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TICKFORD RACING REVEALS FINAL TWO SUPERCARS LIVERIES

01/03/2018, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 25935234
 
TICKFORD RACING REVEALS FINAL TWO SUPERCARS LIVERIES
28 February, 2018
With the first on track action of the 2018 Supercars season just two days away, Tickford Racing removed the covers from its two remaining main game entries Wednesday afternoon, revealing the look of the four-car team for this weekend’s Adelaide 500.
 
First revealed were the colours of Richie Stanaway’s No. 56 Tickford Ford Falcon FG X, featuring a majority of insignia and colours of the team’s sister company. Stanaway this weekend embarks on his first event as a main game Supercars driver, having competed in the 2016 and 2017 Enduro Cups in Tickford Racing prepared Falcons. In 2017, he and Cameron Waters pulled off a dominant win from pole in the Sandown 500, giving the Kiwi an advantage in both columns over the category’s other four rookies.
 
Stanaway’s 2017 Enduro companion, Waters, later showed off his 2018 Ford at a Monster-hosted party in the Adelaide pit lane. Sporting similar colours to the stealthy 2017 Falcon that led him to eighth in the championship, Waters figures a new chassis doesn’t need a new look to be fast.
 
Stanaway and Waters, now garage mates after the recent decision to swap Waters and Chaz Mostert’s positions in pit lane, will both hit the track Fridaymorning at 9:45 ACDT, as Practice 1 for the Adelaide 500 gets underway.
 
 
VETERAN RUSSELL COMPLETES CO-DRIVER LINEUP FOR TICKFORD RACING

VETERAN RUSSELL COMPLETES CO-DRIVER LINEUP FOR TICKFORD RACING

14/02/2018, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 25785559
 
VETERAN RUSSELL COMPLETES CO-DRIVER LINEUP FOR TICKFORD RACING
TICKFORD RACING – DAVID RUSSELL JOINS TEAM AS CO-DRIVER
  • Information on David Russell signing
  • Comments from David Russell and Tim Edwards
  • Downloadable images

14 February, 2018
Filling the team’s final co-driver slot for the 2018 Supercars season, Tickford Racing has signed veteran David Russell to its roster, completing the four-car, eight-driver lineup that will contest the season’s 16 race events and the Enduro Cup. Russell comes to Tickford Racing with nearly two decades’ worth of experience in Australian motor racing, including co-driver roles in each of the last eight seasons.
 
“Obviously it’s a fantastic opportunity to join Tickford Racing,” said Russell, who will compete in the Enduro Cup which includes the Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000, and Gold Coast 600 across September and October. “The performance that the team has had in the past and particularly at the end of 2017, winning the Enduro Cup, they’re definitely one of the teams to beat at the moment, so to join the team for 2018 is very exciting. It’s a great opportunity to join a group that’s getting their runs on the board and definitely have fast cars to do the job. The proof’s in the results the past few years and where the team’s at, so obviously it’s good to be a part of it.”
 
Hailing from Casino, New South Wales, Russell joins Tickford Racing as it attempts to defend its maiden Enduro Cup crown, claimed by Chaz Mostert and Steve Owen in 2017. The 36-year old Russell finalises a band of co-drivers that includes returnees Owen and Dean Canto, as well as James Moffat, who had raced full-time in the series from 2011-2017.
 

A familiar face on Supercars race weekends, Russell has competed in Supercars and its support categories since the beginning of the millennium, including nine Bathurst 1000 appearances in 31 Supercars starts. Coincidentally, he made his first Supercars start in a Ford Falcon in 2003, competing with Fernández Racing at the Bathurst 1000, and it is not the only reunion afforded by his signing.
 
“I’ve definitely had some success with the Blue Oval,” Russell added. “Right back to my first start even in what is now Super2. My first win at Bathurst in Supercars was in a Ford in the development series. Funny enough, that car was built by FPR, which obviously is now Tickford Racing, and (Tickford Racing chief engineer) Nathaniel Osbourne was acutally my engineer that weekend, so there’s some really nice alliances there and it will be great to work under him as well and bring our relationships full circle.”
 
Tickford Racing CEO and team principal Tim Edwards is also excited by the partnership, and looks forward to seeing the experienced Russell brings to the team.
 
“We are very pleased to have David join our program,” Edwards said. “He’s another veteran to complement our main game lineup which is fairly young. Given his experience and knowledge it shouldn’t take him long to get up to speed, and he should be able to offer helpful insights to all our drivers. Obviously one of our main goals this season is to defend our Enduro Cup win, and David completes a lineup which we believe will give us four pairs of drivers capable of doing that. We’re looking forward to getting the season started, and hopefully we can enjoy more strong results.”
 
While driver pairings for the Enduro Cup are yet to be finalised, all four co-drivers will partake in portions of Friday's Supercars open test at Sydney Motorsport Park. Enduro Cup pairings will be announced at a later date.
 
