Trying to get something going

I have noticed alot of international traffic on my website and blog...Lots of visits from Russia lately. Anyone there want to respond? I am still trying and will always try. I may be shutting down my website soon as it doesn't seem to make sense for me to keep it up if there is no interest in sponsorship. I will put the video on youtube and just get a cheap to maintain webpage. It is with great sadness that I shrink into the backround and get back to work and try and forget the last 5 years of struggling and begging. I do not know what I would have done differently or could ever do in the future to get people interested. There really is just no place for an out race car driver. I pretty much ended my career by trying to do this honestly and openly. I also should have listened to my conservative family and not tried this. It is embarrasing how little financial support has come from all of this. I love my fans and please keep the great emails and words of encouragement coming! I will always try and be my best (and get sponsors) but the GLBT financial world has spoken with no interest in getting someone out there in the straight world with an open message to our youth that you can do anything. I really thought it was an important message but I guess not. We live a stereotype. Sad.

I also just think I failed with my celebrity contacting skills. I tried paying publicists thousands of dollars to just make contact with Lady Gaga, Elton John, John Travolta and anyone else that may have interest in my mission but they all failed or just didnt put in the effort. If anyone knows how to contact a celebrity let me know!

I am getting ready for my first USA Cycling race next month to get a category rating (everyone starts at Cat 5) and begin my amateur bicycle racing journey. I have raced BMX bicycles for years, Mountain bikes and now road bikes. This is a great hobby getting me into the best shape of my life. I will try and blog about my progress even though it is much more boring than blogging about racing cars on the Pro level.

Thanks everyone for being there!
Evan

The Smart Ride 8

Well now that the 13 Hour race has come and gone I am working towards my goals for The Smart Ride! If anyone knows someone with a place in Key West I could use a place to crash Saturday night as hotels are expensive! I have almost reached my goal but need a few more people to step up and donate. On the link below you can make a donation for me from $1 to $1000. Every little bit helps! Here is the link...

https://thesmartride.org/8/pledge/index.php?participantID=354&step=step3

I hope the weather is better than it was in Virginia! I have developed a head cold from the trip and I really hope it goes away so I can start training again!

That time of year again!

Hello all, the 2011 Charge of the Headlight Brigade is almost upon us. This is a 13 hour endurance race at Virginia International Raceway http://www.virnow.com/ . I am very excited to say I will be driving a BMW in this event! I have my Trevor Project logos ready and waiting and am having some embroidery done on my suit. I will be tweeting updates throughout the race and will put links in for results and such. This is a great step in the right direction as I got some private support to move forward with Racing for Diversity!

The 2012 plans involve Pro racing and trying to get the word out on many important subjects. I am hoping to bring light to some of our bigger problems like LGBTQ suicide issues, bullying issues, our environment and health and fitness issues with adults today.

I am also excited to say I am doing The Smart Ride 8 in November! This is a 165 mile ride for AIDS/HIV funding. We go from Miami to Key West and should be a great time for a great cause! If you want to make a tax deductable donation you can go to: http://thesmartride.org/ and make a donation...dont forget to use my rider number (#354). The training I have been doing for this event has opened up a new hobby/fitness training routine that I am really enjoying! Cycling in Florida is pretty flat but we make up for it with speed and headwinds! I just started riding with a group on the weekends and they regularly hit 28-32MPH for a good distance! Its amazing how fast a group can go and how it pushes you individually. I have been dropped out the back of the group for the first few weeks but am now beginning to hang with them. Speed averages on my bike computer are now cresting 20MPH after 50+ miles! I have never been able to do that before. My overall fitnes has improved dramatically and my mountain biking skills have also improved with sheer speed and strength. My legs and butt have also reaped many benefits ;-} but I still won't shave my legs.



I am still trying to reach Elton John, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and others to see if they would like to be a part of my diversity project. Imagine if they helped with thier resources! I could have a green racing project that helps LGBTQ youth with a great message! It would also benefit everyone with acceptance! If anyone knows how to reach out to these people please pass the word on!


I am working with Holly Chervnsik at Stinger Sports Marketing and we are working towards some great things!

I hope to see more positive things in the near future so stay tuned!!!

