car right before the finals, which as previously noted per NHRA rules will get you no money for those late-applied decals, and in IHRA is illegal and make you forfeit ALL contingency awards. Bringing up the few and far between bad sponsors who don't honor their commitments is not an excuse for disrespecting the large number of great sponsors who play by the rules (and expect the racers they support to follow the rules as well).

tell me that you have not had one that was slow to pay or no pay

I've had a couple of slow-payers, but I've never had a "no pay" situation. There are some sponsors who have added additional requirements over the years, or have a limited amount of years that they pay for a product, and that's fine. I've had some "expire", and I've taken those decals off the car. No fuss. -=shrug=-

In order to be paid, per *both* NHRA and IHRA rulebooks, contingency decals must be on the car prior to first round of eliminations, and be displayed throughout eliminations.

[Steve Williams]

I agree with you Michael. If the racers play to the rulebook in whatever sanction you race in, then the contingency sponsor should also hold up his end of the agreement. If not then the sanctioning body should hold them accountable. No ifs, no ands or no buts. No pay on their part should result in the termination of their contingency deal in the sanctioning body. Don't show up with your trailer full of overpriced goodies, just don't show up. It is a slap in the face when somebody tells you they appreciate your business and then foul up the relationship by being dishonest about when they mail a check or worse yet just plain don't pay. I hear you loud and clear on your points Michael. The reality is that just as we have a few bad apple racers, we also have a few bad apple contingency sponsors. Neither of these will ever change. It is what it is.

Steve

[THE LEGEND]

SC4400,
I'm sorry for using the word STUPID. I should've said something like Then they will realize what they missed out on.
Chip Johnson

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by THE LEGEND

Gary,
What does you getting beat 3rd rd and your buddy having #54 got to do with Contingency money? There are some people that would rather have a show car than a race car. Like I said in an erlier post it's up to you to decide. One thing I would like you to know. I've been bitten in the ***** before but I can bite back.
Have a good day.
Chip Johnson

Because you made the comment that people who don't place decals on their cars have probably never "won" a race (not "one" as you stated). My referrence to Steve's wearing the number 54 on his car is because he was the 4th best of all stocker racers in Div. V last year, and w/o his success racing his Savoy, he wouldn't have earned that honor.

[SS Engine Guy]

A different look at decals. Your racecar is a signboard. Depending on how you display your signboard is the same as any outdoor advertising. A signboard in a really busy business/traffic area is expensive. A signboard in the bad area or less traveled street is somewhat cheaper.

I along with many others here can remember the days when you ran a decal for your camshaft that wasn't the camshaft you ran in your car to keep your competitors wondering. Of course this was when a competitive SS car was in the 10k-12k range and gas was under a dollar.

I look at my race operation as a good chance for the aftermarket to display and advertise their product. Not only the car but the driver, the crew (if any), the pit area etc. The sanctioning bodies lack of promotion of the classes I choose to participate in usually regulate the amount of "traffic" or potential buyers of a product. This is why few of us have sponsors inside or outside of the motorsports field. But that is a whole different topic.

Bottom line: I display advertising (decals) of the manufacturers that help to support racing. I run products based not on popularity but products that WORK along with TECH SUPPORT that gets the job done. I will not run decals that claim that their product is only good for a certain amount of time, however, I do understand that parts, like anything else wear out. But by putting a time limit on paying for the advertising that I have done over the years is not acceptable to me, nor should it be acceptable to any of you. My racecar is ALMOST free advertising at every track that I go to until I win, r/u, or win class. Then I get payed. (Sometimes).... I will not spend time and pay phone bills to talk to machines that want me to press two for English. I have done my job. I ran the product. I use the product in customers engines. I display the decals. I tell potential customers of the top of the line components that I use.
Now back to the middle of the last paragraph where I said "ALMOST free advertising". I do now and have in the past charged "up front" for my signboard. It is a nice signboard. It appears at some of the biggest events(Nationals).It is not a regional signboard it travels. It comes with a professional crew. Why shouldn't I get top dollar for my signboard? Many companies that racers deal with are not listed as contingency sponsors for reasons that vary. Usually money. However, any nationally known company and also many regionally known companies know the value of advertising and a target audience. Some companies give me and my customers (yes I pass the savings along) price incentives to display their name on signboards. Whether it be pure product or a small discount they "pay" for their advertising. This varies from 10% off up to complete components to pay for their advertising. This is up front. Nothing if I win or lose.

We need to stop being racing prostitutes and take charge of our own destiny. Not only in advertising but in our sport and its future.

The moral of this story: I run decals that pay me in some timely fashion for the clutter on my racecar. I'm not shy in the least of telling a manufaturer what "I" require in order for "them" to appear on my signboard. In short, every decal that appears on my car has either already paid, or is paying, or will pay for its placement there. I am running less decals than ever due to the economic mess and the ones that have been removed will be replaced when things hopefully recover so no hard feelings there. If you do much racing you know who pays, who dosne't and what are the requirements to collect. In my opinion if the decal is on the car and the product is easily varified (you can see it) then case closed. In other instances such as engine components deep within.....nothing but the decal should suffice. Another complex problem with a very simple answer.

One other thing. Racecars without decals are Great! Nothing impresses me more than a nice racecar, well thought out, clean and put together right. There is no rule that says you have to be in the signboard business.

[THE LEGEND]

Gary,
key word being PROBABLY