An often overlooked place for sponsorship amongst racers is from your local hobby shop. I am the manager of the radio controlled department at Hobbymasters in Red Bank, NJ. Our store is located in a downtown area so we don’t have a track of our own. The nearest off-road track is nearly an hour away, yet we still sponsor 5 drivers. Why? Because it gives US the edge over OUR competition and it gives our DRIVERS an edge over THEIR competition.

When you’re looking to your local hobby shop for sponsorship you need to show them how your efforts can benefit their store if they give you free or discounted product. Every time I go to a track I am looking for that person. A good team member must “represent” our store’s values and be able to get other drivers to want to shop at our store. He is the person that will go out of his way to help another driver with parts or wrenching, offers the track managers help, and is always friendly. Secondly, we want them to be an A-main driver. Another plus on a resume is a driver that goes to a variety of tracks. Our store gets the same exposure from one good sponsored driver at a track as it does 5 sponsored drivers at the same track. A sponsored driver can also be a way to shuttle parts from our store to the race track to cover special orders (so long as the local track allows). I also call on our sponsored drivers for their expertise in our repair department should our regular mechanics get stuck. Our store gets far more new product knowledge from our race team then we do from our distributor’s sales reps because they are more passionate about the hobby and keep up on it. The wall of trophies shows the 95% basher customers that we know our RC!

Hobby Store sponsorships are more advantageous for drivers then many people realize. Having a tire sponsor doesn’t help when you need ball bearings. A hobby store can provide you every part you need to keep running and can reach out to more resources to find them when in short supply. Different stores will give different levels of sponsorships. Our drivers receive approximately 50% off anything they need. They also are provided with painted bodies, t-shirts, and a store banner which must be hung at each race. In addition, we partnered with Venom in racing many years ago so our drivers get the Venom sponsored benefits along with the responsibilities required by Venom.

I can’t stress enough the need there is for local racers to support their local hobby shops more. At the same time there is also need for the local hobby shops to reach out to the race drivers and win them back over. Sponsoring drivers is a great way to do both!

Alan Placer
Manager
Hobbymasters, inc
www.hobbymasters.com
62 White St
Red Bank, NJ 07701

Everyone that races remote control vehicles at some point would like to have the much-coveted Sponsorship.  My name is Bubba Barham and I run the Flowood RC Indoor Park in Flowood Mississippi. I run a race track first and am a racer second.  I see a lot of things that the racers never notice.  Attitudes, behaviors and actions, however irrelevant to the you at that time, can have a massive effect on how you’re perceived at the track, which can translate in to a lost opportunity if your best representation is not always being put forward. As someone told me once, we do not give out sponsorships based solely on how good someone is at racing.  The companies that are looking to sponsor drivers/racers are looking for something in return.  It needs to work both ways.  If I were the person making the decisions to offer sponsorships, I would want someone with integrity, someone who helps others, who presents himself in a professional manner at all times.  I would want someone who would view my products as the best and be able to communicate that to others.  Companies don’t hand out sponsorships unless they get something in return and if they offer a sponsorship you need to provide that “something in return.”

My sponsors are Venom, TLR, Spektrum, Tekin, and AKA.  I feel it is an extreme privilege to have each of these companies put their faith in my abilities as a racer and promoter.  I am certainly not the fastest racer at the track and I was not given my sponsorships because of my racing ability.  I am proud to be sponsored and I do everything I can to present myself the way each of these companies would want me to, always asking myself, “How can I help promote their products?”

I think the sponsored individual should do everything in their power to help increase the sales for the companies they represent.  They should communicate with management and keep them informed in what is going on in their individual markets.  What is the competition doing?  What are the new hot items in the market place?  Are there any problems out there that need solutions?

It’s the answers to questions like these that will make your sponsorship valuable to the company doing the sponsoring. The clearer you are in answering these questions, the more likely you will obtain the coveted “100% sponsorship”. This is a partnership where both parties should benefit. If the relationship is one sided, you can most certainly expect your sponsorship to not last.

