Members in Motorsport: Penrite: Driving forward innovation on all levels

PENRITE: DRIVING FORWARD INNOVATION ON ALL LEVELS

From state and national partnerships to those on the international stage, Australian owned and operated Penrite Oil is a key player in the world of motorsport

A range of partnerships across an array of disciplines not only delivers marketing benefits to the leading Australian company, but also a raft of technical advantages for not only Penrite Oil and its R and D department, but also for its customers both in motorsport and the consumer/retail space. “Penrite offers various levels of sponsorship across a range of platforms from international, national and state-based to local community and grassroots focused partnerships,” Penrite Oil Director of Motorsport and Corporate Partnerships Manager, Jarrod Harding, explains. “Our aim is to support as many series, teams, individuals, communities and charitable causes as we can. Unfortunately, we cannot support them all, so it is a matter of sharing things around to do the most good when and where we can. “Of these programs, our most successful is the Penrite Brand Ambassador program. Each year Penrite Oil sponsors more than 160 Brand Ambassadors in all forms of motorsport across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe.” Many would look at partnerships in motorsports and assume the key benefit to the company providing the support is mainly marketingrelated. However for Penrite, the benefits of these relationships run much deeper than that. “At last count we have over 500 products and it makes sense for us to be active across a lot of different spaces which relate to these differing product ranges,” Jarrod said. “At the top end of competition – such as with our Penrite Racing Supercar program and our Superbike team – we can focus on really testing our products at an elite level under pretty harsh racing conditions. “At the more local level, we can work closely with our ambassadors to gather that finer detail out of how our products perform under a wider range of real world conditions. “Our racing program certainly allows us to do a huge amount of work testing all of our products, and the best thing about ambassadors is they give you real feedback – the beauty too about being an Australian family-owned company is that we can grab the boss and the next day be discussing improvements or new products based off that feedback. “At the end of the day, the real benefit to our customers is that if we are constantly testing and refining our products in this way, they can have confidence our products will well and truly exceed their needs.” One of the most well-known partnerships for Penrite Oil is the one it holds with David Reynolds, who the company has followed to a new team and new marque in the Supercars championship for 2021 and beyond. “Our partnership with Dave has been in place since he joined the Erebus Motorsport team back in 2016,” Jarrod explains. “Being a family owned and operated business, Penrite is obviously not your typical oil company and at our core, our business values are more on the conservative side and are certainly driven with a high importance and focus placed on family values. “When Dave initially joined the Erebus team, we were a bit apprehensive as we knew he was a good driver and a fan favourite but there had been a bit of negative press due to Dave’s off the cuff humour. “However, five minutes after meeting Dave you realise, he is just a regular down to earth bloke. What you see is what you get which really resonates with our customers and staff. Over the years our partnership has greatly evolved to the point where our trade and retail customers are now heavily involved in the direction of our motorsport journey. “Dave has slotted into our company dynamic and has become a face for the brand who is very personable with staff and customers alike. “The relationship is so strong that with Dave making the move to Kelly Grove Racing for 2021 and beyond, we have also made that move – swapping across to a new team and from the Holden to a Ford Mustang. It is certainly a big change, but it is one which will offer us real benefits behind the scenes.” In elaborating on these expected benefits, it is clear Jarrod and the entirety of Penrite Oil has some big plans in place for the future. “The Kellys’ have a tremendous technical capability – they manufacture a number of

