Jump to content


Photo

Sponsorship curiosities


  • Please log in to reply
108 replies to this topic

#1 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 17 August 2005 - 14:30

Hi,

Recent threads which, more or less, had to do with sponsors, has made me think about them. There nothing strange in having companies involved in the automobile industry sponsoring motorsport in general and F1 in particular. We have had ( and have ) a lot of them backing teams. Tobacco companies and brewerys have also become very "familiar" and, in recent years, many companies from the electronic/telecomunications field have entered F1.
There have been companies from the most varied fields sponsoring teams. We have had domestic appliances, perfumes, banks, food, etc. and among them all, I have found some curiosities. Some because being devoted to a field that was never again seen in F1.
IMO, one of the teams with the most curious sponsors could be the brazilian Fittipaldi. At the beginning the team was sponsored by "Copersucar", a huge sugar producer. However, at their last days, the team was sponsored by "Cisne", a huge salt producer.
At the beginning of the 70, Ensign was sponsored by "HB" a maker of alarm systems. Surtees was painted in the colors of "Durex" and in the 80s, Osella was sponsored by toothpaste "Kelemata".
Any other "unique" sponsors ?

Advertisement

#2 Bonde

Bonde
  • Member

  • 1,072 posts
  • Joined: December 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 15:19

In a sense it could be said that advertising of cancer sticks seems to be contrary to a sporting image - you don't see the modern F1 drivers using the products they advertise. Still, it's on its way out: Hypocracy rules: You can grow it (even with government subsidies), you can sell it but you can't advertise it let alone smoke it in a lot of places.

There are ofcourse also breweries and distillers - drinking and driving don't mix either...

Penthouse magazine sponsored Guy Edwards' a.o. - nude women don't really relate to automobiles in any practical way... :p

#3 bigears

bigears
  • Member

  • 973 posts
  • Joined: January 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 15:33

Just pointing out an "unique sponsor, what about Alboreto who got his drive for Tyrrell in 1981?

I think he brought in sponsorship from a ceramic company "Imola."

Ironically he made his debut at Imola for the 1981 San Marino GP!

#4 uffen

uffen
  • Member

  • 1,892 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 15:47

I remember the dark green Ensign (I think) driven by Ricky von Opel at Mosport in 1974. The only words on the car were "Ricky von Opel." Personal sponsorship and certainly unique.

#5 BRG

BRG
  • Member

  • 25,883 posts
  • Joined: September 99

Posted 17 August 2005 - 16:08

There has been at least one other ceramics sponsor - Ceramica Pagnossin who sponsored Arrows IIRC.

#6 GIGLEUX

GIGLEUX
  • Member

  • 1,519 posts
  • Joined: April 03

Posted 17 August 2005 - 16:43

Pagnossin was the sponsor of Andrea de Adamich Brabham BT37 and BT42 which was also driven by Rolf Stommelen after the former accident at the 1974 British GP.

#7 ensign14

ensign14
  • Member

  • 61,702 posts
  • Joined: December 01

Posted 17 August 2005 - 16:54

I always thought it odd that British Leyland sponsored Williams - who ran Ford engines.

A bit like if Toyota stuck their name on a Red Bull.

I was thinking "if they make such great vehicles why don't they enter a team?"

The US has had some odd ones - the Noc-Out Hose Clamp Special is a favourite name of mine, sounds like a 60s jug band - but also some odd and innovative ones. An Indy entrant decided to create a club for kids and have them involved in Indycar racing and Bill Simpson drove the American Kids Racer at Indy one year, other years it DNQ'd, but ISTR the paint-job was pretty decent.

The Spirit of Indiana Special had a bunch of Indiana businessmen pay to put their names ON the car, a device later adopted by Tim Lee-Davey and Jan Lammers "au Mans", someone do it at Daytona with scribbled signatures, and Naoki Hattori for some desultory Coloni pre-qualifying laps some years back.

