mndsm
I'M OFFENDED!
So here's the skinny. Keith at FM (real cool dude BTW) is looking for sponsorship dollas to get Elvis the shop car on the road at Targa Newfoundland. 500$ gets MNMazda on the side of the car. 1500$ gets MNMazda in BIG on the side of the car, and in the press releases as being awesome.
Some of you might remember that I ran the Targa Newfoundland back in 2008 with Flyin' Miata as a sponsor. Well, for 2011, Flyin' Miata has entered a factory team. Really factory, we're entered as a manufacturer and will be running against Dodge, MINI, Kia, Mercedes, Audi or whoever shows up this year. By the way, I managed to beat the factory Dodge and MINI teams in 2008
It's going to be a bit different this time around. The rules have changed, and there is no longer any handicapping in the Targa division. So we've decided to step up to the plate and go for the big price. The Targa Miata from 2008 will be reworked as an Open class car, running for the overall victory. The big change is going to be under the hood. The high compression 2.0 is coming out and a high compression 5.7 (or 6.0) is going in. The car has the handling, now it will be able to vaporize straights. I'll be driving this car again with my wife Janel returning as navigator.
We're also bringing Elvis to run in the Touring class. This is a class for street cars, so we'll be leaving in the leather interior. The purpose of Elvis will be to show the world how fast a street car can be without giving up any comfort. Bill Cardell will be driving, and his navigator has yet to be announced.
However, we need your help. We simply can't afford to do this alone. We're searching out sponsors and several companies have already stepped up. ASF Machine will be building the engine for the Targa Miata, V8 Roadster is providing the conversion parts and Hard Dog supplied the safety gear. But we'd like to give all Miata enthusiasts a chance to be part of the team.
We need to raise at least $10,000 to make this happen. If we can't hit that target by March 11th, we'll pull out of the race - that's the last day we can back out without a major penalty. If we only get partway, we may choose to just send the Targa Miata to compete for the win.
We're asking Miata fans to help out by pledging their support. Join the team and make a donation. If we hit our target, every cent will go towards the costs of running the race: entry fees, car transport and event costs. If we don't and we have to back out, we'll simply delete your pledge and we'll never charge your credit card. This is basically the same way we run our group buys.
Depending on how much you pledge, we'll make sure people know it. Everyone will get acknowledged on our website, even if we're not able to go. We haven't designed the special T-shirts yet, but we'll make sure they're super-cool ones you can wear with pride.
Fan (up to $50)
Team member ($50 or more) - get a limited production team member T-shirt that identifies you as one of the coolest Miata people around.
Patron ($500 or more) - limited production T-shirt only for patrons as well as your name on the cars.
Sponsor ($1500 or more) - get your name/business prominently displayed on the car and in all media communications.
Pledge your support
Full details, including car specifications
As you can imagine, we're pretty excited about this.
About clubs - if we get a total of $500 or more in donations from members of a club, we'll put the club (or race team, or pet ferret, or whatever) name on the car. Anyone in the club who made a donation of at least $50 will also get a shirt. Just give me the names of the people in the club and everyone can donate individually.
At FM, we're car fans, not Miata fans. If you want to wear your shirt in your Solstice, go for it! Even better, bring your Solstice and run it. If you like a wide variety of cars, Targa Newfoundland is a candy store.
If you can get 200 people to band together and put in $50, you get to decide the graphics on Elvis Warning, executive veto will still be in effect. Elvis is actually going to get a bit of cosmetic work to get a bit more pop - he's a gorgeous car right now, but understated.
$49.99 does not get you a t-shirt, but it does get you two things. First, we'll publicly thank you and list you as one of our supporters. Second, you'll help us land bigger sponsors, as it's great to go to a company and say "look, here's the sort of support we have from your potential customers - they're so invested they've actually, well, invested". And three (I'm bad at counting), a warm fuzzy feeling and our gratitude. If you want the special Patron shirt (possibly a jacket, we're still talking about that), that's the $500+ level.
Spectating: I've had a couple of questions about that. I'll put together some details and do a separate post, as it's a good question even if you hate Miatas and want to see us crash into the Atlantic.
At bare minimum I'd love to see MNMazda on the car at all- and if we reach our goal, I'll personally sponsor an mnmazda event of awesome at my place once we move in. Burgers, beers, gaming, the works. If we get to 1500, I'll think of something equally awesome, but better.
UPDATE- I've committed to being a sponsor. I HAVE the cash, but this is where you come in. I'm going to work with folks to be named to come up with a new logo for MNMazda, both for the forum, and for the use on the FM Targa car. Here's where you come in. I want your money. I'm not even going to sugar coat it. I want you to give me money so I can stick my name all over someone elses race car. What do you get out of the deal? Well- I think what I'm going to do is have a version of the logo made, with all of our forum screen names on it/in it, and that is the one I am going to give Keith to stick on the FM car. What does that mean to you? Well- if you give me your money, I will sell you space on my logo. Your real name, your screen name, whatever, as long as it can actually go on a race car. I intend on using the text to create the larger graphic of the MNMazda logo itself, so at 10 feet, it says MNMazda, and at eyeball length, you can read each of the individual sponsors that went together to make this happen. Buy more space? I'll sell you more space. Additionally, if you didn't read the GRM thread, Keith has already said that individual donations that add up to purchase larger space (like this idea) are still eligible for individual donation prizes. So, if you donate 50$, you get a team t-shirt and all that it entails.
