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

Road Atlanta

Well we went to Road Atlanta for the BMWCCA Endurance Race and won it! Great racing and great people. Our next event is in Watkins Glen NY in 2 weekends. On my way to NC from Florida last week I lost the right rear wheel on my truck on 95 north. Traveling at 75mph the truck turned left. It was scary but luckily it just damaged the truck. now I am in NC with a broken truck needing $$ repairs. I am pushing to get it fixed so I can get home! Well thats it for updates.

Follow me on twitter (evanmdarling)!
Evan

New Developments

Hey there, I was finally able to procure a really great publicity firm, Blanchette & Associates Public Relations. This firm has a huge amount of success in entertainment and business fields and I am proud to be part of their future! They have already prepared and scheduled interviews and other media for me! I will post my schedule as soon as I work it out!

I am now on Twitter and its really new to me. I am learning to "tweet" developments and I will be able to "tweet" from the race track or other events I am at! Follow me at: twitter.com/EvanMDarling

Thats it for now but keep an eye out for new developments!

The End Is Near

Well I have been at this for almost 4 years now and no sign of a sponsor. I went out on a limb and dedicated my life to racing. I put myself out there for the community in hopes of some support and to support some great causes. I branded myself as an Out Race Car Driver and tried to take all the right paths. I had publicists (some ok some just stupid) and agents. I have been in all the major publications and on the Out 100 list. I just don't get why there is no support for an out sports figure within our community. It is very dissapointing to see all these grants and sponsorships for websites and parties but when someone tries to make a difference in the public's eyes, there is not much support. I have had contact with some great people recently that may have something in store for me and the charities I want to support so stay tuned. I am just venting as now I have to go back to my old profession of being a line technician and I am going to have to deal with being in this industry as an openly gay man. It was never a problem before as I kept to myself but now I am an ex-gay race car driver that failed to get sponsorship. It will be rough to say the least! I also have to concede to my republican family that it was silly to think a gay person could get sponsorship in a straight sport. Unfortunately up to this point they are correct. I would definitely not recommend anyone in sports to come out until retirement unless they are happy where they are in their sport. It seems to be career suicide. Agents refuse to represent you and unless you are independedntly wealthy or have someone elses bank roll (mom dad sugar daddy sugar momma etc) you will fail. PLEASE someone prove this wrong! I don't want to lose too much faith in our community! I have lost all my savings, my house, car, health insurance and my job pursuing my passion. I will continue to try my best to get sponsored and prove them wrong! On another note, I have a video coming out on LOGO soon. Check back at my website (edarlingenterprises.com) for a preview!

hope everyone has a great summer!

Summer Blues

Well its July and it is hot in FL. I am headed to Virginia International Raceway next weekend for a BMW CCA/PBOC/Viper Club Race. It should be a blast as it is a sprint format and I am driving 2 different cars over the weekend! I am looking forward to it. I also have some developments I will share in the near future when I know more. As it stands now I am planning on going back to work next month. If sponsorship or endorsement comes, I will be racing. If not I will be slaving. Fingers crossed!

Contact

I am at a loss. I have tried contacting Rosie O'Donell, Ellen Degeneres Elton John and other Out celebs...they don't even respond. I am not good at getting through to people and do not have contacts to do so...is there anyone out there that can help? Maybe they do not have any interest in helping an out athlete but at least a response...

Back from Ohio

Well I'm back from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the BMWCCA Club Race over Memorial Day Weekend. The weekend started out pretty good as the car felt great in my session. Later in the day on friday the car started to get hot. I replaced the water pump and thermostat and found no leaks. The car seemed better on Saturday as the owner raced it in the 2 sprint races and did pretty good. Sunday arrived and I got in to qualify for the enduro and after a warm up lap and half a hot lap the car got real hot. I pulled in to see water pushing out of the over flow and all the needles buried. We packed up and drove home. I was really hoping to make it a 3peat as we won at Roebling Road and Virginia International Raceway and this would have made 3 at Mid-O. Oh well! It was not a drama free weekend with the tow either! On our way through Virginia, a boost pipe blew off the truck (a piece of the air intake system) and the hose clamp went through the LR tire while we were climbing a hill at 2K feet. we replaced the tire with the spare and tried to limp back to a ford dealer but really couldn't move off the highway. We pulled out the Honda mini bike and I rode it down I-77 to get the part...