 
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THOMAS RANDLE TO HANDLE TICKFORD RACING'S SUPER2 EFFORTS IN 2018

THOMAS RANDLE TO HANDLE TICKFORD RACING'S SUPER2 EFFORTS IN 2018

17/01/2018, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 25498800
 
THOMAS RANDLE TO HANDLE TICKFORD RACING'S SUPER2 EFFORTS IN 2018
TICKFORD RACING – THOMAS RANDLE TO DRIVE FOR TICKFORD RACING IN SUPER2
  • Information on Thomas Randle signing
  • Comments from Thomas Randle and Tim Edwards
  • Downloadable images

17 January, 2018
Following a method that has yielded longstanding success in Supercars competition, Tickford Racing will again sample Australia’s pool of young driving talent, having signed Thomas Randle to its Dunlop Super2 program. The 21-year old native of Narre Warren North, Victoria will pilot the No. 5 Ford Falcon FG X in 2018’s seven-round campaign. The signing marks a return to Australian motorsport for Randle, who contested a number of European series’ in 2016 and 2017.
 
“First of all it’s great to be back in Australia,” said Randle. “I’ve had an amazing time in Europe the last two years, and I’d like to firstly thank all my supporters there, and Rusty French for his continued support as I return to Australia. To be part of Tickford Racing is pretty special, and to begin this new chapter of my career in this way feels pretty remarkable, I’m really looking forward to getting into it.”
 
At 21 years old, Randle comes to Tickford Racing with a range of experience in various types of machinery and accolades earned against some of the world’s most prominent up and coming drivers. His crowning achievement to date, winning the Toyota Racing Series, came in February 2017. Clinching the title in thrilling fashion at Circuit Chris Amon in New Zealand, Randle added his name to a list of champions that include Mitch Evans, Nick Cassidy, and Lance Stroll among others. His season later included opportunities in EuroFormula, LMP3, Formula Renault, Porsche GT4, and a round of the Kumho V8 Touring Car championship at Queensland Raceway.
 
“The fact that I’ve been lucky to drive so many cars, I think that experience will really help me learn this car,” he added. “All the different tyre compounds I’ve been on, the different dynamics of all the cars – prototypes, tin tops, single seaters – you can take different things from different cars. I’ve heard the Dunlop Super2 tyre is a very tricky tyre to master, and when we get into testing we’ll find out. I’m sure all the experience I’ve had isn’t going to hurt, and all the racing and race craft I’ve learned over the years will help me too.”
 

Randle – who has long had the support of team co-owner Rusty French – is expected to test the team’s Super2 entry next month. With his rookie season fast approaching, Randle hopes to keep his expectations in check as he faces steep competition in the junior category.
 
“Well the first thing to do is probably to learn everyone’s name here!” he said with a laugh. “In all seriousness, the goal is to learn the car, learn the circuits, and try and build every round on my performance. Ultimately, if I can get some wins, podiums, that would be fantastic. I’ve got to be realistic, because it’s very tough competition. I’ll be racing against drivers who have been in the championship for four or five years, but in saying that, that isn’t going to stop me from driving as hard as I can. I want to try and make my mark.”
 
While his talent is apparent, team principal and CEO Tim Edwards points to Randle’s youth as an area that excites him. The 21-year old’s signing bears resemblance to the likes of Chaz Mostert, Cameron Waters, and Garry Jacobson, who were groomed in Tickford Racing’s development program and have since earned and excelled in their Supercars opportunities.
 
“Thomas is a young man we’ve had our eye on for a while, so to have him in our camp is exciting news,” said Edwards. “We’ve seen what he’s capable of both in this part of the world and abroad, and at his age we can develop him in our program and build him into an even more well-rounded driver. The aim is to help him sustain a long, successful career with Tickford Racing, and the Super2 category will provide a good challenge for him to start with. He’s a strong talent with room to grow, and we’re looking forward to helping him achieve that growth.”
 
The move sees Garry Jacobson’s tenure at Tickford Racing come to an end after two years.
 
“We’d like to thank Garry for his time and contributions to our program the past two seasons,” Edwards added. “He always gave us tremendous effort and focus, and it showed on the track, most notably in his Super2 championship in 2016. We determined it was best for both his young career and our future prospects to part ways at this time, but he has a bright future ahead of him, and we look forward to seeing him at the track.”
 
The 2018 Dunlop Super2 season kicks off March 1-4 at the Adelaide 500 as support for the Supercars season opening event.
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TICKFORD RACING JOINS SUPERCARS

TICKFORD RACING JOINS SUPERCARS

19/12/2017, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 25221402
TICKFORD RACING JOINS SUPERCARS
Tickford Racing joins the Supercars grid in 2018 and will be the new name from next season and beyond for the team currently known as Prodrive Racing (Australia).
 
The name change is being made to more closely align the racing team with its sister company, the vehicle personalisation and performance business, Tickford.
 
The change creates a collective of brands under the Tickford masthead, ensuring a clear identity for the business.
 
Tickford Racing will retain the same drivers and team members that have made it a front-running force in the series.
 
