The race to find local sponsors for the Des Moines Triathlon is halfway to its $150,000 target, and it’s filling some additional needs in the process.

Rick Tollakson, who told the Business Record last week that he had launched a campaign to find corporate sponsors and keep the event in Des Moines beyond this year, said he has lined up commitments so far from Hubbell Realty Co., where he is president and CEO, Principal Financial Group Inc. and Transamerica Corp., which provides refund insurance that covers the costs of registration for triathlon and other runners who pull out events because of illness or injury.

On Monday, BMW of Des Moines announced that it has signed on as the official auto sponsor, meaning that BMW will provide pace cars for the bicycle and road race portions of the event.

The event provides an opportunity to get the word out that BMW of Des Moines is operating independent from Mercedes-Benz of Des Moines and will move into a new dealership by July 4, said General Manager Craig Tjeerdsma.

“BMW of Des Moines will be very visible throughout the promotion and the months leading up to the event as its official automobile sponsor,” Tjeerdsma said. “Don’t be surprised to see official Triathlon vehicles around town starting very soon.”

The BMW and Mercedes dealerships will continue to operate under the Lithia Motors Inc. umbrella, but they are not longer a part of European Motor Cars, which was dissolved in January, Tjeerdsma said.

Tjeerdsma said he contacted race director Bill Burke after Hy-Vee Inc. announced in February that it would not longer sponsor the event.

The announcement also prompted Tollakson to get on the telephone and rummage through his email contacts to find corporate sponsors. 
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Tolllakson said he is early into the fundraising effort — he sent out an additional six emails on Monday — but is confident that more Greater Des Moines businesses will join as sponsors.

“I think we’ll get there,” he said.