COOLDRIVE RACING INDIGENOUS LIVERY IMPRESSES

The Blanchard Racing Team (BRT) competed at the recent Supercars Indigenous Round in Darwin with a striking livery for the CoolDrive Racing Ford Mustang, with the “Three Generations” artwork denoting three generations of the Blanchard family.

Once again designed by acclaimed Djerait artist Melissa Yaram Tipo, the three saltwater crocodiles together represented the three generations of Blanchard, who have passed knowledge down with each successive generation.

Similar to BRT’s 2022 livery, the utilisation of the crocodile represented strength, power and masculinity.

The painting was also a celebration of this year’s NAIDOC Theme, ‘For Our Elders,’ with the dots around the crocodile motifs representing the generations of people that came before us, and continue to look over and guide the community in modern times.

Melissa’s family have lived in the Darwin and

Litchfield areas for generations. Melissa works for CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, as an Academic Coordinator for CSIRO’s Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy, which delivers a program for women seeking opportunities in a STEM career.

Additional to the livery design, BRT extended an invitation to Petra, a 15-year-old Indigenous secondary student from Alice Springs, who completed a VET Work placement at the event in support of her Certificate II in Automotive Studies.

“We are very proud of our livery for this year’s Indigenous Round, and continue the tradition that started last year in celebrating the local Northern Territory history, people and culture,” BRT CoPrincipal, Tim Blanchard, said at the unveiling.

“Melissa Yaram Tipo has once again done a brilliant job in drawing together so many aspects that pay tribute to where we have come from, and continue to be important to this day.

“For instance, the five large circles in the artwork each represent a core value of the CoolDrive team: Work Together, Show You Care, Act Fairly, Aim to Inspire and Embrace Change.

“Also, it is fantastic (to have) Petra join the team as a part of her studies. She is aspiring to become a Mechanical Engineer, with the opportunity made possible by Melissa and her work with the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy, of which Petra is a member.”

For further information on the Blanchard Racing Team, visit www.blanchardracingteam.com.au