Supercars Champion and Bathurst winner Mark Winterbottom, Bathurst winner Chaz Mostert and this year’s Sandown 500 winners Cam Waters and Richie Stanaway will all drive full-time for Tickford Racing in 2018.
Tickford Managing Director, Rod Nash said the name change was a key component of creating a much stronger identity for the team and laying a foundation for future success on and off track.
 
“We’ve been considering the possibility of changing the team’s name for some time and I am pleased to announce that we’ll take on the Tickford Racing name for 2018 and beyond,” Nash said.
 
“The change creates a strong overall link between our rapidly growing performance road car business and our racing division. The new logo provides a very obvious brand identity for Tickford both on the race track and on the road.
 
“We were conscious of how another name change might be perceived by our fans and members given all the success we’ve had under the PRA banner with championships in the main game and Super2 plus Bathurst success.”
 
The new Tickford Racing logo takes its styling cues from the Tickford logo, yet consciously has a key link to the team’s creation and past successes.
 
“We made sure we kept blue in our logo as we know the fans love it. They want to see blue in our logo and on the grid and it nicely provides a constant link to our past and what we represent,” Nash explained.
 
“Tickford Racing adopts the modern interpretation of the Tickford logo like our automotive business has and we retain the same drivers and personnel that have made us so successful. I’d like to think it’s a win for everyone.”
 
The change to Tickford Racing creates a far stronger and more obvious link with Tickford’s vehicle personalisation and performance business which CEO, Tim Edwards believes will benefit fans and customers alike.
 
“Under our current structure with PRA and Tickford it can be a little confusing as to how the two entities are linked and their relevance to each other. With the switch to Tickford Racing that evaporates and creates new opportunities,” said Edwards.
 
“We can potentially create Tickford Racing special edition vehicles, and more easily use our expertise across both businesses and represent all our interests more efficiently.

“The release earlier this year of the Tickford Bathurst ’77 Special Mustang highlighted the interest in racing fans and performance vehicle enthusiasts wanting special edition road cars with race-bred performance.
 
“The Bathurst ’77 Special was our first attempt at bringing our racing expertise into our automotive business and by having the same name and look-and-feel we can make this a more special and holistic experience in future.”
 
The new identity will carry over the results of its Ford Performance Racing / Prodrive Racing (Australia) derived history.
 
Heading into the 2018 Supercars season the team has claimed 63 race wins, 66 pole positions and 187 race podiums with its #5 and #6 entries.
TICKFORD RACING JOINS SUPERCARS
Click above to watch the Tickford Racing announcement
 
 
 
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STANAWAY'S

STANAWAY'S "CHILDHOOD DREAM" COMPLETES PRODRIVE RACING'S 2018 LINEUP

06/12/2017, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 25078991
 
NEWS: STANAWAY'S "CHILDHOOD DREAM" COMPLETES PRODRIVE RACING'S 2018 LINEUP
PRODRIVE RACING – STANAWAY JOINS PRA FULL TIME

6 December, 2017

Following an outstanding second season as a co-driver in the Supercars ranks for Prodrive Racing (Australia), Kiwi Richie Stanaway is set to achieve a lifelong dream as he becomes a full time driver in Australia’s premiere racing series. The 26-year old has inked a multi-year deal with Prodrive Racing, completing the four-car assembly with which the team will contest the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.

 

After an impressive run as a co-driver to Chris Pither for PRA customer entry Super Black Racing in 2016, Stanaway was placed alongside 23-year old Cameron Waters for the 2017 Pirtek Enduro Cup campaign. The pair won on debut from pole at the Sandown 500 in September, led 63 laps at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, and placed runners up in the Saturday race at the Gold Coast 600 in October en route to third place in the Enduro Cup standings.

 

Stanaway’s promotion to a full time seat supplements an already expansive racing resume which includes stints in single seaters, sports cars, and touring cars. He is the only full time driver to have competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and also boasts race victories in the World Endurance Championship, Formula 2, and GP3 in addition to his Sandown win earlier this year.
 

“Obviously it’s good to have everything ready,” said Stanaway, who will pilot the No. 56 Ford Falcon FG X in 2018. “It’s been coming along for a while, but it’s good to finally have the deal done. It’s been a childhood dream for me to race in Supercars, so it’s great to check that off the bucket list.”

 

While expectations are understandably high, Stanaway aims to remain practical in his maiden full time season and absorb as much as he can throughout the year.

 

“The first objective is always just to get into the series,” he said, “but there’s a big difference between participating in the sport and being successful. I’m aware that I’ve got a long road ahead of me and a lot to learn, but I’m really motivated. I’m putting my best foot forward, and want to learn as much as I possibly can in my rookie season. I’m expecting it to be tough, that’s just a realistic approach.”
 
RICHIE STANAWAY COMPLETES PRODRIVE RACING’S 2018 LINEUP

The opportunity affords the Tauranga, New Zealand product the chance focus on a full season in one category for the first time since 2014, when he competed in GP3.

