[Michael Beard]

Some manufacturers have a 3 year limitation on their parts. I have to ask ... do you buy a new computer every 3 years, do you buy a new mower every 3 years, do you buy a new heater and air conditioner every 3 years .... probably not. I would also have to ask, is this all the longer your parts will last?

Who ever said that a contingency date requirement has anything to do with the life or quality of the product? Sales and coupons have expiration dates on them, too. This is basic math. It is not financially feasible for every company to pay for every product forever. Instead of demanding that a company "owes us something", I am grateful for the companies that do support our sport, however they are able! I would rather a company post with stipulations than not at all. If it's not worth keeping a receipt or making a phone call sometimes, that's a decision for an individual racer to make. The rules are clear up front.

So why replace perfectly good parts with new ones just for the sake of contingency?

Yes, that would be exactly the reason, IF that's what the qualifications are for that particular company/product. If you don't want to replace the part, you don't have to. You also don't have to claim contingency on it.

I have a Turbo Action shifter that I have used since 1985.

...and we expect Turbo Action to pay someone thousands of dollars over a lifetime for a $300 shifter (multiplied by how many racers?) and stay in business HOW?

I have suggested to some manufacturers to put SN#s on their parts and only pay maybe 5 or 6 times on that part or up to what that part costs new.

The first complaint was that a product was somehow 'no good' after 3 years, yet now it would be okay if a product was deemed 'no good' (by that same standard) after you won 'x' number of races with it? If that's what a company wanted to do, and the sanctioning bodies approved it, that's fine. It's a free market, and their choice on how to best market their products. This brings us back full circle to: Appreciate the sponsors for what they can do, play by the rules set by the sponsors and the sanctioning bodies, and if you don't want to play, then don't.

I am just trying to find ways that a new set of owners can try to help leverage some things for the better of the racers. At the same time, it would be better for all the companies if there are more race cars out there actually going down the track!

Correct. Who are they advertising to, how many people do they reach, and something many seem to be forgetting: what is their expected return on investment? Realistically, making a program LESS accountable does not achieve that goal.

A sponsor's primary considerations of a contingency program are 1) Advertising/Branding and 2) Sales. There are four legs associated with these objectives: 1) The sanctioning body 2) the racer 3) the fans 4) and the sponsor itself.

The sponsor is obviously going to do everything it can to leverage its own program. They interact with the fans with midway displays, promotional contests, etc. The racers display the requested contingency decals, so they do their part (in most cases... some choose to not provide sponsors with their full value in a number of ways). Some racers go the further and display additional decals on their trailer, pit vehicle, or tow vehicle, or display banners, etc. (when permitted)

Promoters are the link between the sponsor and their intended audience , both racers and fans. Sponsors provide advertising dollars to the promoter and/or augments the event as a whole with product, gift certificates, or cash payments direct to the racers such as contingency programs. Ultimately, even the direct "racer benefits" are a direct aid to the promoter, as it subsidizes the purse and awards, thus attracting larger numbers through the back gate, while ticket programs and/or advertising in partnership with sponsors yields larger front gate numbers. The remaining question then is, what else can a promoter do to provide additional value to the sponsor?