Evan

AMAZING

I have been working on figuring out how to do some promotions to gain visibility and maybe compete again. I started searching and looking at different blogs and such and found some disturbing stuff. We all know Fred Phelps is a coward that hates everyone but when you see the number of supporters and fans he has its disturbing. I looked at his blog http://blogs.sparenot.com/ (comments are off of course as he is afraid of public opinion) and he really is an activist of the worst kind. I wish I had as much support as him. I am one of the few people that represent the LGBT community by coming out in my sport and my demographic hasnt yet supported me and the trevor project. Are there that many more wealthy hateful people that would support someone like that in comparison to our community? Disturbing. We have alot of wealth in our community and it seems to be a very self serving group we are part of. There are lots of great people that work their asses off to help and support our organizations but the majority of the wealthy ones only seem to support themselves and tax write offs. When will someone step to the front and help some sports figures compete in the mainstream straight sports? It will not happen without support.

I wish I had a better way to reach people as I am no marketing expert. It looks like people like Fred Phelps reach people through extreme hate and negativity. I can not to that. I need a way to reach out to the ones that want to help. I have many letters and packages out to people that don't seem to care. Does anyone care is the question. As I go back to work and try and dissapear into normal society I take with me the bitter taste of rejection. I really wish someone could change that...

thank you everyone for your support and words of encouragement through the past few years and sorry I couldn't find people or companies to support an Out racer.

'till next time,
Evan

Revival of Hope

I must apologize for not writing more on my blog but frankly not much has been happening lately. I have run out of funds for publicists and such and agents want nothing to do with an Out Gay Race Car Driver LOL. Don't take that as I have given up...I will never give up. I will always be trying, sometimes more than less depending on my schedule, funds and attitude. If any of you have friends that may want to get involved don't be shy!

I am in the process of sending out a large batch of emails to some prominent people. If you are someone I emailed or an agency representing someone I am trying to contact, let me know!

My latest plan has me looking for private sponsorship as corporate sponsorship seems like a stretch, LGBT issues are hot but big companies seem scared to support Out Pro's anywhere for fear of losing out on straight business. I am also trying to hit up some non-racing/sports industries as the impact of supporting an out person in a straight sport is exposure to an audience that may not be thier market but the splash of media to follow and people to see would definitely be the right demographic...everyone!

My other "BIG" plan involves you, the reader of my blog, facebook fan/follower and Twitter follower. I would like to send out some of my hero cards (autographed of course!) for a donation. 50% of what is sent to me gets sent to The Trevor Project and the other half goes towards my racing plans for 2011/2012. If I recieve enough support I will be racing for all to see! Donations of $50+ will recieve an E. Darling Enterprises racing hat (pictures of products will be up shortly on my website) and get thier name/logo somewhere on my race car...obviously a $50 donation would be a small spot and a $50k one would be much bigger ;-)...Either way I wil photograph the logo/name(s) and email them to you.

If you would like to partake in my plan, send me a mailing address to zracre@hotmail.com and I will send a signed card to you regardless. If you want to drop a donation in the envelope I send with it that would be greatly appreciated!

For this plan to work I am going to need all the help I can get...forward a link to this page to anyone you would think would want to help...If I get all my facebook friends to at least look at this and maybe some help out and maybe some forward to people that may have interest, I may get somewhere!

I am still trying to get Lady Gaga, Elton John and Madonna contacts to see if they want to partake in this as well...if Paris Hilton can have a motorcycle racing team one of these other superstars should be able to help me be an Out role model competing in a mainstream straight market. On the level of the above stars, sponsorship is not real expensive for the positive media and impact on society that will come from it...

Cheers,
Evan Darling

Its Funny...