 

“That makes a huge difference, I think,” said the Kiwi. “It’s been so long since I’ve had a proper full time, long time project to commit myself to. It makes a big difference in my mind set, and it’s an opportunity I’m really grateful for. I’m really thankful that the team have believed in me and not only given me the chance to co-drive for a couple years, but given me the amazing opportunity to come and drive full time.”
 

Team principal and CEO Tim Edwards echoed Stanaway’s enthusiasm, and is pleased to have the rookie under his watch.

 

“We’re obviously delighted to have Richie aboard with us full time. For as young as he is, he brings more experience and achievements to the table than a lot of veterans, and he’s impressed us every time we’ve put him on track. He’s proven he deserves a top quality ride in this sport, and I’m glad he’ll be racing for us rather than against us.”

 

Stanaway joins Chaz Mostert, Cameron Waters, and Mark Winterbottom to form the team’s four-driver lineup for 2018. Including Stanaway & Waters’ Sandown win, the quartet has won a combined 51 races in Supercars competition.

 

“Having Richie join the team really completes the package for us," said Edwards. "We’ll head into 2018 with four great drivers in four fast cars, and we believe we’ll be a threat to win any time out. We’ve elevated our expectations for next season, and we can’t wait to hit the track.”

 

Stanaway’s first scheduled appearance with the four-car outfit will take place February 16at Sydney Motorsport Park at a Supercars sanctioned open test. The Kiwi’s first race event with the Campbellfield based program commences March 1-4 at the Adelaide 500.

/ends
 
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PACE, PROGRESS THE THEME OFTHURSDAY AT BATHURST

PACE, PROGRESS THE THEME OFTHURSDAY AT BATHURST

05/10/2017, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 24376694
PACE, PROGRESS THE THEME OFTHURSDAY AT BATHURST
PRODRIVE RACING – BATHURST 1000 THURSDAY WRAP

Thursday's opening day of practice for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 was a busy one for Prodrive Racing (Australia), as three 60-minute practice sessions split up a pleasant day at Mount Panorama. Prodrive Racing worked through programs on each of its four cars in preparations for Sunday’s 161-lap race, but achieved impressive pace in the event’s first day of on-track action.

 

Sporting the Supercheap Auto colours, Chaz Mostert and Steve Owen (#55 FG X) paced the opening session of the day, while Dean Canto (#5 The Bottle-O FG X) led the co-driver practice in the n#5 livery paying tribute to Allan Moffat’s legendary 1977 Bathurst win. Mark Winterbottom piloted the #5 car to lead the Prodrive Racing pack in the third practice of the day despite some handling concerns hampering his run. Sandown 500 winners Cam Waters and Richie Stanaway were sixth quick in the first two sessions as they dial in the setup on the #6 Monster Energy FG X, and Jason Bright and Garry Jacobson (#56 MEGA Fuels FG X) had a quietly impressive day, running 13th in the first session, but P10 and P8 in the subsequent two.

 
DRIVERS’ VIEW
#5 The Bottle-O PRA Ford
Practice 1: 16th, 2m07.36s
Practice 2: 1st, 2m06.33s
Practice 3: 7th, 2m05.84s
 
Mark Winterbottom
“The car’s not flowing the way I want it to flow. Dean had a very good session, he did a good job. He was clear of the field, but you go into the next session and they up the ante with pace and they’re down in the low 2:05s. Our car isn’t capable of doing that at the moment, but we need more flow in the car because when you race all day you need to have a car that’s predictable and at the moment it’s not. We’ll keep tuning it, we’ve made progress, and we’ve got two more days until Sunday. We need to get it better for the race and I’m sure we will.”
Dean Canto
“It’s still early days, but it was good to move forward in that session, progress the car, make some changes that improved it. I was comfortable at the end there, put some new tyres on, but so did everybody else. The car still needs a little bit of work, Mark worked on a couple more things in the third session, but I’m comfortable. It’s my 19th time around here, so it’s not like I need to learn the track. Looking forward to it. Mark wasn’t happy with the car in the third session, but we’ll tune it up a bit more for tomorrow, and we’ll see if we can go quicker tomorrow.”
 
#6 Monster Energy Ford
Practice 1: 6th, 2m06.63s
Practice 2: 6th, 2m07.31s
Practice 3: 15th, 2m06.24s
 
Cameron Waters
“We were not actually too bad all day, which was nice. We weren’t really that happy with the car and we were in the top ten for most of it; I was sixth, Richie was sixth, and that last session we probably should have finished sixth. I just made a little mistake in the last corner, but yeah, we can still make the car a lot better, and there’s a lot more in it, which is positive.”
Richie Stanaway
“Decent day overall. We ran near the front in the first two sessions and Cam couldn’t get a good lap in at the end otherwise we probably would have been up there again, so not much to complain about. The car isn’t perfect, but we weren’t way off the mark, so it’s something we can work with. We’ll look over the data and try to make the car better for qualifying tomorrow.”
 