Thanks,

Bubba Barham
Flowood R/C Indoor Park
www.flowoodrc.com

What it takes to be a Sponsored Driver

By: Chris Blais

You have to look at it from a business perspective. Companies don’t want to give out discounts or free product if they don’t think they will get a return in some way. I use Facebook and also send out monthly Press Releases, along with a Press Release after each big event. My PR contains a race report from the event, YouTube videos of each main event with sponsor logos at the beginning and sponsor logos with links to their website. Each of our team sponsors use this content to advertise their product on their websites, blogs, Facebook pages, etc. The Blais Racing Services team reports are a lot more than what most people can do but it makes it much easier to get sponsored and keep your current sponsors happy.

Sponsors are looking for those working hard to promote what their doing and keeping everyone informed. They want to hear from you on a regular basis and keep them and the RC industry updated. Not a single sponsor we have now did we apply for. They have all come to us asking if we would run their product because of the PR we were putting out. They wanted to be involved and be a part of our program. If you want to see what we do and be added to our PR list, just send me an email at contact@blaisracingservices.com. This may give you some helpful ideas of what you can do or even do better. I just started rounding up email address I could find from websites and in the magazines and just started emailing them my race reports. It’s easier to contact and ask a sponsor for some help when they at least have seen what you do or who you are. You have to stand out more than everyone else if you want to be noticed when applying. We live in a world of technology and small written race reports without videos or photos aren’t enough anymore.

The best place to try and start is with your local track. Track owners usually know a lot of people in the industry and can get you connected. The first sponsor is always the hardest to get then it gets easier. Yes you need to be a decent driver in your respective class to be able to get support the easiest. You need good results to advertise for the company. If you are repetitively at the back of the pack, it’s hard to say the products you are using are helping you. When you are smoking everyone at your local track, they want to know what you are using and normally go the same route. As a sponsored driver, you are expected to represent the company professionally on and off the track. Talk to people and help educate them on the products and company you represent. Show good sportsmanship at the track. Give the company feedback on the products and what you think. This is how their products progress and get better.

If you’re not out there to perform to the best of your ability, don’t ask for sponsorship. Companies want to sponsor people who want to be their best and want the best products for the job. It’s also best to stick with a sponsor for as long as you can & build a lasting relationship. This is great for both parties.

When I first started to get back into RC again two years ago, I knew I wanted to be a sponsored driver. Five years ago I was injured that ended my career as a Professional Off-Road Motorcycle racer. I had a lot of great sponsors in that industry and knew I could do the same in the RC industry. The first thing I did was made friends with my local track owners at Coyote Hobbies in Victorville. Dave Batta and his wife Mona are great people. I went to my local track about twice a week and started doing very well at the track. One day Dave offered me a great sponsorship package if I were to travel to some different local events and compete to represent Coyote Hobbies. My next sponsor was Proline. I just happened to go to Thunder Alley in Beaumont, CA one night with my 4×4 short course truck and lapped everyone in my race. Three of the guys worked at Proline and Tim Clark offered me a starter deal right on the spot. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Our current team sponsors are Coyote Hobbies, Proline, Venom, Tekno RC, Team Associated, and Tekin. Thank you for everything you do for us. Seeya at the races!

Chris Blais
www.blaisracingservices.com

In the hobby industry racing is roughly 15% of its existence. That relates to 85% of the hobby as “bashers” or “enthusiasts”. How does a company in this industry speak the quality, durability and power of its products to the 85% and those in the 15% who have yet to try the products? Through racing and advertising. Print ads can show you what a product looks like or how it fits. Video ads can show you how it looks when it runs or flies. Race results give the potential customer a justification of how it performs and how so in a competitive situation. The final key to all of this is the personalities behind the products. The sponsored drivers and pilots. Let me surmise this in short. A company can spend a multitude of money on print and video ads to convey their product on how it looks and performs on track with “Competitor X” at the wheel or stick. To have the interaction with Competitor X seals the deal. A customer may have never seen or heard of a product but to have interaction with it and its representative can make for an instant sale especially at the track or flying field.