It's Funny

As a race car driver through the years I have done pretty well behind the wheel. I started autocrossing (races for time around cones in parking lots), graduating to track days in my old Mustangs and Z cars then on to amateur racing at tracks around the country. I always wanted to go Pro and knew I had the talent to do so. Racing is an expensive sport and most people get enthusiastically into racing hoping to be the next big thing only to realize there are many people that are very good at it as well. There are 5 main groups at an amateur race. The big budget guys that are talented enough to win, the low budget guys that scrape everything they have into the car and fight for wins, the guy with the budget and mediocre talent, the guy with the skills but no budget and the guy with want and drive but no budget and not the best skills. The many people I have talked to over the years trying to get into pro racing seem to think if you are good you just go to the racetrack and get in a car and win. There is so much to it, it is almost impossible to explain to someone who knows nothing about racing.
I have had a very successful amateur career in racing winning my share of races and wanted to take it to the next level. Many racers and media types always say you need a hook, something that sets you apart from everyone else. I look around at all the racers and see money and talent...what do I have that is different...well, I am Out and being myself in this straight sport, why don't I come out as the Out Pro Race Car Driver. I know I am good at what I do, I don't look so bad in front of a camera and there is no one else like me in the sport. I do it. Steve Rothaus from the Miami Herald did a great interview and gave me an entire section before the Miami Grand Prix in 2007, my first Pro race. We did well finishing 7th in a stout field of Pro's. I had many well wishers and haters contacting me through my website explaining to me how to live my life. I did not know how to handle the media very well and had a series of mediocre but well intended publicists and agents that did not know anything about sports and racing. I did the best I could to attract sponsors and got a little support from local businesses but not nearly enough to sustain a racing career. I needed to go big. I started contacting celebrities but realized you just cant call them up and ask them advise or for sponsorship without going through a labyrinth of "people". On top of this many people keep asking me why I had to come out as a gay race car driver. If you are a good driver you should be able to make it on those merits. Well yea I should be able to do that but without money and sponsors I can't drive to show my talents. I have met many great people along the way and wish to continue. My coming out has gotten me some great media attention, but still no sponsors.
The current state of the economy has not helped matters but things seem to have stabilized. There are many great charities that could benefit from sponsoring me in a Pro televised series and I am sure there are some big hearted people that would like to see this, my problem is getting them as an audience. My new publicist, John Blanchette, Is trying to get me in front of these people. We are contacting The View, Ellen, Rosie and Oprah in an attempt to show the world what I am trying to do. On my website (edarlingenterprises.com) is a short film put on by Subaru and LOGO that shows who I am. A Google of my name has many articles and interviews I have done. I have taken a lot of flak doing what I believe in and do not want to give up. Jay Leno has told me he thinks there is a place for me and I should keep trying. David Letterman has a BMW race team. I am trying to get through to him as well. Any help, leads, contacts and sponsorship is needed and appreciated!
BTW the point of all this is to try and show people how it is in the racing community so they can make educated decisions on participating in a sport like this.

Thanks for reading!
Evan

Updates and Ups and Downs

Well I almost completely finished my move to Florida. I have been going back and forth to NC trying to get all my stuff secure. It has been a difficult few months! I got back from VIR (Virginia International Raceway) 2 weeks ago after racing in the BMW Car Club of America endurance race. We had a great time and finally won! My co-driver, Craig Lippe, did a great job behind the wheel and with strategies. We won by .503 seconds! What a great time! This is coming off the last time I drove it. that was Roebling Road where it was pissing down rain and we won that with the bonus of an overall pole position! The car we were driving is a BMW M3 running in IP ("I" Prepared is a class with limited modifications to the car). I got back to FL and received a call from one of the top Grand Am teams. I needed to come up with some money to get up to VIR again to race in the Grand Am race! Well my fundraising skills are not so good and it was short notice so I tried to the last minute. Didn't make it. I am still pretty depressed about it but there isn't much I can do about it now but try for the next one! Someone please step up and help for Mid-Ohio in June!

I have some great strategies for sponsors and would like to put them out there for discussion. I am and always will try and support non-profits. The Trevor Project has always been very high on my list as it is one of our most important assets as a community. here is their website:

http://thetrevorproject.org/home2.aspx

I believe having info on this organization on my car in front of a televised audience would do a great job getting outlets like this in the mainstream media where it is most needed. Many of these kids are not exposed to GLBT media and have very few options. By getting the word out in front of a predominantly straight oriented market, more people would be reached! Help me make this happen!

On another note before I went to VIR for the BMW race I went to Wellington FL for the first ever Gay Polo League Polo match. Wow what an exciting sport! I had no idea...These guys move fast on these horses and play pretty aggressive! Here is a link to their website:

http://www.gaypolo.com/splash/

I have also tried to contact Ricky Martin about sponsorship or support for me and the Trevor Project but I have not heard back from him or any of his agents. It seems almost impossible to get through to some of these people. Maybe he will see this...never know!