#55 Supercheap Auto Ford
Practice 1: 1st, 2m06.30s
Practice 2: 2nd, 2m07.31s
Practice 3: 21st, 2m06.50s
 
Chaz Mostert
“Tough last practice for us. We struggled a bit on used tyres, something with that set wasn’t quite right, so we’ll fix it up for tomorrow. I’m a bit disappointed. I really wanted to leave today with a good, positive vibe for tomorrow,  but it’s a bit of an unknown now, so we’ll see how we go tomorrow.”
Steve Owen
“No one’s ever handed out trophies on Thursday afternoon around here, so you don’t need to worry where you are on the time sheet, but we know the car is good. Chaz didn’t get his run in because there were kangaroos on the track at the end, but I’m comfortable and he’s pretty comfortable, so that’s the main thing.”
 
#56 MEGA Fuels Ford
Practice 1: 13th, 2m07.09s
Practice 2: 10th, 2m07.48s
Practice 3: 8th, 2m05.88s
 
Jason Bright
“I’m happy we were in the top ten most of the day, so I felt like we had a really good day. I thought we made good progress through the day. We got on top of some of the issues we were having in Practice 1, and made the car a lot better for Practice 3. There’s probably still a couple other things we can do to get a little bit better, but so far so good.”
Garry Jacobson
“It’s been pretty good. On the old tyre we were really competitive, like, top five. I settled in well, and I was surprised actually. I didn’t do the Super2 session like I usually do, so I’ve just been focusing on driving Jason’s car, but settled in pretty well. The new tyre, I probably missed a bit under braking, I started getting a long pedal. I lost a bit of confidence there, but that’s something I’ll get used to. I think so far, my feedback seems to have helped Jason in his sessions, he went out and went a lot quicker in the third practice. Being in different conditions in our sessions, to be in the top ten is a pretty good start for Bathurst. It’s a long weekend, but if we can consistently be in that top ten, then I’m pretty stoked.”
 
Tim Edwards, Team Principal
“It’s only the first day, so the time sheets aren’t all that important, but it was a pretty solid day for us. All of our cars were fairly quick all day, and I think they all have more time to gain, which is positive. The team will make adjustments overnight, and we’ll see if we can’t improve upon those times tomorrow.”
 
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FROSTY’S TRIBUTE TO THE FAMOUS ‘1977 FORD 1-2 VICTORY’ THIS BATHURST 1000

FROSTY’S TRIBUTE TO THE FAMOUS ‘1977 FORD 1-2 VICTORY’ THIS BATHURST 1000

04/10/2017, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 24364721
The latest info from Prodrive Racing
FROSTY’S TRIBUTE TO THE FAMOUS ‘1977 FORD 1-2 VICTORY’
THIS BATHURST 1000
  • The Bottle-O Racing Team pays homage to the 40th anniversary of Allan Moffat’s famous 1977 ‘Ford 1-2 Victory’ at Bathurst
  • The Bottle-O Racing Team, Car #5 is sporting a unique new commemorative livery, with
    retro-inspired race suits, crew uniforms and apparel. 
  • Exclusive and intimate retrospective interview with Allan Moffat, Colin Bond and Mark Winterbottom to air during the 2017 Bathurst 1000 on Network 10 and Fox Sports
The Bottle-O Racing Team and drivers Mark Winterbottom and Dean Canto will pay tribute to Alan Moffat - and the Famous 1977 Ford 1-2 victory – at Bathurst this weekend, by unveiling a brand new one-off livery purely for the 2017 event

The team will run the same colours as Moffat and Bond’s 1977 Ford XC Falcon on their modern day equivalent FG X Falcon Supercar, with Winterbottom and Canto wearing replica 1977 design race suits, among a host of tribute items.

The 1977 victory is famous for Bond electing to not pass the ailing Falcon of team owner Moffat in the closing laps, when the lead driver Moffat was nursing his car home due to a lack of rear brakes.
 
 
Mark Winterbottom, who won at Bathurst in 2013 – the first for a factory Ford driver since the 1977 race – says “Allan Moffat was one of my heroes growing up, and still is, so I feel very honoured to be racing in the livery he made so famous 40 years ago.”

“It will be great to have Allan and Colin trackside to watch the race this year and a big thanks to The Bottle-O team for making all of this happen. Dean and I would like nothing more than to take the famous livery to another win on the 40th anniversary.”

Allan Moffat will be in attendance to watch the one-off livery race this weekend, where he will also be inducted as an inaugural member of Supercars’ Legends Lane – a permanent tribute to past Bathurst greats.

“I have very fond memories of the 1977 race, it has become a big part of my life and still is even 40 years on. To see Mark and Dean carry those colours this year at Bathurst will be a great sight. I wish them and all the team the best of luck for the weekend.”

The tribute, which also includes retro-inspired crew uniforms and apparel, is part of a broad program instigated by Winterbottom’s naming-rights partner The Bottle-O to recognise the significance of the 1977 race and the legacy that exists four decades on.

Prior to Sunday’s 161- lap race an exclusive feature interview with Moffat and Bond will air on Fox Sports and Network TEN. In a tribute hosted by Winterbottom, the former team-mates reflect on the race, the significance of the result, what it meant at the time and what it means 40 years later.