So how do you become Competitor X?
First of all you have to put in the time at your track or flying field. Do you have a good relation with your peers and the local shop owner(s)? If you said yes to both you are headed in the right direction. Have you won a few competitions or placed well consistently? Then you are almost there. Do you spend part of your time at the field or track helping someone newer to the hobby than you even if it’s just to say “Hi, my name is Comp X, if you need anything I’m right over there?” If you have said yes to all of the above you are just about ready to become an outside sales representative. Say what? I want to be sponsored, not a sales rep. They are one in the same. Again you have to know a bit about what you are “selling” in order to become sponsored. Have you used this brand before? Why are you using that particular brand? Why is it better than the others? Can you be honest? Do you truly believe in the company that has just sent you $500 worth of products to show, demonstrate and perform with? You need to have also said yes to all of those questions too.

Now you are ready. You have time into the competition side of the hobby. You have a good reputation with your peers and shop owners. You have tried several brands and like them for a reason and know why. You are of the personality type that you can talk to and relate to others and help them at events. You now need to put together a resume’ and send it to the companies that you have used and believe in their products.

Your resumes were accepted and you are now Competitor X, the sponsored guy! Congratulations!

Now what?
Now you get out there to the track or flying field and talk up the product. Hand out stickers or other swag that the sponsor has given you to hand out. Keep doing what you have been doing before you were sponsored and more. Let others try the products that you are sponsored with. Show them how they are better. Tell them where your local shop is to get those products. Now make sure your equipment is 100% clean and presentable. Make sure your pit space is professional and organized. Have your sponsors logos prominently displayed on your competition vehicle(s). Go as far as to have some of their products out on your table for others to see what the skilled guy is using or to have at the ready to use in a discussion about that product.
After your event whether good or bad get back to your sponsors and give a small report of how the day/weekend went. Include details on how you promoted their products (pictures always help) and keep in touch often even if you don’t have an event for a few weeks or so. Communication goes a long way both at the events and with your sponsors. Again you are a Sales Representative for those companies that are “paying” you in discount or products so take it seriously yet have fun with what you are doing. After all it’s still your hobby.

-Jimmy Wright
Track Star Services

We want to thank Jimmy for his contribution to our blog series. Check back next week for words of wisdom from Chris Blais!

Part 1: First impressions count.

Often times when a driver wants to approach a company for sponsorship, their first impulse is to “apply” for a sponsorship either online or over the phone. Many manufacturers have sponsorship information on their websites with specific criteria for applying to their team. It is important to seek this information out and review it before making contact with the company. As in all things, being prepared goes a long way to impress your potential sponsors. Think of applying for sponsorship like applying for a job. There is a pool of people out there competing for the same sponsorship slots and you want to put out the best representation of yourself from the moment you make first contact. If you can, prepare a resume of your RC experience. Why do you feel you deserve a sponsorship? What your plans are to help promote the brand name you are applying for? What influence do you have over your local area/region? Basically: What can you do for US? All of these questions are relevant to any sponsorship applicant even if the company does not request a formal “resume”. Having a well-prepared report for your reason behind requesting a sponsorship goes a long way in the eyes of a manufacturer and shows that you’ve done your homework. Oh, and speaking of impressions, plan on using your Facebook page as reference for all your RC pictures? Better make sure your six pages of kegger party pictures have been removed, because like it or not, it’s all taken into consideration.

Part 2: Know your role.

Most of our sponsored drivers out there are exactly that: Drivers. They compete at a wide variety of tracks, lakes or fields around the country looking to find their place on the podium. We value every one of our team drivers out there, but did you know we offer sponsorships to a much broader range than just racers? We have 4H clubs, tracks, local representatives, shops, flying clubs and more, all with varying levels of sponsorship and commitment. To us, having active representation at the track, helping people with their battery issues, providing a charging station, going to local “fly-ins” and just being active in their RC community has just as much value as our podium placing drivers.