Well that's all for now!

New Representation!

I have acquired the skills of a professional sports management company to represent me! I am confident that they have the abilities to take me to the next level! Here is the press release:

FK Sports Management is very excited to announce that we are welcoming a new member to the FK Sports family, and that we are now officially representing Evan Darling! As a race car driver, Evan was the SCCA 2005 SE Division ITA Champion and has won numerous Divisional titles. He has been involved in the SCCA SPEED World Challenge series and raced in the Grand AM Koni Challenge series. Evan is a certified master mechanic and a driving instructor for many clubs including Chin Motorsports, Ferrari Owners Club and Porsche BMW Owners Club. Evan will be racing in the 2009 Grand Am Koni Sports Car Challenge series, and Tom and I will be immediately working on obtaining sponsors for his racing team. You can learn more about Evan on his website: http://www.edarlingenterprises.com/index.htm.

These are some very dedicated professionals that have/are representing some pretty big names! Here is a link to their website: http://fksportsmanagement.com/

Let me know what you all think!

Agents and Publicists

I am having a hard time getting a publicist or agent. I know it is difficult to represent someone like me but it really does have its benefits. If there are any sports agents or publicists out there that want to work with me and all the groundwork I have already accomplished, let me know!

2009 schedule

Well here it is! As you can see Homestead is back as well as Laguna Seca! My two favorites on the '09 Schedule! Still trying to get support do do this but I am staying positive.

2009 Grand-Am Annual Schedule

Jan 23 - 25 Daytona International Speedway – KONI Challenge
Rolex 24 At Daytona – Rolex Series

March 13 - 15 Homestead-Miami Speedway – KONI Challenge

TBD Mexico City 1000 km race – Rolex Series

April 24 - 26 Virginia International Raceway – Rolex Series

May 1 - 3 New Jersey Motorsports Park – Rolex Series

New Jersey Motorsports Park – KONI Challenge

May 15 - 17 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – KONI Challenge
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – Rolex Series

May 22 - 25 Lime Rock Park – KONI Challenge

June 5 - 7 Watkins Glen International – KONI Challenge
Watkins Glen International – Rolex Series

June 19 - 21 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – KONI Challenge
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – Rolex Series

July 2 Daytona 250 – Rolex Series (Thurs)

July 17 - 19 Barber Motorsports Park – KONI Challenge
Barber Motorsports Park – Rolex Series

August 7 - 9 Watkins Glen International – Rolex Series (Fri)

August 14 - 16 Trois-Rivieres – KONI Challenge

August 28 - 30 Montreal – Rolex Series (Sat)

Sept 18 - 20 Miller Motorsports Park – KONI Challenge
Miller Motorsports Park – Rolex Series

October 2 - 4 Virginia International Raceway – KONI Challenge

October 9 - 11 Homestead-Miami Speedway – Rolex Series

It looks like we are going to have a great year of racing...now just get me there! Next year is also a premier year for the series as NASCAR owns the series. There will be more televised events and publicity surrounding the series. We are a small team so sponsoring us would have a greater visual impact for sponsorship dollars. We know how to stretch a buck!

Come join us for some great racing action!

Race Updates

Well it has been a very trying year. We managed to finish the race at NJ Motorsports park after all the mayhem. We were a lap down at the end and the race was riddled with wrecks and drama but we got it done. My stint was the second one and I got in the car with 1 hour and 10 minutes to go. Before we even got a green flag, there was a wreck and we were under caution until there was only 18 min left. I got a green flag and raced for a whopping 18 minutes! I must say that the track was fun and the weather was beautiful though.

Our next adventure is the 6 Hour race at Virginia International Raceway. We are trying to raise funds to get there and run. I know the economy has been pretty bad lately but we are not looking for millions! If a few people put something towards it we can do it. I am the only out GLBT Pro in sports that is out and active! There has to be someone that wants to help support myself and the community! There is a paypal addy on my website and anything helps. If anyone has any ideas let me know as well.

My agent did not work out as he was too young and not ready for this type of career. He is smart and should do fine with more experience, but needs to finish school and get some seat time in the real world. If anyone knows of an agent or publicist that wants to try and grow with me I can be contacted thru here or my website (edarlingenterprises.com).