Scott Marshall, CEO of Australian Liquor Marketers, which owns The Bottle-O brand wants to see the fans supporting the Bottle-O Racing team and the commemorative livery at this weekend’s Enduro race.

“We wanted to bring the fans a unique perspective on this historic motorsport event. The Bottle-O racing team has produced a moving, intimate interview with Alan Moffat, now 77 years of age, and Colin Bond revealing the full story never fully shared before with fans.

The Bottle-O racing team have been involved in Supercars for 11 seasons and no doubt the Bathurst 1000 will deliver more surprises for motoring fans to talk about well into the future. We wish Frosty and Dean all the best for the big race,” Marshall said.

Winterbottom and Canto will give the 1977 replica livery its on-track debut tomorrow during practice, ahead of Sunday’s 161-lap Bathurst 1000
WINTERBOTTOM PAYS TRIBUTE TO FAMOUS ‘1977 FORD 1-2' 
 
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CANTO AND STEVE O COMMIT

CANTO AND STEVE O COMMIT

17/11/2016, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 20213192
 
CANTO AND STEVE O COMMIT

Prodrive Racing (Australia) co-drivers Dean Canto and Steve Owen have both re-signed with the reigning Supercars Championship-winning team until at least the end of 2018.

The highly-experienced pair have recommitted to the squad for at least the next two Enduro Cup campaigns, extending their successful tenures with the Ford team.

Canto will enter his 10th season with the team next year and has been a consistent frontrunner in his co-driver role.

“I am very happy to be staying at Prodrive Racing and look forward to my 10th and 11th seasons with the team,” the two-time Dunlop Series Champion said.

“Being a co-driver you need to be comfortable with the team and just plug into their program when the enduros arrive. Having been at this team, for what will be 10 years next year; I am very comfortable and had no hesitation in signing a new deal. 

“The crew even pinned me down on the Sunday night at the Gold Coast and made me sign a piece of paper to say I was staying. It’s a nice feeling to know they want you around. 

“I’ve enjoyed success here, I am enjoying driving with Frosty and look forward to pairing with him again next year.”

In 2017 Owen will enter his fifth season as a Prodrive Racing co-driver.

With a Sandown 500 win and a Bathurst 1000 runner-up result already with the team, he is keen for more success with new partner, Chaz Mostert.

“It’s great to be continuing with the team for another couple of years at least and I am aiming to add to the success we’ve had,” Owen said.

“I’ve driven with a few different drivers since I joined in 2013 but the great thing with this team is no matter what car you are in, or what driver you are with, you always have the opportunity to win.

“I’ve enjoyed driving with Chaz so it is great to know we will be continuing our partnership next year.”

Prodrive Racing Team Principal, Tim Edwards welcomed the contract extensions of two of the most experienced co-drivers in the field.

“I am very happy that Dean and Steve had re-committed to the team until at least the end of 2018,” Edwards said. 

“Not only are they both great drivers who do an amazing job, but they fit so well into our team culture which is critical for co-drivers who drop into the team at such a critical time each season.

“Between them they’ve started more than 35 Bathurst 1000s so they are very experienced and both are quick, consistent and provide valuable feedback.

“Their extensions provide great stability to our program and compliment the long-term deals we have with Mark and Chaz who they will be driving with again next year.”

Prodrive Racing is looking to end the year on a high at the final event of the season where it is also aiming to wrap up consecutive Dunlop Series championships.
STAR FORD SQUAD LOCK-IN ENDURANCE DRIVERS FOR 2017
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FROSTY ENDS COLD STREAK

FROSTY ENDS COLD STREAK

06/11/2016, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 20070498
FROSTY ENDS COLD STREAK
Prodrive Racing (Australia) has taken home its second, first place trophy for 2016 in race 26 at the Auckland SuperSprint. Mark Winterbottom's The Bottle-O FG X returned to pace on the final day at Pukekohe racing out to a strong lead in the day's opening race. Winterbottom has finished second in the standings for the coveted Jason Richards Memorial Trophy after a consistent weekend on track.
 
Race 26
Mark Winterbottom ended Prodrive Racing's race win drought, claiming the top spot in the penultimate race at the Auckland SuperSprint. From fourth position Winterbottom made a stellar start, crossing the line with a one second gap over Scott Pye on the opening lap. A mistake the Triple Eight duo further into the race gifted The Bottle-O driver a five second lead, which he extended to 10 seconds by the end of the 35 laps. Chaz Mostert dropped down to ninth place after starting in sixth, but was able to make up ground to finish in his starting position. Cameron Waters was able to make up one spot to finish 20th, with consistent times making it hard to pass. Despite some struggles after falling to the end of the pack early, Chris Pither was able to regain spots lost to finish 23rd.
 
