A racer himself, who’s enjoyed success at the wheel of production cars in events like the Wakefield 300, Shane Tanner knows the motorsport industry.
He grew up a fan of the sport, and found a role with Brad Jones Racing that saw him work alongside Kim Jones after gaining a Certificate Three in motorsport and engineering from Albury-Wodonga TAFE.
“I was basically their sponsor liaison officer, and worked very closely with Kim Jones – loved every minute of that,” Tanner said.
“I looked after all the drivers and sponsors and team and did all the pit tours and stuff, which was absolutely awesome for someone who has been aspiring to get to the V8 world.
“Then I started racing production cars, just at an amateur level, so at AASA type of events.
“Probably two years ago, I had an idea; I sort of saw a gap in the market to look after drivers and teams, specifically for their branding,” he added.
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“So I launched Motorsport Websites, and that’s basically aimed at doing websites for drivers, for teams, getting their profile out there; everything from their logo design, website design, even design their race cars, their race suit, the whole kit and caboodle.”
Tanner understands marketing, and what sponsors are looking for, and is now using that knowledge to help young drivers position themselves appropriately as they embark on their career in the cut-throat world of motorsport.
“If a karter is like, ‘I want to aspire to race V8s, or GT’, or whatever, I can build them a website to get their profile out there. I can then do all their branding, so they’re presentable to sponsors, presentable to the media,” Tanner explained.
MotorsportWebsites.com.au is a sponsor of the Parked Up podcast, giving Tanner links to other industry professionals through which he can offer services such as media training, or photography.
“I’ve got contacts everywhere that I can actually help someone to say, you want help with public speaking or help on the TV, or if you want your car designed, or if you want this done, I’ve got contacts and can do it myself.”
It allows Tanner to offer a holistic experience, making him a one-stop shop when it comes to positioning and polishing a driver’s brand and image.
And it doesn’t stop there, as Tanner’s other business, Torq Racewear, can also be leveraged to ensure on-track presentation matches the off-track image.
“I’m now the sole distributor for that in Australia, and they’re starting to get a little bit of traction,” he explained.
“I’ve tried to interlink both businesses.
“If a driver comes to me and they want to get the whole branding done, or got a new sponsor on board, I can do everything from their website, link it back to their race suit, and their race suit design, plus their race car design, and give them the full package.
“Instead of running around town to 100 different people, I can look after the drivers and offer a one-stop-shop.”
Like most who work in motorsport, the business is less about the money than the passion and love of the sport – that he’s able to positively contribute as a by-product is a doubly rewarding outcome.
“I just love the sport, I just love motor racing, car racing, I love being at the track and immersing myself in it,” he admitted.
“I’ve always had a burning desire to drive myself on an amateur level, which I really, really love, because I’ve also got a background in driver training, so I sort of try and mix those together.
“Plus, I just love helping people I can see that have got really good talent, you can see them going further.
“I just want to help people get as far as I can in this industry, because I’ve seen it from both sides.
“Sometimes people need a little bit of guidance to get them through the shark tank motorsport can sometimes be.”
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