If you've been reading this blog for the last few months then you will know about Ricky and his quest to go racing against cancer with all of his winnings being donated to cancer research.

Ricky at ARCA Daytona Testing December 2009.  Photo used with permission from Ricky Byers.

Ricky came up 30 grand short in making it to the Daytona ARCA race, which is something that I'm still upset about.  I mean really how can someone not sponsor him?

The man's cause is just.

Everyone has been either directly or indirectly effected by cancer at some point in their lives yet no one wants to sponsor him.

I just don't get it.

I guess it isn't as glamorous as other causes out there.

I am totally baffled by the lack of interest in companies to sponsor Ricky.  He has his team set up as a charity so the sponsorship would also be classed as a charitable donation which means that the sponsor gets to write off the sponsorship.

About a week before the Daytona race I was personally involved in negotiations with 3 potential sponsors for Ricky.  At one point I was on a conference call with Ricky and his media adviser while web conferencing with one of the prospective sponsors about sponsorship for the Daytona race.

If obtaining a sponsor could be measured in linear units I literally came within inches of getting that sponsorship for Ricky.  I honestly thought it was a done deal, although I didn't tell that to Ricky I didn't want to get his hopes up yet again.  Good thing too because the deal fell through.

Ricky at ARCA Daytona Testing December 2009.  Photo used with permission from Ricky Byers.

I also had a sit down meeting with a high profile Canadian corporation about sponsoring Ricky for Daytona, and threw everything at them that I was able to (and probably some stuff that I wasn't allowed to offer them either), including donating some of the winnings to Canadian cancer research facilities but they wouldn't commit.

We're still working on the third possible sponsor for either the Texas or Talladega race.  We'll keep you updated.

Man I just don't get it.  I know its a recession and all, but there is still a lot of money out there for this sort of thing, especially just 30K for a nationally televised race featuring the female Messiah of racing, Danica Patrick.

SPEED reported the ratings for the Daytona ARCA race were up over 60% compared to last year - that's over 2 million viewers people!  You can't buy that kind of advertising in any medium for 30K, you just can't.

Instead Ricky's been getting a slew of "Thanks but no Thanks" and a few "Maybe Next Year" rejections along with the pinnacle of nos, "Wow what a great cause!  But we're are unable to help this year as were are (Insert reason here).

Despite the setbacks Ricky has kept his eye on the prize; raising money for cancer research.  Ricky is just as dedicated now in racing to find a cure as he was 5 months ago and he is not resting until he finds that elusive sponsorship deal to get him in the show for good.

He will not do any start and parks either and trust me he's been offered a few of those but the man is going to race for a cure, not park for it!  The more you race the more awareness you'll bring to the cause and you can't do that after running one lap.

The latest thing Ricky is focusing on is perhaps winning a legit sponsorship from Prilosec OTC, I mean why not  after all the stress he's been through trying to get a sponsor in time for the Daytona race Ricky could probably attest first hand to this heartburn medication.

But Ricky needs your help with this, he needs to be voted in to keep moving on in the judging and that is where you come in; just go to the site, register, and vote and then keep voting everyday!

What Ricky needs right now is for everyone to step up to the plate, do this, and see it through to the very end.  Think of every vote as a donation towards cancer research.