Race 27
The rain held off for the final race with each of the Prodrive Racing drivers finishing the race in their starting position. Both Chaz Mostert and Mark Winterbottom managed a strong start, falling into line after the first few corners. The two followed closely behind Scott McLaughlin for the duration of the race. Cameron Waters managed to make up positions early in the race but was unable to hold on. Chris Pither will focus on a strong final performance at Homebush after a disappointing outing at Pukekohe.
DRIVERS’ VIEW
Mark Winterbottom - #1 The Bottle-O PRA Ford:
Race 26 Qualifying: 4th 
Race 26 Result: 1st  
Race 27 Qualifying: 5th 
Race 27 Result: 5th 
"It was good to get a win today. It was not expected really. I had a good start and put down some good laps and then all of the mess unfolded behind so it was awesome to get the second win of the year. I thought one wasn't enough so it was great to get another win. That last race we had a really good start but it's hard with your teammate. We just kind of sat there and finished fourth and fifth with two straight cars and a couple of good results so it was a pretty good day."
 
Cameron Waters - #6 Monster Energy PRA Ford: 
Race 26 Qualifying: 21st 
Race 26 Result: 20th 
Race 27 Qualifying: 17th  
Race 27 Result: 17th 
"We just didn't have any pace today. My pace in race one today wasn't too bad, it was easy top 10 but when you qualify where we did you race there. I made a little mistake during the race and ran into a car and got a penalty but that's racing. In race two we tried to make the car better and didn't really change it much. We just struggled with the car this weekend and finding a rhythm around here."
 
Chaz Mostert - #55 Supercheap Auto PRA Ford:
Race 26 Qualifying: 6th 
Race 26 Result: 6th 
Race 27 Qualifying: 4th  
Race 27 Result: 4th 
"I tried my hardest out there but finishing sixth in the first one and fourth in the second one. A good amount of points there heading into the last round but we still struggled with the balance of the car. It was hard to race out there with everyone on the same tyre so we'll look forward to Homebush. Hopefully we can dial the car in, see what we can do and we'll go from there."
 
Chris Pither - #111 Super Black PRA Ford: 
Race 26 Qualifying: 22nd 
Race 26 Result: 23rd 
Race 27 Qualifying: 22nd  
Race 27 Result: 22nd 
"A pretty tough weekend. Unfortunately we just couldn't find a comfortable balance with the car over the entire weekend. We had a few issues down the back of the pack so overall some disappoint results but we'll regroup and try to learn from it. We'll try and come out firing at Sydney for a strong end to the year."
 
Tim Edwards – Team Principal: 
"We had a much stronger car today. To get another race win on the board was fantastic. It was a long time between drinks but two podiums in one weekend is a positive step forward. We know there are a few things we need to work on before we go to another street circuit in Homebush. We will definitely take the positives from this weekend and to see Frosty be consistent and sit second in the points for the race meet shows that we are not too far off."
 
RACE 26 RESULTS
1) Mark Winterbottom – The Bottle-O Racing Team 
2) Scott Pye – DJR Team Penske
3) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight
4) Fabian Coulthard – DJR Team Penske
5) Craig Lowndes – Triple Eight
6) Chaz Mostert – Supercheap Auto Racing
20) Cameron Waters – Monster Energy Racing
23) Chris Pither– Super Black Racing
 
RACE 27 RESULTS
1) Jamie Whincup – Triple Eight
2) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight
3) Scott McLaughlin - GRM
4) Chaz Mostert – Supercheap Auto Racing 
5) Mark Winterbottom – The Bottle-O Racing Team
17) Cameron Waters – Monster Energy Racing
22 Chris Pither– Super Black Racing
 
DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS 
1) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight: 3089
2) Jamie Whincup – Triple Eight: 2898
3) Craig Lowndes – Triple Eight: 2596
4) Scott McLaughlin – Garry Rogers Motorsport: 2575
5) Will Davison – Tekno: 2403
6) Mark Winterbottom – Prodrive Racing: 2384
7) Chaz Mostert – Prodrive Racing: 2235
17) Cameron Waters – Prodrive Racing: 1381
19) Chris Pither– Super Black Racing: 1318
 
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
1) Triple Eight: 5997
2) HRT: 3945
3) GRM: 3908
4) Prodrive Racing Australia: 3815
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MOSTERT RETURNS TO PUKEKOHE PODIUM

MOSTERT RETURNS TO PUKEKOHE PODIUM

06/11/2016, Australia, Motorsport - Road Racing, Supercars, Article # 20069988
 
MOSTERT RETURNS TO
PUKEKOHE PODIUM
Prodrive Racing (Australia) has claimed a podium finish at the Auckland SuperSprint at the hands of Chaz Mostert in a clean race 25 for the Supercheap Auto racer. Mark Winterbottom was pleased with the consistency of the car while improvements made overnight for car six were positive, Cameron Waters still believes further progress can be made for Sunday.
 