Yet, to be one of these “ambassadors”, you have to go out of your way to provide content to the company so that we have material to help promote YOUR efforts in the field. To provide a battery to a winning driver has a positive benefit for us, but having pictures, race updates, videos, blog posts, and other dynamic content filtering in from a reliable source is the lifeblood of any successful sponsor relationship. Basically, we really like to see what our investment is buying. The more we see from a sponsored individual in terms of content helps us quantify the return on our investment and the more willing we are to increase your discount. That’s right. Discount.

Part 3: Nothing in life is truly “free”.

Here’s where the harsh reality of “free product” comes in. There really is no free stuff. You have to work hard for your sponsorship, and practically no one starts out in the top tier getting product for free. Generally, you will begin with a respectable discount. If you have proven that you can provide constant coverage of your “adventures” in RC hobbies and give the company a constant flow of material to work with, your discount will increase. If we really like the results of your actions, you might earn yourself a tier 1 spot in which we provide you with our products at a 100% discount.  Don’t fool yourself though, to get to that level takes a whole lot of hard work and communication with your sponsors.

Sponsorship has to make sense for both parties, and when it does, it works wonderfully. When it doesn’t, it’s frustrating for the driver and the sponsor. If you’re serious about landing sponsorships and keeping them, prepare yourself. Do your homework, and be ready to sell yourself as a representative of their company.

In the future, we will be releasing multiple follow-ups to this blog series, going over the ins and outs of a sponsored driver life, what our existing team members to do keep their sponsorships, how sponsorships can positively affect a local track and finally, what sponsored hobby shops do to earn their right to be called a “Sponsored Hobby Shop”. Until next time, stay safe and have fun out there!

Article Author: Jeff Simon

Venom is proud to bring you The Venom Stronghold Solo, the ultimate solution for safe battery charging for hobbyists and RC enthusiasts. Safety charge your LiPO, NiMH, and LiFE RC Batteries.

Venom Stronghold Solo Battery Charging Containment System

This heavy-duty stamped aluminum box minimizes potential damage and features a shatterproof polycarbonate window for visual monitoring of your battery packs during charging or discharging. The Stronghold Solo comes with a long lead balance block, allowing seamless operation with a charger of your choice (Not Included). The Stronghold Solo was designed to help contain fire and gasses by dissipating the pressures at a controlled rate and is rated for lithium batteries up to 60-watt hours. Never before has it been safer to charge your battery. Get some piece of mind… get a Stronghold Solo.

*NOTE: The use of the Venom Stronghold Solo does not eliminate the risk of a lithium polymer battery fire. Users should always follow the safety warnings, instructions and guidelines provided by their battery and charger manufacturers in connection with this product.

Specifications:

Dimensions: 9.25x6x4.25in (235x154x108 mm)
Weight: 1.9 lbs
Max Battery Size: 60 Watt
Balance Block: 2-6S JST XH. Extra long leads. (Compatible w/ Pro Charger, Stronghold 25A, and Venom Medion Dual 10A charger.)

Features:

• Heavy-duty stamped aluminum case
• Aluminum carry handle
• Designed to contain LiPO packs up to 60-watt hours
• Balance block with extra long leads
• Hinged lid with polycarbonate window for easy battery observation
• Rubber feet protect the surface it rests upon
• Positive snap latch makes it a great carrying case for batteries
• Reusable – does not require replacement like a LiPO charge sack.

The Venom Stronghold Solo is rated for Lithium Polymer batteries up to 60-Watt Hours:

Part #0672  |  Venom Stronghold Solo Charge Box | Retail: $69.99
*Note: Retail Prices are for US Customers Only

Venom products can be found at hobby shops throughout the U.S. and over forty-five countries worldwide.

