WHO WE ARE

 

Greg Sheppard Racing was formed in 1998 in order to pursue racing at the local and regional level.  We began in the Pure Stock Division at New River Valley Speedway (http:\\www.nrvspeedway.com) in Dublin, Virginia,  a NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Track.  The speedway is a .416 mile paved oval and has been the home of some of racing's brightest stars, including 1998 Hooters Cup Champion Jeff Agnew, two time Busch Grand National  winner Johnny Rumley, recent Craftsman Truck Series winner and current Winston Cup driver Stacy Compton and former Winston Cup Rookie of the Year Ronnie Thomas.  New River has the reputation as being one of the toughest of the nearly 100 NASCAR Winston Racing Series tracks in the US. 

 

In the first year of racing, Greg Sheppard Racing had numerous top five finishes and finished seventh in the overall points championship.  In  the winter of 1998, Greg Sheppard attended an intensive chassis training course in southern Florida and came back in 1999 with a  new car.  The results were instant as the team scored four (4) wins, ten (10) top fives and twelve (12) top tens in sixteen races.   The year end results was a third place in the points after missing the first race of the season.  The team also earned their first pole (fast qualifier) position of the year. 

 

During the last four years, the team has finished in the top eleven in points during 3 consecutive years.  Additionally, during 2000, our crew chief, Steve Sheppard was awarded with a True Value Mechanic of the Year award for the Pure Stock Division at New River Valley Speedway and honored with the award being published in NASCAR Magazine.

 

During 1999, we had an opportunity to purchase a Winston Racing Series Late Model Stock car.  The Late Model Stock Car Division is the highest weekly racing series division in NASCAR.  The next step for drivers from this division is either to the Busch Grand National Series or Craftsman Truck Series.  The Late Model Stock Car Division (LMSC) competes at each of the nearly 100 Winston Racing Series tracks throughout the United States.  The rules are uniform throughout the US, which allows LMSC drivers to travel to various tracks to compete.  Several major speedways, including Martinsville Speedway and Myrtle Beach Speedway host regional events each year which always attract in excess of 100 entries.  This competitiveness is the reason that so many people affiliated with Winston Cup teams compete or have competed in the Late Model Stock Car Division.  Some of these include:

 

·         Ricky Hendrick (son of WC car owner Rick Hendrick)

·         Justin Labonte (son of former WC champion Terry Labonte - #5 Kellogg’s driver)

·         Jon Wood (son of famed engine builder Eddie Wood)

Jon’s LMSC career was predominately at New River Valley Speedway during 1999 and 2000.

 

 

 

OUR VISION

 

Our plans for 2003 will be to compete in the LMSC division at a number of tracks in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.  We also plan on competing in several post-season events at tracks like Martinsville Speedway (VA), South Boston Speedway (VA) and Myrtle Beach Speedway (SC).

 

Our racecar is complete and ready to go for the season and no expenses have been spared in the car preparation.  The car is a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix and we are very excited about this new car.   Ernie Irvan drove this car during a Winston Cup driver’s special exhibition race at New River Valley Speedway.  It was the first race car he had driven since he retired.  The team was very excited to meet him and have him drive the Greg Sheppard Racing Pontiac Grand Prix.

 

The LMSC Division has endured many changes over the past few years.  Winston, the series primary sponsor, ended their sponsorship of the division at the end of 2000 due to the Settlement Agreement between the Federal Government and the tobacco industry.  The series continued to grow during 2001 even without the benefit of a primary series sponsor.  Prior to the beginning of the 2002 season, Dodge signed with NASCAR to become the title sponsor of the LMSC Division which is now titled The NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Presented by Dodge.  This new title sponsorship has created a new burst of growth in this division of NASCAR racing and, again, the series saw tremendous growth in 2002.