Race 24
The opening race at the Auckland SuperSprint was an eventful one for the Prodrive Racing stable following a rarely seen incident at the beginning of the race. After a clean start to race 24 by all drivers, a red flag on lap two caused the field to line up on the grid with pit lane blocked by the Jason Bright entry. The incident saw Chris Pither receive a pit lane penalty after making contact with Bright's car prior the crash. After making up one spot early in the piece, a mistake by Chaz Mostert in what he described as a difficult car to drive put him to the back of the field after spearing off at the hairpin. With little damage to the car, Mostert was able to make up three positions throughout the remainder of the race. It was smooth sailing after the first lap for both Mark Winterbottom and Cameron Waters, who held fourth and 12th respectively until the end of the 35 laps.
 
Race 25
A consistent race 25 saw Chaz Mostert and Chris Pither finish the 25 lap race in their starting positions in an incident-free run. Adjustments to both cars 1 and 55 between races improved an understeer issue that has plagued each of the cars throughout the weekend. With a strong car Mark Winterbottom improved one position in the opening laps to finish fifth, but is adamant there is more to come from the car. Further struggles with understeer and stability saw Cameron Waters drop from 11th to 17th throughout the course of the race, an issue he is confident can be rectified overnight.
DRIVERS’ VIEW
Mark Winterbottom - #1 The Bottle-O PRA Ford:
Race 24 Qualifying: 4th 
Race 24 Result: 4th 
Race 25 Qualifying: 6th 
Race 25 Result: 5th 
"We didn't quite have the speed today. I would like to have the car I had yesterday but we haven't got it. A fourth and a fifth is still a good result. We just need to try and get thatFriday car back for me and if we can get that I think we can definitely race up the front. It was a clean race which was good but we just need a bit more speed."
 
Cameron Waters - #6 Monster Energy PRA Ford: 
Race 24 Qualifying: 11th 
Race 24 Result: 12th 
Race 25 Qualifying: 11th 
Race 25 Result: 17th 
"Quali wasn't too bad, we made a pretty good step forward with the car and finished 11thin both which wasn't too bad considering where we were yesterday where there was a little bit left in the car and a little bit left in me so that was positive. The first race was okay, we just struggled with braking and turn. We changed it a little bit for the next race but it didn't really make much of a difference to be honest but we have a good direction for tomorrow and hopefully we're on the pace."
 
Chaz Mostert - #55 Supercheap Auto PRA Ford:
Race 24 Qualifying: 10th 
Race 24 Result: 21st 
Race 25 Qualifying: 3rd  
Race 25 Result: 3rd 
"Obviously the first race today didn't quite go to plan. I was running about ninth and really struggled with the balance of the car which just put me in catch up mode to the guys around me. I tried really hard but broke a bit too late and it was a bit unsettled into the hairpin and locked the front. A bit frustrating there going off the track and going to the back of the field and finished 21st. In the last race I started third, I had a good start and stayed out of trouble and trucked on. The car was much better in that race."
 
Chris Pither - #111 Super Black PRA Ford: 
Race 24 Qualifying: 24th 
Race 24 Result: 24th 
Race 25 Qualifying: 24th  
Race 25 Result: 24th 
"Bit of a tough first day at Pukekohe Park. Just struggled to find a comfortable balance with the Super Black Ford powered by Ice Break. It didn't go our way in the first race with a drive through penalty. I'm disappointed with that incident, obviously it put us back in race one. In race two, I just didn't have the balance to do much with it so hopefully we can re-group overnight and come out with a better car for tomorrow."
 
Tim Edwards – Team Principal: 
"Again, positives and negatives to take from today. It was fantastic to be up on the podium and to have Chaz up there as well. In this format, unless you have a car that is 100 per cent it is incredibly hard to make much ground at the front of the field, particularly once the race gets going. That considered both Chaz and Frosty did a great job but we're still struggling with a few little things. We'll review the data and hopefully make progress for tomorrow.
 
RACE 24 RESULTS
1) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight
2) Jamie Whincup – Triple Eight
3) Chaz Mostert – Supercheap Auto Racing
4) Fabian Coulthard – DJR Team Penske
5) Mark Winterbottom – The Bottle-O Racing Team 
17) Cameron Waters – Monster Energy Racing
24) Chris Pither– Super Black Racing
 
RACE 25 RESULTS
1) Jamie Whincup – Triple Eight
2) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight
3) Scott McLaughlin - GRM
4) Mark Winterbottom – The Bottle-O Racing Team 
5) Garth Tander - HRT
12) Cameron Waters – Monster Energy Racing
21) Chaz Mostert – Supercheap Auto Racing
24) Chris Pither– Super Black Racing
 
DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS 
1) Shane van Gisbergen – Triple Eight: 2956
2) Jamie Whincup – Triple Eight: 2808
3) Craig Lowndes – Triple Eight: 2485
4) Scott McLaughlin – Garry Rogers Motorsport: 2485
5) Will Davison – Tekno: 2325
6) Mark Winterbottom – Prodrive Racing: 2254
7) Chaz Mostert – Prodrive Racing: 2124
16) Cameron Waters – Prodrive Racing: 1357
19) Chris Pither– Super Black Racing: 1281
 
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
1) Triple Eight: 5774
2) HRT: 3791
3) GRM: 3723
4) Prodrive Racing Australia: 3636
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