There were other "city pride" sponsors (Daytona sponsoring Smokey Yunick), and Hershel McGriff won the Carrera Panamericana in a car with the legend "For You A Rose In Portland Grows". And a bunch of local producers banded together to give some money to Minardi, who ran with "Romagna Top Quality" on the car.

An early non-trade sponsor was Whataburger, who paid Curtis Crider some bucks to put their name on his rear quarter-panels in circa 1960. And later in the 60s Neil Castles had the "Free Lt Calley Special" - Col Capps would be better placed to comment on both of them, I understand Calley took the rap for the My Lai campaign, to put it as neutrally as possible.

Evel Knievel sponsored JC Agajanian's cars in the mid-70s, Gary Bettenhausen dressed up in Knievel-like Nomex.

Just browse through the past pics on jayski for all the movie tie-ins &c in NASCAR. (Anyone remember Ghostbusters 2 sponsor Pancho Carter at Indy?) And Tammy-Jo Kirk was sponsored by a bra manufacturer in the trucks.

#8 willga

willga
  • Member

  • 81 posts
  • Joined: June 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:02

Originally posted by uffen
I remember the dark green Ensign (I think) driven by Ricky von Opel at Mosport in 1974. The only words on the car were "Ricky von Opel." Personal sponsorship and certainly unique.


Wasn't 'Barbara' on the side of the Simteks of 94/5 a personal sponsor, with no real product to sell.

#9 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:13

Originally posted by GIGLEUX
Pagnossin was the sponsor of Andrea de Adamich Brabham BT37 and BT42 which was also driven by Rolf Stommelen after the former accident at the 1974 British GP.


Pagnossin also sponsored Carlos Reutemann in 1973.

#10 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:21

Originally posted by Bonde

Penthouse magazine sponsored Guy Edwards' a.o. - nude women don't really relate to automobiles in any practical way... :p



I think Penthouse magazine also sponsored brazilian driver Alex Diaz Ribeiro. The car was a march, I think.
It was very funny to see Ribeiro's March with the nude girl together with the phrase " Jesus Saves". Ribeiro was ( and I suppose still is ) a very religious person.

#11 Steffen

Steffen
  • Member

  • 134 posts
  • Joined: October 03

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:22

What's about the Broker sponsored Sauber in 1994?

#12 Bonde

Bonde
  • Member

  • 1,072 posts
  • Joined: December 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:32

...and there was, of course, Merzario sponsored by an undertaker... :eek:

#13 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:36

Originally posted by Bonde
In a sense it could be said that advertising of cancer sticks seems to be contrary to a sporting image - you don't see the modern F1 drivers using the products they advertise. Still, it's on its way out: Hypocracy rules: You can grow it (even with government subsidies), you can sell it but you can't advertise it let alone smoke it in a lot of places...


I completely agree with you bonde,

However, I am afraid there is hyprocricy everywhere, even among us. We all know tobacco is no good at all, but none of us said anything against their huge investments in F1. Investments made with the only purpose of selling more cigarrettes ( and killing more people ).
It seems that tobacco is not good unless they sponsor our favorite team, then we do not complain.
Up to a certain extent, we and tobacco companies complement each other very well : They increased their sales and we had our races, all at the expense of someone's life.

#14 Rosemayer

Rosemayer
  • Member

  • 1,253 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:40

Thanks to Barry Boor there is this rather rear sponsor in F1.

Posted Image

Barry how are the repairs coming?

#15 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:48

Originally posted by Bonde
nude women don't really relate to automobiles in any practical way... :p



Well dear Bonde, this could be arguable. I am sure many people have been conceived in the rear seat of a car.

#16 fausto

fausto
  • Member

  • 528 posts
  • Joined: November 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 17:52

Originally posted by BRG
There has been at least one other ceramics sponsor - Ceramica Pagnossin who sponsored Arrows IIRC.


that was Ceramiche Ragno....I must say that the Imola region, Emilia-Romagna, is full of ceramic and tiles producers, maybe Imola was chosen because the name is world-famous for racing reasons, also another company produced the famous yellow "prancing horse" tiles, sorry I don't remember its name....

