By Dave Lewandowski
indy500.com
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Sarah Fisher was buoyed by hundreds of encouraging letters and cards - many containing personal checks for various amounts totaling more than $50,000 to offset sponsorship that dissolved - during the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was an angst-filled but educational period for popular veteran IndyCar Series driver and entrepreneur Fisher, who started Sarah Fisher Racing earlier this year.
In a sport that requires commercial enterprises to carry the bulk of a program's cost, a solid platform of sponsors is the safety net. For two IndyCar Series races this season, that's where Dollar General enters the picture.
Fisher will return to the racetrack for the Indy 300 presented by Pepsi and Edy's Ice Cream on Aug. 9 at Kentucky Speedway in the No. 67 Dollar General-sponsored car, and also compete Sept. 7 at Chicagoland Speedway. She will test at Kentucky Speedway in the next few weeks.
Fisher has been pointing to the race on the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway oval since May 25, when the No. 67 Honda-powered Dallara retired just past the halfway mark of the 92nd Indianapolis 500 because of a crash.
"We collected everything, went back to the shop and did a survey of what all the damages were," said Fisher, who in the past month has sent "thank you" notes and a small piece of the car's carbon fiber to individuals who made monetary contributions to the program.
At the Kentucky track in 2002, she became the first woman in North American motorsports to win the pole position for a major-league open-wheel race.
"Dollar General's sponsorship of SFR for two races this year has energized my team," said Fisher, who has a best finish of third at Kentucky Speedway in 2000 with Walker Racing. "We're all excited to be racing for Dollar General. It's great to return to Kentucky with my own team. I've done well there in the past, and I believe I can do just as well or better with my own team behind me. We're going to do our best to bring home a victory for the team and Dollar General."
It is Dollar General's first sponsorship in the IndyCar Series. The car is co-sponsored by Dollar General's vendor partners (Arm & Hammer, Band-Aid, Clorox, Colgate, Kraft, Lysol, Reese's and Slim Jim).
"Dollar General is excited about sponsoring Sarah Fisher Racing in these two races," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's CEO. "Sarah has had a remarkable history-making journey in IndyCar racing, which has inspired many, both in and outside of the sport."
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