Oh well

It looks like I will be going back to work as a mechanic or service writer. I have tried everything to get sponsorship on the pro level. I have not been successful this year. I am trying to support some great non-profits and be the first Out Pro racer but there is no one to help me in my endeavor. I have tried all the major GLBT friendly companies and been turned down. I have tried to secure an agent or manager aand been turned down. The racing community has accepted me but the GLBT community has not been so supportive. I wish I could say I am racing next year and give the TV dates but without help it just will not happen. I gave it my full effort and wish anyone out there that tries to break into a sport being honest with themselves and the public the best of luck. It is not easy. I have won many races but this is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I sold my business to pursue this thing and just got turned down by my last big lead. I am now starting my life over. I will continue to work with my race team and continue to try and secure sponsorship but I will not be able to race without support.

Thank you to all that sent me emails of support and gratitude and I will say this. I will keep trying my best to be a good role model and I will keep trying to get sponsored.

Thank you all for reading!
Evan

Representation

I am still looking for a sports agent or someone who can help with the procurement of sponsorship. I am a racer not a publicist or agent. I think I have done pretty good in teh publicist department with all my media as of late but I need a pro!

October Update

Well the Fireball Run was a blast! You can see how it went here: http://www.gaywheels.com/teamglam.htm We met some great people and did it for a great cause...missing children. Here is the website with more info: http://www.childrescuenetwork.org/ I am looking forward to next year and hopefully we will have the same level of sponsorship so we can perform again! We finished 2nd in Luxury class and 11th overall. Not bad considering we were in a totally stock Saab 9-3 Aero. I was able to manage a 7th place finish on the Houston track challenge against some pretty stout cars. The Saab is a great all around car that is every bit as capable as its competition on the track...and even better on the street!

I am still looking for sponsors for next years Grand Am schedule...any interested parties can contact me thru my website (which has a paypal button on it ;) ) I have a winning plan...just need interested parties to step forward and help make it happen! There are multiple demographics to be targeted with sponsorship so it should be easy to make that decision...and if a private sponsor wants to help I can put very worthy charities on the car as well! This is one way to help people feel good about themselves in our diverse lives!

Well I am off to Virginia International Raceway (VIR)way next month to race in the "Charge of the Headlight Brigade" 13 hour endurace race with GSM Motorsports trusty VW in hopes of victory!

GSM (German Speed Merchants) are based out of Wilmington, NC and own a great shop specializing in...German cars. They really work on everything but that is their specialty. They have turned out to be a very accepting team and are a group of great people. If you are ever in the area and need your car serviced I would highly reccomend this honest shop...a hard thing to come by these days!

Fireball Run!

I am running in the Fireball Run rally this year hoping to bring attention to missing children and many other causes. It is important for us as a community to try and do positive things for others to see.
Our missing child that we were assigned is Jacqueline Jara Castro. Jacqueline, along with her brother Jonathon, were last seen in Warner Robins, GA. They may be in the company of their non-custodial mother. Anyone with information should contact the Gwinnett County Police Dept. at 770.513.5100 or Child Rescue Network at 877.209.KIDS ext. 82. If you go to http://www.fireballrun.com/ and look for our team (Team G.L.A.M. #53) you can see a picture of her.
I am also looking for some smaller more affordable sponsorships. I am racing in a few high publicity club races in Virginia, Atlanta and Sebring this fall and would like to see some community support.

been a while!

Sorry it has been so long since my last post...I have been in NC working for Roar Racing. I put lots of time in to those cars setting up, testing and fixing to make them fast. I was hoping to get a ride with them for a race or 2 but I do not have the money to race them. The days are gone where hard work and talent get you rides...it takes money. Lots of money. I have left Roar and am looking for a job now as I can not go on living day to day wondering if I am going to be able to pay my bills. My savings ran out long ago and I am not a member of the lucky sperm club. I will continue to look for sponsors and promote myself but until I get one (a sponsor) racing is done. I have a few proposals out there and maybe we will make it happen and I have not lost hope...just need to concentrate on making a living.
Racing is a very expensive sport and I would tell anyone who wants to get into it (on a pro level) bring lots of money. As a tech or team mgr it is different but it will require lots of hard thankless work.