Snake Racing signs UA as Major Associate (1 Viewer)

[joey]

UNITED ASSOCIATION NAMED AS MAJOR ASSOCIATE SPONSOR
OF DON PRUDHOMME RACING’S TOP FUEL DRAGSTER​

VISTA, Calif. (March 10, 2009) – Don Prudhomme Racing announced today that The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA), has partnered with Snake Racing as the Major Associate Sponsor of the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Top Fuel dragster, driven by Spencer Massey.

As the Major Associate Sponsor, U.A. and its International Training Fund (ITF), will enjoy significant identification on the Top Fuel dragster, driver and team uniforms; enjoy pit-side hospitality during the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Series national events, personal appearances by Massey and Team Owner Don Prudhomme, and other key value elements.

“We are very pleased to welcome U.A. as a valued partner at Snake Racing,” said Team Owner, Don Prudhomme. “The U.A. is such a strong organization and we are proud to have the opportunity to help in their efforts to increase awareness of the great programs that U.A. offers, not only to its existing members, but for new members as well. Their job training programs and facilities are very impressive, as well as their Veterans In Pipe (VIP) effort, which assists returning U.S. Military servicemen and servicewomen with job placement. I am very proud of our new relationship with U.A. and look forward to many years of mutual success both on and off the race track.”

“The UA Team is thrilled with the partnership we have developed with Don Prudhomme Racing,” said UA Director of Training Mr. Michael Arndt. “The UA through this new partnership will have access to a yet unexplored group of apprenticeship applicants. These applicants will become a part of our ongoing recruitment effort and supply additional applicants to pipe trade apprenticeship programs throughout the United States. These apprenticeship programs are in the welding, plumbing, pipefitting, HVACR and sprinkler fitting industries of the pipe trades.”

UA Training for the Future
No other organization serves the training needs of the piping industry like the United Association. For over a century, the UA has been training the most highly-qualified workers in the United States and Canada.

Over the past several decades, the United Association's training programs have produced a stable, skilled workforce responsible for building and maintaining piping systems in the various industrial and residential facilities that make up the North American landscape.

No one can match our commitment or investment. The UA spends over $170 million annually on training program efforts involving approximately 300,000 journeymen and apprentices in over 400 local training facilities at any given time.

In addition to five-year apprenticeship programs, the United Association offers continuing education opportunities that include journeyman training and certifications in valve repair, welding, backflow prevention, medical gas installation, safe removal of refrigerants, and many more.

Don Prudhomme Snake Racing’s headquarters is located in Vista, California, with racing operations based in Brownsburg, Indiana. Team Owner Don Prudhomme enters his 47th year of NHRA competition in 2009 and campaigns the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company Top Fuel dragster, driven by Spencer Massey. Snake Racing is proud to represent such racing partners as; U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, United Association, Jegs, Okuma, Red Line Oil, Petroff Towing and Sandvik Coromant.

- Don Prudhomme Racing - Official Website -

 

[Bill]

Strange bedfellows, but any sponsor is a good sponsor
Congratulatons to both!!

 

[Wayne]

Great news!
Thanks Skip!

 

[Paul]

and UA is picking up title rights to the races at Joliet and E-Town. It is good to see new companies supporting the sport in these tough times.

 

[NYNitro86]

Darn it, I was hoping for PC Richard & Son to take the E-Town one because of 40 Years of the Nationals and this year being 100 years of PC Richard & Son, but that's good to hear.

 

[megadeth]

It's always good news to hear a new sponsor signing. On the other side of the coin I wonder how the membership feels about the Union's spending their dues on sponsoring a car and an event as their benefits are slowly eroding.
Their medical is costing more and more out of pocket and instead of using what I would take as spare money to keep them at a decent benefit level instead of using it in this manner?
But if it holds up and membership doesn’t have a problem with it cool beans!

 

[NCC250]

Good to see a new sponsor coming and I personally thank them! They will definitely get their moneys worth. On a side note I would have rather seen the money go a different team but hey thats the breaks!

