It’s a story as old as the sport when it comes to short track racing. Sponsorship fuels the competition. And for one lucky driver the landing of a $5,000 sponsorship plus more will come Friday night.
For the third consecutive year, Nicole LaRose will be awarding a local racing team with a special sponsorship she has created through the sale of calendars featuring some of her best racing photographs from various tracks in 2019.
“I’m super excited for the third year,” LaRose said. “It’s getting bigger and bigger every. … The amount of people wanting to be a part of it is overwhelming. I’m super proud of everything that we’ve accomplished this year.”
The 19-year old LaRose, who serves as a multimedia reporter at Stafford Speedway and also in a marketing position with the Tri-Track Open Modified Series, is the daughter of veteran short track racer Ernie LaRose.
During the 2017 season LaRose, of Plainfield, began posting pictures of cars at the track on social media and her dramatic photographs were getting plenty of attention. A crew member on her fathers race team suggested she make a calendar.
And so was born the idea of putting together a calendar of her race car photographs, but doing something unique with the proceeds.
Each person who purchases a calendar can enter the name of a driver to be placed into the drawing for the sponsorship.
For the 2018 season LaRose was able to award a $2,500 sponsorship to then NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour regular Chase Dowling and a $1,000 sponsorship to Seekonk (Mass.) Speedway regular Ryan Flood through the calendar sales.
In 2019 LaRose upped the game dramatically, offering a $5,000 sponsorship, which was won by Josh Hedges, who went on to win the Late Model championship at Star Speedway in Epping, N.H.
This year the lucky drawing winner will get $5,000 cash from Nlarophoto, plus 25 gallons of racing fuel from New England Racing Fuel, a $100 gift card from Natural Design Concepts and Apparel and a $100 gift card from Crazy Horse Racing.
With 422 different drivers in this year’s drawing, LaRose’s sponsorship is up for grabs for competitors from all levels of short track racing in the Northeast.
“Every driver needs money, whether you’re from the Whelen Modified Tour or a Mini Stock at some weekly track,” LaRose said. “So we have the two different ends of the spectrum in there for sure and everything in between.”
The drawing for the sponsorship will be broadcast live on LaRose’s Nlarophoto Facebook page and the Nlarophoto Instagram page Friday at 7 p.m.
(Press release from Stafford Speedway)
A young fan gets involved , sport needs more Nicoles, great job You Should Be Proud
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU Nicole Larose $5000 will help some lucky race team for the 2020 season, and possibly beyond. The sport needs more people like you! THANK YOU! HAPPY NEW YEAR to all the gearheada out there, may 2020 bring you all prosperity. We know it will bring at least 1 person thanks to Nicole
How can I purchase a calender, I’m not on Facebook.
This is pretty impressive. I honestly don’t know how much sponsorship costs at the local weekly racing level. My guess, the winner of this sponsorship will be doing better than a few of the drivers they line up against. Personally I hope it goes to a Thompson driver after what management did to the purse there. Does anyone know who was the lucky recipient was?
CSG,
It was won by Wall Stadium regular Brian O’Shea.
This is something great you are doing, thank you so much!
Nicole, you are the ULTIMATE race fan! Great job!