The Illusion of Having a Website
A lot of racers think they have a website. Maybe it’s a Facebook page with a logo. Maybe it’s a free builder someone set up three years ago and forgot about. Maybe it’s a domain that just forwards to Instagram.
That’s not a real website.
It doesn’t tell your story. It doesn’t show sponsors why you’re worth backing. It doesn’t give fans or partners a clean place to find what matters. And it sure as hell doesn’t help you stand out.
This isn’t about ego or polish. It’s about showing that you take your program seriously, on and off the track. If someone looks you up and sees a half-baked page or no site at all, they’re gone. No second chances.
That’s the disconnect. Racers are putting in the work on the car, at the shop, and at the track. But when it comes to their digital presence, they’re settling for “good enough.”
And in a sport where opportunities are already hard to come by, that’s not good enough.
Why Racers Default to Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify
It’s not your fault.
You didn’t wake up one day and decide, “I’m gonna build a mediocre website.” You just needed something up. Fast. Simple. Cheap. So you grabbed whatever platform a buddy used—or whatever ad popped up after Googling “build a racing website.” Look who is the first option:
Squarespace is the number one listing, because they paid for that space on Google. So you go to Squarespace because you weren’t comparing features. You were comparing how much time and patience you had left after thrashing to get the car ready for the weekend.
And Wix, Squarespace, Shopify—they know that. That’s why their pitch sounds perfect: No experience needed. Up in an hour. Looks professional.
Except it never actually works that way.
You get inside and realize the templates are stiff. The layouts feel like small business brochures. And unless you’ve got a good eye for design (or a lot of time to learn), you’re stuck with a site that looks like everyone else’s—and doesn’t feel like you.
Then there’s Shopify. It is great for merch sales. But it’s not built to tell your story. Still, it’s a name you’ve heard, so you try to make it fit.
This isn’t about you making a bad decision. It’s about racers being underserved by tools that weren’t built for them in the first place.
What Do You Actually Get for That $16?
Let’s be real—most drivers don’t need 100 pages, a blog, or a newsletter funnel. They need one clean, trustworthy, up-to-date hub where sponsors, fans, and partners can see what they’re about.
So when a site like Squarespace flashes “$16/month” and promises a “professional modern site,” it sounds like the perfect fit.
But here’s what that $16 actually buys:
- No real design help—just drag, drop, guess, repeat
- Limited customization unless you know code
- No actual racing functionality or structure built in
- And support that can’t tell a sprint car from a sprint triathlon
Wix has the same problem. The $17/month “Light” plan doesn’t even include e-commerce. Want to sell shirts or stickers? You’ll need to bump up to a higher plan. Want something that doesn’t look like a small business from 2012? Better start learning design—or pay someone else to fix it.
Bottom line: The monthly price might be low, but the value is even lower when you have to spend dozens of hours just trying to make the site look decent, only to end up with something you still don’t love.
And time? That’s the one thing race teams never have enough of.
So What Should a Racing Website Do?
Forget fancy animations. Forget “launching your brand.” If you’re a race driver, your site has one job: Make you look serious enough that someone wants to write you a check. Or at the very least, drop some coin on your latest t-shirts.
That means:
- A clean, sponsor-first layout
- Easy-to-find schedule, results, and car info
- A dedicated page for your partners
- Photos that don’t look like they were stolen from Facebook
- And a setup that actually works on mobile
Most DIY platforms weren’t built with this in mind. They’re made for photographers and wedding planners—not racers who are trying to land a $1,500 hood sponsor before next weekend.
A clean, intentional website builds trust. It tells a sponsor you’re serious. And no $16 templated platform can fake that.
| Feature | Wix “Light” ($17/mo) | Squarespace “Personal” ($16/mo) | Shopify “Basic” ($39/mo) | P1 Web Development |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designed for racing? | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sponsor showcase area | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Easy-to-update schedule/results | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Mobile-first performance | ⚠️ Often slow/clunky | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ (lightning fast) |
| E-commerce included | ❌ (upgrade required) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ (optional add-on) |
| Real support from someone who knows racing | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| One-time price (not monthly drain) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Built to help you get sponsored | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
What Makes P1 Different
There’s no shortage of people who “build websites.” But almost none of them know what a sprint car sounds like, or even better, what it smells like. They also don’t know how much work it takes to line up a $1,000 sponsor just to afford fuel and tires for the weekend.
That’s what sets P1 apart.
I’m not an agency that decided to “niche down into racing.” I’m a racer who builds for other racers because I got tired of seeing talented drivers lose out on opportunities due to half-baked websites.
Here’s what that means in practice:
- Every site starts with reality, not fluff – No “brand storytelling” sessions. No BS mission statements. You race. You grind. You need a site that shows that to the world.
- You don’t have to figure it out yourself. – I’ve seen the DIY builds. They look fine—until you realize they don’t actually do anything. P1 sites are structured with sponsors in mind. Period.
- Clean layout. Mobile first. No drag-and-drop duct tape. – Every build loads fast, works everywhere, and doesn’t fall apart on mobile. Because if your site doesn’t work in the pits, it doesn’t work—period.
- It’s not “just a website.” It’s your pitch deck. – I treat every build like it needs to land you your next deal or sell your next t-shirt. Because in most cases… it does.
- Flat pricing. No BS. – You’ll know exactly what you’re paying, what’s included, and what upgrades are optional. No $99 surprise plugin fees. No “hourly billable” nonsense.
Bottom line?
You’ve already put in the hours, the money, and the grit to prove you belong at the track. Your online presence should match that same level of commitment.
P1 Web Development builds racing websites that make sponsors stop scrolling and say, “This guy busts his ass on the track – I want to help”
Let’s cut through the noise.
This isn’t just about picking the “right” platform. It’s about how you present yourself when it matters most.
Sponsors don’t just care about your lap times. They care about how you show up. Because the moment they Google you, they’re not looking for race results—they’re looking for signs that you take this seriously. They want a clean, professional site that shows who you are, what you race, and why you’re worth backing.
And if all they find is a half-finished Wix site or a Facebook page with outdated results? That tells them just as much as any podium finish.
You can be a hell of a driver and still lose out on opportunities if you don’t look the part off the track. That’s the truth nobody wants to say out loud.
So if you’re chasing serious support, stop using tools that were never designed for our world.
You wouldn’t trust a mechanic who’s never seen a sprint car. Why trust a website platform that was built for coffee shops and landscapers?
There’s a better way. One built by someone who lives this life, just like you.
What should you do next?
If you’re showing up every weekend, wrenching between heats, chasing sponsorships, and doing the damn work—your website better show that too.
That’s what I build. Not flashy garbage. Not cookie-cutter junk. Just clean, fast, sponsor-ready sites that actually represent what you’re building at the track… and sell some cool merch along the way.
If you’re doing the work on and off the track, our sponsorship program might be exactly what you need.
If you’re done settling for ‘good enough’ and ready to show sponsors you mean business, get in touch and let’s build something that actually reflects who you are.
Kelly Pfleiger
I'm the owner of P1 Web Development — a design studio built for racers, teams, and motorsports businesses that are sick of outdated websites and generic templates. I build fast, aggressive, mobile-first WordPress sites with a sharp focus on usability, sponsor value, and search visibility. If you’re in the racing industry and need a site that actually works for your program, this is what I do.