 

Speedways such as New River Valley Speedway and South Boston Speedway will see weekly attendance between 4,000 and 6,000 fans.  By moving our racing program between several regional tracks, GSR can provide tremendous opportunities for exposure at each of these venues.  With support from Jefferson Racing Engines, Townsend Racing Products (chassis supplier) and Bilstien Racing Shocks, we feels we can be competitive at each of these facilities.

 

 

Have you ever considered spending some of your advertising dollars in the largest spectator sport in the United States - NASCAR?  Why should you?

 

Name Recognition

Name Recognition is one of the most advantageous reasons to sponsor a racing team.  Race fans are some of the most loyal fans in all of sports.  No matter what driver they pull for, they are always aware of all of the sponsor's names.  The support of the sponsors in NASCAR racing makes that sponsors product stand out in the mind of the fan.  It can, and will, overcome the "top of mind awareness" that other companies in the market may have and replace it with the products of the racing sponsor.   This will have a dramatic effect on the flow of customers to your business and the sales opportunities you will have. 

 

Greg Sheppard Racing (GSR) knows that achieving positive name recognition must be handled in the right way.  The public must be made aware of the sponsor’s product line and philosophy.  By sponsoring GSR, your company will have the opportunity to present the company’s name and information about the products through:

·        Repeated exposure

·        Track announcing staff

·        Drivers and crew

·        Direct Fan Promotion – coupons, brochures, surveys, etc.

 

The driver and crew members are also members of your sales staff.  They promote the sponsor throughout the week and at the race track.  The sponsor is very important to the team, and as such, the team acts in the best interest of the sponsor to help increase sales and raise awareness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fan Loyalty

NASCAR fans are the most loyal fans, not only to their drivers, but also to the sponsors of their sport.  They will seek out company's products because they have provided support for their favorite driver.  Whether the company provides sponsorship for the driver they love or love to hate, the fan's loyalty to the company lies in the fact that the sponsor has provided support to racing.

 

When fans talk with others about the racing, they will often refer to the sponsor of the car in order to make an identification.  This generates discussion about your company away from the race track and will bring about additional awareness about your company. 

 

Loyalty to Car and Driver

Companies that are involved in racing create a bond between themselves and their customer.  Fans treat drivers, teams and sponsors as if they are one of their own family.

 

Loyalty to Sponsor

·        Fans see sponsor dollars as the reason races can be held and televised.  They feel they are contribution to the sponsorship of the racing car.

·        NASCAR fans are 72% more likely to buy a sponsor’s product than that of a non-sponsor.

·        65% of NASCAR fans say they would almost always purchase a product linked to the sport.

 

Race Fan Demographics

This diverse group of consumers includes almost every facet of society.  Nearly half of the people who attend races are women.  This is becoming one of, if not the, most important consumer groups in the United States today.  Women have a tremendous amount of purchasing power and make a number of very important purchasing decision, either for themselves or for their household.

 

The most results for the money spent.  That is the bottom line.  The cost of sponsorship of a race car must be taken into consideration with the cost of other forms of advertising in which your company participates.  Alone, the sponsorship of a race car cannot carry the weight of all of your company’s advertising.  It will, however, complement your customer base with a very loyal and diverse group of consumers.

 

This demographic diversity of race fans and consumers includes a true cross-section of society, from the blue-collar worker to the corporate CEO.  The racing fan comes in all shapes, sizes and income levels.  Your sponsorship dollars appeal to them all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Co-Promotion

Sponsors benefit from co-promotion through racing by...

 

·        Featuring the car or the driver in ads on television, printed media or billboard in order to further highlight the sponsor's involvement in racing. 

·        Featuring car or driver with live radio remote broadcasts, special sales or advertising events, trade shows or in a more general public forum, such as parades or car shows, brings recognition to the sponsor.

·        Offering employee incentives by providing opportunities to get involved in racing, attend local or regional events, rallying positive morale with a feeling pride for the company’s participation, as well as, fostering a team atmosphere.