 

[Dubs]

It's always good news to hear a new sponsor signing. On the other side of the coin I wonder how the membership feels about the Union's spending their dues on sponsoring a car and an event as their benefits are slowly eroding.
Their medical is costing more and more out of pocket and instead of using what I would take as spare money to keep them at a decent benefit level instead of using it in this manner?
But if it holds up and membership doesn’t have a problem with it cool beans!

Great point, makes you think....

I would love to hear the perspective of some of the members in the union.

 

[MichaelD]

UA decal was on the car at the WinterNationals and Phoenix. And probably like the Carpenters sponsorship with the Barretts and Scott Weis, they are marketing the opportunities for members and contractors of the union.

Michael

 

[Triple Nickel II]

II wonder how the membership feels about the Union's spending their dues on sponsoring a car and an event

Unions don't bother to ask their membership how they feel about their dues being spent to support political figures, so why should they ask about sponsoring races and a race team?

Personally, I think the race investment will pay more dividends than the political wheel greasing.

 

[Hank]

being a 30 year member of the ua i think it's pretty cool. i personally think they could have gotten a better bang for the buck if they would of helped dave connely and cagnazzi. they make the later rounds alot more and at least they go the full 1320. but they don't ask the membership where to put the money. i just wonder what it cost us. i did hear that the sticker that was on rusty wallaces pillar post when he was racing went for 750k. i hope i still get my retirement check every month! i'd hate like heck to have to try and repo something off the car to survive. lol maybe they will at least get us a break at joliet. ya right!!

 

[murf]

The head man for UA in Calif and Hawaii is a friend of mine, I'll ask him what's their thinking by doing this.

 

[DE3]

My father and I are both proud members of the U.A. 40+ and 24 years respectively. It's interesting to see that they are going to get the title rights for E-Town, in my backyard. I may have to see if some of my local reps will be there. It would be nice to show off my new ride, and maybe make a play for some of the advert $$!

 

[Tim5636sc]

Great news for sure, but i will go ahead and call my shot. I will buy a cold beer for spencer if he works the ENTIRE NAME of this sponsor into a post race interview with Gary at the top end! If he can do that he will pass ol Del Worsham's Checker Schucks Kragen interview skills That UA group is a very long name.

 

[megadeth]

Unions don't bother to ask their membership how they feel about their dues being spent to support political figures, so why should they ask about sponsoring races and a race team?

Personally, I think the race investment will pay more dividends than the political wheel greasing.

I beg to differ on that! The government wrote legistration so that all Unions would have to get a signature from every member to have approval to use dues in the political arena.
So they basically did have to ask!
Please explain to me how they would get more dividends in sponsoring a Race Car as opposed to putting a politician in office that could change laws to benefit their trade and work benefits?
The only benefit I see is in recruiting for their future growth but if the jobs aren't there what good would that do?

 

[Hank]

you are probably right with the membership having to know about it, but for some reason that didn't happen. i know the executive board had to vote on itto make it happen. as for signage on the car opposed to lobbyiest's or politicians, you'll see snake's deal is with the training dept. and thats probably for trying to build up they're membership. get young people interested in our trade, as pipe welders or heating and refrigration service people,plumbers,etc. as for title rights to the races it's probably the same deal. thats two very big markets to draw from.

 

[Triple Nickel II]

Please explain to me how they would get more dividends in sponsoring a Race Car as opposed to putting a politician in office that could change laws to benefit their trade and work benefits?

1) I said the race sponsorship, not the race car sponsorship.

I believe the Snake sponsorship is a means to an end. If memory serves, the NHRA requires a business to sponsor a race car to be eligible to sponsor a race.

2) If you sponsors a race (or two in this case), you know some specifics that you will get out of that investment such as exposure of your brand to participants and spectators, media coverage, etc.

When you "sponsor" a politician, there is no assurance that you will ever get anything from that investment. In fact, many politicians take money from supporters on both sides of an issue. That is pretty much a guarantee that someone's money was wasted on that politician.