MEMBERS IN MOTORSPORT
MOTORSPORT: PART OF REPCO’S DNA Repco has recently taken its long-standing role in Australia’s motorsport community to brand new heights Repco has been an important part of the Australasian automotive landscape since 1922 and has a proud motorsport heritage dating back to the mid-60s. In 1966, Repco famously teamed up with Sir Jack Brabham to produce the three litre Repco V8 engine that powered Sir Jack to his 1966 Formula One World Championship (the last of three) – the only time that any individual has won both the World Constructor and Driver Titles in a feat unlikely to ever be repeated. In addition to its partnership with Sir Jack, in 1969 the Repco V8 also powered Frank Matich’s SR4 Sports Car, and in the 1970s Repco developed and built the F5000 engine for Formula 5000 racing, which won races in the Australian Grand Prix, the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Australian Driver’s Championship, and the Australian Sports Car Championship. Through the same era, a derivative of the F5000 won the Australia Touring Car Championship, including success at Bathurst. Over the years, Repco has not limited its passion for motorsport to circuit racing, also supporting the 1979 Repco Reliability Trial which was famously won by the legendary Peter Brock, and later, the Repco Rally Team. In more recent years, Repco proudly supported Garry Rogers Motorsport in the early 2000s before later becoming an integral part of Dick Johnson Racing. With DJR, Repco has been a part of the successful claiming of the last two Supercars’ Driver’s Championships in a relationship which continues today and has also seen the launch of the Repco Young Driver’s Scholarship Program which sees Repco assist selected young and upcoming drivers as they make their way through the motorsport ranks in Australia and New Zealand.
Now in 2021, its place in the Australian motorsport landscape has been unquestionably cemented with its naming rights partnership of both the Repco Supercars Championship and the lauded Repco Bathurst 1000, as well as the Repco Mount Panorama 500. “Our team are driven by a genuine passion and enthusiasm for all things motoring and motorsport,” explains Repco Australia Executive General Manager, Wayne Bryant. “Aligning ourselves with passionate fans and demonstrating that we are authentic enthusiasts helps build the connections between fans and our brand. “Our valued partners and trade customers have also demonstrated their passion for motorsport, and so investing in motorsport provides for incredible connections across our business.” While Repco’s sponsorship activities have been well-respected for decades, its move to take over the naming rights of the entire Supercars championship and its jewel in the crown, the Bathurst 1000, has certainly been seen as a large move in the marketplace. “We had been building towards the moment of announcing our new partnerships with Supercars for over three years, and it was a real honour to be able to be unveiled as the new naming rights sponsor for this great series for the next five years
and to have the opportunity to support what is Australasia’s premiere racing series,” Wayne said. “We have always had a rich history in motorsport, and first announcing our support of the Repco Bathurst 1000 and then of the entire Supercars championship have been our most exhilarating steps yet. For us, it makes perfect sense. “First, the alignment between the Supercars fan base and our customers, both in retail and the trade, is extremely strong. “Then, when you combine this with the enthusiasm of our own staff, it is clear that partnering with this great sport provides a unique platform from which we can showcase our brand and our genuine passion for motorsport and motoring in general. “It also allows us to have an opportunity to give back to the fans that have supported us all these years, which is very important to us.” Of course, even the best sponsorship efforts will fail to meet their goals if they aren’t leveraged correctly. Repco and its team have put in place an intricate and robust leveraging system to make sure that these partnerships perform to the highest possible levels for their business. “One of the first things we did after announcing our new Supercars Series partnerships was to engage directly with the fans and hear their thoughts on how we can take the Championship to a whole new level,” Wayne said. “As a result of that research, we now have a robust platform and strategy in place to leverage this partnership both on and off the track. “Our focus across the year will be on continuing to work with the team at Supercars to further enhance the fan experience and bring the sport closer to them. “As part of this, we have recently launched ‘The Garage’ which will provide fans with the ability to connect with each other, get access to exclusive content and win ‘Money Can’t Buy’ experiences. “The Repco Garage is not just a new online destination for motoring and motorsport fans; it will also feature as a major at-track activation at key rounds of the championship this year.” For more information, visit www.repco.com.au Australian Automotive Aftermarket Magazine April 2021
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