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Agencies Form Association to Manage Corporate Motorsports Programs

7 October 1999

Agencies Form Association to Manage Corporate Motorsports Programs

    HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 6 -- NASCAR autoracing fans surpass
115 million in the United States, offering an incomparable 83% brand loyalty.
Corporate sponsors are not only impressed with NASCAR's growing fan base, they
are captivated with the sport's ability to turn on-track presence into a surge
in sales.  Rick Raducha, President of Driver Connection, in Connecticut, and
Patricia Baker, Media and Marketing Director of The Big Picture Agency in
Massachusetts, have formed "Corporate Motorsports," to support businesses
scrambling to sign race teams in an attempt to cash in on the high marketing
value found in autoracing today.  From strategic marketing plans, to
promotions and media relations, the agencies are using a team approach, to
assist corporate America with marketing through racing.
    "The problem facing many corporations," explained Raducha, "is that
in-house marketing departments and their ancillary advertising agencies, often
lack the time, and experience to plan and facilitate a successful package."
According to Baker and Raducha, there are many creative, promotional elements
available to boost a program's success.  The inclusion of those elements make
the difference between motorsports programs that build business every year, to
ones that fail to achieve their marketing goals.
    Raducha's twenty years of motorsports marketing experience gives him an
edge few corporations can afford to be without.  "Rick knows nearly everyone
in this business," says associate, Patricia Baker.  "He knows who is great on
the track, and equally great in front of the media.  Racing is competitive
enough to demand excellence in both.  Corporations need not settle for less,
but without years of watching drivers in every division, how are they to know
who and what they're really getting involved with?"  Baker's expertise comes
from years of consulting, marketing and public relations work with a variety
of companies, from small start-up businesses to large, publicly- traded
corporations.  Her husband, nine-time National Champion, Kim Baker, introduced
Patricia to the inner workings of race teams, crews and the overall business
of racing.  "Patricia knows first-hand, that corporations who choose to
promote their company and products with a motorsports program, want to see a
positive return," adds Raducha.  "Together, our agencies will ensure superior
results for our corporate clients and their race teams."