When it comes to short track racing sponsorship is the lifeblood that keeps many competitors moving forward.
On Sunday one driver will score an unexpected sponsorship for the 2022 season that could prove career changing.
Over the last four years Nicole LaRose has been awarding a racing team with a big check as part of annual Calendar Sale Sponsorship drawing.
And for the fifth year in 2022 she’s doubling the excitement of recent years by awarding a $10,000 sponsorship to the lucky drawing winner on Sunday.
“It’s definitely surreal,” LaRose said of awarding the $10,000 to a racing team. “It doesn’t really ever hit you until you’re doing the drawing when everyone is watching and commenting and going crazy on social media. Just seeing the reaction, in the past few years we’ve been able to actually call the person that won. That’s always pretty fun. Sometimes they aren’t watching and they don’t know. The reaction is probably my favorite part.”
The 21-year old LaRose, who serves as a multimedia reporter at Stafford Speedway and also works with the Vault Productions crew, 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, 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. The $5,000 sponsorship for 2021 was won by SK Modified veteran Tony Membrino Jr.
In addition to a $10,000 check for sponsorship, the winner drawn Sunday will also receive 25 gallons of Sunoco Racing Fuel donated by New England Racing Fuel.
Sunday’s drawing will take place at 7 pm and will be broadcast live on Facebook. LaRose said there are more than 600 drivers entered from 26 states and Canada. Previous to this year her record was 427 entries.
“It went super well this year,” LaRose said. “About as well as I could have predicted it going. We have so many more people than ever before.”
To Nicole La Rose; THANK YOU!!!
How cool is this? Some lucky driver is gonna get a $10,000 sponsorship. It’s totally awesome that Nicole does this year after year. Thanks again Nicole. Everyone have a Happy New Years, and be safe
Awesome job by Nicole and company. A thank you is in order for any support given to the local racing scene.
Nicole, all I can say is you’re amazing to do this and make it better every year! There’s going to be areally lucky and thankful race team come Sunday!
you are the best Nicole everybody loves short tack racing no matter what class.they race in and where thanx again see you at the track I will buy the fried dough