One of the world’s giants in automotive lubricant engineering and manufacturing, Castrol, has joined forces with leading blue oval V8 Supercar team Ford Performance Racing (FPR) in a multi-year major naming rights sponsorship agreement.
Castrol had been assessing the potential to return to the V8 Supercar Championship Series as a major sponsor after evaluating the performance of a number of leading teams during 2006. The company clearly identified FPR as a perfect fit for the company’s marketing strategy for the premium high performance Castrol EDGE brand, developing a striking green, white and red livery that is sure to be a hit with V8 Supercar fans when it hits the track at the Clipsal 500 during the first week of March.
Since its innovative launch to market in January 2006, Castrol EDGE has become a major performance brand in its own right, gaining wide acclaim due to its high tech formulation, dedicated to those who are passionate about their car and unwilling to compromise on quality and performance. Castrol EDGE now takes pride of place across the sides of Steve Richards’ number 6 Castrol FPR Falcon, the bold Castrol EDGE logo being joined by the traditional Castrol brand logo on the car, with shared signage on the team’s sister car, the Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon.
Having enjoyed a successful long term previous association with Castrol, 34 year old FPR driver Steve Richards will return to his familiar role as a leading ambassador for Castrol this season. Richards’ record across a broad cross section of motor racing categories, along with his passion for cars, racing and all things performance makes him the perfect driver to return the green, white and red colours of Castrol to the top of V8 Supercar racing.
According to Andrew Johnson, Director of Marketing for Castrol Australia and New Zealand, “This is the best overall total package that Castrol has ever had in V8 Supercars. We’ve been partners with FPR since the team was established in 2003 and this team has now become a top contender for the Championship. Steve Richards knows Castrol and our customers well and will be a great ambassador for us during this year and beyond. We also have strong business links with Ford Performance Vehicles and we have a car that looks unmistakably Castrol, so from our prospective, we’ve got the lot. “
FPR Commercial Director, Rod Barrett, welcomes Castrol to the next step in major V8 Supercar sponsorship with FPR. “Castrol has been a long term FPR sponsor and I am absolutely delighted to welcome them as a major naming rights sponsor of the team. Having been with us since day one, Castrol has watched the team progress in every area of its operations and will now join us for what is sure to be our most exciting season. There could not be a better time for Castrol and their customers to become a part of FPR. “
Castrol’s major sponsorship of FPR also ties in perfectly with the commercial business agreements that exist between Castrol and Ford Performance Vehicles, with the company’s technology-led lubricants used as first fill on all of the marque’s total performance range of Ford vehicles.