components not only for Supercars but also for most other categories raced within Australia and New Zealand,” Jarrod said. “Their in-house team builds race engines; designs and fabricates specialist parts and body panels; and they have a huge R and D program. “So really, what better way is there to continue to constantly test and better our products than with Kelly Grove Racing? It is the best of both worlds and as an added bonus, their base is only 20 minutes down the road from our own headquarters.” One product range sure to play an integral part in this new relationship with Kelly Grove Racing is Penrite’s 10 Tenths Lubricants offering, which has a unique claim to fame in being a product actually used in Supercars in the same formulation which can be bought off the shelf. “It has been a little secret in racing for decades that generally what they say is going into the race cars isn’t actually what the label says or what you at home could buy off the shelf at your local retail outlet,” Jarrod said. “Oil companies have traditionally given race teams ‘special blends,’ usually to increase horsepower at the cost of longevity and protection to engine internals. “However, we haven’t gone down this route. Instead, since joining Supercars in 2015, it has always been our mission to promote and use off the shelf Penrite products. “It has helped that we already had a strong racing range that encompasses not only engine oil but also specialised brake fluids and coolants – the 10 Tenths brand. “The 10 Tenths range has actually been around for more than 30 years. The Dymond family behind Penrite have always been racers at heart, owning, building and competing in all sorts of car and bike racing, and the 10 Tenths range was born out of the passion John Dymonds (JD for short) held for historic motorsport. “JD was always interested in making his products the best on the market. He wanted to protect the engine but understood the need to gain the competitive edge. Today, we continue that work, we just have better technology on hand to help us understand what is going on at the microscopic level. “By using a combination of laboratory testing, trackside data and product ambassadors, we have been able to tailor the products to meet the changing demands of the user and suit a variety of different conditions. As the years have passed and the technology has improved, we have been able to further rely on diagnostic tools and chemical analysis to ensure we are always living up to JD’s mission statement to make the best products for local conditions. “I am proud to report that since joining Supercars six years ago, we have never had a mechanical product issue despite punishing the cars in searing temperatures. We have also enjoyed great performance in events such as the 12 Hour, where brakes are at over 300 degrees lap after lap. “We have claimed podiums and won races including the Bathurst 1000 where performance and longevity are important – all using the same 10 Tenths products which can be bought off the shelf at your local retail outlet. “Whether in blistering heat or rainy and windy conditions, our products have never let us down. To me, this fact just reinforces how important it is to make products for and in Australian conditions. “I guess the real testament to the success of the range is just how many people are now using it in pretty much every discipline of motorsport. That tells me we must be doing something right!” While Penrite Oil is certainly kicking goals with its 10 Tenths range in all kinds of racing disciplines, the company is far from resting on its laurels. With the move to Kelly Grove Racing, its technical team is already hard at work with the team’s engineers to take things to the next level. “Previously we had a heap of data on how the Holden Supercars behaved under various conditions, so moving to Kelly Grove Racing and the new Ford Mustang means we need to ensure the car behaves in a similar fashion,” Jarrod said. “It is early days, but so far we have been able to run the car with no problems using our Racing 5w30 product, and additionally we are also utilising our race coolant, brake fluid, trans axle fluid and a raft of other products. “While we have had success so far, we will always be keeping an eye on how things progress and ensuring we are working with the team and continuing to look for the winning advantage. “For instance, we are already working with the team on a range of new grease options and other speciality products. So that is a work in progress and one we look forward to seeing in action soon.”

For more on the Penrite Oil Company, visit www.penriteoil.com.au

ACL EXTENDS KELLY GROVE RACING PARTNERSHIP

Motorsport has long been a part of ACL’s DNA

ACL Bearing Company (Australia) says it is pleased to announce the extension of its long running partnership with Supercars team Kelly Grove Racing (formerly Kelly Racing) into its thirteenth season. “ACL is very proud to be a partner of Kelly Grove Racing and we look forward to the 2021 season, where in addition to seeing changes at Kelly Grove Racing, we also look forward to fans returning to the events around the country,” ACL Bearing Company (Australia) General Manager, Chris Brooks, said. “Motorsport is in our DNA. There is no better test for our products than the racetrack and the work that Todd Kelly and the team have done is remarkable and we wish them every success for Season 2021.” Kelly Grove Racing Co-Owner, Todd Kelly, said he was excited to see the partnership continuing. “I’m thrilled to be continuing our partnership with ACL for the 2021 Supercars season. The team has had a partnership with ACL since we started back in 2009 so this will be our thirteenth year of working together which is really exciting and also very rewarding for us to have such a longstanding relationship,” Todd said. “We use ACL products in all of our race engines and ACL have supported us through three highly successful engine programs during our years of racing Holdens, Nissans and now the Ford Mustang. “ACL products are extremely reliable and provide us with a great sense of confidence in our engine performance while our engines are under extreme stress and load during racing conditions. “The engineering and performance side of our business is something that I’m very hands-on with and I only choose the best off the shelf performance parts for our engines which is why we have partnered with ACL Bearings for so many years. We demand a lot from our race engines, which is why we demand the best. “At Kelly Grove Racing, we are passionate about using Australian-made products and supporting Australian manufacturing. ACL is run out of Tasmania by a great team of people, they’re very passionate about motorsport and we love having them as part of our team.”

For more information on ACL RACE Series performance engine bearings, visit www.aclperfomance.com.au