Some of you might remember that I ran the Targa Newfoundland back in 2008 with Flyin' Miata as a sponsor. Well, for 2011, Flyin' Miata has entered a factory team. Really factory, we're entered as a manufacturer and will be running against Dodge, MINI, Kia, Mercedes, Audi or whoever shows up this year. By the way, I managed to beat the factory Dodge and MINI teams in 2008
It's going to be a bit different this time around. The rules have changed, and there is no longer any handicapping in the Targa division. So we've decided to step up to the plate and go for the big price. The Targa Miata from 2008 will be reworked as an Open class car, running for the overall victory. The big change is going to be under the hood. The high compression 2.0 is coming out and a high compression 5.7 (or 6.0) is going in. The car has the handling, now it will be able to vaporize straights. I'll be driving this car again with my wife Janel returning as navigator.
We're also bringing Elvis to run in the Touring class. This is a class for street cars, so we'll be leaving in the leather interior. The purpose of Elvis will be to show the world how fast a street car can be without giving up any comfort. Bill Cardell will be driving, and his navigator has yet to be announced.
However, we need your help. We simply can't afford to do this alone. We're searching out sponsors and several companies have already stepped up. ASF Machine will be building the engine for the Targa Miata, V8 Roadster is providing the conversion parts and Hard Dog supplied the safety gear. But we'd like to give all Miata enthusiasts a chance to be part of the team.
We need to raise at least $10,000 to make this happen. If we can't hit that target by March 11th, we'll pull out of the race - that's the last day we can back out without a major penalty. If we only get partway, we may choose to just send the Targa Miata to compete for the win.
We're asking Miata fans to help out by pledging their support. Join the team and make a donation. If we hit our target, every cent will go towards the costs of running the race: entry fees, car transport and event costs. If we don't and we have to back out, we'll simply delete your pledge and we'll never charge your credit card. This is basically the same way we run our group buys.
Depending on how much you pledge, we'll make sure people know it. Everyone will get acknowledged on our website, even if we're not able to go. We haven't designed the special T-shirts yet, but we'll make sure they're super-cool ones you can wear with pride.
Fan (up to $50)
Team member ($50 or more) - get a limited production team member T-shirt that identifies you as one of the coolest Miata people around.
Patron ($500 or more) - limited production T-shirt only for patrons as well as your name on the cars.
Sponsor ($1500 or more) - get your name/business prominently displayed on the car and in all media communications.
Pledge your support
Full details, including car specifications
As you can imagine, we're pretty excited about this.
About clubs - if we get a total of $500 or more in donations from members of a club, we'll put the club (or race team, or pet ferret, or whatever) name on the car. Anyone in the club who made a donation of at least $50 will also get a shirt. Just give me the names of the people in the club and everyone can donate individually.
At FM, we're car fans, not Miata fans. If you want to wear your shirt in your Solstice, go for it! Even better, bring your Solstice and run it. If you like a wide variety of cars, Targa Newfoundland is a candy store.
If you can get 200 people to band together and put in $50, you get to decide the graphics on Elvis Warning, executive veto will still be in effect. Elvis is actually going to get a bit of cosmetic work to get a bit more pop - he's a gorgeous car right now, but understated.
$49.99 does not get you a t-shirt, but it does get you two things. First, we'll publicly thank you and list you as one of our supporters. Second, you'll help us land bigger sponsors, as it's great to go to a company and say "look, here's the sort of support we have from your potential customers - they're so invested they've actually, well, invested". And three (I'm bad at counting), a warm fuzzy feeling and our gratitude. If you want the special Patron shirt (possibly a jacket, we're still talking about that), that's the $500+ level.
Spectating: I've had a couple of questions about that. I'll put together some details and do a separate post, as it's a good question even if you hate Miatas and want to see us crash into the Atlantic.
At bare minimum I'd love to see MNMazda on the car at all- and if we reach our goal, I'll personally sponsor an mnmazda event of awesome at my place once we move in. Burgers, beers, gaming, the works. If we get to 1500, I'll think of something equally awesome, but better.
UPDATE- I've committed to being a sponsor. I HAVE the cash, but this is where you come in. I'm going to work with folks to be named to come up with a new logo for MNMazda, both for the forum, and for the use on the FM Targa car. Here's where you come in. I want your money. I'm not even going to sugar coat it. I want you to give me money so I can stick my name all over someone elses race car. What do you get out of the deal? Well- I think what I'm going to do is have a version of the logo made, with all of our forum screen names on it/in it, and that is the one I am going to give Keith to stick on the FM car. What does that mean to you? Well- if you give me your money, I will sell you space on my logo. Your real name, your screen name, whatever, as long as it can actually go on a race car. I intend on using the text to create the larger graphic of the MNMazda logo itself, so at 10 feet, it says MNMazda, and at eyeball length, you can read each of the individual sponsors that went together to make this happen. Buy more space? I'll sell you more space. Additionally, if you didn't read the GRM thread, Keith has already said that individual donations that add up to purchase larger space (like this idea) are still eligible for individual donation prizes. So, if you donate 50$, you get a team t-shirt and all that it entails.
