Andrew Ranger and Sponsorship dollars

[Mosport67]

An article in today's Toronto Sun claims that Andrew's agent had to come up with $100,000 to repair crash damage from Friday. Sounds like Andrew has to pay if he damages the car.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSp...91308-sun.html

[TedN]

Is this an unusual arrangement? I wonder if Phillippe has the same deal? Sounds like the team is big time underfunded.

Ted

[Snrub]

I guess Ranger used up all of the money he brought to pay for equipment! Can anyone remember the accidents he's been in this year?

The article makes it sound like he's done if he races hard and done if he conserves his equipment. Ranger needs to speak with Manning to figure out how to last the entire season without danaging the car.

[Mosport67]

This is where that second year of Atlantic would have helped Andrew. Instead he is learning with very expensive equipment.

[macdaddy]

From TSN:

Rookie Andrew Ranger of Roxton Pond, Que., will finish the Champ Car season despite being strapped for funds after a string of crashes, his team boss said Saturday.

Ranger's contract with the modest Mi-Jack team obliges him to pay for repairs from any accidents on the track and there have been several this season.

[Oaksnaf]

Surely they would only make him pay for damages/crashes if it were his own fault. If they make him pay for a write-off when the likes of Da Matta rip down your inside and bowl you over then that would be ridicolous. And an engine failure, they have all the telementary data to show whether it was his fault of not....surely they cant make him pay for what is a natural engine failure?? Or can they.

And besides, yes its a ride in Champ Cars, but that is one dodgy contract deal. It could literally, break your career eating into your $$$ and leaving you dry.

[enemy-ace]

I have to wonder if his recent lack of results isn't in some way due to him running a suspect chassis? My thinking is that maybe the car isn't quite what it was at the beginning of the season.

[Kicking-back]

Or maybe he's not pushing as hard, for fear of damaging the car.

[okeefe]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

From TSN:

WOW! that's an even dirtier deal than Villeneuve on the flipside having to pay his own $7,000.00 for too fast into the pit.......This arrangement for this cute little French new young driver just does not seem conducive to winning races at all and in fact kinds sucks for sure!

[Tenoch]

This really stinks the kid is only 17 or 18, I'm 19 and I cant imagine having to worry about such things thats like saying thta if I underperform in college my family loses the house.

[okeefe]

I've only ever raced against one other car at a time and only ever for the challenge of it - no money, high stakes fame, etc. Just the challenge of my driving and my car in my younger days. I don't know how it's possible to get the job done and win if you're afraid and holding back. I have such a new respect for these champ car drivers - they put the most exciting show on and it seems they get so little credit for it at the end of the day on all fronts sometimes.

[Snrub]

If you take your street car or race preped car to the track and someone acts like an idiot and crashes into you, who do you think pays? It's not the other guy. Same thing when CDM ran into Wilson, PKV didn't give RuSport money to pay for the damages. If Ranger is paying the expenses to keep the car going and it gets damanged, it stands to reason that he should have to pay (fair or not).

[macdaddy]

Good point, (fair or not).

Still an interesting contract clause, though. I wonder if this is perhaps more common in motorsports than we're aware of?

[pferrf1]

The likely scenario is probably a little like this:

It sounds like the Tide sponsorship is only for the CDN races. That meant that MiJack's money, plus Ranger's money was probably only good enough for a parital season. The team may have been ready to go with somebody else (say Haberfeld). ranger could then have made up the budget shortfall by committing to the damage portion of the budget. i.e. say the team's budget for crash damage is $400K.

[macdaddy]

Another good post.

[Hazza]

Originally Posted by macdaddy

Good point, (fair or not).

Still an interesting contract clause, though. I wonder if this is perhaps more common in motorsports than we're aware of?

Reigning V8Supercar Driver Marcus Ambrose had the same deal going I belive when he did British Formula 3. I seem to remember reading that after the final race he knocked a hole in the bottom of the car on a kerb, and left the track before the mechanics checked the car.

One thing that could potentially be a problem is the Vegas oval race. I wouldn't want to foot the bill in the advent of a highspeed smack into the turn one wall! Especially as there is more of a chance of getting caught in someone else's accident.

[Alex K]

Did Haberfeld has a cash to do 14 race season. AFAIK he did.

[okeefe]

So, Ranger has to pay for repairs on the sponsored car on wreck - fair or not-- out of his own pocket because he's driving it? Fair or not - though, does that same pocket of Ranger hold all the glory at win time - just because he drove it to victory?

[okeefe]

Originally Posted by Mosport67

An article in today's Toronto Sun claims that Andrew's agent had to come up with $100,000 to repair crash damage from Friday. Sounds like Andrew has to pay if he damages the car.

http://torontosun.com/Sports/OtherSp...91308-sun.html

Good morning! I'm heading to mosport this weekend to watch the American LeMans. Some friends of mine have been racing their vw's (even vwrabbits LOL) around that track - but it will be my first time at that track and seeing American LeMans. I'm so excited it's hard to work the day out here.........

[Redracer77]

I think it is totally fair to bill the driver for repairs. If that is what the driver signed then that is up to him/her. Most drivers In Champ Car pay for the drive so if they don't arrange insurance then they will have to pay for the damage. I guess only the paid drivers will not pay as they will have it in their contract. Could you imagine if the Ganassi drivers had to pay for damage......23 wrecked cars in one season..... They would be in debt by millions each!!!

[okeefe]

I'd absolutely love to one day understand the business/money end of all this. I must be missing something in the equation of sponsorhip dollars vs. the driver's own pocket dollars. I do believe that to race well and take chances that win though the driver must be willing to risk car and life each race. I would think it would be too distracting to have a driver worry about the cost of repairs and in my humble opinion, would defeat the purpose of putting him in that seat to get the job done. If anyone can explain the pecking order of the money end of these races, I'd love to learn it.

[Kicking-back]

It's unlikely to be any of his own personal funds, but his sponsors would end up having to pony up more cash if he crashes.

[Mosport67]

Originally Posted by okeefe

Good morning! I'm heading to mosport this weekend to watch the American LeMans. Some friends of mine have been racing their vw's (even vwrabbits LOL) around that track - but it will be my first time at that track and seeing American LeMans. I'm so excited it's hard to work the day out here.........

You will have a great time. If you get a chance take a walk down to corner 5. A good spot for photos.

Imagine ChampCars going around there (it did happen in the 60's and 70's).

We are going to be at the track on Friday and Sunday.

[okeefe]

I'll do it! thanks! We're camping the weekend so safe journey to us all!