Depending on the team, title sponsorship of a car can cost anywhere from half a million bucks to almost $1.2 million. Ordinarily, the bigger spenders also get a presence on other cars (PacifiCare, McDonald's), plus some trackside signage at selected races.

Benefits of sponsoring Champ Car Atlantic are many, but primarily the demographic of Champ Car fans fits nicely with some key market segments. For example, a very high proportion of CCA fans are college graduates in the 18-34 demo who have higher than average paying jobs, and therefore have more disposable income. Also, that demo tends to be 'immune' to other types of marketing, so a CCA sponsorship can help hit those consumers with a message that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.

In the cases of technology companies, sponsoring a Champ Car Atlantic team makes a statement of what type of company you run. Racing is a sport that is timed to the thousandth of a second....where inches matter....and the ability to quickly analyze a problem, devise a solution and successfully implement it can be the difference between winning and finishing ninth. Sponsoring a Champ Car Atlantic team makes the satement that you run that type of a company. And few sports really showcase the concept of 'teamwork' like motor racing. It's not something that is readily apparent to casual observers, but once you see how many engineers and mechanics it takes to simply turn a motor on, you have a whole new appreciation for what goes on at the track. And associating your company with that - to people who understand the teamwork ethos in Champ Car Atlantic racing - creates a strong impression.

CCA also offers a global marketing platform, with races in four countries and drivers from more than half a dozen nations, leading to world-wide television and print media coverage. Combined with the relatively low financial investment required, as compared to other types of racing, CCA has a very high ROI potential. In other words, you get a lot of bang for not a lot of buck when you sponsor a Champ Car Atlantic team.

Racing in general provides an unparalleled business-to-business forum. But Champ Car Atlantic in particular affords B2B partners access to a truly unique marketing environment. I've been a race fan for most of my life, and I've worked in the sport off and on over the last few years, and I have yet to meet someone who is not completely blown away by their first trip to a race. The sights, sounds, smells....the whole atmosphere is addicting. Call it the "Gee Whiz" factor.