While the drivers and teams race for on-track success, their sponsors compete for recognition in front of the country’s biggest car race audience of the year. The two are linked. The further up the front a car runs, for longer, and the better place it finishes should equate to more exposure for its sponsors.
As it stands confectionary company Darrell Lea, primary backer of Tekno Autosports via its Stix brand, is the winner followed in second by global energy drink giant Red Bull, which is a major sponsor of Triple Eight Race Engineering.
In third is the city of Adelaide which supported Supercars minnow Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport with Clipsal 500 branding to promote that city’s premier motorsport event. Following them in fourth is another energy drink producer, Monster Energy which backs Prodrive Racing.
Shell has a lockout on fifth and sixth places thanks to its V Power fuel brand’s support of DJR Team Penske.
Seventh is truck manufacturer Freightliner which sponsors the number 14 Brad Jones Racing Commodore, while the Nissan motor company’s corporate colours appeared on the eighth-placed factory team Altima.
Another factory Nissan followed that car home in ninth with primary backing from GB Galvanising. Cooldrive Distribution rounded out the top 10 courtesy of its support for the number 21 Brad Jones Racing Commodore.
All these teams have a range of other sponsors, with support varying from large chunks of cash to technical assistance or support in kind. The magnitude of the inputs determines the size and visibility of the various company’s signage on the car.
Manufacturers were set to feature more prominently on this list until a late race crash eliminated both the factory Holden and Volvo squads from top 10 contention.
Team Darrell Lea STIX – W.Davison/J.Webb – Holden Commodore VF
For those not amongst the millions to watch the race, the crash was caused after a racing incident between Jamie Whincup and Volvo-mounted Scott McLaughlin saw the latter leave the track on the entry to Caltex Chase.
Whincup slowed to let McLaughlin back in front and avoid a penalty from the stewards, however a hard-charging Garth Tander in his factory Holden was caught out between the slowing Red Bull Holden of Whincup and the Volvo returning to the track at high speed.
A 15-second time penalty imposed on Whincup as a result of that incident and subsequent appeal by his team has left race results provisional at this stage.
Maybe a new breed of brave lawyer is needed to ride along with the drivers to give advice as the action unfolds. But think of the billable hours.
Either that or the introduction of simpler rules that don’t encourage drivers to slow down and atone for their sins while still on the racing line.
Top 10 Bathurst Sponsors
1. Team Darrell Lea STIX W.Davison/J.Webb Holden Commodore VF
Darrell Lea, Doric, Cowdroy, Liberty, XForce, CarLine
2. Red Bull Racing Australia S.Van Gisbergen/ A.Premat Holden Commodore VF
Red Bull, Holden, Caltex, Autobarn, Komatsu
3. 222 Clipsal 500 Adelaide Racing N.Percat/C.McConville Holden Commodore VF
Adelaide Clipsal 500, H&C, Lift, Holden, SP Tools,
4. 6 Monster Energy Racing C.Waters/J.Le Brocq Ford Falcon FG/X
Monster Energy, Orrcon, Castrol, Actron Air, Enzed
5. 17 DJR Team Penske S.Pye/T.D’Alberto Ford Falcon FG/X
Shell, Detroit, Western Star Trucks, Pirtek, MTU
6. 12 DJR Team Penske F.Coulthard/L.Youlden Ford Falcon FG/X
Shell, Detroit, Western Star Trucks, Pirtek, MTU
7. 14 Freightliner Racing T.Slade/A.Walsh Holden Commodore VF
Freightliner, BOC, Fuchs, Holden, Dunlop, Biante
8. 23 Nissan Motorsport M.Caruso/D.Fiore Nissan Altima
Nissan, Nismo, Steadfast, Mack, PPG
9. 96 GB Galvanizing Racing D.Wood/D.Russell Nissan Altima
GB Galvanising, Advam, Polyflor, Dayco, Castrol Edge
10. 21 Team Cooldrive T.Blanchard/M.Jones Holden Commodore VF
Cooldrive Distribution, Hi Tec Oils, Jaylec, AISIN
By Daniel Cotterill
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