2009 SPEAKERS
Kymberly Brantigan
Topic: Summit host; will touch upon a variety of topics throughout the Summit including the challenges of gaining sponsorship, public relations, sponsorship marketing, utilizing business to business relationships, sponsorship activation and the importance of networking. Will also share her personal and inspirational story of how she built her own career to become one of the top professional women in motorsports today.
Learn the winning combination for making it to the top.... From the people who have.
Annamarie Malfitana-Strawhand
Owner/President; Drive-In Webdesign and Marketing, LLC. and Motorsports Consultant Services. 25 years experience in motorsports marketing, sponsorship, PR, driver and team management and promotions. Combined her background into a website/graphic design, marketing and consulting business that caters to the racing industry.
Topic: Summit co-host. Building effective websites, driver resumes and sponsorship packages. In depth examples of these tools and how to properly utililze them to advance your career. Will also be offering attendees 'take away' templates for a professional driver resume package. Will give tips and advice on finding good representation, and protecting yourself and your budget when searching for the right PR or management firm, driver development program or race team.
Tony Blanchard
Former crew chief for Joey Logano in USAR Pro-Cup Series in the Joe Gibbs Racing Driver Development Program. Currently owns and operates Race 101- specializing in working with young up and coming drivers in stock car racing.
Topic: How to find a good crew chief for a young driver, and what skills and attributes you need to look for and expect in a crew chief. Will talk about what Sprint Cup teams are looking for in a driver and what they expect once the driver is in their development program. Also will give tips and advice on looking realistically at your career, and how to go about getting the best out of your racing budget.
Jeremy Frankoski
2007 NEMA Rookie Of The Year, and USAC Midget driver. Self-managed professional race driver. 2008 Summit attendee.
Topic: What he learned at the 2008 Summit, and how he is applying it to his career. How to self-market and manage yourself, and how it has worked for him. How he opens up driving opportunites for himself despite financial odds; and how networking has been the key for his career. Will also explain how he was willing to give up his midget ride for an opportunity to work with Ryan Newman.
Jim Hunter
NASCAR vice president of corporate communications and one of the most accomplished professionals in all of motorsports. Beginning as a sports writer, and also serving as President of Darlington Raceway, Hunter has held several positions in NASCAR including VP of Administration, and VP of NASCAR’s Regional Touring and Weekly Racing Series. His passion for grassroots racing coupled with a lifetime of experience at all levels of motorsports and a great sense of humor; make Hunter ideal for speaking to ambitious drivers about how to come up through the ranks. His stories, alone, are priceless!
Topic: Will provide Summit attendees with more meaningful insight and advice than just about anybody in the sport can offer.
Ray Dunlap
SPEED TV pit reporter and personality. His career history includes; ESPN pit reporter for NCTS on ESPN … joined ESPN in 1997, working play-by-play and in the pits covering NASCAR Winston Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, NASCAR Goody’s Dash Series, ARCA ReMax Series and Hooters Pro Cup … honored as 1997 Motorsports Electronic Media Personality of the Year in 1997 … served as public relations director for ARCA after joining the series as media relations director in 1991 … operates RedLine Productions in Mooresville … hosted and produced public access program entitled 'At the Speedway', showcasing auto racing in Central Ohio.
Topic: Will talk about how drivers can polish their interviewing skills. Give advice on how to get yourself positive media attention. How to utilize the media to advance your career from all levels of motorsports.
Tom Deery
Tom Deery has more than 30 years experience in motorsports events, series and operational administration. He has a comprehensive knowledge of motorsports sanctioning, from sales and marketing to operations. Is currently President and COO of World Racing Group, which includes the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, the Advance Auto Parts Super DIRT Series and the DIRTcar sanctioning body, in addition to ownership of six racetracks. Also served as the Vice President, Weekly Racing and Regional Touring Series for NASCAR from 1996 to 2001.Prior to NASCAR, he was the General Manager of Rockford Speedway Companies in Rockford, Illinois.
Topic: Advice and insight on choosing the right racing series to advance your career, and strategies on how to plan out your tracks and series choices. Also how to work hand in hand with these organizations.
Steve Williams
Steve Williams is currently the Motorsport Marketing Manager for Alltel Wireless. In addition to the Sponsorship of the #12 Penske Racing Alltel Dodge, Alltel has relationships with the World Racing Group through its sponsorships of various Dirt Late Model Series events including the Alltel Dirt Car Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park. Williams has diverse experience in motorsports having worked on the licensing, team, agency and sponsor sides of the sport. Williams has worked with high-profile sponsors such as DuPont, Pepsi, Miller and Jim Beam in addition to Alltel Wireless.
Topic: What corporate sponsors look for and expect in a driver. Tips on how to attract and maintain relationships with sponsors. How sponsors choose a driver; and how you can make yourself a good sponsorship candidate.
