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Repco, the largest automotive parts
and accessories retailer in Australasia, has taken a bold new step in its long
and successful involvement with motorsport in the region by becoming the naming
rights sponsor for both Rally New Zealand in 2008 and Rally Australia in
2009.
The sponsorship of these two World
Rally Championship (WRC) events was announced on 14 May with representatives of
Repco New Zealand and Australia joining officials from Rally New
Zealand and Rally Australia
at a launch function in Auckland, New
Zealand.
“Repco’s involvement with motorsport
dates back to the 1960s when the company supported Sir Jack Brabham as he
competed in the World Formula 1 championship,” says Colin Daly, executive
general manager for Repco Australia and New
Zealand.
“Taking the naming rights
sponsorship of the two most prestigious world rally championship events in New
Zealand and Australia fits perfectly alongside our core business as
Australasia’s preferred supplier of aftermarket vehicle parts, tools and
accessories,” says Daly.
“The whole trans-Tasman Repco team
is behind the two event sponsorships – that’s more than 4,000 staff in 400
stores across the two countries! Repco will contribute an extraordinary level of
in-store marketing support to build awareness for both of these highly regarded
world-class events and we are sure that there won’t be another naming rights
sponsorship quite like it in motorsport, or sport in general, in either
New Zealand or Australia,” he
adds.
“I’m delighted to announce the first
Repco Rally New Zealand takes place from 28 to
31 August this year,” says Daly. “We’ll have to wait a little longer to announce
the dates and venue for the long-awaited return of World Rally Championship to
Australia, but I can assure
motorsport fans that the Repco Rally Australia 2009 is going to be
fantastic.”
Chairman of Rally New Zealand’s
organising committee Chris Carr says Rally New Zealand is afforded some unbeatable opportunities with the
Repco sponsorship.
“Already we’ve seen the enthusiasm
with which the Repco team approaches a sponsorship project such as this!” says
Carr, who heads the longest-running international event with world championship
status in New
Zealand.
“It’s just fantastic to work with a
sponsor of Repco’s commercial stature. There’s a very natural alignment with
Repco and Rally New Zealand and we are very
much looking forward to working with the wider Repco team for our mutual
benefit.”
Due to the sheer number of countries
offering world-class rally events, the worldwide governing body of motorsport,
the FIA, introduced a rotational event scheduling process in recent years. This
saw Repco Rally New Zealand on the 2008 WRC calendar, but not Rally Australia.
“In 2009, the schedule is reversed.
Repco Rally Australia returns
to the WRC calendar, while Rally New Zealand
has a rest year and returns in 2010,” comments Morrie Chandler, president of the
FIA World Rally Championship commission.
“Repco’s sponsorship of two WRC
events in two countries appears to be unique in our sport,” continues Chandler. “This decision
fits well with the current rotational policy and will enable Repco to derive
benefits in both markets. We, at the WRC commission, applaud their
initiative.”
While details of the venues and
route of Repco Rally Australia in September 2009 are still being
finalised – an official launch is planned for later this year - the chairman of
Rally Australia’s organising committee,
Garry Connelly, says he’s delighted to have such a prestigious company like
Repco confirmed as the sponsor.
“Repco has a long history of
supporting Australian motorsport and this is a unique sponsorship agreement
which will benefit all involved,” says Connelly.
“We’re pleased to share this sponsor
with Repco Rally New Zealand and look forward
to working closely with our friends across the Tasman. I’ve already had
discussions with Chris Carr regarding how we can share other resources and
support both our WRC events.
“Our goal is not only to promote
these two events, but to lift the profile of World Championship Rallying, and
rallying in general, in the wider Asia-Pacific region,” concludes
Connelly.
Repco Australia and New
Zealand has a number of strategic marketing initiatives
planned to support both Repco Rally New Zealand and Repco Rally Australia, including the development
of rally-specific websites for both markets and rally branded merchandise. Repco
will also present consumer competitions and advertising campaigns themed around
this dual world championship event sponsorship.
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