For more information on the Venom Stronghold Solo Battery Charging Containment System, visit Venom online at: www.venom-group.com or email us at sales@venom-group.com.

Venom is proud to bring you another game changing solution to your battery charging needs with the new Stronghold 25 Amp DC Battery Charger; the world’s first charger that combines cutting-edge technology and improved charging safety in one package. This revolutionary charger offers a full 500-watt circuit and allows charge rates up to an astonishing 25amps. The panel features an easy-to-read backlit LCD screen and an easy to use intuitive programming menu.

Venom Stronghold 25 Amp DC Battery Charger

The Stronghold also allows you to keep track of your LiPO packs performance and condition with the new IR-Mode™ internal resistance test. IR-Mode™ tests each cell individually and provides single cell and total pack resistance values so you can see the real-time condition of your LiPO and LiFe battery packs.

This robust charging solution features durable stamped aluminum construction which aides in heat dissipation and was designed for years of real life use, unlike cheap plastic chargers.  Our Factory Team Pilots asked for this DC charger to allow a wide variety of input voltages up to 26 volts, compatible with today’s high voltage, low current power supplies.

For most companies that would have been enough, but the engineers at Venom took it a step further and combined the feature rich Stronghold Charger with our Stronghold Solo Battery Charging Containment System.

A hobby industry first, the Stronghold Containment System improves the safety of charging and discharging LiPO batteries up to 60-watt hours. The Stonghold containment system features a self extinguishing, shatterproof, polycarbonate window and ambient LED lights inside for easily viewing the battery during charge and discharge sequences. No external charge or balance wires are needed, since all outputs are mounted to a baffle between the charger and the Stronghold Containment System. This results in a cleaner and safer charging setup.

Should a catastrophic battery failure occur, specially designed venting will help dissipate smoke and fumes in a controlled manner, while helping to contain flames and debris.

*NOTE: The use of the Venom Stronghold 25 Amp DC Battery Charger does not eliminate the risk of a lithium polymer battery fire. Users should always follow the safety warnings, instructions and guidelines provided by their battery and charger manufacturers in connection with this product.

Specifications:

Input Voltage: 11.0 – 26.0V
Circuit Power: 500W max charge, 25W max discharge
Charge Current: 0.1 – 25.0A (0.1 – 10.0A for NiCD/NiMH)
Discharge Current: 0.1 – 5.0A
Current Drain for LiPO Balance: 200mAh/cell
NiCD/NiMH Cell Count: 1-18 Series
Lithium Cell Count:1-6 Series
Pb Voltage: 2-24V
Alarm Voltage: Lower than 10V or greater than 26V
Weight: 4lbs 1.25 oz (1850 g)
Dimensions: 12.6 x 7.87 x 3.15 in (320 x 200 x 80 mm)

Features:

• 500-watt circuit power for fast charging
• Up to 26V input voltage
• Sealed touch key backlit LCD display
• IR-Mode™ to measure the internal resistance of individual LiPO and LiFe cells
• Integrated battery charging box, with latch secured lid.
• Charge/Discharge NiMH/NiCD, LiPO/LiFe/Li-Ion and Lead Acid batteries
• Heavy-Duty 10 AWG Silicon Wire power input cables
• Integrated balance block
• Included temp probe
• Includes Traxxas®, EC5, EC3, Deans and Tamiya adaptor plugs

Requires:
600-Watt DC Power Supply

The Venom Stronghold Integrated Containment System is rated for Lithium Polymer batteries up to 60-Watt Hours:

Part #0667 | VENOM STRONGHOLD 25 Amp DC Battery Charger with Integrated Containment System

Venom products can be found at hobby shops throughout the U.S. and over forty-five countries worldwide.
For more information on the Venom Stronghold Solo RC Battery Charging Containment System, visit Venom online at: www.venom-group.com. or email us at sales@venom-group.com.

Our doors are open and we are selling everything but the kitchen sink. Discontinued items, ding and dent items, old and new RC models, plugs, wires, motors, batteries, sailboats, rc cars, rc trucks, rc heli’s, etc.

