2023 PRI Show (Friday, 12/8)

"The more work you put into it, the better the outcome will be. Be in control of your destiny, and maintain your contacts over the years, knowing it might not happen right away. There are plenty of opportunities to build a rapport, and motorsports is all about timing. If there aren't open opportunities, spend time in a similar industry and lay the groundwork for your future in racing," Lauterbach suggested.

"Go to race events, go to pit lane, bring your card and start emailing people. Just get your name out there and build your brand," Tan echoed. 

"I agree, just know you need to be ready for it. In this industry, the hours and sometimes even the people can be rough. Figure out what you want and know this isn't a 'half-butted' job. That wasn't something I was necessarily ready for, so buckle up," Enders pointed out. 

Audience members, a majority of them female, were overwhelmingly receptive to the information. For Super Comp hobby driver Melissa Wilson, the panel provided insights into how to secure sponsors, especially for those just making their mark on the industry. In addition to her racing efforts, Wilson started Lil' Miss Leadfoot, a grassroots brand dedicated to uplifting hobby racers and their stories. 

 "With Lil' Miss Leadfoot, I want to let everyone--the older generation, the younger generation, little kids that want to get into racing--know that you don't need a lot of money to go racing. I've seen a trend in racing that there's no set path for racers who want to get to the next level; it seems all dependent on finances," said Wilson.

Out on the Show floor, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) hosted a booth this year, aiming to draw some attention to its non-drag racing events.

"The goal was to bring awareness to all of our pavement open wheel racing, and also the 500 Sprint Car Tour," said Alyse Aguilar, IRP sales and hospitality manager. "They'll come see us later in the year, so for us, it was ultimately to bring awareness that IRP does more than just the U.S. Nationals."

The response from Show attendees was overwhelmingly positive, Aguilar said, and may have landed the facility a few new entrants.

"We've had fans, people who like to come out for [races], but also participants, those who have these vehicles and seeing that we do a lot with the other tracks," she added. "They're happy that we're trying to grow here in the Midwest and trying to keep things alive."

The competition also grew this year with the addition of the PRI Esports Arena and several first-time sim racing exhibitors, including Williams Racing. The Formula 1 team and Esports outfit took up its fair share of floorspace in Lucas Oil Stadium, highlighting a fleet of world-class simulators and a real-life counterpart, the Williams Formula 1 car. 

According to Jack Noller, a driver and engineer for Williams Esports, the pairing represents the emerging connection between virtual and reality. "With Esports going the way it's going, it's creating a whole market for itself," said Noller. "But it's expanding the whole motorsports market as well." 

The skills learned on a simulator, Noller said, will help those pursuing a career in racing gain the experience necessary to secure a real-life gig, whether as a driver, engineer or broadcaster. Noller himself is a perfect example, turning his virtual experience with Williams into a job on the engineering stand for a European feeder series team. And he won't be the last to make the jump, he said. 

"[This technology] will massively widen the market of people who are available to do it. It will give them real-life experience representing big brands, the pressure of the racing environment and things that they would never get [elsewhere]," said Noller. "Here, you can get the exposure to what you need to build your skillset to go into real life [racing]. And with as big as Esports is getting, maybe you won't have to go into real life." 

The PRI Show continues on Saturday with a full day of events and sessions. Stay tuned!