#17 Frank Verplanken

Frank Verplanken
  • Member

  • 378 posts
  • Joined: July 04

Posted 17 August 2005 - 18:16

Patrick Tambay had support from the Moulin Rouge cabaret.

#18 WDH74

WDH74
  • Member

  • 1,360 posts
  • Joined: March 03

Posted 18 August 2005 - 00:31

On movie sponsorship, I believe Paul Newman ran a car sponsored by his film "Nobody's Fool". Also, didn't comedian Tim Allen own or sponsor a Trans Am car sponsored by his old television show "Home Improvement"?

Sam Parriott was well known for running a series of Kurtis drag racers, the "City of Industry Specials". Parriott was mayor of said town in California, however I don't know if the city actually funded his racing or if he was merely very proud of his town.

I've always wondered why Dan Gurney's Indy Lotus was sponsored by Yamaha....or why Walt Hangsen's Huffaker was called the "MG Liquid Suspension Special" (I figure it has something to do with Hydrolastic suspension).

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Graham Hill's Red Ball Special.... :rotfl:

-William

#19 Rob G

Rob G
  • Member

  • 11,609 posts
  • Joined: April 01

Posted 18 August 2005 - 00:56

Trans-Am driver Tomy Drissi carries "sponsorship" from a different movie for every race. He carried "Supercross" in the last race I watched.

One of the sponsors on Sterling Marlin's Winston Cup car in the early 1990s was Underalls, a type of women's underwear.

Advertisement

#20 David Hyland

David Hyland
  • Member

  • 289 posts
  • Joined: December 02

Posted 18 August 2005 - 01:17

Some more in this thread

#21 FLB

FLB
  • Member

  • 29,441 posts
  • Joined: February 01

Posted 18 August 2005 - 04:28

In his F3 days, Pierre-Henri Raphanel was sponsored by a French naturist resort (Cap d'Agde).

Penthouse was also involved with Arrows from 1980 to 1982 (IIRC). Volker Weidler had a personal sponsorship deal with Lui, a French magazine of the same kind.

The name of Pontiac could be read on the top of the sidepods of Gordon Johncock's March-Cosworth at the 1984 Indy 500.

#22 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 79,958 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 18 August 2005 - 04:46

The corner onto the main straight at Phillip Island was called 'Belinda's Terrace' for a few meetings...

Apparently that was a house of some repute in Melbourne.

#23 Pikachu Racing

Pikachu Racing
  • Member

  • 5,478 posts
  • Joined: December 00

Posted 18 August 2005 - 05:01

How can anyone forget March/Leyton House at Canada?

I remember NASCAR BGN car has "Cape Canaveral" as sponsor.

When Kevin Cogan crashed at Indy 89 with his car flipped on his side I notice Playboy sponsor on remaining front wing.

#24 Alan Lewis

Alan Lewis
  • Member

  • 1,031 posts
  • Joined: December 02

Posted 18 August 2005 - 05:39

Ceramica Pagnossin sponsored a Surtees TS9B as well as Brabhams. I know this to be true as I have the Matchbox model in the attic somewhere, along with all the others in that series.

APL

#25 Twin Window

Twin Window
  • Nostalgia Host

  • 6,611 posts
  • Joined: May 04

Posted 18 August 2005 - 06:34

Originally posted by GIGLEUX

Pagnossin was the sponsor of Andrea de Adamich Brabham BT37 and BT42 which was also driven by Rolf Stommelen after the former accident at the 1974 British GP.

1973, actually. As White and Alan say, Pagnossin was on de Adamich's Surtees in 1972 and also appeared on Reutemann's and Watson's BT42s. For Brands in '72, de Adamich's team mates were Mike Hailwood and Tim Schenken; the latter carrying sponsorship from 'Flame Out' fire extingushers.

Imola Ceramica sponsored Tyrrell briefly in 1981, coinciding with Michele Alboreto's arrival.

