Car parts and consumables retail company Repco has announced that it will replace Virgin Australia to become the new Supercars title sponsor, creating the Repco Supercars Championship from next year.
Repco says that with motorsport being a part of its DNA, the announcement strengthens the partnership between the company and Supercars, reconfirming its commitment to motorsport across Australia and New Zealand.
In the 1940s, Repco engineer Charlie Dean brought the world the Maybach Special, which raced from 1947 to 1960. Repco then partnered with Sir Jack Brabham, Denny Hulme and the Brabham racing team to win the Formula 1 world championships in 1966 and 1967. More recently, the company has supported DJR Team Penske and Scott McLaughlin’s Supercars Championship-winning Shell V-Power Mustang in both 2018 and 2019. Last month, Repco replaced Supercheap Auto to became naming rights sponsor for the Bathurst 1000, creating the Repco Bathurst 1000 from 2021.
Repco says supporting the Supercars Championship reclaims its legacy.
“We are so excited to be announcing this partnership with Supercars,” said Wayne Bryant, Executive General Manager at Repco Australia. “We have a rich history with the sport, and together with the Repco Bathurst 1000, this is our most exhilarating step yet. We can’t wait to work even more closely with Supercars and with the teams, the drivers and support crews. The Supercars family have shown in recent times how well they have all pulled together for the betterment of the sport and to provide race fans with a superior level of sports entertainment. We are really proud to be given the opportunity to become part of that family and work with them to bring the series to the fans that share our enduring passion.”
Repco says it has been an important part of the Australasian automotive landscape since 1922. In addition to its Formula 1 partnership with Sir Jack Brabham, in the 1970s the company says it 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.
Today, Repco has a network of 400 automotive parts and accessories stores across Australia and New Zealand.
“We have been building towards this moment for the last three years,” said Jamie Walton, Executive General Manager of Merchandise and Strategic Marketing ANZ, Repco. “It’s an honour to become naming rights sponsors for the Supercars series for the next five years, and to have the opportunity to support Australasia’s premiere racing series. One of the first things we want to do is engage directly with the fans and hear their thoughts on how we can take the Supercars Championship to a whole new level.”
“We are delighted to have a name that has been associated with Australian motorsport since the 1940s as our naming rights partner for the next five years,” said Sean Seamer, CEO of Supercars. “Repco has invested considerably in our sport and to carry their name as naming rights partner into 233 million homes across more than 90 countries is great news for both parties. Repco is an iconic international motorsport brand with a proud history, and we are thrilled to extend our partnership with them.”
The Repco Supercars Championship will launch in 2021, with the naming rights deal to last for five years.