Strap On Your Stilts: Being a Character Is Part of the Job

If you’re looking for ways to grow your fanbase, I highly recommend following Jesse Cole, founder and owner of the Savannah Bananas. This yellow-suit-and-bowler-hat-wearing guy has a “fans first” mantra that’s unlike anything you’ve seen in sports—or motorsports. If you haven’t heard of Banana Ball, give it a quick search and check out the fan following it’s built. 

I follow Jesse, the Bananas, and their players pretty closely on social media to snag ideas we can use to bring more fan-focused energy into motorsports. So you can imagine my surprise the first time I realized one of their players is nicknamed “Stilts” because he literally plays ball on stilts. 

Do the stilts make him a better Banana Ball player? No. Can he get out of the dugout without looking like some sort of insect-man hybrid? Also no. Does he get any advantage on the field wearing stilts? Nope. But the stilts aren’t about playing better ball—they’re about being a recognizable, memorable character. Fans are out of their seats cheering for Stilts every time he’s up to bat. Wouldn’t you be? And when he slides into base—basically falling six feet into the clay—the crowd goes absolutely bananas (pun totally intended). His stilts set him apart from every other player, and the fans love it. 

How does this relate to racing?

Let me tell you a quick story from our last race at Dirt City. Chris is probably going to kill me for this behind-the-scenes, but here goes. Saturday’s Pro Spec race was rough. One of Chris’s competitors bumped him several times between the start and turn 1, eventually pushing him into a tractor tire and rolling the truck before the field even reached the first corner. When Chris got back to the pits after the race, he was not in the best mood. 

As I mentioned earlier, we’re working hard to be more fan-centric, and one way we do that is by going out into the crowd after every Pro Spec race to hand out goodies to the fans. I’m sure you can guess that Chris wasn’t thrilled about trudging up to the spectator hill with a smile after that day. But I reminded him: he’s here to put on a show—on and off the track. So, grudgingly, he grabbed his bag of T-shirts and made his way up.

In that moment, Chris was figuratively strapping on his stilts. He wasn’t going to be a better driver or win more races by handing out shirts, but he was playing a character for the fans. And that moment mattered. A few of those shirts came back the next day on the backs of kids hunting for our team to sign them. Those kids will remember Chris and that day long after we forget it. 

Sometimes the things that don’t improve your lap times are the very things that make you unforgettable. You have to be willing to put energy into being memorable and connecting with fans—even when it doesn’t feel like it’s making you faster. Those moments, those social media posts, those awkward conversations, those “stilts,” build a fanbase that sticks with you long after the checkered flag waves. Winning races is great, but being remembered—that’s how you build something that lasts. 

Our racers have a way to build their brand and connect with fans—whether they’re on the track or strapping on their own stilts. Want that for your program? Sign up to sell at https://racerondemand.us/pages/sell-with-racer-on-demand