In 1981, Stefan Johansson had a personal deal with Lektyr, a Swedish porn-ish mag. The deal ended after Stefan flatly refused to do a photo shoot with his [then] fiancee Christine...

There are currently a couple of interesting deals in motorcycle racing; in WSBK, Renegade are sponsored by 'Koji', who are a clothing brand. Except they don't actually have a clothing collection or range. And in BSB there is the three-bike 'Vivaldi' Kawasaki team, supported by a multi-bike SuperSports entry. The 'Vivaldi' in question being a type of potato...

#26 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 18 August 2005 - 07:12

Hello,

I remember having read somewhere that the pacific team had a deal to advertise a british cigarrette brand called "Death". However, after Ratzemberger and Senna accidents, it was cancelled.
First team Arrows race in Brazil 1978 was possible thanks to the sponsorship of brazilian airline Varig. From the next race on ( Kyalami ), Warsteiner was the sponsor.

#27 Maldwyn

Maldwyn
  • Member

  • 1,488 posts
  • Joined: August 00

Posted 18 August 2005 - 07:13

Originally posted by FLB
Penthouse was also involved with Arrows from 1980 to 1982 (IIRC).

Didn't this deal only cover the Long Beach GP for some reason?

#28 Arthur Anderson

Arthur Anderson
  • Member

  • 151 posts
  • Joined: June 04

Posted 18 August 2005 - 10:28

Originally posted by WDH74
On movie sponsorship, I believe Paul Newman ran a car sponsored by his film "Nobody's Fool". Also, didn't comedian Tim Allen own or sponsor a Trans Am car sponsored by his old television show "Home Improvement"?

Sam Parriott was well known for running a series of Kurtis drag racers, the "City of Industry Specials". Parriott was mayor of said town in California, however I don't know if the city actually funded his racing or if he was merely very proud of his town.

I've always wondered why Dan Gurney's Indy Lotus was sponsored by Yamaha....or why Walt Hangsen's Huffaker was called the "MG Liquid Suspension Special" (I figure it has something to do with Hydrolastic suspension).

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Graham Hill's Red Ball Special.... :rotfl:

-William


I believe Sam Parriott's Kurtis 500-S A/S drag cars were sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in City of Industry, CA; much like Smokey Yunick's "City of Daytona Beach Spl" 1966 Eagle at Indianapolis.

Gurney's 1965 Lotus Ford was sponsored by Yamaha for a very good reason: Yamaha was going head-to-head with Honda for the US motorcycle market, and it seemed pretty natural for them to sponsor an Indy Car. Gurney was the "hero" of the college-age set in the US at the time (remember all those "Dan Gurney for President" signs?). The MG Liquid Suspension Special Huffaker got that sponsorship due to its using MG's hydrolastic suspension.

Red Ball? Pretty simple! The full name was "American Red Ball Van Lines Spl.". American Red Ball was then (and still is) a major intercity moving van company--also sponsored Eddie Sachs' fatal 1964 Indianapolis entry.

Noc-Out Hose Clamp Spl. Noc-Out radiator hose clamps were a very popular aftermarket hose clamp in the late 30's through the early 50's, using a screw-tightened pressure foot actuating at right angles to the circumference of the band of the hoseclamp itself--I bought a Model A Ford in 1963 that had been equipped with Noc-Outs--knocked myself out trying to loosen them--got rid of those pretty quickly too!

Now, for some more odd ones:

"Sea Snack Shrimp Cocktail Spl", Roger McCluskey, Indy 1975. In '73, a lot of jokes were made about Billy Vukovich's "Sugarripe Prune Spl" (like a race driver at speed needed anything to promote "regularity"?). Jerry Grant's 1974 "Spirit of Orange County Spl", actually a gorgeous car, with small decals each representing a California Navel Orange, inscribed with the name of an individual contributor to the sponsorship. "HOW Special". How what? HOW was the name of Tony Hulman's Terre Haute antique car museum, a/k/a Hulman Old Wheels (Anton Hulman Jr's name still appears on the letterhead of Antique Automobile Club of America as one of the founders of that organization in 1935). "Pots & Pans Spl." campaigned in 1949 by AJ Watson. Jonathan Byrd Cafeteria Spl. Outside of Indianapolis and Central Indiana, who had any idea what this local chain of cafeteria's was? Yet those cars ran at other tracks.

