This week I bring you a great opportunity for Canadian race drivers, how to get sponsorship as a sim driver and the anatomy of building a brand in sports.
All this and more in this week’s edition of the The Business of Being a Race Driver on Motorsport Prospects.
The Business of Racing
From the Driver’s Point of View

Road to Racing Canada is offering Canadian racers an important opportunity to help fund their careers.
Road to Racing Canada has announced the the opening of applications for the 2024 R2R Driver Program. This program offers aspiring Canadian motorsports champions the opportunity to utilize R2R’s charitable fundraising platform, providing a unique pathway to support their racing dreams.
The 2024 R2R Driver Program is open to Canadian karting national championship winners 19 yrs and under, and Canadian amateur drivers aged 24 years and under competing in racing categories such as F1600, F4, USF, etc in Canada, US and Europe. These exceptional talents will have the chance to apply for R2R’s fundraising program, allowing them to raise funds and provide charitable tax receipts to their donors.
To express their interest, applicants are required to submit a one-page essay addressing specific aspects of their racing journey and aspirations. A dedicated selection committee will then review all submissions. Successful candidates will gain entry into R2R’s vibrant community of motorsports enthusiasts and the best Canadian amateur motorsports athletes.
Neil Braun, President of Road to Racing Canada, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming program: “We are thrilled to open applications for the 2024 R2R Driver Program. This initiative embodies our commitment to supporting and nurturing the next generation of Canadian motorsports champions. We look forward to expanding our driver roster to approximately 30 exceptional talents from across the country.”
For more information go to the Road to Racing Canada website at https://road2racing.com/ or contact: Neil Braun, President, Road to Racing Canada neil@road2racing.com.

Sim race drivers often use sim racing as a way of progressing to real-world racing as I discuss in my weekly Sim Racing Roundup column. But how does a sim racer attract sponsorship to race? Enzo Mucci discusses this in the video above.
From the Sponsor’s Point of View
The Anatomy of Brand Building in Sports — Why It Matters, What It Means, and How It Looks in Action by Neil Horowitz looks at how your branding should stand out and not make you look like one of the pack.
“I think not all engagement is created equal,” said Smith, who is Vice President of Brand and Digital Strategy for the Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR team. “…I always tell the team there are certain things that we’re going to have to tell the story about or initiatives that we’re going to have to talk about. It’s probably not going to be the most engaging, but our job is to figure out how we take it and improve engagement, and build upon it…“
Sport Dimensions explains how a lack of internal communication can sink your sponsorship strategy. “This is especially critical during times of uncertainty or when outside factors are influencing the overall marketplace. When things are not normal, it does not mean there aren’t opportunities – they just may look different.”
General Motorsport Marketing Advice & Resources
This is an interesting article from the European Sponsorship Association on how tech brands can stand out in a crowded space. “Since 2017, there has been a 150% increase in tech sponsors entering F1, and as of 2023, they make up nearly a fifth of all partners in the sport, attributing $380.3million in revenue, according to CSM Research & Insight.”