March 11, 2002 -
The recent economy slump certainly hit hard on the auto racing industry, especially open-wheel racing since NASCAR has taken away much money with its successful operation. After a promising start in 2001 where she finished second in Homestead, Miami, Sarah Fisher's season suffered what she called "sophomore bad luck" and her primary sponsor in 2001, Kroger, pulled out its sponsorship from her team at Walker Racing at the end of last year.
Despite all the efforts during off-season, she and her team still couldn't find enough budget to put a car on the field in last week's Grand Prix of Miami - the same race where she took her best podium finish in her Indy Racing League career a year ago. Instead, Fisher sat hopelessly on the sideline and she is very much questionable in upcoming races, unless she can find sponsors in the very near future.
Calling from Indianapolis, Indiana, Sarah Fisher discussed her current IRL status with NYAutoRacing.com.
KM: What's the latest on finding sponsorships, any good news?
SF: Well, nothing has secured yet. But we've got couple of things in the work, that can turn out to be pretty positive things. Nothing signed yet, but there are plenty of opportunities for us out there. We just need to capitalize in that, trying to secure one of them.
KM: Last week you were in Homestead for the season opener, it was pretty tough for you to sit on the sideline, but did you do anything positive in order to help yourself to find sponsorships?
SF: I talked to a lot of people the whole weekend. I talked to some people down there who were interested and we exchanged cards, hopefully something will come out of it. I think it's more important to spread the word about it for me right now. I was never really involved with Walker Racing marketing program. I was always focus on driving, just drive driver drive, do the best I can do. Now it's like a business learning curve for me because I have to get involved in the marketing end to the extent, actually secure something.
KM: How long is your contract with Derrick Walker?
SF: It's to the end of this year, after that he has the option to continue on.
KM: Before this, did you get any offers from other teams? How difficult is it to be locked up with the contract while you can't do anything else?
SF: I mean it's valuable to me that Derrick brought me into the series. The reason that I am where I am is because of Walker Racing. I just keep in mind when I am talking to people that Derrick Walker was the first to stand behind me, he was the first to believe in my ability and put me on the line. Anything I can do to help his team, to be involved with his team in the remainder of my contract is definitely my first priority.
KM: Phoenix is coming, and then Fontana and Nazareth, are we going to see you in those races?
SF: I won't be at Phoenix. We don't have anything secured for the upcoming weekend. As far as I know nothing has popped up that will allow us to go to Phoenix. Fontana is a possibility, there are a lot of rumors out there that I'll be at Fontana, and then once again nothing is secured to the point that I can say I'll be there.
KM: Indy 500 is coming, and Fontana would be a good race for you to do as a warm-up race before that, are you pushing for Fontana?
SF: You bet I am pushing for Fontana. I really want to be a participant there. The Indy 500 this year is going to be five times … twenty times as hard as it was last year because of everybody trying to get in [many more CART teams will participate in the 500]. For that reason it is going to make it so difficult to even make the field. It is going to be two races - one of which you get in (qualifying), and the other one is to compete. To get into the race won't be as difficult for us not competing as it will be actually competing in the race, because we haven't raced up to this point, our racing strategy has been off on downtime, so our strategy to get into the race will be more successful than competing in it.
KM: With all the problems going on right now, if you get to race in Fontana, are you going to have the new Chevrolet engine or you have to use the old Chevrolet badged Oldsmobile engine.
SF: Well we ran the Menard engine last year, and they were real successful program for us, so we will continue on with the Menard engine, that's the deal that you don't purchase the engine, and I am sure they will have the most up-to-date piece for me.
KM: Toyota is coming onboard in 2003, is it going to be in the play next year if you stay at Walker Racing?
SF: I don't know. Derrick and Lee White at Toyota haven't signed a deal for next year with our affiliation in our CART team. I hope something will happen. I really enjoy the effort that Toyota puts towards being a success, they give it all they've got -- 120%, and to be involved with that type of a program certainly ideal for any driver, so regardless of where I am hopefully I can run Toyota engine next year.
KM: There were rumors about having you race in other series in order to keep you up with racing, has it ever crossed you mind that if it is a good idea to participate in one or two races for you to keep up in case you still can't find a drive?
SF: The opportunity came up to go to different series, but my heart, my passion are always been in oval racing, where I see myself being majority involved in. In the off-season I've done a lot of work with the Skip Barber folks - Levina Gallagher, she helped to coach me to do some right and left stuff in case the IRL would have made that decision. But my goal is to be in the IRL and I am going to do anything I can in order to stay there.
KM: Going back to Miami, how difficult was it to see some pay drivers racing while you were sitting out?
SF: It was very difficult. Last year, Tyce Carlson came to me and say "If you need a spotter, I am more than happy to help you out and spot for you." Now it's like switching the table, I would say to him "Hey Tyce, do you need a spotter?" So it was very difficult to be where we were. We were watching from the spotter stand, it was very difficult to see so many people that I raced with last year, but not be able to compete with them.
KM: When did you know you can't race in Homestead?
SF: Probably about two weeks before Homestead. I was finally told for sure that there is no way for me to make it, even though I was being at the race shop as much as I can and see what's going on. We wanted to hire an engineer that we've already talked to, and we didn't have money to do that. Engine was also in place for me, but I was finally told that we're not able to do that two weeks before hand.
KM: Were you surprised that people like Al Unser Jr. and Airton Dare couldn't find a drive until the very last moment? And Greg Ray, a proven winner, got squeezed out at Kelley Racing?