Sarkes Tarzian Spl. Sarkes Tarzian was an early television entrepreneur, owning several Indiana TV stations, including Indianapolis station WTTV, Channel 4. At one time in the early 60's, he was the largest manufacturer of TV tuners and TV antenna rotors. The Sarkes Tarzian Spl (Indy, 1962) was owned by a young Mari Hulman George, daughter of Tony Hulman, wife of Elmer George, and mother of Tony George.

"Blue & White Spl.", which was sponsored by perhaps the earliest chain of truck stops in the US--there are still Blue & White truck stops in Indiana.

And, of course, my personal all-time favorite: "Johnny Lightning Spl" from 1970-71. For those who don't know, "Johnny Lightning" was an early brand of gravity-raced diecast toy cars, going head-to-head with Mattel's Hot Wheels toy cars. From 2002 through 2004, I was a designer of the modern Johnny Lightning diecast miniature cars. Oh, and while Topper Toys, manufacturer of the original Johnny Lightning cars, lost out in the toy car wars of the early 70's to Hot Wheels, at least they had the satisfaction of beating Hot Wheels on the USAC Championship Trail--Dan Gurney's Eagles carried Hot Wheels secondary sponsorship decals in those same years--but Al Unser Sr. beat him to Indy wins, and a USAC national championship.

Art

#29 ensign14

ensign14
  • Member

  • 61,702 posts
  • Joined: December 01

Posted 18 August 2005 - 10:43

And on the subject of Indy specials, I do not know whether John Martin was being ironic, situationist or plain mendicant in calling his car the Unsponsored Special.

#30 Terry Walker

Terry Walker
  • Member

  • 3,005 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 18 August 2005 - 11:31

I'm sure that one Aussie race car was sponsored by a well-known "massage parlour" some years ago. I wish I could remember the details, but they've faded away.

#31 Frank Verplanken

Frank Verplanken
  • Member

  • 378 posts
  • Joined: July 04

Posted 18 August 2005 - 11:39

A disturbing sponsor (to me) was the Dianetics (scientology sect) support of the ALD cars of Louis Descartes. I believe driver Philippe de Henning was an influencial member of the sect.
NASCAR cars with military support were always a strange sight.

#32 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 79,958 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 18 August 2005 - 11:40

Trimbole's car, wasn't it?

Though that should probably have been sponsored by the Griffith Regional Marijuana Picker's Association or something...

Did Carla Zampatti put her name on the Birrana at any time?

#33 petefenelon

petefenelon
  • Member

  • 4,815 posts
  • Joined: August 02

Posted 18 August 2005 - 12:10

Originally posted by Frank Verplanken
A disturbing sponsor (to me) was the Dianetics (scientology sect) support of the ALD cars of Louis Descartes. I believe driver Philippe de Henning was an influencial member of the sect.


...which kind of brings us back to Rael, I guess ;P

#34 WHITE

WHITE
  • Member

  • 1,498 posts
  • Joined: July 05

Posted 18 August 2005 - 12:56

Originally posted by Frank Verplanken
A disturbing sponsor (to me) was the Dianetics (scientology sect)


Very disturbing for me to this fellow Ron Lafayette Hubbard and his Dianetics.

#35 Henri Greuter

Henri Greuter
  • Member

  • 12,860 posts
  • Joined: June 02

Posted 18 August 2005 - 13:19

Originally posted by ensign14
And on the subject of Indy specials, I do not know whether John Martin was being ironic, situationist or plain mendicant in calling his car the Unsponsored Special.



How about Norm Hall's 1964 `Nothing Special' .....