PENRITE RACING LOCKS IN BATHURST 1000-WINNING CO-DRIVER

David Reynolds will reunite with co-driver Luke Youlden

The 2017 Bathurst 1000-winning dream team will reunite and return to the mountain for 2021’s running of the Great Race as Luke Youlden joins Penrite Racing to partner David Reynolds in the #26 Penrite Racing Ford Mustang. Luke has been David’s co-driver in three Bathurst 1000s, highlighted by a victory in 2017 on Luke’s eighteenth attempt at the Great Race with a victory that marked the first win at the mountain for both drivers. “I’m really excited to be joining Dave and the team at Penrite Racing for Bathurst this year. It’s an interesting and exciting time to be joining the team, there’s obviously been a lot of change at Kelly Grove Racing which seems to be extremely positive and the team is really ambitious,” Luke said. “Winning Bathurst with Dave in 2017 was one of the highlights of my career, it’s something that I’ll never forget so obviously I’m really looking forward to giving it another crack this year after watching from the sidelines in 2020. “Myself and Dave obviously have history, we know how each other work and I’m used to driving the car the way that Dave has it setup so I think we’ll be able to gel together really well and hopefully have a strong result. We definitely have experience on our side, together we’ll probably be one of the most experienced combinations that’ll race at Bathurst which is cool.” Luke is one of the most experienced co-drivers in the field, with a total of 20 Bathurst 1000 starts to his name and will race in the Porsche Carrera Cup this year, allowing him to stay race fit throughout the season. The team will also field Luke at its passenger ride events throughout the year to give him the opportunity to adapt to the Penrite Racing Ford Mustang ahead of his debut in an official capacity at Bathurst in October. “We’ve got the dream team back together and it feels awesome. Luke and I shared some great memories together when we won the Bathurst 1000 in 2017, which is still one of the greatest moments of my life. I’ve enjoyed driving with him and he’s a great guy, so it was only right we recruit him for Bathurst again this year,” David said. “Luke will be doing quite a lot of racing this year which is great for him and it means we know he’ll be race ready when it comes time to get in the car for Bathurst. With how good the co-driver field is these days it’s hard to turn up having not raced all year and give it a crack so with his regular Porsche meetings I think he’ll turn up confident and raring to go.”

For more from Penrite, visit www.penriteoil.com.au

BAPCOR, AUTOBARN AND CHICANE TOOLS PARTNER UP WITH TICKFORD

The new partnership hit the track for the first time at the Mount Panorama 500

Tickford Racing has confirmed a significant partnership with BAPCOR and Autobarn which brings two exciting new commercial partners to the Melbourne-based team for the 2021 Supercars Championship. The new partnership will see Autobarn make its return to Supercars competition for the first time since 2018 as well as the debut of Chicane Tools, a new premium hand tool brand from BAPCOR. Prominent branding of Autobarn and Chicane will appear on the Ford Mustangs driven by Cam Waters and James Courtney as well as Tickford Racing crew gear. Chicane hand tools will fill the toolboxes of the team’s garages at track, putting the premium tools through their paces in the world’s most competitive touring car championship. Chicane was launched in December 2020 with an expanding range of hand and specialty tools and tool storage options. BAPCOR says all of the tools are made from the highest quality resources and are designed to meet and exceed industry standards while being priced to represent great value in the market. BAPCOR Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Darryl Abotomey, said he is thrilled to partner Chicane Tools with Tickford and show mechanics and DIY enthusiasts across the country the first-rate quality of Chicane Tools. “Aligning Chicane Tools with a team as successful as Tickford gives us a great chance to showcase our new tool brand to Supercars fans around the country,” Darryl said. “Chicane is an exciting addition to BAPCOR’s offering; our products are designed to be industryleading using the best materials available, so to partner with another industry leader such as Tickford Racing is the perfect partnership. “Every race is a new one, and when Tickford is faced with a mechanical challenge in 2021, we are pleased to say they will turn to Chicane Tools.” BAPCOR Retail Executive General Manager, Tim Cockayne, said he is delighted to see the Autobarn name return to the sport in 2021 with the twotime Bathurst 1000 winners, Tickford Racing. “Autobarn customers have a real passion for Supercars, so to bring Autobarn back to the championship with a top team like Tickford Racing is incredibly exciting,” Tim said. “Autobarn has been helping Australians maintain, fix, and tune up their cars since 1985, and with the introduction of Chicane it was a natural opportunity for us to re-enter a sport we have positive memories in. “Tickford had a tremendous finish to their 2020 season and like us are striving to be the best in their field. We’re really looking forward to Autobarn and Chicane celebrating more success together in 2021.” Tickford Racing Chief Executive Officer and Team Principal, Tim Edwards, shared his excitement for the partnership that sees the well-known and new brands join one of Australia’s most successful motor racing teams. “Bringing Chicane and Autobarn on board from 2021 is incredibly exciting for our team,” Tim Edwards said. “Partnering with a renowned company synonymous with the automotive industry like Autobarn and to simultaneously provide a platform to a new brand in Chicane is really the best of both worlds. “On race day we think three steps ahead, so when our crew turns to Chicane, we know they will have the best tools available. “We’re excited about what this partnership will bring. Autobarn has been part of several historic moments throughout their involvement in Supercars over the years, so we’d love to add our own while also helping to build the Chicane tool brand as we race across Australia.” Chicane Tools are exclusively available through BAPCOR’s group of stores and outlets, including Burson, Autopro, and Autobarn. Autobarn is a leading retailer of automotive aftermarket accessories, spare parts, car audio, tools, roof racks, car care, and oils and additives. Australian owned and operated, Autobarn has been serving Australians’ automotive needs for nearly 40 years and has been frequently involved in Supercars over the past two decades.

For more on Chicane Tools, visit www.autobarn.com.au/chicane For more from Bapcor and Autobarn, visit www.bapcor.com.au and www.autobarn.com.au