SF: I am surprised about Greg Ray. To me Greg Ray was a big part of the series, so it is surprising that he still can't find a ride. Airton Dare doesn't surprise me at all. I talked to him when we were down in Homestead and he was floating around. He is a good driver as he proved in Homestead, and by the contract he was supposedly out there with [A.J.] Foyt. He was floating around, he had the opportunity and not contracted and he took it with Foyt [After Donnie Beechler's accident], it worked great for him. Al Unser Jr., it took him up 'til a week before Homestead to secure a ride. It was very surprising for me.
KM: It has been a while that you are not racing during the season, how does it change your lifestyle and normal routine away from the racecar? Are you doing something else that you didn't have a chance to do in the past?
SF: No, I wish I would have Kevin. That is part of racing… because had I've known in August that this is going to happen, I would have taken more classes at Butler [University] because Derrick wanted me to back away from my school work and focus entirely on racing, which he has full right to want me to do. On the other hand, here I am sitting at my desk, get home, just got off my treadmill, it's like "What do I do now? What does my day consume of?" I have to find things to do to occupy my time. I do a lot more working out now, but that certainly doesn't help it. I just got back running my shifter kart past weekend with my dad in Ohio, I've got some on-track activities going on but down to the point where you have to search for things to do. I just move into a new house, so I am working on it a lot, which has been buying sometime, but it comes down to the point that you have to be racing, and I am a racecar driver, and I need to be in a racecar. I will do anything it takes to get there.
KM: So more or less it's a waiting game for you.
SF: It's a big waiting game, and it is a mental game as well. There is a lot of stress involved with, and you don't know what to expect and you can't plan ahead. It is so hard. You can't count on things to happen, the way it is you think it may happen up 'til this point. Now I am a lot more involved in the business end of racing, trying to secure my own thing. I counted on only some sole people, and just focus entirely on my job on driving, and now I realized that there is more to it. As a racecar driver, I wish it is going to be like that but in the end there is more to it.
KM: Speaking of your mental state, how do you hold up for this? I bet you haven't been in this kind of situation in the past.
SF: Yes, this is the first time. It is very disheartening to me because I can't go drive a sprint car, I can't go drive a midget, the only car that I am allowed to drive is the car from Walker Racing. Unless we get something developed, then I am still going to be sitting at home on my treadmill!
KM: In order for you to attract sponsorships, what sorts of things that you can do to help you to achieve that?
SF: Well, it starts with the contact, and that's the main point of contact is - knowing someone. In order to do that, there are different ways that you can acquire them. I made some in Homestead just by showing up, from people that you know, and passing to someone else. There is a marketing company that Walking Racing associates with out there. Once you have a contact you have to present them with a lot of information dealing with your team, and not just the stickers on the racecar that you get to return, you have to understand the issue and what that team can offer in order to be represented to that sponsor. It is very difficult as a driver to say "Hey I do 20,000 appearances!" You have to be able to get the team involved, and sell the team to the sponsors because the team is what gives the sponsors the majority of benefit.
KM: It's a common knowledge that open-wheel racing has taken a hit from bad economy, and there are many problems with a lot of American-born open-wheel racers to find sponsorships. Do you have a chance to talk to other drivers in similar situation?
SF: Yes, Jimmy Kite, I talked to him a little bit. As far as American drivers down at Homestead, I didn't see [Mark] Dismore, but I talked to Kite down there and Tyce Carlson before Homestead. This is something each driver has to go through, whether it is Airton Dare or others, there is a bunch of drivers out there trying to find money, just because I am an American doesn't make it harder. It is certainly a tough situation being a girl, because at this point, companies are very edgy unless you win race after race after race and win championship after championship. Only 1% of the IRL drivers that they have had two podium finishes or more, and I am included in that 1% [Kentucky in 2000 and Miami in 2001]. I mean it's very difficult to say who has an easier time getting a sponsorship because there is a different aspect on every driver.
KM: Do you have a different market since you are a female driver? Do you have a different market for sponsors?
SF: Yes and no. I mean definitely all the male sponsors like Valvoline, Red Bull, a lot of those sponsors apply to myself as well, but it is very difficult to have someone like Revlon, Covergirl to sponsor Sam Hornish Jr. It seems being a girl it would open up more doors of opportunity. I can't understand why hasn't something happened, why can't the marketing people get it together.
KM: Finally, what did you learn from this situation? How is it going to help your career?
SF: I think it has taught me communication is so important. Like I said I depended on only some sole people, and I didn't communicate with the rest of the world. I didn't communicate with Tony George, I didn't communicate with Brian Barnhart, I didn't communicate with any of the marketing guys from the IRL, I didn't communicate with Chris Pook or any of these people. Now I know what's going on in my team and they haven't been communicated to. If I need to tell these people what's going on, that way they can help me and give me guidance because they want to see me racing, which is very important to have that type of backing to have people care about your career and want you to be involved.
KM: Speaking of Tony George, has he offered you anything in the past few weeks?
SF: Well, Tony has done a lot. He's been there for guidance and advice. I am not going to ask the series to give me money, that's something that he needs to determine. Any help that he can give me would be more than appreciated, but it's not something I expect. I am in the business of racing and he is in the business of running a racing series, and they are two different businesses, so I have to hold up my end of the deal and he has to make sure the IRL runs properly, so within the two things it is very hard for him to manage both at the same time.