Henri

#36 dretceterini

dretceterini
  • Member

  • 2,991 posts
  • Joined: May 02

Posted 18 August 2005 - 17:08

One of the earliest sponsor decals I remember was Buitoni on the side of a Maserati sports car in the Mille Miglia. I'm alos surprised no one mentioned Parmalat dairy products.

#37 petefenelon

petefenelon
  • Member

  • 4,815 posts
  • Joined: August 02

Posted 18 August 2005 - 18:09

Originally posted by dretceterini
One of the earliest sponsor decals I remember was Buitoni on the side of a Maserati sports car in the Mille Miglia. I'm alos surprised no one mentioned Parmalat dairy products.


Probably 'cos a lot to do with Parmalat is sub judice at the moment :smoking:;)

#38 WDH74

WDH74
  • Member

  • 1,360 posts
  • Joined: March 03

Posted 18 August 2005 - 18:19

Originally posted by Arthur Anderson




Red Ball? Pretty simple! The full name was "American Red Ball Van Lines Spl.". American Red Ball was then (and still is) a major intercity moving van company--also sponsored Eddie Sachs' fatal 1964 Indianapolis entry.



Art


I only mentioned Hill's car because of the reputed joke of his not knowing if driving a Red Ball Special was a good thing....but I didn't know Red Ball was (and is) a trucking company. I've never seen one of their trucks, but now that I know I'll probably see one a day for the rest of my life!

I suppose the Yamaha/Gurney sponsorship should've been obvious too, seeing as how Mr. Gurney was and is an avid biker.

I don't think that food product sponsorship is too unusual, but I always thought the Wonder Bread Specials were interesting, mostly because the cars were painted to look like Wonder Bread packaging (white with red, yellow, and blue "balloons"), something that I don't see much in books until after WW2.

-William

#39 Pikachu Racing

Pikachu Racing
  • Member

  • 5,478 posts
  • Joined: December 00

Posted 18 August 2005 - 22:15

Jimmy Vasser was sponsored by Stars and Stripes in 92. I assume it was US team in the annual boat race.

Advertisement

#40 Andre Acker

Andre Acker
  • Member

  • 281 posts
  • Joined: August 05

Posted 18 August 2005 - 22:53

A curious one : Alex Dias Ribeiro drove a March (1977 I think) sponsored by Hollywood (a Brazilian cigarette brand, although produced by a tobacco company controlled by British Tobacco).

In the German GP that year, McLaren (Marlboro), Lotus (JPS), Ligier (Gitanes) had all to cover their sponsors' names.

March didn't, as Hollywood was known there (and in other European countries) as a chewing gum brand.

#41 EDWARD FITZGERALD

EDWARD FITZGERALD
  • Member

  • 706 posts
  • Joined: March 04

Posted 19 August 2005 - 12:12

The Courage GPC cars displayed stickers for the SARTHE REGION (lLE MANS). SHELIA WONG CHONG ON THE SIMON PHILLIPS LM BOXER.

#42 Arthur Anderson

Arthur Anderson
  • Member

  • 151 posts
  • Joined: June 04

Posted 19 August 2005 - 17:28

Originally posted by WDH74


I only mentioned Hill's car because of the reputed joke of his not knowing if driving a Red Ball Special was a good thing....but I didn't know Red Ball was (and is) a trucking company. I've never seen one of their trucks, but now that I know I'll probably see one a day for the rest of my life!

I suppose the Yamaha/Gurney sponsorship should've been obvious too, seeing as how Mr. Gurney was and is an avid biker.

I don't think that food product sponsorship is too unusual, but I always thought the Wonder Bread Specials were interesting, mostly because the cars were painted to look like Wonder Bread packaging (white with red, yellow, and blue "balloons"), something that I don't see much in books until after WW2.