 

"Team" is an appropriate term to use when you think of your company's relationship to the race team.  It is the responsibility of the race team to bring about awareness of the company and its products.  The most effective advertising campaigns involving sponsorship of a race car have been when the company actively uses their involvement in other advertisements.  Jeff Gordon's Pepsi car in the Pepsi commercials, Dale Jarrett's UPS car in the “Big Brown Truck” commercials and the Terry Labonte Kellogg’s commercials have been very successful examples of the sponsor making additional use of advertising they have already purchased. 

 

Ideas to co-promote your company are endless.  The idea is to use the racing to bring about awareness about your company.  You are already spending a good portion of your budget for advertising so why not make an investment in something that will add to and compliment the dollars you already have in play?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost Effectiveness

Basically, this is the selling point of all advertising - the most recognition for the amount of money spent.  With the constant increase in the number of fans attending racing events, both on a national and regional level, the sponsors involved in racing have seen a marked increase in the amount of direct exposure over the last few years.  This trend is continuing to move upward.  The average racing fan will attend a number of different racing venues in a year, either in NASCAR racing, drag racing, motorcycle racing or simply a local car show.  Their attendance of local NASCAR racing events presents a sponsor with multiple opportunities to have their company name directly in front of the potential buyer.  The sponsorship of a racecar or event can be one of the most repetitive direct exposures a potential buyer will have.

 

Business to Business

When brand recognition is not your primary concern.

 

In some cases, your business may not need brand recognition by the general public.  The focus of every company is different.  Racing sponsorship is still the answer.

 

Your involvement with a NASCAR sanctioned race team can be the focal point of new business relationships for your company.  Business relationships are based on mutual benefit, cooperation and personal interaction.  In the market today, it may not always be the person with the lowest bid or the best service that gets the job, but rather the person with the best contacts who gets the work.  You have to get an advantage on your competition in a more social atmosphere in order to present your company and your business interest in a more rounded way.

 

Racing can do that for you.  Your involvement in our racing team can be the form of social interaction you are looking for.  Business social outings can become part of the racing weekend.  Meeting drivers, teams, track officials and looking into the fast paced, technological world of NASCAR racing can provide excitement to your buyers, suppliers and service people that will gain you an advantage in business.  This atmosphere is extended to encompass not only your direct contacts, but also the other sponsors of racing teams, race events and promotions at the speedway.  Maybe your biggest prospect is a supporter of the track and he would like to see you there.  Maybe your biggest competition is already there.  Don’t let these social opportunities pass your company by.

 

Our Team

Meet Our Team of Professionals

 

Greg Sheppard, Driver

·        BS in Business Administration, Concord College

·        Certified Public Accountant

·        Corporate Secretary, Sheppard Glass, Inc.

·        Crew member on Limited Late Model Stock Team in 1995

·        Began racing in 1998 in Pure Stock Division, New River Valley Speedway

·        Southard’s School of Racing, December 1998

·        Four season wins in 1999; 3^rd in points championship

·        Two season wins in 2000

·        Competed in 4 LMSC races to date

 

Steve Sheppard, Crew Chief & Spotter

·        President, Sheppard Glass, Inc.

·        Attended Concord College, Business Administration

·        Crew member on Busch Grand National team in 1980’s which scored numerous wins including the Dogwood 500 at Martinsville Speedway

·        True Value Mechanic of the Year, 2000, Pure Stock Division

·        Competed in 3 Pure Stock races as a driver, with a top five finish in first attempt

 

Jim Sheppard, Car Chief

·        Retired owner of Mercer Glass Company after 40 years in glass industry

·        Gunnery Sergeant, Korean Conflict

·        Married 50 years to wife, Florence

 

Kathi Sheppard Riffe, Statistician

·        BS in Business Administration, Concord College

·        Masters of Science in Accounting, Marshall University

·        Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant, Certified in Financial Management

·        Vice President, Sheppard Glass, Inc.

 

Paul Riffe, Tire Specialist and Webmaster

·        BS in Education, Concord College

·        Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Microsoft Certified System Administrator, A+ Computer Technician

·        IT Professional, software company