It’s not James or Jim or even Jimbo for this Texan. “Call me Sulli,” is the invitation with an outstretched hand from James Sullivan, the newest partner of KVSH Racing.
It suits him – just like the bear mascot outfit he wore while a Baylor University undergrad. Sulli is a confluence of entrepreneur spirit and racer determination, a raconteur with purpose and plans that led him to the IndyCar Series in 2011.
It’s been a circuitous route, but in Sulli’s eyes a fork in the road provides options both worth exploring.
“I graduated from Baylor (in 2003) with a double major of entrepreneurship and marketing so I always wanted to work for myself,” he says. “Creating something is where that drive to be an entrepreneur came from originally. I like playing puzzle maker and taking the pieces and putting them together. In IndyCar and motorsports, that’s what it’s all about; there are so many little pieces to put together on the sponsorship level.”
It requires creativity, energy and the resolve to push forward when rejection is a constant – all of which are compatible with Sullivan’s demeanor. Neither brash nor self-aggrandizing in explaining his past, purpose and plans, everyone is caught up in Sullivan’s constant motion and hearty laugh. No wonder Baylor selected him to fill that fuzzy suit.
Two events converged to set Sullivan to explore business opportunities in motorsports, which had been an annual entertainment outing with his father to AMA Motocross/Supercross at the Astrodome in Houston in his youth. While in college, Sullivan attended a CART race in Houston – which KV Racing Technology co-owner Jimmy Vasser was competing in – ostensibly not for the on-track competition.
“My favorite band was Third Eye Blind and I had a general admission ticket and went to the race the next day,” he says. “The first time an Indy car flew by me I was awestruck.”
Then a fraternity brother invited him to attend the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in ’03, which proved to be a career-altering event.
“I met A.J. Foyt and one of my vivid memories is when I walked in Gasoline Alley for the first time and I saw a car go past through that little opening to the track and it was such an overload for me,” he says. “I left the race that day with a dream to chase and capture. I had to see more so my wife and I drove to Kansas to see more, not even consulting the schedule that there were two races (at Texas Motor Speedway) at the time.
“We drove there and it was the first time I ever saw Tomas Scheckter race and his was the first autograph I ever received. I stood in line for an autograph from this guy and was cut off (but) he saw me and waved me through. He was racing for Cheever at the time, and I drove home telling my wife I have to figure out a way to be involved in this sport.”
That wasn’t in the cards for the immediate future, but an option to build a platform was through marketing at Holigan Racing in AMA Motocross/Supercross and involvement in the X Games.
“I owe a lot of our sponsorship success now to my time there because marketing to a 12 to 24 demographic is as hard as it comes, and building fans in that demographic is as tough as it gets period,” he says. “Samsung was our first big primary sponsor and then we got into the energy drink wars so I got a handle on always having to deliver more value to that company because there were other teams in that arena that also were being utilized to build these brands. Much more than brand exposure it was ‘Hey, guys, we need to you to build this company.’ It was weighty responsibility.”
The timing appeared ripe, according to Sullivan, to move toward his Indy car goal. Through an association with then-KV Racing Technology team manager Mark Johnson, he met with team principals Kevin Kalkhoven and Vasser to broach the subject of an Indianapolis 500 partnership. That was 2009.
“It was not a single meeting and they’re cautious with whom they align with as they have a reputation to defend,” Sullivan says. “I was one to two years out to do this. (This team) was the first only really stop for me. Mark said, ‘Do not make me look bad’ and I don’t think I did.
“After the Supercross days, I created SH Racing (the H is former business partner T.J. Humphreys and reserved for daughter Hadley) and partnered with Kevin and Jimmy in 2011 to run the Indianapolis 500. I held true to my own word and called Tomas and met him for a steak in Sonoma and said, ‘You have no idea who this is you don’t have to bring any money but we’re going to run Indy,’ and that was really where the hook was set for me.
“Watching the green flag from the engineering stand it was game, set, match for me as far as the passion for it. That’s where this started.”
And where does it go from here? Four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais, who earlier this week co-drove the winning overall entry in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, struck a two-year deal with KVSH Racing to drive the Chevrolet-powered No. 11 entry. With sponsorship in place and additional partner announcements upcoming, the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is just around the corner.
You’ll easily spot Sullivan there in the paddock. He’ll be the one wearing the white shirt, sleeves slightly rolled up and wearing a smile the size of his home state.
“This will be the start of a new chapter for everyone,” he says. “It’s exciting. We’re all poised.”