-William


William,

Truthfully, food product sponsorships in Indianapolis Cars was pretty unusual frankly, before the 1970's, I suspect because of the unfortunate aura of motor racing as a "deadly sport" seemingly counteracted the wholesome, "goodness" image most food products companies wanted to project. Even restaurant chains were pretty unwilling to step up to sponsor race cars. Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Corporation, stood firm on McDonald's having nothing whatsoever to do with sponsorship of race cars, to the point of at least one owner-operator being severely reprimanded for his sponsorship of a car or two in a minor-league series on the West Coast, in violation of this policy. It was not until some years after Kroc's passing in 1982 that McDonald's went racing as a major sponsor--Ray Kroc's philosophy was that the Golden Arches should not be involved in any sort of sport or activity that was potentially life-threatening.

Thus it was rather unusual when Sea Snack Shrimp Coctail's corporate heads stepped up in 1975--and even more interesting to listen to Sid Collins & Donald Davidson try to make that moniker flow smoothly off their tongues during radio broadcasts.

Trucking companies and truck & truck equipment manufacturers weren't of course, any strangers to race car ownership/sponsorships: McNamara Motor Freight, Stearly Motor Freight, Rose Trucking, Dean Van Lines all were involved as both car owners (through their principle owners) and as sponsors (great way to pay for the privilege of being car owners, and write off as a business-expense!), before American Red Ball (formed in 1946, by a group of WW-II veterans, taking as their corporate name, the moniker hung on the US Army's massive trucking system during the drive across France in 1944) came along. North American Van Lines of Ft Wayne Indiana also stepped up for several years. And on the manufacturer side, Cummins Engine Company's ownership of the diesel-powered race cars 1931-34 did much to promote their truck engines, and after WW-II, Lou Fageol's Twin Coach company attempted likewise with AAA Championship cars.

Art

#43 2F-001

2F-001
  • Member

  • 4,237 posts
  • Joined: November 01

Posted 19 August 2005 - 17:58

And that does, at the risk of sounding flippant, rather beg the question: is motorsport nowadays more or less potentially injurious to health and well-being than mass-produced fast food?

#44 TooTall

TooTall
  • Member

  • 336 posts
  • Joined: February 05

Posted 19 August 2005 - 18:05

Durex has been mentioned but how about Keke Rosberg in the bright pink Chevron F. Atlantic sponsored by Excita condoms. Back in the single seat Can-Am days the Newman-Freeman team had secondary sponsorship from the Edmonton Oilers hockey club. An automated swimming pool cleaner call Kreepy Krauly sponsored cars in IMSA GTP. Ruger Firearms has sponsored a car at Indy for one of the young Unsers. And of course, there is the Viagra sponsored car in NASCAR

Cheers,
Kurt

#45 EDWARD FITZGERALD

EDWARD FITZGERALD
  • Member

  • 706 posts
  • Joined: March 04

Posted 19 August 2005 - 19:11

P J FALLON the commercial director of the Irish A1 GP Team , raced a modsports MG midget sponsdred by Peter Janseb Bridal Wear ,back in the seventies.

#46 theunions

theunions
  • Member

  • 638 posts
  • Joined: October 02

Posted 20 August 2005 - 19:48

Originally posted by WHITE
In the 80s, Osella was sponsored by toothpaste "Kelemata".


I thought this was/is a cosmetics company?

Originally posted by Rob G
Trans-Am driver Tomy Drissi carries "sponsorship" from a different movie for every race. He carried "Supercross" in the last race I watched.


That's because he works in the film marketing industry full-time.

Originally posted by Pikachu Racing
When Kevin Cogan crashed at Indy 89 with his car flipped on his side I notice Playboy sponsor on remaining front wing.


That's Playboy Fashions - not the magazine itself - which was his associate sponsor with the Machinists ride for all of 1988-89 and was a personal sponsor before that.

Jimmy Vasser was sponsored by Stars and Stripes in 92. I assume it was US team in the annual boat race.


Yes, Dennis Connor had some financial involvement in the Hayhoe-Cole team's ownership. The only time I recall actually seeing that on the car was at Long Beach though, before they acquired primary sponsorship from Kodalux.