Here’s a map – the weather looks great! See you there if you can make it!

Alright Troops! Get your thinking caps on, we’re about to hit the books with round two of our “Battery Boot Camp” series. If you missed our first piece “What is a LiPO battery?” check it out. The information we’re about to cover builds from that article, and if you’re new to LiPO technology, it should really be your starting point.

We ended our last article starting to talk about “C-Ratings” and how to use that rating to calculate the constant amp draw as well as provide a basic description of what those ratings mean to you.  What can be confusing though is that most LiPO batteries have not one, but two C-Ratings printed on the pack. One is referred to as “Burst Current”, the other is “Continuous, or Constant Current”.

Q: So what is the “Burst Rating” of a pack, anyway?

The “Burst Current” rating is the battery packs ability to provide more power than its continuous rating and is expressed as an additional “C” value. For example, our 25C 2S 5000mAh pack has a burst rating of 40C. So in the initial burst of energy, when you punch the throttle you can expect the battery to provide an extra 15C for the first few moments of use, then dropping to the continuous rating of 25C. The duration is not always disclosed by the manufacturer but it’s safe to assume it’s less than 5-10 seconds.

The Burst Current of a pack will only be useful to know if you have an onboard data logger or telemetry so you can observe the requirements of your model under load. The typical application in a model when this figure could be of importance is in racing cars, 3D helicopters and 3D aerobatics. Vehicles of this nature typically require fast throttle inputs and surges of power. A graphical read out of the power consumed will show amp spikes where the load was very high for an instant. These peak values will reveal the packs Burst Current capability and your models actual requirements in use.

Always remember, when calculating your amp draw, NEVER use the burst current for your C-Rating, by doing so your vehicle will end up under powered, or worse, it could ruin your electronics or your battery! (possibly both!)

Q: What is the operating temperature of a LiPO pack?

Opinions vary on this but here are some solid truths about how LiPOs like to be used in RC vehicles based on our extensive testing in all weather conditions.

1. Max safe operating temp under load in a vehicle – 120F
2. Max temp– 140F
3. Min temperature – 60F
4. Best starting operational temp – 95F (On a cold day, preheat the pack before use.)

Q: What is Heat Soak?

Heat soaking in reference to LiPO batteries, is a condition that occurs when the battery achieves an excited heat state and is then allowed to cool and relax. The chemistry in a LiPo cell will become very excited during use and an operational temperature will be reached. There will be an exchange of heat or “cooling off” of the surface and the pack and it will reach a state of relative temperature stability in use. Once the battery pack is allowed to rest the molecules within the cells will remain at an excited state for a period of time. This period of time is called a “heat soak” and will last for about 5 minutes.

The significance of heat soak is being able to know what point your packs operational temperature peaked and when the heat soak period began. You can expect the battery pack to increase in temperature as much as 15 to 20 degrees extra over the operational peak temperature.

So in other words …

How hot was the pack when you turned the power off from the battery pack to the ESC?

This takes us back to the previous subject, operational temperature and safety. A LiPO pack’s chemistry becomes unstable at temperatures above 140F. If you operate a pack up to 140F and then it heat soaks there is a very real risk of a thermal run away reaction within the pack or an individual cell. At this point one or more cells will “balloon” and the pack will be very hot, 150F and above. The best thing to do is to remove the pack from the model and immediate area. Place it on a cement slab or on sand/dirt or any nonflammable cool surface. Observe the pack for 15 minutes. More on this in another section covering pack disposal.

It should also be noted that there are no performance gains to be had by operating a LiPo pack above 120F.

We’ve covered a lot of information in a short period of time so I’ll allow this information to “soak” in and I’ll be back soon with another Battery Bootcamp article soon! Also, if there are subjects or topics that you would like to see us cover on the blog, please leave your comments below and we’ll do our best to cover all your questions!

Author: Jeff Simon