Originally posted by Arthur Anderson
"Blue & White Spl.", which was sponsored by perhaps the earliest chain of truck stops in the US--there are still Blue & White truck stops in Indiana.


Which cars/teams/years was this? I knew about the company's supply of tow trucks on race day but not about actual car sponsorship.

They were nowhere near the earliest truckstop chain (although being among the first in the region) - its first of multiple modern locations was not completed until 1970 (well after the likes of Pure and Skelly had established their networks). Prior to that, including the original 1932 Blue & White Inn in Andersonville, a B&W truckstop (never more than one in existence at one time) would be an existing one-off that Hap Cloud purchased.

While B&W technically still exists as a business entity and you can still see some signage around the Indy area, the last retail operation - the Pittsboro, IN truck stop - closed on Feb. 22, 2002 and was demolished to make way for a Love's Country Store last July.

Originally posted by TooTall
Ruger Firearms has sponsored a car at Indy for one of the young Unsers.


While Ruger Firearms sponsored cars for Johnny Unser in AIS and CART, and remains a personal sponsor today, the only time the company actually sponsored one of his Indy 500/IRL rides was in fact under the auspices of Ruger Titanium.

#47 ian senior

ian senior
  • Member

  • 2,165 posts
  • Joined: September 02

Posted 22 August 2005 - 08:17

Originally posted by BRG
There has been at least one other ceramics sponsor - Ceramica Pagnossin who sponsored Arrows IIRC.


There was an Italian F2 team, in 1971 or '72, running Tecnos and sponsored by Iris, who I believe were ceramics manufacturers. Claudio Francisci was one of the drivers but offhand I can't remember any of the others.

#48 Bonde

Bonde
  • Member

  • 1,072 posts
  • Joined: December 04

Posted 22 August 2005 - 08:37

Originally posted by Art Anderson:
It was not until some years after Kroc's passing in 1982 that McDonald's went racing as a major sponsor--Ray Kroc's philosophy was that the Golden Arches should not be involved in any sort of sport or activity that was potentially life-threatening.


As 2F-001 noted, some will contend that a diet largely based on Golden Arches products and many other products sponsored in racing, not least tobacco, is potentially [more] life-threatening on a grander scale than most current motorsports activities...

I'm amazed that apparently not all sanctioning bodies have rules that prohibit religious or political statements on racing cars, re. Scientology and 'Jesus Saves' etc.; in Denmark you wouldn't get away with that, even though the 'Vnestre' (current governing) party has tried, and I think, managed it.

#49 Frank de Jong

Frank de Jong
  • Member

  • 1,830 posts
  • Joined: February 01

Posted 22 August 2005 - 08:48

In the adult entertainment section, we might add "Jan Bik", whose clubs sponsored the young Jan Lammers' first FF1600 outings amongst others, and "Florence Hill night club" which sponsored Cees Siewertsen's Carrera in 1975.

#50 ensign14

ensign14
  • Member

  • 61,702 posts
  • Joined: December 01

Posted 22 August 2005 - 09:13

Originally posted by Bonde

I'm amazed that apparently not all sanctioning bodies have rules that prohibit religious or political statements on racing cars, re. Scientology and 'Jesus Saves' etc.; in Denmark you wouldn't get away with that, even though the 'Vnestre' (current governing) party has tried, and I think, managed it.

Religion is as much a product as anything else, stripped to its basics. Seems a bit unfair to ban it from sponsorship yet allow cancer sticks.

It must be somewhere on this BB, but when Alex Ribeiro put up a "Jesus Saves" sticker in the March team base, some mechanic put a sticker saying "Green Shield Stamps" underneath.

The arrow on Ribeiro's helmet pointing up was meant to be to Heaven, or some such spiritual uplift, so some celestial helmet interference there. Would Alex have had to change it if he raced in Denmark?

And it always seemed a little odd that Hooters sponsored Alan Kulwicki. Of all the guys in NASCAR who would go to Hooters, Alan always seemed to me to be the least likely - he'd be busy in the garage somewhere rather than eating or something like that.